I'm a "lightweight" at 175 lbs., but I am only 4 feet 10 inches, struggled with weight since childhood. Lost the same 50 pounds five times...

I will be a self-pay and have completed everything, and am scheduled for December 15.

The self-pay price is $17,000 if I stay in the hospital overnight or $15,500 if I go home that day.

What do you think???

Have you had surgery before? How did you recover? I've laughed and said I was born for it because I recover quickly. My doc keeps EVERYONE overnight and let me go home. I slept on my side w/out pain meds the first night, on my tummy the second night (and in my own bed, not a recliner etc) So for me, it was a good decision.

Others take longer to feel up to par.

Do you have someone at your house to help you?

I do have people at home to help me, so that's not an issue. I 've had serious nausea once before from ovarian cyst surgery...so I'm not quite surey what I want to do.

Yes you do not want nausea after stomach surgery. If you respond well to anti nausea medication your surgeon can give you a prescription for suppositories so that you can treat it at home. You just need to plan ahead to have it! I was lucky, no nausea, nothing. Give me a headache and I'm out of commission but poke around in my innards and I'm chipper as a canary! LOL

It really is a hard choice. $1500 would buy a lot of smaller sized clothes! :thumbup:

I was self pay too, and not one of the self paid patients spent the night in my group. For me, I would have been absolutely miserable had I spent the night in the hospital, because I felt great, considering I just had surgery. I came home, relaxed in the recliner, watched TV, and surfed the Internet.

I was able to drink my water very easily, so I had not trouble keeping hydrated. I also was vigilent about sucking on my (I can't remember the name of it) device to keep my lungs clear, and walking.

I've had surgery before, and I knew I the anesthesia made me sick, so in addition to the normal anti-nausea medication they give patients, they gave me a motion sickness patch behind my ear, and an extra shot after my surgery. Be sure and let the doctor know you need additional medication.

Kiz...that's an "incentive spirometer" and GOOD FOR YOU! It prevents atelectasis and subsequent pneumonia! Plus it helps clear the anesthesia more quickly. You did fine on your own! When I'm a nurse I hope all my patients are like you! :thumbup:

Good idea about the anti-nausea patch too.

Kiz...that's an "incentive spirometer" and GOOD FOR YOU! It prevents atelectasis and subsequent pneumonia! Plus it helps clear the anesthesia more quickly. You did fine on your own! When I'm a nurse I hope all my patients are like you!

Good idea about the anti-nausea patch too.

haha..thanks...and I'm sure your patients very lucky to have you as their nurse. :thumbup:

Yep, incentive spirometer, and I would have never come up with that name, but I remember that's what the nurse called it, now that you've told me. It was easy for me to remember to use it, because my lungs felt healthier after every session. I didn't know it helped clear anesthesia too. That was an added bonus.

I am being banded in a few weeks and am self pay. My doc said that he plans on me going home that day, but if ANYTHING is wrong he will keep me overnight, so can you make a last minute decision? I don't think they'll kick you out if you are having problems!

Hi, I have my surgery the 17 of oct. and it is an out patient surgery. I will only stay a couple hrs then be sent home.. hope this helps with your decision

Wow! Self pay and you have to wait until December???!!!

I was self pay and had surgery 1 week after dropping off the check.

I also went home the same day. I also had a problem with nausea. Even with phenergen shots and suppositories. By the end of the night I was fine from that though. I was by myself and my bf just came by to check on me a couple of times through out the day. I just slept most of the day. In my opinion, I'd say go home, the hospital didn't do anything more for me there, than I did at home. They won't let you leave if there is a problem... I was checking out 2 hours after surgery was over. The had me walk the hall a couple of times. I pee'd. I went home. You'll probably get more rest at home anyway. But since you have people to help you out... I don't see a problem... unless you don't live in the same town you're getting banded in... then at least get a hotel room, where you can rest and it's a lot cheaper. Your bed is more comfy, no strangers bothering you.. I don't much care for hospitals though:sad:... so keep that in mind! LOL!

I stayed overnight in the hospital after my surgery because it was in Mexico as a self-pay, but probably could have gone straight back to my hotel. The advantage for me was that nurses came in every hour and doped me up via IV :thumbup:.... or was that anti-nausea meds? All I know was that after they injected it, I slept easily