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Just had my lapband removed...this was the third surgery (not counting the first to have it inserted), first it slipped, then it twisted, then it collapsed...all in a period of almost 3 years....My insurance is not the same as when I first started....As a matter of fact, my insurance does not cover bariatric in any manner. I would like the gastric sleeve and am looking for suggestions that will not bankrupt me for the rest of my life....please email me directly at sonjamarder at gmail dot com with any info. I prefer not to go the out of country route unless there is someone in the new jersey area that i can go to for follow up.....

I am desperate here....I have lost 110 lbs and have already gained half of that back.

Many thanks....

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I'm covered via VA healthcare (I'm a Vet) which does NOT cover any bariatic surgery at all. And because I'm not morbidly obese (just obese with a BMI of 31.5) no doctor would even approve the surgery. After a friend when to mexico and had the vertical gastric sleeve with amazing success I decided to go down the same path. I got a loan to cover it, researched an American/Mexican dual certified doc (Dr. Alvarez) and I'm now going to finally get sleeved August 17th. The price is not cheap, however what I was quoted state side was absolutely astronomical. I was quoted for a sleeve $33k and $30k in Atlanta and Birmingham respectively. Going to mexico and having a dual certified physician do it, including hospital stay of 3 days, full testing, lab work, EVERYTHING was a total of $8,700. I got financing and decided that I did something about it. Good Luck in your journey. :)

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I can't offer a lot of advice, except to tell you that there are many people on this site who have gone to Mexico and had positive results.

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Alvarez seems to be the man! I am going to try my best to jump through BCBS's hoops for the next six months or so, but if denied I will be seeing Dr. Alvarez someway somehow!

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WOw, 30, 000?

15,000 here with a reasonable ext. of 17,000 if you include misc things...

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Just had my lapband removed...this was the third surgery (not counting the first to have it inserted)' date=' first it slipped, then it twisted, then it collapsed...all in a period of almost 3 years....My insurance is not the same as when I first started....As a matter of fact, my insurance does not cover bariatric in any manner. I would like the gastric sleeve and am looking for suggestions that will not bankrupt me for the rest of my life....please email me directly at sonjamarder at gmail dot com with any info. I prefer not to go the out of country route unless there is someone in the new jersey area that i can go to for follow up.....

I am desperate here....I have lost 110 lbs and have already gained half of that back.

Many thanks....[/quote']

I am always leary of people that immediately want you to email them. Notice this person only has one post.

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yes, i just came across this board, i have other posts on other boards; and my daughter had emergency surgery to remove her lapband 4 days ago....why are you leary? i'm asking for information as her mother....she's 25 and i thought i would amass all the info i can for her....

what is wrong with you?

thanks so much for your help....

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yes' date=' i just came across this board, i have other posts on other boards; and my daughter had emergency surgery to remove her lapband 4 days ago....why are you leary? i'm asking for information as her mother....she's 25 and i thought i would amass all the info i can for her....

what is wrong with you?

thanks so much for your help....[/quote']

I am leary because people that hand out their email addresses that easily can very well be a scheme to collect others email addresses and sell them to mass marketers.

Another thing that makes me skidish is that someone that doesn't protect their information is likely to get an email virus, which can easily find its way to every person in your email list.

I think that's 2 very reasonable concerns. Not saying that you are a bad person, but the potential for harm is there.

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well then by all means post it here...i don't get here that often...i am beside myself right now....

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 1 reply
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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