I was sleeved in 2012 by another doctor in Tj. I had success for many years but over the last few years my weight continued to yo-yo. I was unable to get back below 130 bmi. I found Dr Jalil at Hospital BC came highly recommended and scheduled and was in a plane within 2 weeks. I’m 4 days post op, going home tomorrow. Pretty sure this has been the best medical experience of my life. Never would have received this kind of care in the states and Dr. Jalil knew exactly what I needed and how to tailor the MGB for me. My husband was also sleeved during this trip and we both felt very well taken care of. The staff, Dr’s, nurses, techs and valets are truly the best. Even the hotel they selected for us to stay our last night in was top notch and knew exactly what to feed us! No regrets.
I originally thought I was ready for a tummy tuck and arm lift so that's where I originally posted under that but things have changed. Here is my journey so far! I have set up a consultation with a plastic surgeon next Friday. My highest known weight was 309lbs. My current weight is 257lbs. I lost the majority of the weight just over a year ago, I still workout regularly and eat healthy. I have not been able to stably keep anymore weight off, the lowest I ever got was when my doctor prescribed me Phentermine but that was only to 248lbs and as soon as I was weaned off of it I gained it back almost immediately. Anyways, I hope to get the panniculectomy covered by insurance. I have been doing a ton of research and have wanted this for almost 2 years. My fiance' and I have decided this year is the year for me to finally have surgery because we set our wedding date for Oct 2015!! So excited for a year of change! I have been in contact with the receptionist at the clinic I am going for my consult at, she told me there is such a strict criteria to get it covered and normally always get denied. She said in order to to even be considered you need the following: *no less than 6 months documented rashes, sores, or ulcers. (I have rashes if I don't powder daily, I have never got it documented though because, frankly, I can't afford to, nor do I have time to go running to the doctor every time I get a rash. The powder makes them manageable, so I am kinda annoyed by this as a "NEED TO BE DOCUMENTED" in the criteria) *Significant (100+) weight loss and a stable weight for at least 3 months, preferably caused by gastric bypass surgery *a normal range BMI *Panni has to hang below the pubic bone. I have all the above, except Normal BMI, just not documented by a doctor. Feeling really annoyed that I have continually worked hard to do this all natural. But because I'm not a child who runs to the doctor to "fix" my rashes every time I get one because I already knew how to manage them I am not even able to be considered. How is this fair? Just because I'm a normal person, who works hard, and was taught to be tough by "unless it is unbearable no doctor needed"...I would think that having most of the criteria met would at least give me a chance to be considered. Uhg! I suppose though, we'll see what kind of cost the plastic surgeon will charge. I might just have do one surgery and have the other done next year when I've saved enough money. Today is the day!!! Super stoked to be having my consult today! Hoping all goes well! I had my consultation with Dr. Atchison in Kearney, NE. He was very nice. He did not give me the answer I was so hoping for, however, he got me pointed in another direction to continue on my weight loss goals. He referred me to another doctor in Kearney that specializes in weight loss surgeries. (Before I go on, I must say I was an emotional wreck after having my consult, no matter how nicely you try to tell someone they're "obese", it still hurts to hear. After 60lbs of weight loss already I was crushed that it wasn't enough. That being said, I am so thankful he referred me and even called and got me an appointment THE SAME DAY so I didn't have to wait any longer or make another 4 hour round trip and try to schedule around a hectic work schedule. I really truly appreciated that!! I will be going back to Dr. Atchison once I am able to have cosmetic surgery!) He referred me to my second doctor of the day. Her name is Dr. Stade at Kearney Regional Medical Center. She talked to me about the Lap-Band, gastric bypass, and gastric sleeve. She highly recommended the Lap-band. She discussed my original goals with me and I admitted to her that I had previously thought about a weight loss surgery but thought I didn't need it because I'd convinced myself it was for "weak people". Please don't judge me. Let me tell you, boy I got an eye opening!!! By the time I left her office I was convinced maybe I was meant to be "skinny" and this was a tool to help me reach my goals! My goals being 170lbs hopefully before my fiance' and I get married Oct 2015. She told me the cost in cash for the Lap-band is $16,000. I asked if my insurance would cover it and she had her nurse call, within an hour she had called me back and told me my insurance had an exclusion for bariatric surgery.