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BMI over 35, with no health issues



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I'm brand new to this board. I met with a local bariatric surgeon (Dr Tod Eibes) for consultation for a sleeve and he told me that because I did not have any comorbidities and was under 40 BMI (36.7) that he wouldn't touch me. He said they are a Center of Excellence and get reviewed every 3 years and he would get marked down if he took me on. I was planning on self pay (I know insurance doesn't cover my situation) but he still said no.

Help! Where in the USA could I go that would do this? He said no dr at a center of excellence would take me as a patient. (Not interested in Mexico, he told me someone died last just month in Tijuana)

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I was under 40 BMI (39), and I got sleeved by an excellent doctor here in Alabama. My insurance wouldn't cover it since I was a lower BMI, so I had to pay out of pocket. I'm sure if you keep looking you will find someone to do it. If you were under 35, yeah, I could see it being a problem. But since you're over, I am sure you can find someone to do it.

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My BMI was 35 when I had surgery last year (1/5/16). I did self pay with a great surgeon here in Michigan. Went from SW of 215 to CW of 130 in a year. Best decision ever! His name is Mark Pleatman. He does have a program for out-of-state self pay. His website is DrPleatman.com. He is not as cheap as Mexico, but the hospital care I got was great and his price includes all followup. He doesn't force upsell gis own food and Vitamins (which I see a lot), but does have a nutritionist in house that works with you before and after. I'm thrilled with my results. Good luck!

Sent from my SM-G920V using the BariatricPal App

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Thank you!!!! What was the self pay amount?

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My BMI was 35 when I had surgery last year (1/5/16). I did self pay with a great surgeon here in Michigan. Went from SW of 215 to CW of 130 in a year. Best decision ever! His name is Mark Pleatman. He does have a program for out-of-state self pay. His website is DrPleatman.com. He is not as cheap as Mexico, but the hospital care I got was great and his price includes all followup. He doesn't force upsell gis own food and Vitamins (which I see a lot), but does have a nutritionist in house that works with you before and after. I'm thrilled with my results. Good luck!

Sent from my SM-G920V using the BariatricPal App

Mark pleatman did mine also. My date was 1/31

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

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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!
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    • 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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