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Was just wondering why people leave the country to have the VSG? I'm new to this . I live on New York State & have insurance. Is it because you are self pay???

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Yes - for those who have no insurance or do not qualify under their insurance plan going to Mexico is significantly cheaper if you have to pay cash. It's an average of $5000 compared with 12-20+ thousand bucks at home.

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i have BCBS of Louisiana and my employer has weightloss anything excluded from the policy. It was 14 grand a person here in the US. My husband and I went to Mexico had GREAT care for 12000 including air fair for the both of us.

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I'd say the vast majority go to Mexico due to the price. For some of us it's the only way we can afford it... For others of us we *could* go to a low cost doctor in the USA, but we prefer the care that we can get in Mexico for a comparable price. Lastly there are some who go to Mexico because they want a certain surgeon. Aceves or Alvarez come to mind.. There are people who could easily afford care in the USA, but they WANT these particular surgeons.

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For me, it is cost, my insurance won't cover it and the convenience of less hassle. I was going to get a lapband about 5 years ago, so I went through all the diet, nutrition and exercise counseling, psychological evaluation, sleep study, and colonoscopy. I don't want to do all those things again. I backed out on the lapband at the last minute because I wasn't happy with my doctor's office people. Every time I went in for an appointment, there was some issue. I waited 2 months to be scheduled, and then finally decided not to do it, for those reasons and family reasons. But now I am ready to get it done, and I know that the sleeve is a much better choice for me. I'm looking forward to my surgery in June.

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The thing about Mexico is, you don't sacrifice care for price. I've had better care in MX (lap-band & revision) then I did with surgeries I've had in the states.

Revision 1/31/13 by Dr Cabrera and Venezuela in MX

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Like they said above. Some of us prefer the quality and experience they offer in MX. Some of the surgeons have vast amount of more experience than US surgeon because the have been don't it much longer there. I've had 5 surgeries there and my daughter also go there. We have specific drs we trust and wouldn't do it any other way.

The surgeons don't have to charge like the US because the cost of living comparison is much lower than US.

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I agree, my Dr is Board Certified. He went to school and is a real Dr, so why not? The only difference is about a mile that seperates him from the states!

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My surgery would have been free if I had been willing to wait 2-7 years to have it, seriously who knows what the waiting period is now in my province. So I paid out of pocket to go to Mexico and had my surgery scheduled for 3 weeks after I placed the initial call. And that 3 weeks was only because I had to book my plane tickets 3 weeks out to get a good rate, I could have booked that week had I wanted to. No big hoops to jump through, no months of consultations.

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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!
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    • 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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