jjinWA

I will be there next week, and bringing both my daughters. Can't wait to meet everyone! There are a few of us also meeting at Panara's in the Tacoma Mall this Weds at 7:00 PM. Anyone wanting to join us there are most welcome! We are looking forward to some wonderful tasting soups!

Your muscle tone may be great based on the exercises you are doing. But your skin has been stretched due to being overweight and that likely will never be taught again. This could be your muffin top issues and likely only plastics will resolve that problem. For us that cannot afford plastics thank God for spanks!

I agree with all 3 and why I made the decision for the sleeve. There are many factors to consider before you make the final decision and your body is unique and therefore your decision should be based on that primarily. But with that said feedback from others will be helpful. Acid reflux is the main concern for most who eventually decide to do RNY and overall weight loss numbers. Although obviously not the only reasons to consider RNY. Previous surgery caused limitations for me and was also deciding factor for me and my dr to go with the sleeve. He also commented on the limits of tested time for the sleeve and therefore he prefers the RNY. But he also noted that based on patient requests he does more sleeves! Good luck on your journey.

Usually they have you stay overnight and then do a leak test the next day before they release you. Are you scheduled to go back to the dr for this test the next day?

I am only 5' tall so it was always a challenge to get close enough to the gas pedal and not get scrunched up against the steering wheel. Yup! No longer my problem!

It is very different after surgery. The preop diet was 10 times tougher for me. I was hungry every day. Since surgery I never have those hunger pangs. And even if my head thinks I need to eat something that I shouldn't have on my new diet, my tummy says nope... No way. If necessary, a bite or two of something special is all I need to satisfy my desire and I rarely even need to do that. Wait and see. It will be easier after surgery.

My surgery was June 17 2014 so I am about 4 months into my journey. Down 54 pounds with about 25-30 more pounds to go. I am 60 and retired so I have plenty of time to walk. Enjoying my new life and increased energy.

I have what is called NASH (NonAlcohilicSteatoHepatis). Which basically means a fatty liver. My dr. Told me this is an asymptomatic disease which will dissipate as I loss weight. Mine was diagnosed via a liver biopsy.

Good luck to all those heading to Mexico in the next few months!!!!! Here's to meeting you all on the losers bench!

Crystalsleeve, thanks for the kind words. I will admit my oldest daughter has seen my success and decided to get on board and have the sleeve surgery also, but my youngest daughter and I had planned on doing this together from the very beginning when we started the preop testing, etc way back in Dec 2013. My insurance approved my surgery but her insurance denied her (twice). So I went through with the surgery in June and every time she and I went shopping for clothes it was always bittersweet. My dress sizes going down each time was a great feeling for me, but it still broke my heart because she was not on her own journey to ONEderland. She was happy for me and never let it show that it hurt her as well. So their surgeries in Dec 2014 will put them on the positive track of self confidence and self love. I cannot wait for all 3 of us to be on this journey together! Good luck to all the December sleevers!!!! Having already had this surgery I can tell you it is the best thing I have ever done for myself!!!! I started out at 226, wearing size 16W pants and now, 4 months later, I weigh 172, and am wearing size 12 petite (even those are a bit big)! I never imagined I could get into that size and now I wonder if 8s are in my future. OMG!

I had sleeve surgery in the US at the Franciscan Weight Management System here in Federal Way, Washington, by Dr. Houseworth. I have not seen him since the day of surgery, as my follow up appts have been with his Nurse Practitioner. I am 4 months out and have see her twice. My daughter did all the prep testing with Dr. Houseworth also, but even though the insurance company paid for all the testing, they ultimately refused her WLS. So after spending several thousand in pretesting, she is now left with only one option.... To go to Mexico. We selected dr. Ariel Ortiz with FACS credentials,through OCC, which is a Center of Excelleance. Both distinctions that are also assigned to Dr. Houseworth. I asked the NP today if she would be willing to do the followup work for my daughter when she returned from surgery. She discussed with dr. Houseworth and he declined to keep her as a patient if she had her surgery in Mexico, even though she has done all the pretesting with him. REALLY???? I don't get it. Is she just supposed to forgo having the surgery because the insurance declined coverage? She cannot even get approved for a loan for $28,000 that it would cost her to have the surgery here in the US. What option does she have if she does not go to Mexico? I am at a loss as to why the drs refuse to see patients after having surgery in Mexico. She has been refused service by Dr. Holzclaw, my PCP, also. Is this just a Washington state issue? Does anyone know of a dr in the Seattle/Tacoma are that will accept my daughters as patients after they return from Mexico? I am so frustrated and ticked off!

I am very very very concerned for the drs. doing followup care for patients having surgery by another dr. in another location. Placing orders for follow up blood work and maybe even doing something as drastic as ordering a barium swallow could cost them their career. OMG! I am sure the fact that they didn't get the money for the initial surgery has nothing to do with it. Yeah, right. ????

Can you share the name of your surgeon here, or send me a private message. Oregon is our neighbor so may be worth a trip if we are unable to secure a dr here in Seattle area.

I have heard good things about this doctor as well. You will be in good hands I am sure. Good luck!

Yup, good advice everyone! I am going to quit worrying about follow up until after we return. I am so glad I have you guys here to help me along this path. I am soooo excited for the day when my daughters will be on the losers bench with me!

Both! Surgeon took the money up front for pretesting and declined to do follow up after she returned from Mexico. My PCP is the other dr. I discussed the Mexico surgeries with. I asked if he would be willing to run labs etc when they returned. He said flat out NO. I said we were still trying to get approval from ins and would have surgery here in the US, and if that happened would he take them as new patients then? His response was no, he was not taking on new patients at this time. Really? I was a brand new patient, with it being my first visit with him and the voice message when you are on hold on his office phone states clearly they are accepting new patients. Hmmmm. Anyway, both were unwilling to do followup.

