Hi all. I am being sleeved on July 31 by Dr David Kim at Forest Park in Dallas. I was just curious about what to expect...

How was the facility? Nurses?

How long were you there?

What type of pain control was used? Was Dr Kim good at getting the gas out?

Was a family member able to stay at all times with you?

Any tips on things to bring with me?

Sorry! I am just so excited and it would be great to get a few pointers from some that is familiar with Dr Kim or the facility.

KS, just checking on you and how your surgery went.

I THINK they do...I'm pretty sure I saw CareCredit ads in there. Feel free to call the office. They're good about answering questions like that. They're very patient. I sent an email like.....once a week containing at LEAST 10 or 15 questions.

Forest Park accepts it because I used it on my sinus surgery there 2 months before my VSG there.

Regarding self pay and pre & post op diets:

I was self pay with Dr Kim and had the VSG last week and paid both Forest Park and Dr Kim using Care Credit. The price is $12,300 - here's the break down:

$250 - scheduling fee to dr Kim applied to surgery

$5,050 - Dr Kim and surgical assistant

$6,200 - hospital fee

$800 - anesthesiologist

these fees include radiologist fee, bariatric university class and material, floow up appoitments for 1 year, pre-op appointment and testing at hospital, support group meetings for life.

Forest Park gave me 2 years at no interest and Dr Kim's office gave me 6 months no interest both through Care Credit.

I was on a 2 week pre-op liquid diet I bought from them that cost me $180. After surgery you do 1 week Clear liquids, followed by 2 weeks full liquids and then 2 weeks blended/pureed foods.

Hope this helps!

I also used Dr.Kim. I was sleeved on April 10th. My starting weight was 261 and 3month 2 weeks later I am 211. Weight loss of 50 lbs.

I was Dr.Kims first patient of the day. Got to hospital and was wheeled back before 5am.

I too over packed and used only tooth brush, fresh panties, socks, lip balm and my cell and charger. I could have guest. My husband and children both came but I was in no mood to visit. I was nauseous and dizzy I did not do anything but sleep. I had zero gas pains. Only pain I had was being dizzy and nauseous. I hardly even walked cause I could not keep my balance. I stayed my full two days because I was to sick to go home. They give you nothing but clear liquids and they stated horrible. You are asked to sip several shots per hour and log it. I of course did nothing and sipped nothing. I was just to sick to hold my head up. I was pumped full of liquids through the iv but I still when home dehydrated. I ended up taking two weeks off instead of the one week. I again forced myself to drink liquids because being dehydrated was causing the dizziness, headaches, nausea and fatigue. If it was not for the advise of dooter I would have never figure out you got to sip sip sip or ur recovery will be horrible.

Three months two weeks out I don't regret it one bit.

Good luck.

Regarding self pay and pre & post op diets:

I was self pay with Dr Kim and had the VSG last week and paid both Forest Park and Dr Kim using Care Credit. The price is $12,300 - here's the break down:

$250 - scheduling fee to dr Kim applied to surgery

$5,050 - Dr Kim and surgical assistant

$6,200 - hospital fee

$800 - anesthesiologist

these fees include radiologist fee, bariatric university class and material, floow up appoitments for 1 year, pre-op appointment and testing at hospital, support group meetings for life.

Forest Park gave me 2 years at no interest and Dr Kim's office gave me 6 months no interest both through Care Credit.

I was on a 2 week pre-op liquid diet I bought from them that cost me $180. After surgery you do 1 week Clear liquids, followed by 2 weeks full liquids and then 2 weeks blended/pureed foods.

Hope this helps!

Thank you so much!!

I also used Dr.Kim. I was sleeved on April 10th. My starting weight was 261 and 3month 2 weeks later I am 211. Weight loss of 50 lbs.

I was Dr.Kims first patient of the day. Got to hospital and was wheeled back before 5am.

I too over packed and used only tooth brush, fresh panties, socks, lip balm and my cell and charger. I could have guest. My husband and children both came but I was in no mood to visit. I was nauseous and dizzy I did not do anything but sleep. I had zero gas pains. Only pain I had was being dizzy and nauseous. I hardly even walked cause I could not keep my balance. I stayed my full two days because I was to sick to go home. They give you nothing but clear liquids and they stated horrible. You are asked to sip several shots per hour and log it. I of course did nothing and sipped nothing. I was just to sick to hold my head up. I was pumped full of liquids through the iv but I still when home dehydrated. I ended up taking two weeks off instead of the one week. I again forced myself to drink liquids because being dehydrated was causing the dizziness, headaches, nausea and fatigue. If it was not for the advise of dooter I would have never figure out you got to sip sip sip or ur recovery will be horrible.

Three months two weeks out I don't regret it one bit.

Good luck.

