SylviaMom

Thanks everyone for your perspectives. This is so awesome to have such a resource. So I've been thinking a lot about this too. I just finished a great book called "A Sleeved Life" by Pennie Nicola (available from amazon and it's just $2.99 for the ebook) and one of the chapters was about this very question. She obviously wrote a book so is fairly open about the surgery but that was after lots of concerns too. She had some great responses to the judgmental statements and one in particular was the 'this is the easy way out' comment. To those folks she simply shares that this was the effective and efficient way to lose weight-and you should be proud, not ashamed to do things efficiently and effectively. I had the lap band 9 years ago. Obviously, I was not working with the band and had some real troubles. In particular, sliming, getting stuck regurgitating all the time. It mabred dining with people very awkward. I kept the band secret (except to my family and close friends) and I think it was mostly because I had been relatively unsuccessful in my weight loss journey-I was ashamed that I wasn't the type of loser that I hoped to be. I am sure people thought I was a freak as I would go to the bathroom 2-5 times over the course of a meal. As the lbs go away for the next year, I intend to respond truthfully to anyone who asks how I lost all that weight. I am getting too old to give a rat's butt what people think about me. Btw/ highly recommend the book!

Hello everyone! Not luck with my insurance. WLS is an express exclusion (regardless of co-morbidities) and they even refused to pay for a primary care visit because I discussed weight loss at an office visit. Really? Yes, sadly...really. I am self paying and after seeing two doctors in the US, decided to go with the most experienced revision (I am a lap band to VSG) surgeon I could find, Dr. Aceves.

Got my date moved to the 6th with Dr. Aceves. Once I made the decision, I just wanted to get on with it! Anyone else in Mexicali that week?

Hi. I live in Wa. I would love to chat with you. Send me a message and we can chat offline. I am signed up for surgery in Mexicali with Dr. Aceves June 6th. While money was a consideration, the bigger consideration was getting an experienced surgeon with a great track record.

You will do great. Keep us posted with all the progress. You aren't being selfish...because we need to take care of ourselves if we are to be the best moms, sisters, wives, bosses, etc. I think of my body as a car for my brain. Most of us wouldn't hesitate to spend 20,000 on a good car. Your body is a car you don't get out of, so you better invest some resources to make sure it is a good one.

You'll do great! Keep us posted with all the good news.

June 14 with Dr. Aceves in Mexicali. Part of me is pretty excited but i am a revision (from lap band) and am a little jaded...can this really help me turn the tide? Geez, I hope so!

A self pay revision (lap to sleeve) was quoted to me in Washington state for $24,500. Same procedure in Mexicali for $10,500.

One step at a time! Thanks for the inspiration and the great image!

I just want to thank everyone for their posts. I chose Dr. Aceves for revision surgery (lap to VSG) in large part due to the great information from folks on VST. I am scheduled for June 14th. So far, the experience with Nina (my PC) has been fantastic. It's dramatic how much better even the patient coordination has been compared to my experience with the two U.S. surgeons I've worked with. Thanks again everyone!