amlus

Clearly, credit has tightned and we are in a recession which makes self-pay an even more difficult decision. Please share your thoughts on financing and what you may have used or has the best rates and terms.:thumbup:

Share some costs so those who are looking can easily find it on here. I know there are other threads, but they are buried. I'll start with some I have gathered.... Omaha, Nebraska=$13,500. (Does not include fills) Tallgrass in Topeka, Kansas=$13,000 Dr. K in Colorado is $9,950. Prices seem to be changing, so updates are good!

Anyone have any good tips for self-payers?

Best thing I ever did! Started Feb. 4th of 2010 at 244 and now at 173-175. Hoping to lose 20-30 more!

Update... Midlands Clinic, Sioux City, Iowa or Dakota Dunes, South Dakota is $9,950 now.......one year ago it was much more.

Update... Midlands Clinic, Sioux City, Iowa or Dakota Dunes, South Dakota is $9,950 now.......one year ago it was much more.

Please help me with ideas for healthy foods that can go down a tight band? Also, food ideas that are naturally small bites or go down easier? Thanks

Midland Clinic in Sioux City, Iowa just lowered their price to $9,950......Which is toooooo late for me, because I went out to Dr. K. in Denver. They were around $15,000 then I go to Denver and six months later they lower there price to $9,950. Nice. lol

Thanks gals.....I appreciate your insight. It is a fine line between too tight and just rght. I hope I can find it with a slight unfill. Scheduled to go in Monday.....

Hi, I was banded in early February and have lost 58 pounds to date. I got filled four weeks ago from 6 to 7ccs in a 10cc Lap Band AP band. I am suuuuper tight....can only drink slooowly, can't eat barely anything. Just a tad bit of acid reflux, but a whole lot of tightness, gassy feeling, gurgling, need to belch like feeling. Have had several bad stuck episodes. Thinking I should go get a .5 cc out? Anyone have a similar experience? Advice or ideas?

I thought there used to be a group on here for self-payers....but now I can't find anything. Anyone see this anywhere anymore?

Hi Feb. Bandsters! I was banded on 02/04/2010 and have lost about 42 pounds since then. I am filled to 6cc in a 10cc band. Loving my band and grateful for it!

Hi! I am three months out and not a lot of issues yet. However, this morning I had some bran flakes (bad idea) and I got "stuck" and quickly urped up a little. Up came a little blood too. My band/port area feels fine. But my throat hurts a little, feels irritated. I am hoping I just irritated my throat. Gonna call surgeon later today. Anyone else ever have similar issues???

Down 16 pounds and had my first fill on March 1st! Whoo Hoo! Loving my band! Trying to follow the rules....but have messed up a little. Really learning to "listen" to early signals to STOP from my band! How long is everyone else going to wait for their second fill? I was thinking about 4-5 weeks? Surgeon says 6-8 weeks, but sooner if I feel ready.

#1. Surgery date? 2/04/2010 #2. State you live in? Iowa #3. Doctor/Surgery Center? Dr. Kirschenbaum, Crown Point Surgical Center, Denver, CO #4. Insurance or self pay? Self-pay #5. Age and height 32/5'4" #6. Current weight and goal weight? 244/140 #7. What was your deciding factor for having this surgery? Want to get healthy and lose weight! #7. Do you have the support of family and friends? Most #8. Concerns and questions? Not today anyway.......

I was banded on Feb. 4th by Dr. K. in Denver. I am still on liquids trying to sloooowly move to mushies. Down 13 pounds since surgery.:sad: Little sore yet, must be where my port is. Don't like to try and eat in the morning. Works better in afternoon for me. I am learning to chew a lot more and eat slooower. Hoping to get my first fill at 4-5 weeks.

I am still a little sore around port site and must still have post-op swelling here at 2 weeks. I still am mostly on liquids. I am learning to take very small bites slooooooowwwly, and chew very well! I really must have inhaled my food before!:thumbdown:

:thumbup: Thanks MODS!

Thanks Kiz! Really, you contacted the mods and asked....so you deserve some credit! Anyway~SELF-PAYERS!!!! HEAD ON OVER TO OUR NEW SUB-FORUM, LOCATED RIGHT BETWEEN THE MEN'S ROOM AND THE powder ROOM!:thumbup: Clearly, with almost 1,000 views we have some interest!

SWEET! We will have a home! :biggrin::bananapowerslide::biggrin:

:biggrin: Thanks everyone for sharing & asking questions.....please keep it up! Perhaps the mods or whoever is in charge around here will take notice and create a self-payers sub-forum! Here are two things a surgeon told me last week: 1) Surgeon should put at least 8 stitches to hold lap band to stomach....which helps prevent slipping later on. 2) Surgeon should do fills with florouscopy (sp?) so that surgeon doesn't accidently poke a hole into tubing and cause a leak. Surgeon said most can do it by feel, but why take a chance if you are paying yourself!

Anyone used Dr. Corrigan McBride of University of Nebraska Medical Center? Apparently, she has performed over 600 adjustable band procedures and is around $13,500 self-pay. Anyone have any personal experiences with this?

There is definately interest in a self-payers sub-forum. Especially if there really are up to 40% of people that pay for the procedure without the help of insurance. Thanks for the AWESOME tips Cathy and your honesty SomedaySlim!:biggrin: Great idea Kiz! It sure would be wonderful if they would create a self-pay sub-forum. The cost around here is between $12,500 - $17,000, depending on the surgeon and within 3-4 hours or closer. Denver is $9,500 - $10,000 but you have travel/hotel costs, plus must be gone 2-3 days, etc. Yeah, it is a big financial strain......

Thanks for the comments! It would be a great sub-forum! I thought there used to be one.....but maybe not. There are so many additional fears and issues with those of us that must do self-pay. I know I have spent countless months researching different surgeons, costs, experience, travel time, financing options, etc. I, for one, would love to hear about other's experiences going the self-pay route. I also have a lot of guilt about wanting to spend this much money on myself.

Well, how did your process go and how are you doing now? My anxiety is so high now because insurance won't pay, BMI is 42, and it is so scary to me to spend this much money and take this "risk." Wish I could talk to more self-payers that have gone through or are going through this like me.