1. Can't I do this with out the surgery? You know, eat the crazy small amouts and still lose weight? Why isn't that ok?
   
2. Who are you using? Who is your doctor? Is it costing you a fortune? And if so how are you financing such an endeavor?
   
3. Does anyone who has complete the surgery regret it?
   

Thanks so much! I'm sure I'll have loads more questions for you as I begin my journey. Thanks for all of your help!

Will power!! After you have the surgery you never feel hungry after a total of 500-800 calorie intake for the day. You can not even finish a child's portion of a meal. So, there will never be a "cheat day". At least, that is my experience. Let me put it this way, a 5oz yougart takes 30 minutes to finish and I am STUFFED!

No regrets!!

1) yes you can eat small amounts without the surgery,but you will still be hungry..and be tempted.

2) I used John Garcia in Bakersfield ca, my insurance covered it all but $45.

3) my only regret is not doing it sooner.

Good luck!

WOW! Thank you all so much for your incredably quick responces. My best friend from college had the surgery done a little over a year ago. I just saw her this past weekend and she is looking AWESOME! She went to Mexico to do it, but the hubs has vetoed that plan. That's why I'm looking it to it in the states.

Sure you can do it without the surgery...but statistics say you have less than a 5% chance of keeping it off. Plus you will be starving...that's the biggest advantage of the surgery. For the most part, your hunger is curbed, along with your ability to eat large amounts of food even if you are hungry.

My insurance paid for mine luckily, but if it hadn't I would have gone to Mexico in a heart beat.

I have seen very very few people saying they regret the surgery. Only the few who have had major complications. I can't blame them. But if you're obese, the likelihood of complications from not having the surgery are much much higher than if you do have it.

I have Blue Cross Blue Sheild Insurance and it covered it. I had to do 6months of pre things but, approved!! Good luck.. you will be so happy! I went to my 1st Dr. May 30 last year and got approved in December and just had my surgery Jan. 8,2013! I am very pleased so far! I lost 40lbs since Jan 8th ..

1-I'm guessing if you are on this board, then you've already tried several times with little or no success, especially as far as keeping it off. So like most everyone on here, including myself, we've been there, tried that.

2-Depends on so many factors like insurance, geographic location, etc. Hopefully you'll find the right fit.

3-Im sure there is probably someone that regrets it, but I sure don't. I wish I had it done 10 years ago....but I guess it wasn't really an option then as it is a fairly new procedure. I haven't seen any stats in regards to people who regret this, but just taking a stab at it, I would say at least 90% are satisfied with the surgery.

• Can't I do this with out the surgery? You know, eat the crazy small amouts and still lose weight? Why isn't that ok?
  

You can eat the small meals to lose weight, and it is okay. I just couldn't live that lifestyle for very long. It was a non-stop battle to keep myself from eating more.

• Who are you using? Who is your doctor? Is it costing you a fortune? And if so how are you financing such an endeavor?
  

I don't want to recommend my doctor, since I wasn't happy with the aftercare, but I paid about $5k between the doctor and hospital. I put it on a credit card and will have it paid off before the end of the year.

• Does anyone who has complete the surgery regret it?
  

I do not regret it for a minute. Even with all the discomfort of the 1st 10 days, I am very happy with the result. Food is no longer the focus of my life and I love sitting at a buffet restraunt knowing that I will only eat about 1/4 plate of food.

Anyone who has gone through a restricted pre-op will tell you it isn't easy maintaining such low calories without the surgery. The feeling of being satisfied and "full" makes a huge difference. Having 85% of your stomach removed includes the part of that releases the hormone ghrelin (appetite-regulating hormone).

NO regrets at all. For me the greatest part of this is not feeling hungry, it makes it much easier to stay on track. But. It's not a cure all. It's a tool and if used correctly, it will work wonders. I feel I have been able to re-define my relationship with food and after taking the leap and going through with surgery, I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my recovery initially and my success overall.

If you question if you can do it without surgery, then you should definitely give it a shot. You have nothing to lose (but weight)

Read all you can, take information from a bunch of sources here. Do some searches for specific questions, there are vets a few years out that are an enormous help in navigating all the info out there.

Best of luck to you!

I could not do it without the surgery!

My insurance did not pay. I used Dr. Fernando Garcia in Tijuana! Yes! Tijuana! My niece had gone there 4 months prior and had a great experience. I also had a great experience. I would highly recommend that facility and staff any day. It cost $4700. That was surgery & hotel. Travel expense was my responsibility! They took great care of me! I went through Ready 4 a change! www.ready4achange.com

I am 4.5 weeks post op.... Honestly Yes I have had some regrets. It's a very difficult transition. But it does get better every day so I figure like most once I learn to live with the new me I will one day say I have not regretted it.

I going to Mexico. It's about 4500 compared to 20 k in the states. My dr has done over 4k surgeries and has great reviews. I'm very happy with my decision. Good luck in your journey:)

Stephanie

I had mines in puerto vallarta mexico it was an awsome awsome expierence after was amazeing no regrets at all of who my dr was.. if u dnt get insurance to cover it convince ur husband to go south this surgery was aproved in mexico way longer than the states so with that being sed they have so much more expierence and the cost of liveing alows it to b cheaper I paid 5500 for mine but my hospital was right by the airport by the beach and I paid about 300 for a week stay at the mariot resort it was just a dream come true for me not only that but the wieght loss I know that after the surgery ur like well if I woulda just changed my eating habbits I woulda lost they wieght but no its ur mind u dnt feel hunger anymore n u forget how u would feel wen u had that unsesiable hunger that as much as u ate u still wanted more after eating two plate at the buffet u could eat another one wit 3refills of sweet tea n feel scared n bad for urself now u I feel bad that I go out to eat take 3 sips of juice and can only eat a fourth of a plate n still have to pay $10 lol idk I hope u find a way to get the surgery its much more than the wieght it changes ur whole persona it changes the way u c food ur energy level well this is after ur first month lol but wen u c u fit n ur hold cloths u wana lose wieght even faster omg I jus cant explain how wonderfull this has bn for me as I know itll b for u take care chika