Hi everyone!

I'm new to the site, and my surgery is scheduled for 12.20.2011 with Dr. Aceves. My surgery will be a LapBand revision. I have a few questions. Has anyone else had Dr. Aceves? Has anyone else had a LapBand revision? Has anyone else gone for the surgery alone? I'm a little afraid, but I just don't have anyone else to go with me. I'm crossing my fingers and praying that everything goes well. Thanks in advance!!

went alone. felt very comfortable once there. Was a little nervous too at first. The town is a border town, don't forget that, but the hospital is sweet and small. Dr Aceves is very serious about what he does, and you will be in the best hands. You will also be glad that you went by yourself because there is alot of boring down time that i would just have felt guilty, and uncomfortable with someone just sitting there watching me sleep.

I went alone and I was fine. Dr. Aceves did a great job and I've been at goal now for a few weeks. Don't worry, you're in good hands.

Oh girl, just search for Dr Aceves and you will find nothing but glowing reviews for him here. I did NOT go alone, my Mother went with but a girl in our group did and she had a great time. Once you are there with all the other surgery girls you form a little group and check on each other. I wouldn't hesitate to go alone, in fact it might be easier in that you don't have to worry about anyone but yourself. You don't need to lift bags because they have a driver for that (bring tip money) and everything is taken care of. The nurses speak great English and the staff attends to every need you have and even those you didn't know you had. You are in THE BEST HANDS!

I had Dr. Aceves, and he trusted me enough to do my revision from band to sleeve - just like yourself. Dr. Aceves saved my life!!! Every time I look in the mirror, run like the wind, weigh myself, or put on my tiny clothes - I thank God and then I thank him too. He is a very skilled surgeon and his staff is nothing short of stellar.

Though I did not go alone, others have and came through just fine. Ernesto will help you with anything you might need with getting to the hospital and getting you back to your terminal.

Wishing you well! Keep us updated on how its going for you.

I went alone and had a great experience. I had no problems at all being by myself....I didn't have to worry about anyone else

Thanks for the feedback, everyone! I feel a little better, although I'm still kinda scared. What do you all do for support back home? What do you do for checkups? Do you just go to your regular PCP if you have issues? My PCP doesn't even know I'm having it done. She knows I had LapBand, but she doesn't know I'm having the revision. I'm just so sick of doctor's visits and co-pays; I don't go to her unless absolutely necessary. Any thoughts?

I told my PCP three days before my flight that I was having a VSG and she agreed to order the routine post-op labs for me. When I came back I took her the surgical report and the xray of my sleeve for my records. I have not seen her since then. I have been to the lab for my 3, 6, and 9 month blood work and she has seen those results and emailed me saying, "Everything looks good." I tend not to go to the doctor either and haven't needed to see her since there were no complications or issues.

I'm going to Dr. Aceves for my Dec 1 surgery and I'm going alone. I'm looking forward to it. I won't have to share the remote!

Hi,

I don't post much as I am a mom with 2 little ones and just so busy keeping up. I have so much to say and the thought of sitting down to write it all down makes me think I want to write a novel about my experience to date.

I had a BMI of 36, weighed 210 and am 5'5", struggled with my weight all my life and didn't qualify for insurance covered surgery. I chose Dr. Aceves after EXTENSIVE research and drove down from Los Angeles alone. I'll save the writing of a novel for another time, but I will try and tell you a bit about being alone.

The hospital is 5 blocks from the border. Not sure if you are driving or flying and Ernesto picks you up. Either way, it's an easy and comfortable transition over the border to the hospital! The staff is great and supportive, and all though it's very strange not to have someone there you know to experience it with you, send you off to surgery and be there when you wake up, the staff really takes care of you and you rely on them. In the big picture, I agree with Dreamy, there is so much down time for someone to sit and hang out for 3 or 4 days doing nothing. I was glad I didn't have to feel bad or worry that they are comfortable or bored out of their mind!

Contacting your family is easy, they have internet and I brought my Ipad and could send emails and used my phone to text. Also, when you get out of surgery, the coordinator calls your family to update them on your recovery status until you are well enough to call yourself.

You will meet your surgerymates the first day and all of you will get to know eachother for the days you are there. They will be in the same boat you are in and you will shuttle to and from the hospital and hotel together. They will be in the hallways walking with you and you will not be alone.

Anyway, to sum it up - I had such a great experience and I have no regrets about my surgery, surgeon choice, hospital choice and overall experience. Would go alone all over again unless I had a family/friend that had nothing to do and nowhere to be and could just hang with me for 4 days bored out of their mind... lol!

btw, I am down 60lbs in 7 months and feel and look great. It's the best thing I ever did for myself. I am so pleased I took the leap of faith and made the decision to go to Mexico and trust Dr. Aceves and staff with my life, do it alone and be free of the weight I carried and the unhappiness it brought to my life.

Feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions or just want someone to talk to. wendyjwolf@yahoo.com

There is no need to see your PCP for anything other than regular check ups. You can have your yearly bloodwork done by the PCP like anyone else would. Really this surgery isnt' like others and there isn't any follow up needed.

Well said Newlysleeved!!!

I feel like I am being rude, but can you give an estimate of what doctor aceves charges? If not I understand.. I have been thinking about doing this stuff for awhile and recently found these lovely forums.. At first I was considering lapband- in Mexico, as my insurance doesnt cover squat.. But then I worried about fills and slipping and all that.. Then I learned about plication, but it seems as its okay that most people band or plication turn to this surgery instead.. so why not just start with it right??

I am considering going with Dr. Ramos Kelly, and i just recently heard about aceves.. I do not feel comfortable going with a dr.o or dr. a who work out of the same building- i have just read to many things 70% good and 30 % bad and scary, and that just seems risky to me...

Dr Aceves is 8750 and that includes everythign except your airfare. He's the best surgeon in the world IMO.

Dr Aceves is 8750 and that includes everythign except your airfare. He's the best surgeon in the world IMO.

Um... I'm stealing this quote and putting it in my signature line. :wink1:

My revision is a little higher. It's almost $11K. I'm a self-pay, but I'm happy I don't have to fight with my insurance, and once it's done I don't have to keep paying for fills, etc. With my lapband, each office visit is no less than $300, and the x-rays are close to $1000. I had a high deductible, and even after the deductible was met, not much was covered. I figured it's best to go ahead and spend the lumpsum and get it over with.