To Those Who Did Self Pay.....

Hi Kimmeroo~Come on over and join us on the VSG forum.  All the complications that you cited are the same reasons I decided on VSG.  That is not to say that some of those complications are not still a possibility, even without surgery............but overall much lower risk of complications!

I am probably doing the same thing - I only want the VSG and my insurance most likely won't pay for it even though they would cover other types of WLS.  I also do not want to wait and see if they come around this year or next and start approving VSG ... I have an appointment with my chosen surgeon next week and after I meet with her and my PCP next week I will decide.  What has me most concerned is use my retirement savings for the surgery and also what might happen if there are complications with the procedure and my insurance won't cover them later.  But I feel the VSG is the right surgery for me.  Seems like we are of like minds.

Hi Littleway!  We are definitely of like minds.  And now that I've booked my surgery and made flight reservations, I'm even more nervous!   Mostly because I know that my insurance will NOT pay for complications........but I know that I'm going to an excellent surgeon who has done so many VSG's with no significant complications.  It's such a big leap..........and I keep telling myself that in order to have big rewards, you have to be willing to take a risk.  (It's still scary though!) I take comfort in the fact that just about EVERYONE over at the VSG board says they have just one regret.........not doing it sooner!

Once you've made a decision, add me as a friend and we'll keep track of each other!  Best wishes in your decision making! 

There is a post on the VSG board that says there will be a code in 2010 for the VSG. So you can wait until next year or self pay now if you have the money. I'm going through the same thing. I'm looking into self pay this August if it is not approved by then. Aetna is 50/50 with their approvals. I was one of the ones that was denied.

Wow....thank you everyone for your replies!!  I never expected so many.  It's good to know that I am not the only one who feels this way!

I'm not sure about the gastric bypass (although my mother had it with no complications), and I don't want to wait out the hope of my insurance maybe paying in 2010.  Sigh.  Looks like I will keep doing more research to figure out what road I want to take.

Thanks again....I wish everyone the best :)