Information overload! So many questions

[CanadaLoser 80]

Hello,

I am brand new to this forum and have so many questions. I feel like there is so much information, I don't even know where to start.

I am approximately 380 pounds and have anemia which leaves me constantly exhausted. I have wanted WLS forever but the wait in SK is over 10 years (sick, isn't it?!). I think Mexico is my only option.

I have been doing some research for the last few weeks (various forums, YouTube videos, etc) and I feel like it's information overload right now. Every time I think I have found a great surgeon that I'd like to get in touch with I stumble upon some negative information about them.

How did you select a surgeon? Who did your surgery? How did you find your aftercare in Canada? Did you have any complications? Were you charged any extra fees after your surgery? How did you find your travel home?

Any information you can share would be a HUGE help!

Thanks everyone.

[JamieLogical 8,708]

Selecting a surgeon is a very individual experience, because everyone has different priorities. The first thing you need to decide is which things are more important to you. Do you prefer surgery in a hospital or surgical center? What is your budget? Do you want to be able to see videos of your surgeon performing surgery online? Do you need to Skype with them or have direct contact with them ahead of time? Do you place more value on statistics or personal reviews? How important is their after-care and follow up? Once you figure out your answers to these questions as well as which are more important than others, then you can begin to evaluate the surgeons that fit most of your criteria.

[CanadaLoser 80]

Thanks for the reply @@JamieLogical !

I'm not sure if I prefer a hospital or clinic .I guess I am open to both. In regards to budget, I will take a top doctor over saving a few hundred dollars, so that's not really a factor in my decision.

I don't need a lot of contact ahead of time as long as I feel the Dr has all my information and I know what I need to do. I don't care for videos of surgerys (weak stomach!) lol

I think aftercare contact would be great, especially the first few months. But these boards also appear to have a ton of great information. I'd like someone who has strong stats as well as great personal reviews.

How did you find your experience and surgeon?

[lunarose 97]

Ten years!?! Wow. I was self paid in California so the cost was a part of my deciding who and where. I had mine done by Dy Lyass and I picked him because he had it set up as a package price that included post op visits and labs for a year. Mine was done in a hospital but I would have been comfortable in a clinic.

[JamieLogical 8,708]

Thanks for the reply @@JamieLogical !

I'm not sure if I prefer a hospital or clinic .I guess I am open to both. In regards to budget, I will take a top doctor over saving a few hundred dollars, so that's not really a factor in my decision.

I don't need a lot of contact ahead of time as long as I feel the Dr has all my information and I know what I need to do. I don't care for videos of surgerys (weak stomach!) lol

I think aftercare contact would be great, especially the first few months. But these boards also appear to have a ton of great information. I'd like someone who has strong stats as well as great personal reviews.

How did you find your experience and surgeon?

My experience was great. I think you and I had a lot of the same criteria, though I did specifically prefer a surgical center to a hospital. I felt the risk of illness or infection from a hospital outweighed the risk of not having emergency services onsite, since complications while in surgery for sleeve are INCREDIBLY rare, but infection is a real possibility with ANY surgery.

I read about a million reviews of my surgeon before choosing him and I was very encouraged by the fact that he was internationally recognized.

I think the BIGGEST thing for me though was the follow-up resources. Having a nutritionist and several doctors that I could contact 24/7 with any questions or concerns was awesome and I took full advantage of it. I also liked that THEY contacted ME for regular follow-ups as well, so it wasn't always me having to seek them out.

[lisacaron 5,075]

@ if you are looking into going to Mexico for surgery you might want to try to contact some others on the site that have used surgeons there.

Adding to that I also think that if we look hard enough for the negative we are going to find it. You have to decide what is a deal breaker for you. Is it someone saying something negative about a surgeon or surgery because they didn't lose the weight they wanted to? Also where is it coming from? How do you know it's the surgeon or the surgery choice and not the patient use of the tool?

In that vein let me also say, that the best place to start your research is right at home. Contact bariatric doctors in your area of Canada and find out if they will treat you for follow up if you have surgery someplace else. You don't have to say you are thinking about surgery in Mexico you just want to know if they treat patients they didn't operate on.

If you find an office you like in your area that will see you for follow ups, then you are one step closer to the next step of finding a Dr.

When your researching a surgeon ask many questions of the surgeon, call their office and speak with the staff see if you can have a phone consultation and get to speak with the Dr. find out what type of surgical post-op they offer, and get a feeling for the Dr. then do some research and try to speak with patients of theirs to get a real perspective. We can read so much mis-information on the internet, when it comes to things as serious as surgery I like to hear it straight from the person. That goes for my own doctors as well. Recently I had to have carpal tunnel surgery and I did all this research and asked my husbands hip surgeon for a recommendation and then I went to meet the surgeon and her assistant and staff etc. I saw 2 practices before I found the Dr. to do the surgery. There were some negative comments on the internet but everyone I spoke to including her patients and the hospital staff some of which were her patients as well LOVED her and trusted her and said she was the best. You know what, I felt comfortable after that and today my hand feels 100% better and my scar is non existent!

Best of luck to you and welcome to the site!!!

forgot to add in the link for you though it says sleeve I am sure there are other surgery modalities there as well.

http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/486-mexico-self-pay-gastric-sleeve-surgery/

[dbp3k 5]

Hello,

I am brand new to this forum and have so many questions. I feel like there is so much information, I don't even know where to start.

I am approximately 380 pounds and have anemia which leaves me constantly exhausted. I have wanted WLS forever but the wait in SK is over 10 years (sick, isn't it?!). I think Mexico is my only option.

I have been doing some research for the last few weeks (various forums, YouTube videos, etc) and I feel like it's information overload right now. Every time I think I have found a great surgeon that I'd like to get in touch with I stumble upon some negative information about them.

How did you select a surgeon? Who did your surgery? How did you find your aftercare in Canada? Did you have any complications? Were you charged any extra fees after your surgery? How did you find your travel home?

Any information you can share would be a HUGE help!

Thanks everyone.

They told me the wait was two to four years but of course that was after I had been on the list for 1 and a half years and then I disappeared from it and had to start over-so the 22nd is my big day-surgery in Mexico!

Edited January 20, 2016 by dbp3k

[northern_bypass 26]

They told me the wait was two to four years but of course that was after I had been on the list for 1 and a half years and then I disappeared from it and had to start over-so the 22nd is my big day-surgery in Mexico!

Good luck with surgery!! I had mine last tuesday in toronto . Was a little rougher than i thought but im feeling great now ! lots of walking to get that gas out! And take your time . Dont over do it . :-)