gastricsleever

Wow Tim, that is awesome, congrats!

I have decided I'm willing to go to Mexico for the gastric sleeve surgery. i've done all my research and I honestly just cannot afford it in the US anywhere! So...WHERE do you start?! How do you find a doctor or facility? Any tips would be greatly appreciated, I'd love to have this done before October, maybe in September, so I need to start doing my research. How did you pick yours? Any recommendations? Thanks SOO much in advance! This group has been so helpful for me

You are lucky! My insurance doesn't cover anything related to obesity, can you believe that? So I am going to be paying for the surgery myself. I have been saving money and as of right now I'm hoping to go to Mexico to have the surgery done in January.

What facility is Dr. Kelly in?

Don't worry, I'm still reading the posts I still have not scheduled my surgery, waiting to save up the funds and I should be ready to go by January. Tim, how much did you pay for your surgery with Dr. Garcia?

Southern Oregon, When did you have your surgery done? How has your weight loss been going?

Hoosier - I was considering getting some of the things done, just for that reason, do understand my health as it is now. I think I will move forward with some of the labs an appts at my local hospital just so I can establish my current health as well as a relationship with them so that after I have my surgery done, I can continue with the follow up plan. I'm going to move forward and do these things (I think): - see my PCP and make him aware of my plans to have the surgery and have him write the letter of recommendation (he's the one that recommended it to me last March) - nutrition consultation - lab work & x rays - support group attendance Right now I am not planning on doing the psych consult. Not sure what the point of that is? And it's going to cost me $175 out of pocket! So I don't know that there is a benefit to that. The program coordinator also said I may have sleep apnea, since I snore so I may need a sleep study if I were to have the surgery there. I'm also debating about the EGD - it's probably going to be rather expensive as well! Who knows....I guess I'm just thinking out loud here...

Great information from Hoosier and Trixie - I never thought about the lanyard thing for the shower! Good to know! Question: Did you have any tests or appointments before you went to Mexico? Like when you have the sleeve here in the US, they require a nutritionist appt, a psychiatrist appt and...I forget the other appt plus a bunch of labwork. Should I do that up here? Or not do any of that? The psychiatrist appt is $175!But I'm realizing, why do I need that stuff done since I'm not planning on having the surgery at my local hospital? Thanks in advance!

I don't think I've taken a break from my computer yet in the past week! After LOTS of reading, I've got my choices down to 2 doctors - Dr. Quinones and Dr. Ariel Ortiz....more research to come!

Wow, thanks for the information! I'm looking into all the tips that you all gave me as we speak! Hoping to have the surgery in September, if all my savings and funds work out.