(damn it!) However, she would continue to look for loop holes or better payment options to suit me then let me know ASAP if she hears anything. Wow! I am so thoroughly impressed with Dr. Stade and her nurse, Melissa!!! After getting home and doing more research and reading through all the materials she gave me, I have decided that the Lap-Band is NOT for me. Too restrictive of a permanent lifestyle change for me I could not worry constantly if whatever I'm eating might clog the very small hole the band would create and I couldn't completely cut out any one food for the rest of my life. She gave me her email address and told me to email her with any questions or if I wanted more information...so I did earlier this evening! I have decided that the gastric sleeve would be the perfect fit for me. Dr. Stade told me she normally doesn't perform the gastric sleeve but if I decided I would be interested she would help me find I surgeon to take care of me and my needs. I have a new sense of excitement and can't wait to hear from her. I am feeling kind of sad that I probably won't get to continue my journey with Dr. Stade as I really liked her and Melissa. However, I am still stoked to be on the right track and hope to get scheduled for surgery ASAP. I think I have enough documented at my primary doctor as far as weight checks/weigh loss advice/being prescribed Phenterimine for 3 months all over 2 years to qualify for insurance if there is a loop hole to jump through. So I hope the ball gets rolling soon!! I will update a soon as I hear anything! Updated on 2 Oct 2014: Well since insurance will not cover any bariatric procedure I began looking for other options. I found it! Thanks to a few helpful ladies on here and other research I have decided to have surgery with Dr. Jalil Illan Fraijo in Mexico! So far it has been a very positive experience! I have set up weight checks with my primary care provider and a post op check locally. So Oct 27, 2014 is the day!! For all you that are thinking about going to MX for gastric surgery I HIGHLY suggest Dr. Illan. That being said, BE CAREFUL WHO YOU TELL!! It sounds horrible but for some reason so many people think it's a third world, rat infested country! They gasp, then lecture you for considering it. My parents did. My mom even cried! Told me she was very concerned, thought it was assinine for me to being flying across the country, and going south of the border for surgery. Well in order to ease her mind I offered to take her with me, all expenses paid for her, as long as she gets her passport card and can get time off of work. She said she wants to research(fair enough) and has a friend who grew up in MX and would like to ask her if she knows anything about him. I told her yes that's fine, go for it! I reiterated I have had a great experience so far and gave her all the information I have so she could start ASAP. Is it mean to say I am more stressed out over my mother than I am about having surgery in a foreign country? HAHA, Jeez ahloo!! Updated on 3 Oct 2014: I'm really regretting telling my parents about me having surgery in Mexico. I offered to cover all costs so my mother could come with me to put her mind at ease. After their reaction to me telling them, I have decided I am not telling anyone else and asked them to do the same. Well, I got a phone call from my brother today, he was irate started yelling at me, telling me how stupid I am for even considering going to Mexico for surgery. Then went off about how unsafe it is. I tried to explain to him that I have done extensive research and know that Florence Hospital is very up to standards, Dr. Illan is very highly recommended, and just as qualified as any surgeon in the U.S. He kept ranting that I will get an infection and die! He says that my life isn't worth risking over "loosing a few pounds"...a few?!?! Seriously!! I technically should loose 130 more pounds to be considered within normal range BMI. Plus, being diagnosed with PCOS at age 16...I never knew how much it would have an impact on me later in life. These last few years have been agonizing. I never realized just how hard it would be to watch all of your friends get married, have beautiful little babies, and happy families. Don't get me wrong, I am so happy for everyone, but at the same time it absolutely crushes me to know that my soon to be husband and I have a slim to none chance of ever conceiving naturally if I don't focus on losing weight and getting healthier, NOW! I have always dreamed of being a mommy...if I don't do this for me...I may never get the chance. That scares me and breaks my heart. I decided since insurance WILL NOT cover it, I still need this surgery. I don't care where at as long as it's clean, the surgeon is qualified and personable, and I feel safe. I personally have found all those things at Baja Bariatrics. I have no concerns, neither does my fiance'! So why on earth won't my family be supportive? They keep telling me they would be if I was having it done in the U.S. but the costs here are simply not affordable. I can tell you guys that if you disagree with someone just because of them going out of the country to have a procedure done it is best just to suck it up and be supportive, if you absolutely have to say something, say it in a loving manner with evidence to support your concerns. By just being negative and not letting your loved one tell you anything, you instantly create a barrier and turn them away from you. Nine times out of ten, if someone tells you what they are doing, they've made up their mind! Yelling at them just creates more stress on an individual who is most likely already stressed just because they are preparing for surgery! So be kind, be loving, be supportive...That's