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Will Kaiser cover a re-sleeve / revision of the initial surgery was in Mexico?



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I am new to this site and im not sure where to post this so please excuse any double postings. I had my sleeve done in Mexico in Nov 2012. I had a BMI of 40 and weighed 215 pounds. The surgery went good I think. I had nothing eventful that happened. The surgeon was ok, but nothing to brag about. The process was strange but I suppose the norm for mexico. I did not have any complications like others I have read about. In fact I was able to eat fairly fast after surgery and I only did a week of liquids and soft foods. I never felt very restricted from the very beginning. I think I could have done much better had I researched what steps to take after the surgery. But my reality is I never felt like it was a success because I could eat quite a bit from the beginning. When I first started eating soft foods I was able to eat 2-3 measuring cups before getting full, and a couple months out from surgery and I was eating a whole steak like 10 ounces. I did lose some weight but I think thats because I only ate Protein and took Vitamins and drank Water. I was always able to lose weight on all protein diets before but they are hard to maintain. I only lost 35 pounds total after the surgery. Fast Forward 4 years later and Im right back at the exact weight I was on surgery day 215. So it took 4 years to gain back 35 pounds but I exercise a lot and I am a major water drinker. I have also done this pouch reset thing several times and I used HCG and Atkins and B12 shots and other methods to try to get back some control and lose weight. I never lost anymore but all that effort slowed down the gaining. In the beginning I tried hard to stick with what I learned on my own like protein first and not drinking while eating. Thats a hard one because I had no restriction. I now drink sodas and beers and anything I want while eating. I graze all day and I have major major hunger pains. Not acid but hunger pains just like before especially after eating empty carbs. I wake up starving and I feel like I could eat all day long. I have pretty much given up and back to my old habits. I can eat a whole Big Mac Meal if I want to. I may not be able to eat 100% as much as I used to but damn near 85%. Like I said from day one when I didn't feel the restriction or anything that I read about and researched, I already considered my sleeve a failure from the get go. Once I stopped losing weight after the 3 months it really started to sink in maybe I didn't get a small enough pouch, maybe the Dr messed up, maybe I messed up.. either way I lost all motivation. anyway..

I now have a new job starting next month and they offer some pretty good insurance plans. I want to try this thing again the right way, with doctors to help me, and I want to do it in the U.S. According to the Kaiser info I meet the BMI and comorbidity requirements. I have not chosen my insurance plan yet but when I do I will make sure that Bariatric Surgery is on the list. I guess my concern is getting someone to do a revision if the original surgery was in Mexico. My other issue is I now have some left side pain that comes and goes and it hurts right over the main incision scar. It definitely feels like its my stomach area. I need a doctor to check me out and see if something is wrong. I have not once been seen by a Dr. or had any follow up care what so ever. Does anyone have advice or experience in getting a check up at a bariatric center and a revision to a smaller pouch if the original surgery was in Mexico. I live in southern California and I would like a place near by in the OC or LA area. Is my first step going to a general doctor and having a referral to a bariatric place? Does anyone have any advice on a specific Dr that I should try to see? Will I get turned down since I had a previous surgery in Mexico? I have zero documents or paperwork provided to me by the Mexico Dr. No matter how many times I emailed and called I got no where on that subject. I even sent money for a so called video of my surgery and never received anything. The only proof is my surgery scars. What are the steps should take to work towards a revision in the U.S. I would even take advice on which plan to choose. Any help at all.. Thanks in advance.

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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

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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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