Raquel313

I'm new to this site - but not this world unfortunately. Looking to go from a band to a sleeve. I have to pay out of pocket (again) and can afford in the $11,000-$15,000 range. Anyone go to Dr. Mehta in NJ? I ask b/c I see his ads everywhere, which makes me a little skeptical. I also found an affordable self pay in MI, a Dr. Pleatman who seems affordable and highly recommended (according to his site). However, I'd really like to find an affordable self-pay in central FL so my mother can assist me. HELP!!

I had my lap band surgery October 2009 and IMMEDIATELY knew it wasn't going to work. I mean, I still had my whole stomach and all of the issues that come with that. I wonder also why they decided to place the band so high up on the stomach - it really should be placed 1/3 of the way down. Anyway, I lost about 30 lbs the first 3 months and then slowly gained it all back. My body has been stuck on 232 for 10 years, no matter how little or how much I eat. My Dr. said maybe that's just where my body is comfortable. I will say the band did 2 positive things for me: (1) it eliminated my heartburn/reflux issues, and (2) it probably has kept me from gaining a lot more weight. I have felt tightness and other unpleasant feelings from time to time, but in the last couple of weeks, I actually think it is doing what it should have been doing all along. I am feeling "full" and also I am STOPPING my eating (rarity for me, cuz I try to "beat" it if I really want something). Is this a cruel mind/body game??? I scheduled my VSG surgery for April 2 (self pay AGAIN). Maybe something else is happening that is making me full - but my upper GI looked fine. Haven't had a fill in 2 years and have no idea where we left off at the last one (maybe between 3-5 cc's??). I have TONS of doubts about the VSG surgery. I am 45 and wonder the effects down the road, when I'm older. I wish I could commit to a healthier lifestyle and one that would lead me to a better place than having to go through another major surgery!! I would say that I'm at about a 60% comfort level on having this surgery. I've read the numerous posts here and obviously there are many happy, successful, skinnier people - I'm sooooo afraid of another failure.

Are you me??? I am in the same boat. I am self pay again (banded in 2009), but am pretty sure I will have a lifetime of obesity, or yo-yo dieting w/o the surgery. I'm weighing the pros/cons every millisecond of the day, but deeeeeep down know I should go forward w/ my surgery. I am not afraid of the surgery at all (nothing could be worse than 2 C-sections), but just the difficulty that I know lies ahead and the repeat disappointment if it doesn't work. TOUGH CHOICE!!!!