all I wish my family would do for me. Them not standing behind me has been weighing on my mind all day...I keep tearing up and getting frustrated because I can't even try to talk to them. It hurts, alot. Updated on 10 Oct 2014: I am so happy right now! Everything is just falling into place. I had a great day today! First, the birth certificates I needed for my passport card and marriage license came today(finally), my soon to be husbands wedding band was delivered today, I got all of my errands run, and got my personal loan approved for surgery!! Woot, woot, Followed by date night with my man!! It was a pretty perfect day!! Dr. Illan requested I do a 10 day all liquid diet prior to surgery, however, I started slowly replacing meals with protein shakes and/or yogurt plus as much water as I can remember to drink. This week the only meal I was still eating was supper. Starting Monday I am on all liquids, which is a little longer, but I figure a few extra days can't hurt and surprisingly, with how hectic my schedule is lately, it is much easier to drink a shake on the run anyways! Also, something a bit surprising to me is that I never feel like I'm starving. I think that's due to taking myself slowly off of real food? I will say though that the first couple of mornings that I tried to drink a protein shake and take my vitamins at the same time, I got really jittery and shaky. So I changed to drinking my vitamins with a glass of water first thing when I wake up (5:30am) and just stocked protein powder and almond milk at work and drank that around 7:30am. It works much better for me. The hardest part so far is measuring my water intake. I work on a big hog farm, 8 barns on my site, so it's impossible to run to the office every time I need a drink, and also a pain to try and carry a water bottle with me. I naturally drink out of the hose all day long (I know, yes I am a country girl) so I am not sure exactly how much I consume? I sweat 90% of the day. Even before now, I drank water whenever I could. It's going to be hard for me to "sip" water because normally I gulp down as much as I can in between doing tasks at work so I don't get dehydrated. I only have two 30min breaks a day...so it would be impossible for me to get down all my fluids in that time period! Suggestions? Anyone else have this issue, or am I just the odd ball?
I have set up a consultation with a plastic surgeon next Friday. My highest known weight was 309lbs. My current weight is 257lbs. I lost the majority of the weight just over a year ago, I still workout regularly and eat healthy. I have not been able to stably keep anymore weight off, the lowest I ever got was when my doctor prescribed me Phentermine but that was only to 248lbs and as soon as I was weaned off of it I gained it back almost immediately. Anyways, I hope to get the panniculectomy covered by insurance. I have been doing a ton of research and have wanted this for almost 2 years. My fiance' and I have decided this year is the year for me to finally have surgery because we set our wedding date for Oct 2015!! So excited for a year of change! Updated on 23 Sep 2014: I have been in contact with the receptionist at the clinic I am going for my consult at, she told me there is such a strict criteria to get it covered and normally always get denied. She said in order to to even be considered you need the following: *no less than 6 months documented rashes, sores, or ulcers. (I have rashes if I don't powder daily, I have never got it documented though because, frankly, I can't afford to, nor do I have time to go running to the doctor every time I get a rash. The powder makes them manageable, so I am kinda annoyed by this as a "NEED TO BE DOCUMENTED" in the criteria) *Significant (100+) weight loss and a stable weight for at least 3 months, preferably caused by gastric bypass surgery *a normal range BMI *Panni has to hang below the pubic bone. I have all the above, except Normal BMI, just not documented by a doctor. Feeling really annoyed that I have continually worked hard to do this all natural. But because I'm not a child who runs to the doctor to "fix" my rashes every time I get one because I already knew how to manage them I am not even able to be considered. How is this fair? Just because I'm a normal person, who works hard, and was taught to be tough by "unless it is unbearable no doctor needed"...I would think that having most of the criteria met would at least give me a chance to be considered. Uhg! I suppose though, we'll see what kind of cost the plastic surgeon will charge. I might just have do one surgery and have the other done next year when I've saved enough money. Updated on 26 Sep 2014: Super stoked to be having my consult today! Hoping all goes well! Updated on 28 Sep 2014: I had my consultation with Dr. Atchison in Kearney, NE. He was very nice. He did not give me the answer I was so hoping for, however, he got me pointed in another direction to continue on my weight loss goals. He referred me to another doctor in Kearney that specializes in weight loss surgeries. (Before I go on, I must say I was an emotional wreck after having my consult, no matter how nicely you try to tell someone they're "obese", it still hurts to hear. After 60lbs of weight loss already I was crushed that it wasn't enough. That being said, I am so thankful he referred me and even called and got me an appointment THE SAME DAY so I didn't have