I am considered a "low bmi" patient of a BMI just barely under 34. I am going the hiatal hernia route with the Nicholson clinic.

I'm pretty stoked! I have to do the pre op testing, then I get to set a date for surgery..... so that being said....

If you went through the Nicholson clinic (Dallas-Fort area) and either did self pay, or the hiatal hernia route. How quickly were you able to get the testing/surgery date set for.

The reason I ask is because I'm hoping for feburary. My son's birthday is in March and he is also on school break in march as well. If I have to push it back into March I'm worried about energy levels interfering.

Tell me your story!

Dr Nick was on Good Morning Texas this morning. He seemed like such a nice encouraging guy. I bet he has great bedside manner. (I already know a few people in the medical field who know him as a surgeon and all say he is an excellent surgeon .). He really promoted how the sleeve was only one tool and that nutrionist and therapist were key. Take heed and follow his advice. I wish my friend who has not succeeded had listened and followed through on the rest of the program.

Dr Nick was on Good Morning Texas this morning. He seemed like such a nice encouraging guy. I bet he has great bedside manner. (I already know a few people in the medical field who know him as a surgeon and all say he is an excellent surgeon .). He really promoted how the sleeve was only one tool and that nutrionist and therapist were key. Take heed and follow his advice. I wish my friend who has not succeeded had listened and followed through on the rest of the program.

I agree 100%! I have gained and lost weight so many times and I am ready to get off the roller coaster. I've been yo-yo dieting since 1993 and I fear I have ruined my metabolism. I am looking for a tool to not only lose weight, but help maintain it as well. I have an ankle with a plate and 7 screws in it that makes exercise super painful. I am excited to get to a weight where I can run on it again!

I work with many ladies that have had this surgery and have given me excellent advice, especially lots of "don't do what I did" types of scenarios. Like going on a cruise and eating buffet style 1 month post-op! Mentally I am more than ready to do it. I know it's not going to be easy and doing lots of research here is helping me prepare myself. I am also planning on taking advantage of the support the Nicholson clinic offers both pre and post op.

I went the hiatal hernia route with Dr. Nick in November 2015. I have been really pleased with my experience. Dr. Nick (and the other surgeons in the practice) are very positive and supportive. At the same time, Dr. Nick is pretty up-front that success or failure is really a result of the willingness of the patient to stick with the plan. When I met with him, he made it pretty clear that the surgery was a tool that would help me lose weight, but was only a tool. Being mentally prepared to succeed is just as, if not more, important.

The way that I see it, the surgery gave me a reset button to stop the back and forth between weightloss and regain. There is no one preventing me from going back to eating junk food, not exercising, etc. That is all up to me. The surgery has just made it easier to focus on what I should be doing. I'm immensely grateful to Dr. Nick. Before I started my four-week pre-op diet, I could not walk a block without getting out of breath, sweating, and having back pain. Now, I walk several miles at a time with no problem!

I go to do my EGD on monday, hopefully by Friday or the following Monday I will have the results and be able to set my appointment!

How did your EGD go? Any word on your results and/or surgery date? I am so excited for you..and very curious how far out they are scheduling surgeries!

Went good. I had the test done on monday. I got results immediately. I have a small hernia. I am trying to get the information faxed over to Dr.Nicholson..... no dice so far. Fax machines suck. So I'm going in the morning to get the paperwork filled put and faxed over

I went the hiatal hernia route with Dr. Nick in November 2015. I have been really pleased with my experience. Dr. Nick (and the other surgeons in the practice) are very positive and supportive. At the same time, Dr. Nick is pretty up-front that success or failure is really a result of the willingness of the patient to stick with the plan. When I met with him, he made it pretty clear that the surgery was a tool that would help me lose weight, but was only a tool. Being mentally prepared to succeed is just as, if not more, important.

The way that I see it, the surgery gave me a reset button to stop the back and forth between weightloss and regain. There is no one preventing me from going back to eating junk food, not exercising, etc. That is all up to me. The surgery has just made it easier to focus on what I should be doing. I'm immensely grateful to Dr. Nick. Before I started my four-week pre-op diet, I could not walk a block without getting out of breath, sweating, and having back pain. Now, I walk several miles at a time with no problem!

I know that feeling. It's not as bad as it once was, but I have a degenerated disc in my lower lumbar, at my weight now my back hurts almost constantly.

They aren't having me go on a pre op diet, but I'm doing a self imposed diet. With having lost as much as I have in the past and keeping it off, I know it's up to me and my own willpower and how well i stick to and use the info I'm given...... My mistake was quitting smoking. I ballooned after that

So question for yall who went this route, how big was your hernia? Mine was labeled "small" and I'm worried I'll get denied by insurance.

Mine was moderate.

If financing is not an option for the cost of the sleeve, do they offer payment plans?

I have Dr Rorshek at the Nicholson clinic and I'm worried about paying for my EGD at Medical City Hospital. I think my OoP is over $800. Do you know if they want it all up front? It's a week away and I had no idea it would be so much. I also think that hospital is out of network for BCBS. The Nicholson clinic did say something about how if they use an OoN facility, they would take what the insurance pays for in-network. I'm obviously confused so any help is appreciated.

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How did you finance for $113 a month? Prosper?

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I go to do my EGD on monday, hopefully by Friday or the following Monday I will have the results and be able to set my appointment!

How did your EGD go? Any word on your results and/or surgery date? I am so excited for you..and very curious how far out they are scheduling surgeries!

Did you have it at Medical Center hospital? If yes, do they want all the $ up front? I just found out my portion of this test is more than $800.

I had my HH and VSG done there and the whole process took a month and a half. That is from the day I called and made the appt to the day of surgery. Very fast! I'm paying for the VSG and my insurance paid for HH. My cost was 3900. I pay 113.00 a month since I didn't have it up front. Hope this helps.

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Here's a follow-up to my comment. They do want the money up front, but it's 250, not 850. Phew!

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Were any of you who choose the Nicholson clinic and went he HH/self pay sleeve route able to operate at a Baylor facility or were you told you had no option but to use a standalone surgical hospital?

I am self-paying. Do not have bariatric coverage. My deductible and out of pocket have been met. If I have the surgery at Baylor it will all be covered minus the self-pay sleeve portion. If they don't allow the surgery at Baylor I have to pay $2700. I know that seems like such a small amount but I've already paid over $6000 with my deductible and OOP this year.

I did the same thru Dr Frenzel in Dallas; as I recall EGD was $189 OOP, then $4000 for the sleeve; BCBS paid the rest of it

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