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First, thanks to all of you who have taken the...
First, thanks to all of you who have taken the time to share your experiences.
The decision to finally have the surgery that I have been contemplating for years is a HUGE step. Turning 64 and realizing that 65 is right around the corner moved me off high center. Diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol issues, sleep apnea: I have these bad-boy co-morbidities but have not yet experienced severe effects of these, thank God. I just received a glowing report from a cardiologist who said that my EKG was better than good, so in spite of my poor diet and lifestyle choices, I am actually in better shape than I should be.
My highest weight ever was 295, I think: I didn't really want to look at the scales or acknowledge the weight, so it seems a little blurry in my memory. I do remember wondering at the time if I would continue expanding like a balloon until I just exploded! There was real fear regarding my overeating syndrome. For a long time, my weight was about 265 with jumps up to 280. Most recently, I was at 277 when I began this journey.
I had done the research and had settled on Dr. Kim in Colleyville, TX for my gastric sleeve. He heads a Bariatric Center of Excellence and is a Bariatric Surgeon of Excellence. My health insurance is with a small-group employee plan which offers NO coverage for bariatric surgery. Some time last year I had begun the paperwork for Dr. Kim. At that time, the posted procedure cost for the sleeve (a summer special) was about 10K. The day before I was to visit their office for the first time, they advised that my out-of-pocket cost would be 15K. I was unprepared for that amount.
So I began searching in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana for qualified bariatric surgeons and found that the average cost was around 11K with some variations. I had considered the medical tourism option before: India has some highly-rated facilities with U.S.-certified surgeon and hospitals. My family doctor said that he would recommend India for the procedure. When I asked about Mexico (where I had been given a price of $4,900), he said no. When I proposed the India trip to my family, they said no. So I put the whole thing on the back burner.
In my post-Kim research, I found the Obesity Control Center (OCC) in Mexico headed by Dr. Ariel Ortiz, M.D. I was impressed with patient reviews and with the fact that OCC is an international center of excellence for bariatric surgery. Ortiz is a well-known speaker and author in the U.S. I made my decision.
My surgery is scheduled for April 15, 2015 in Tijuana, Mexico at OCC. In my paperwork, I agreed to keep the cost of the procedure private: not sure why they ask this, but I will comply for now.
The OCC runs like a well-oiled machine. The whole process thus far has been very organized and professional. Everything that I have needed to do has been clearly explained.
In my first contact with the OCC nutritionist, she advised me to immediately begin a low-carb diet (Atkins was specifically mentioned.) The tone of the email was a little humorous at the time: she spoke as if to a naughty child who wasn't to be trusted to do as she was told. I had to lose X number of pounds before surgery or the surgery would NOT take place. This let me know that many of their patients are not really ready to make this decision and do not take this warning seriously. I did not want to be one of the Naughties!
At this time I ordered Multi-vitamins, other supplements (Liv-R, Lypo-solve, probiotic), and bariatric protein shake mixes from Vitaleph as they instructed. This was my first glimpse of the ongoing cost of these products which would be needed to insure my health and success: Yikes! I also ordered a new scale that monitors body-fat, water, and muscle-mass percentages as well as weight loss; I bought the Taylor model #5736BFA for about $59.00.
As of today, I weigh 254.2. The low-carb diet has been amazing at curbing carb cravings: so strange that I had forgotten this although over the years I have been on this diet many times! I have been drinking at least 64 oz. fluid/day. It is about time to start on the two-week pre-surgery diet that features mainly the bariatric shakes. My exercise needs to be more regular (I know this is SO important for the lifestyle changes that must come with this new stage of my life.)
I ask that you would lift me up in your prayers: I want to be the person God sees in me.
By the way, I live on a "farm" in central Texas, and we just had two new Brangus calves born. So sweet! Happy Spring! Happy Easter! What a time for hope and renewal!
The decision to finally have the surgery that I have been contemplating for years is a HUGE step. Turning 64 and realizing that 65 is right around the corner moved me off high center. Diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol issues, sleep apnea: I have these bad-boy co-morbidities but have not yet experienced severe effects of these, thank God. I just received a glowing report from a cardiologist who said that my EKG was better than good, so in spite of my poor diet and lifestyle choices, I am actually in better shape than I should be.
My highest weight ever was 295, I think: I didn't really want to look at the scales or acknowledge the weight, so it seems a little blurry in my memory. I do remember wondering at the time if I would continue expanding like a balloon until I just exploded! There was real fear regarding my overeating syndrome. For a long time, my weight was about 265 with jumps up to 280. Most recently, I was at 277 when I began this journey.
I had done the research and had settled on Dr. Kim in Colleyville, TX for my gastric sleeve. He heads a Bariatric Center of Excellence and is a Bariatric Surgeon of Excellence. My health insurance is with a small-group employee plan which offers NO coverage for bariatric surgery. Some time last year I had begun the paperwork for Dr. Kim. At that time, the posted procedure cost for the sleeve (a summer special) was about 10K. The day before I was to visit their office for the first time, they advised that my out-of-pocket cost would be 15K. I was unprepared for that amount.
So I began searching in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana for qualified bariatric surgeons and found that the average cost was around 11K with some variations. I had considered the medical tourism option before: India has some highly-rated facilities with U.S.-certified surgeon and hospitals. My family doctor said that he would recommend India for the procedure. When I asked about Mexico (where I had been given a price of $4,900), he said no. When I proposed the India trip to my family, they said no. So I put the whole thing on the back burner.
In my post-Kim research, I found the Obesity Control Center (OCC) in Mexico headed by Dr. Ariel Ortiz, M.D. I was impressed with patient reviews and with the fact that OCC is an international center of excellence for bariatric surgery. Ortiz is a well-known speaker and author in the U.S. I made my decision.
My surgery is scheduled for April 15, 2015 in Tijuana, Mexico at OCC. In my paperwork, I agreed to keep the cost of the procedure private: not sure why they ask this, but I will comply for now.
The OCC runs like a well-oiled machine. The whole process thus far has been very organized and professional. Everything that I have needed to do has been clearly explained.
In my first contact with the OCC nutritionist, she advised me to immediately begin a low-carb diet (Atkins was specifically mentioned.) The tone of the email was a little humorous at the time: she spoke as if to a naughty child who wasn't to be trusted to do as she was told. I had to lose X number of pounds before surgery or the surgery would NOT take place. This let me know that many of their patients are not really ready to make this decision and do not take this warning seriously. I did not want to be one of the Naughties!
At this time I ordered Multi-vitamins, other supplements (Liv-R, Lypo-solve, probiotic), and bariatric protein shake mixes from Vitaleph as they instructed. This was my first glimpse of the ongoing cost of these products which would be needed to insure my health and success: Yikes! I also ordered a new scale that monitors body-fat, water, and muscle-mass percentages as well as weight loss; I bought the Taylor model #5736BFA for about $59.00.
As of today, I weigh 254.2. The low-carb diet has been amazing at curbing carb cravings: so strange that I had forgotten this although over the years I have been on this diet many times! I have been drinking at least 64 oz. fluid/day. It is about time to start on the two-week pre-surgery diet that features mainly the bariatric shakes. My exercise needs to be more regular (I know this is SO important for the lifestyle changes that must come with this new stage of my life.)
I ask that you would lift me up in your prayers: I want to be the person God sees in me.
By the way, I live on a "farm" in central Texas, and we just had two new Brangus calves born. So sweet! Happy Spring! Happy Easter! What a time for hope and renewal!
Provider Review
Bariatric Surgeon
Paseo de los Héroes 9111 #100, Zona Urbana Rio, Tijuana, Baja California