i have been crushed!!!!

[susansilver 0]

I am so sorry for your hurt and disappointment. My insurance does not cover it either. Is there any way for you to self pay and pay it back over time?

Susan

[Daisalana 33]

That's true, a not-scammy loan with a reasonable rate for say 10k? (I think people have said you can get it for 8-10k in Mexico)... would be about 150-200 a month for a 6 year I think. And if you can save up any money by selling items you own, garage sell, etc.. as a downpayment, even better. 150-200 is a cable/internet/phone package bill at my house. Could give that up for a while.. revert to the old movies sitting on the shelf!

I'm not perfect on the math of loans, just estimating based off of loans I've had.

[Stevee 0]

my mom has put her foot down that i will not be going to mexico. and i respect her wishes. i would never go against her. however my doctor said self pay is $13K and that includes like 3 or 4 fills. so lets just say its an 8% interest rate... my calculations at 5 years.. is $235 a month. thats another car payment. like i've said i'm making just enough to pay my bills. after getting divorced in early 2006 and being left with every single bill i'm really struggling. i was depending on insurance approval.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

That's true, a not-scammy loan with a reasonable rate for say 10k? (I think people have said you can get it for 8-10k in Mexico)... would be about 150-200 a month for a 6 year I think. And if you can save up any money by selling items you own, garage sell, etc.. as a downpayment, even better. 150-200 is a cable/internet/phone package bill at my house. Could give that up for a while.. revert to the old movies sitting on the shelf!

I'm not perfect on the math of loans, just estimating based off of loans I've had.

As much as I have seen/read on line regarding what people will do to get this surgery, I have become a firm believer that if one wants this surgery bad enough, they will find a way.

There was a woman on OH that was trying to find ANY way for someone else to pay for her surgery. She was even looking at various charity organizations such as food banks and asking them to pay for her surgery (ya gotta admit, that takes guts) and she was determined to find someone to pay for her surgery.

Come to find out she and hubby have cell phones, cable, internet connection (cable), a state of the art computer, etc. If she gave up those she would be able to pay for her own surgery vs. trying to take a food bank's money, not that they would give it to her.

She was pretty angry that nobody would pay for her medical care.

When I explained that one gal even sold her house to take the equity and pay for her surgery she couldn't comprehend that I was suggesting she pay for her own medical care.

Some folks....

My surgery was $7800 by a great surgeon that I still totally respect. I'd do it again the same exact way if I had it to do all over. People are under the assumption that the only good medical care to be had is in the US. That's simply an uneducated opinion and certainly not based on fact. (I'm not referring to BayBeeg00 here).

[Stevee 0]

my mom has just seen too many dateline and 20/20 shows of bad care in mexico so shes standing her ground.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

my mom has just seen too many dateline and 20/20 shows of bad care in mexico so shes standing her ground.

Mom is standing her ground on inaccurate info. The complication stats are lower in Mexico than they are in the US for lap bands. Quite simply, they have been doing the procedure for 10 years longer in Mexico vs. the US. It is the Mexican surgeons that trained the US surgeons. They are STILL training the US surgeons.

Mom watches too much TV. Mom is watching what catches the attention of viewers. They don't show the good stuff, just the bad. And there is JUST as much bad in the US as there is in Mexico.

I hope this doesn't mean you can't get surgery cuz Mom isn't educated in this topic. :mad: Since she is limiting your options is she willing to help pay the difference for one good Mexican surgeon vs. a good US surgeon?

[Stevee 0]

no.. mom is upset cuz she can't help me pay actually. she probably coulda a lil while back but after getting fired on valentines day and now struggling to keep her house... there is no way.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

no.. mom is upset cuz she can't help me pay actually. she probably coulda a lil while back but after getting fired on valentines day and now struggling to keep her house... there is no way.

That's too bad, but the reality is still reality. If she is going to limit your choices based in inaccuate info, she needs to find a way to pony up the money.

Depending on Dateline is like depending on a tabloid. Seriously, it is.

[Carlene 12]

I have met MANY people who had their surgery done in Mexico and virtually all were pleased as punch with the hospital, the care they received, their doctor, etc. Plus, most American surgeons learned to perform LB surgery in Mexico, proctored by Mexican surgeons.

