Hello To Everyone....

[jennyannk73 20]

HI there,

I am planning to have a gastric sleeve done. I will be self pay. How long from start to finish is the usual time until surgery? I was in the process of doing this here in my town but my insurance would only pay 5,000 total, and the local price was full and non negotiable. It seems like people are very happy with Dr. Heider at Lake Norman in NC. i'm attending a seminar there on Monday to start the process with him.

Also, i'm a couple of hours away from the place I'm probably going to do this, so i'm wondering, do they do all the pre-op testing and evaluating (dietitian, psych. and medical testing) just prior to the surgery? I will need to plan my time off (I have two weeks available).

I'm so excited to do this! I am so tired of having spent literally half of my life not being able to do the things I wanted to do ... or at least without embarrassment. I want to go to the beach, ride roller coasters with my son.... I want to not have to use a seatbelt extender on a plane, and not have the person in the seat next to me roll their eyes. I'm tired of all the judgment. If people only knew how many times I have tried to lose weight, done it, only to gain it right more with extra..... It's a heartbreaking illness.

Oh well, sorry to be all blabbing about this. I suppose I could and will ask these questions at the seminar, but I am just wanting to know sooner than later. I've been wanting to do this for years, and my time is finally here. My personal loan was approved so the excitement is on to finally be getting here.

I hope everyone is doing well, and i would love to hear about your experiences with your surgeries!

Thanks,

Jenny :wub:

[JamesHRN 114]

Hi Jenny

I was self pay I went to Mexico and had mine Done it was $4500 total cost you just pay airfare to San Dieago they pick you up there and take you back everything is covered.

I did not have any issues there and I had friends that had also gone there and none of them had any issues either. I had my surgery on July 7 2012 I am so glad that I did it.

[Wolfgirl1978 256]

I was self pay. I opted for borrowing from my credit union to have my surgery done locally instead of in Mexico. Honestly, after my initial consultation all I had to do was pick my surgery date, no waiting, no hoops.

[jennyannk73 20]

Excellent, thank you. I guess it will be good not to have to jump through the insurance hoops, though I would gladly do so. Still though, I figured, it's like a car payment for five years. Is five years of payments worth possibly saving my life? You bet. I would rather not go out of state and wanted to at least stick close to home in case of any complications (which is covered by the self pay package).

[Wolfgirl1978 256]

Excellent' date=' thank you. I guess it will be good not to have to jump through the insurance hoops, though I would gladly do so. Still though, I figured, it's like a car payment for five years. Is five years of payments worth possibly saving my life? You bet. I would rather not go out of state and wanted to at least stick close to home in case of any complications (which is covered by the self pay package).[/quote']

I financed mine for 4years. Best money I've ever spent.

[jennyannk73 20]

Thanks, that's what I was thinking. I got a good rate for the loan... and the self pay package ended up being much less than it would have had I tried to get my ins company's measly 5000. I can't wait to get it started so I can get past the first weeks. How long did it take for you to go back to work? I have two weeks of vacation I can use-- I have a very sedentary job thankfully, for at least this reason... What did you find to be the most difficult thing for you? I am most worried about feeling "weak" which is what happens if I go too long without eating. Was the pre surgery liquid diet difficult?

[Wolfgirl1978 256]

Thanks' date=' that's what I was thinking. I got a good rate for the loan... and the self pay package ended up being much less than it would have had I tried to get my ins company's measly 5000. I can't wait to get it started so I can get past the first weeks. How long did it take for you to go back to work? I have two weeks of vacation I can use-- I have a very sedentary job thankfully, for at least this reason... What did you find to be the most difficult thing for you? I am most worried about feeling "weak" which is what happens if I go too long without eating. Was the pre surgery liquid diet difficult?[/quote']

I took three weeks off. I'm a probation and parole officer and go to people's houses, carrying a gun, so I wanted to make sure I was ready to go back.

I carry a cooler with all my Water and food for the day in it. It's very important to get all your fluids in.

You will feel week for the first couple weeks.

The most difficult thing for me has been that since I quit smoking for this surgery and this surgery prevents me from binge eating, is dealing with stress. I workout in lieu of smoking and binge eating now.

