I would like to respond to this thread. Please do not take offense but with you being on the US side to have the surgery and me being on the
Mexico side I think it only fair that I express my situation. When you say you should think more about having it...please know that this has been years coming...I didn't wake up yesterday and say you know I think I want to have LAP-BAND® in a foreigh country. Now I will say that in the beginning I searched the states for a way to get the band. Our insurance makes it IMPOSSIBLE to get it done and then they cap what they cover..so I have a 10k lifetime payout..well HELLO it costs more then that so I would have to cover the extra 6-7k for the band and all the requirements they put on it..not to mention the year they make you wait and the hoops you have to jump through. I have 4 kids and we live in a rural part of Texas so seeing these specialist continually isn't possible for me as they require it. Now does that mean I am ignorant to the risks and that I am being careless with going to MX. NO. I made an appt. w/my general prac. and told him my plans. I had him to a complete physical and run all my blood work. He talked to me in depth about my decision and wants to see me after the band is placed. I am taking all the precautions I can to make sure I am safe. For some the adiitional couple of thousand dollars might not be a lot..for me being a stay at home mom of 4 kids, single income family it is nearly impossible and my family is sacraficing for me to have this surgery. I am just grateful to my husband for allowing me this opportunity. There is NO room in our budget to finance the surgery for the states....trust me I have looked into it before we researched MX. The monthly rates are like a mortgage payment...again not a possibility. I have 2 personal friends that have been banded in MX..one was 4 yrs ago and one was this March. I have also had 2 friends banded in the states. All are doing good. I think RESEARCH is the key. There are many drs with bad reputations.....and it's your job to find that out. So it really doesn't matter where because you still have to research. As far as cash pay in the states and negociating the $$$$ haven't found any that are even close to my cost that Dr. Rod is giving me, and I don't know I would even want them touching me. Just a little info on me. I was raised in South America for many of my child years. I am fluent in Spanish. My father was a entrepaneur and had many ventures...so I know the bad wrap of some of these countries we visited and sometimes lived in...just like in the states there are slums and bad areas. Although I know you can't sue your MX dr. know that their practice is geared towards Americans, and they know how big our mouths are. For me finding a Dr. wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I first disqualified the ones I wouldn't use or researched and found to many negative postings on...and then went forward with my search. I have spent HOURS upon HOURS reading posts after posts and websites after websites on peopls opinions and experiences. I have spoken to Inamed, Dr. Rod himself, and hospital Angeles. I just don't feel guilty for making the choices I did and did my research. I have aftercare set up and am doing everything I can to make sure I have a great outcome...now does this mean I am not nervous as HELL? Well no it makes me human...and yes I am scared to have this procedure and yes I hope my choice was the correct one for me...and I will answer that ????? in 2 weeks. I know you only mean good, but please don't assume we haven't researched because we are going to MEXICO and that if we researched more we wouldn't go there. I have and I am still going there.
Kelly