I was once doubtful myself, but having seen the results, I would consider Mexico for virtually any procedure. The only thing you have to be careful of is aftercare. You MUST line that up pre-surgery, as many US doctors will not do fills for patients banded in Mexico.

Plan B....

Continue to look for a new job, and don't be bashful about asking for an insurance booklet at your interview. It's perfectly reasonable to take benefits into consideration when negotiating an offer, and the booklet should say if WLS is excluded.

Plan C...

Would your partner consider changing jobs, to a company that covers same-sex partners? I gave up a job I loved, and had held for 15 years, because my DH needed surgery that my insurance would not cover.

[faithmd 14]

Baybee, I'm sorry things aren't looking your way right now. there is a surgoen in Denver who is not too much more than the Mexico doctors (a lot of whom taught the US doctors how to place the band!).

I have a question for you and I don't mean for this to sound rude, but...Didn't you say you have been married, are now divorced, it looks like you are 25, and are again in a committed relationship? Mom lost her job (I'm sorry about that, too, that really stinks!) recently and wouldn't likely have been paying for this anyway, right? So if you are an adult who has been married and divorced, then why on earth would your mom putting her foot down and saying no have anything to do with what YOU choose to do for YOUR health? Just because SHE is misinformed, that doesn't mean you should not do something for YOU.

food for thought...

And I do wish you luck, the website for the surgeon on Denver is www.lapbandrockies.com

[Daisalana 33]

I was skeptical about the Mexican hospitals at first too, from the botched plastic surgeries I've seen on 20/20. Save a dime, lose your life kind of thing.

But, while doing my lap-banding research and from testimonials here, I was actually content to have it done in Mexico, except the trip and the fills would be impossible.

I was like baybe though.. my fiance won't even listen to me try to explain, and my parent put their foot down. They put their foot down on gastric bypass a few years ago too. Their support means a lot to me, so I never did it.. then Lap Band came along and here I am! They are anti-Mexico but since they have graciously offered to pay for the surgery for giving me such horrendous genes (har har), that was a decision I was fine with.

If they couldn't help me, I promise I would be making charts and booklets and getting all the REAL information I could on the Mexican surgeries so they would support me on it.

[lrw26 0]

Hi.. I am sure surgeries in Mexixo are just fine but the problem is the after care and the limited to the doctor who did the surgery. Also if you should ahppen to have any complications it is a real problem. I really helps to be close. My band was too tight a week ago and was fixed two hours later. Called the office and they sent messgae to surgeon who told me to come to hospital right away and he took a little out. So the proximity is important. I am in San Diego so not far but it would still be a hassle to go there for the follow ups. But if you can get good follow up care I am sure it can be fine.

[Stevee 0]

UPDATE. i believe i have found a new job that i know covers the surgery. A fellow soon to be banster on this site found me, he lives in oklahoma, and he told me about his place of employment, so i've applied there and i go for an assessment test tomorrow morning. Benefits start on day one! so i could be banded within months of starting! looks like things might finally be looking up! woo hoo!! i'll keep ya'll advised! if i get the job i'll start a new thread since i will no longer feel "crushed" hehehe

[faithmd 14]

Hooray! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Not to be a spoil sport, but remember, different insurances have different requirements, so it may take longer than a couple of months for the surgery. Mine has a 12 MONTH MD supervised weight loss requirement with monthly doctor visits and weigh-ins and if I missed one, the clock would have started over. Some have only 3 month, others have six and a very few have no diets required at all. Can you ask this person what their requirements were? Or perhaps you've covered that already.

Ooooo, I'm very excited for you and your possibilities!

Keep us posted!

[BigThunder 1]

hey there ^^ im the guy on the forum who told her about my job its an auto/home insurance job and in fact the benefits do start day 1 and working at my job is the best in terms of getting approval my doctor said it was "a slam dunk" working with (my job) and is the easiest employer in terms of approval.also thers been no lie, about 50 employed who have had the surgery..1 meet with doctor 1 meet with shrink 1 meet with dietician and as long as u dont act nutty in the psychologist office ur approved whole process is 2-3 months give me a call or email me on how that first assesmant went babygee