I say there for but the grace of God go I. It is easy to say you will never go to Mexico when there are other options. We played the game and jumped the hoops to appease the insurance Gods. They and they alone decide our fate. That alone is a big problem in our society. In any case, my ins approved my surgery, 'deeming it necessary' and my youngest daughter's ins did not approve because she was not over 40 BMI for the past 2 years. Oh and even though she is over 40 BMI now, she must work with a NUT for 6 months and show she can lose weight.... Oh wait.. If she loses weight she goes below 40 BMI and is denied again. Vicious cycle she was not going to win. My oldest daughter's insurance specifically excludes WLS. So no winning there for her either. So where do they, go from there? What are the options that you think they have? The youngest would not qualify for a $28,000 loan and even if she did should would not be able to make the payments. She is single and staying to pay student loans etc. The oldest has medical issues due to weight and paying those medical bills as we speak. So option B is Mexico. Before you gloss over the qualifications of many of these surgeons, do your research. There are some that I would not cross the street for, but there are many that have been educated in the US and have the same credentials that my surgeon here in the US has. Many many patients cross the border for a multiple menu of medical services, including WLS and dental care. Like my daughters it is the only affordable option and thank God this option is available to those that are not fortunate enough to have the procedure in the US. I stand behind my comment that the surgeon here in the US that refused to continue my daughter's care after she returned (mind you he was happy to take her money up front for the pretesting to the tune of several 100s of $s). It has nothing to do with liability and a whole lot to do with money, profit, and arrogance. That is the 'truth' as I see it. I have seen several posts from patients on this site that have had complications, and some unfortunately very serious. If you search for those posts you will see that most of these cases had drs. In the US. Quality of care in the US and other countries is dependent on the facility and surgeon performing the procedure. To think that you cannot get good services in Mexico and to think that only the U.S. is qualified to perform WLS is a perpetuation of ignorance.

I had the surgery back in June, but my daughters are both scheduled Dec 8th. We will be having shakes during the day and a small protein (turkey) and salad plate for dinner. No way would I bring out a big spread when I know they can't eat that stuff. My hubby is on board too. He said he would go to the neighbors for his pumpkin pie! Christmas will be exactly the same as both will still be on a liquid diet. Next year during the holidays we will go to a warm beachy resort and food will again not be our focus... But for different reasons. We will be having too much fun romping in the ocean in our bikinis!!!!

So of course because he declined, she was not free to do the post op work for us because she works for him. Sad.

Yes, I am aware that dr. Ortiz works with a team at OCC, as is the case here with my surgeon and his team. I am perfectly fine with that. I am referencing the fact that my surgeon in the US is not so outstanding that he should put himself above the doctors in Mexico, and he should not be so arrogant to think that doing follow up for a surgeon in Mexico would be below him. I actually like the NP that works with my surgeon here in the US. She even stated she would be happy to do the followup work for my daughters, but had to get permission from dr. Houseworth. He is the one that declined and does not even see the patient!

Yes I have seen my surgeon exactly 3 times. First time was Dec 2013 at the WLS seminar. Second time was the initial visit to decide if I wanted Sleeve or RNY. Third time was 2 weeks before surgery to discuss my preop diet... Grand Total time I have been in the same room with this man has been less then 20 minutes! He saw me headed from his office to the hospital across the street, a few weeks after surgery. I was in a wheel chair because I was deathly sick from dehydration and was on my way to do some blood work that his NP had ordered. We passed each other on the sidewalk. He said hello, how are you and kept walking! Obviously since I was in a wheel chair I was not at my optimal best! He was not too interested because he did not stop to talk. Just kept on going. And I paid him $28,000! Really? I am not saying he did not do a great job with the surgery. I believe he did. But his follow up sucks. I expect better care from our surgeon in Mexico, based on what I have read in the posts on this site. We shall see.

Exactly! Many of the doctors that practice in Mexico were educated and trained in the US! I have never talked to my surgeon in the US since I had the surgery. Any question I have had has been addressed by his nurse practitioner. Apparently it is beneath him to talk to his patients once he performs the surgery and collects your money. My office visits have been scheduled with the NP. The dr. never said, during our initial consultation, that his Nurse Practitioner would take over my care after surgery. Not that I have any issue with that overall, but I fail to see how his follow up is better then surgeons in Mexico. Assumption that surgeons in Mexico or any other country outside of the U.S. are substandard is full blown arrogance!

It is a money thing and liability is not the issue. Records of the surgery are sent home with the patient and is Already translated to English. I fail to find valid reason why a dr in US is unwilling to do followup work such as bloodwork and barium swallow. We are not asking the to perform surgery again. I agree, OBGYN can do the bloodwork as part of the annual physical. And wonderful idea about getting labs as part of health fair. I think if anything serious would arise, the best solution is to head back to Mexico. Our surgeon there is qualified and will be more then willing to work through any issues that come up. But more urgent issue will be ER. My friend had her surgery in US. She was self pay. Paid out of pocket $28,000. She ended up in ER due to complications later and her ins paid for it. So just because you self pay up front does not mean ins does not pay for complications later. We will take each issue as it comes and deal with it.

Yes, I agree. When the time comes it is probably best to forgo providing the location information. We will take it as it comes and work around all of this the best that we can and will base our followup on an 'as needed' scenario. When they need bloodwork, etc. we will contact a PCP then.