Every Drs pre surgery diet is different and varies in lenghth. Mine was only 5 days long. It was hard at first, especially being around other people eating real food while I was on my liquid diet.

[jennyannk73 20]

I imagine it would be, but once I get that surgery date, I think I can just hide out when others are eating as much as possible. Do you think you felt really hungry or was it the smells and desire to have solid food I wonder....

I audit medical records so I mainly just sit and read all day. Shouldn't be a problem unless I am incredibly ill.

Kudos on your weight loss so far... that must feel sooooo good!

I've lost about 35 lbs on my own in preparation for this... I've always been able to lose when I really tried but could never keep it off because eventually the hunger got the better of me. (You can only feel like you are starving yourself so long). I bet it feels so good to be seeing the weight fall so quickly!

[Wolfgirl1978 256]

I imagine it would be' date=' but once I get that surgery date, I think I can just hide out when others are eating as much as possible. Do you think you felt really hungry or was it the smells and desire to have solid food I wonder....

I audit medical records so I mainly just sit and read all day. Shouldn't be a problem unless I am incredibly ill.

Kudos on your weight loss so far... that must feel sooooo good!

I've lost about 35 lbs on my own in preparation for this... I've always been able to lose when I really tried but could never keep it off because eventually the hunger got the better of me. (You can only feel like you are starving yourself so long). I bet it feels so good to be seeing the weight fall so quickly![/quote']

I really think it was just the smells and desire to have solid food. I mostly hid out while everyone was eating, but there were situations that I couldn't.

I've always been successful doing programs like Medifast and LA Weightloss, but could never keep the weight off. I think the sleeve will help me reach goal and maintain. Ive changed my lifestyle. I eat high Protein, low carbs, I workout now. I really don't want to fall back into old habits. I keep track of food and exercise on a website ( also an app) called my fitness pal. That really helps a lot.

It does feel good having the weigh come off quickly. Congrats on your loss also!

[bthomas08 39]

I was a cash paying patient as well. I didn't have to go thru many hoops at all. Surgery here is $12,900. I had to get a psych eval and a letter from my family physician. Other than that, I didn't have to do anything. No mandatory seminars either.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

HI there,

I am planning to have a gastric sleeve done. I will be self pay. How long from start to finish is the usual time until surgery? I was in the process of doing this here in my town but my insurance would only pay 5,000 total, and the local price was full and non negotiable. It seems like people are very happy with Dr. Heider at Lake Norman in NC. i'm attending a seminar there on Monday to start the process with him.

Also, i'm a couple of hours away from the place I'm probably going to do this, so i'm wondering, do they do all the pre-op testing and evaluating (dietitian, psych. and medical testing) just prior to the surgery? I will need to plan my time off (I have two weeks available).

I'm so excited to do this! I am so tired of having spent literally half of my life not being able to do the things I wanted to do ... or at least without embarrassment. I want to go to the beach, ride roller coasters with my son.... I want to not have to use a seatbelt extender on a plane, and not have the person in the seat next to me roll their eyes. I'm tired of all the judgment. If people only knew how many times I have tried to lose weight, done it, only to gain it right more with extra..... It's a heartbreaking illness.

Oh well, sorry to be all blabbing about this. I suppose I could and will ask these questions at the seminar, but I am just wanting to know sooner than later. I've been wanting to do this for years, and my time is finally here. My personal loan was approved so the excitement is on to finally be getting here.

I hope everyone is doing well, and i would love to hear about your experiences with your surgeries!

Thanks,

Jenny :wub:

I was self pay and didn't have to do any of that bologna that ins. companies require. I was 50 so I had to have a stress test. I attended the seminar and Dr. Davidson does self pay patients at Forest Park Medical Cntr. It's like the medical version of The Ritz. Great care, private room, nurses at your beck and call. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I had to have bloodwork done the day before surgery, but you should be in and out before you know it!! Good luck!

[jennyannk73 20]

I am most worried (since i'm three hours away) about whether they will schedule all the pre-op stuff right beforehand so I can do it all during my "vacation time". Can't really leave work for day stuff when there is a three hour drive.