Thank your for sharing your experience! I look forward to watching your progress!

KS, just checking on you and how your surgery went.

Everything went very well. i used Baylor Medical Center in Trophy Club because they were on Aetna's network. surgery was approximately 10:30 am Tuesday, leak test was around 9:30 Wednesday, and I was home by 3:00pm. I felt extremely well-treated by all the staff and nurses there. I've only used pain medicine twice, both times at night to help me sleep better. It does hurt a bit more to lay on my side, and I'm a side sleeper. right now I'm just working on getting my liquids down. I'm already up to two ounces per serving, but I'm about a minute between sips.

Can anyone tell me what all can you do with Care Credit? Where to apply for it? & What can you pay with it?

Can anyone tell me what all can you do with Care Credit? Where to apply for it? & What can you pay with it?

You can apply on their website: carecredit.com

You can use it to pay medical expenses but the medical care provider has to accept it. Not all do. You can call the provider and ask them or do a search on the Care Credit website.

Okay. Thank you, Ms. Amy.

KayKay,

I'm going to be sleeved by Dr. Kim on August 6th as well. Just started my liquids today. Only 13 more days to go!

I'm going to be sleeved by Dr. Kim on August 7th! :-)

I posted this in another room and thought I would share...

Well guys....countdown begins. My surgery is on Tuesday. I am not sure what time yet. Dr's office said they would call me on Monday before noon to let me know what time to be at the hospital. I have everything I THINK I will need. WOW. I cannot believe it's almost here and that I have successfully completed TWELVE days of the liquid diet. GO ME!!!! Honestly, it hasnt been as bad as I thought it would be. Guess that's a good thing and hopefully I won't 'miss' food as much post surgery either. Weird though...I am not nervous one bit. I am so ready. This is a whole new chapter in my life and I am going for it. I will have my mother by my side through the whole thing. Husband will be home with the kids (1 and 3) and he really hasn't been supportive anyway during this process. But...I am ok with that. This is about my kids...and ME! ME! ME! For ONCE in my life...ME!

I will keep you posted!

I posted this in another room and thought I would share...

Well guys....countdown begins. My surgery is on Tuesday. I am not sure what time yet. Dr's office said they would call me on Monday before noon to let me know what time to be at the hospital. I have everything I THINK I will need. WOW. I cannot believe it's almost here and that I have successfully completed TWELVE days of the liquid diet. GO ME!!!! Honestly' date=' it hasnt been as bad as I thought it would be. Guess that's a good thing and hopefully I won't 'miss' food as much post surgery either. Weird though...I am not nervous one bit. I am so ready. This is a whole new chapter in my life and I am going for it. I will have my mother by my side through the whole thing. Husband will be home with the kids (1 and 3) and he really hasn't been supportive anyway during this process. But...I am ok with that. This is about my kids...and ME! ME! ME! For ONCE in my life...ME!

I will keep you posted![/quote']

All my best to you, you sound super prepared and excited! Way to go, can't wait to hear your progress! Thank you for sharing your journey with your fellow sleevers!!! I was sleeved almost six weeks ago in Dallas! Best thing I have ever done for myself and for my family! Take care!

Newlife..keep us posted on how it goes. I was the same way as you with the anticipation and not nervous. It has been an amazing journey. Welcome to the loser's bench!

You were the 13th patient? WOW. That seems like too many patients!

My husband had his RNY at Pine Creek which is the sister hosptial of Forest Park. Yep, it's like an assembly line and I'd never recommend anyone have their surgery at either facility; especially since we showed up at 6 like we were told by the hospital and the doctor's scheduler and they didn't get around to us until almost 10 and even then, my hubby laid on a bed in pre-op for over an hour-and-a-half with about 20 other people in the same predicament. While I waited for him, at least 25 more patients showed up in the waiting room, all complaining that it looked like they wouldn't be operated on until well into the nighttime hours even though their scheduled time was late morning-early afternoon.

Some people get beepers. I didn't. After about 1 or 2, luggage in tow, I asked a nurse the status of my hubby and she just told me his room number and said I could wait for him there. At around 4, they brought him into the room (I was asleep on the couch after sitting in the waiting room all day).

I stayed in his room with him the whole time he was there (3 days) so that's a positive but the whole atmosphere gave me pause. FWIK, these two hospitals are business ventures amongst the more popular bariatric surgeons in DFW (now you see why most of the surgeries are bariatric and they do 3 zillion per day). I'm used to more structured hospitals where your surgery time to honored (to the nearest half-hour).

Which is why when I had my sleeve, I chose to pass up doctors who have television commercials because they all wanted to use those hospitals. The surgeon I used adamantly expressed that she would not sign on to do surgery at Pine Creek nor Forest Park and has no plans to do so in the foreseeable future although those doctors have asked her to.