to wait any longer or make another 4 hour round trip and try to schedule around a hectic work schedule. I really truly appreciated that!! I will be going back to Dr. Atchison once I am able to have cosmetic surgery!) He referred me to my second doctor of the day. Her name is Dr. Stade at Kearney Regional Medical Center. She talked to me about the Lap-Band, gastric bypass, and gastric sleeve. She highly recommended the Lap-band. She discussed my original goals with me and I admitted to her that I had previously thought about a weight loss surgery but thought I didn't need it because I'd convinced myself it was for "weak people". Please don't judge me. Let me tell you, boy I got an eye opening!!! By the time I left her office I was convinced maybe I was meant to be "skinny" and this was a tool to help me reach my goals! My goals being 170lbs hopefully before my fiance' and I get married Oct 2015. She told me the cost in cash for the Lap-band is $16,000. I asked if my insurance would cover it and she had her nurse call, within an hour she had called me back and told me my insurance had an exclusion for bariatric surgery.(damn it!) However, she would continue to look for loop holes or better payment options to suit me then let me know ASAP if she hears anything. Wow! I am so thoroughly impressed with Dr. Stade and her nurse, Melissa!!! After getting home and doing more research and reading through all the materials she gave me, I have decided that the Lap-Band is NOT for me. Too restrictive of a permanent lifestyle change for me I could not worry constantly if whatever I'm eating might clog the very small hole the band would create and I couldn't completely cut out any one food for the rest of my life. She gave me her email address and told me to email her with any questions or if I wanted more information...so I did earlier this evening! I have decided that the gastric sleeve would be the perfect fit for me. Dr. Stade told me she normally doesn't perform the gastric sleeve but if I decided I would be interested she would help me find I surgeon to take care of me and my needs. I have a new sense of excitement and can't wait to hear from her. I am feeling kind of sad that I probably won't get to continue my journey with Dr. Stade as I really liked her and Melissa. However, I am still stoked to be on the right track and hope to get scheduled for surgery ASAP. I think I have enough documented at my primary doctor as far as weight checks/weigh loss advice/being prescribed Phenterimine for 3 months all over 2 years to qualify for insurance if there is a loop hole to jump through. So I hope the ball gets rolling soon!! I will update a soon as I hear anything! Updated on 17 Oct 2014: I am having my gastric sleeve surgery done in Tijuana, Mexico on Oct 27th, 2014 by Dr. Illan at Baja Bariatrics. So far I have had a great experience with him and his team. I've mostly been in contact with Omar, who is the patient care coordinator. He has been very helpful with knowledge of how things work. From letting me know there is provided transportation from the San Diego airport to the hospital, emailing me to do/to get lists, answering passport questions, etc. I have done a consult with Dr. Illan himself on skype, he answered the questions I had. He also confirmed that he will be there during my pre-op testing and will do a more in depth meeting in person when I get there. I feel very safe putting my life in his hands. That being said, today is officially my first day on my 10 day liquid pre-op diet!! Over the last few weeks I have slowly replaced normal meals with liquids so that by today I would be ready to be full on for every meal! I can say that I am fine during the day, I have no hunger, but when it gets to be around 3pm I am wiped out. I get almost an overwhelming surge of exhaustion. It last about an hour and a half, then I get off work and I get my second wind. I have still been cooking supper for my man in the evenings...that is a challenge sometimes. I have a weird guilt thing about not cooking for him, so even though it's hard for me to smell/cook yummy stuff, I do it for him. One of my biggest fears is him feeling neglected while I'm busy getting healthier. I seem to get really irritable while cooking and sometimes be a snark about questions about food. (For example: This evening my fiance was trying to discuss our plans for a BBQ we're having this weekend with a few of our friends. He asked about thawing out pork chops and if I would marinate them, then asked if I planned on making a side dish...mind you this conversation is going on while I'm putting together a homemade pasta bake for his supper tonight....so I was literally drooling, ready to knaw my own arm off, craving food, and doing my best to tell myself food is OFF LIMITS...So at one point I had zoned him out on accident. When he got my attention I was like "seriously? SHUT UP ABOUT FOOD!! I will get everything ready for tomorrow but right now I am finding it really hard to resist temptation of food...so just stop!" I felt like the evil witch of the west. He didn't even realize I was having such a hard time, so he looked like a puppy that had been swatted with a newspaper! It made me feel bad. Normally discussing these things gets me excited, but in the current situation it made me want to slap him.) So be aware of how things might change. One thing I can't say enough is communication is the key.
