Thank you - I did post over here as it is nice to hear from folks that have been post op a little longer than we have. It lets us know that what we are doing is worth it. Keep up the good work and keep coming back to this site, it has been an invaluable resource for me.

Welcome to the Veterans Bench, Mike, and a big thank you for sticking around.

You've done a great job!

$13,000 is a lot but totally worth it. Your quality of life will improve more than you know. Everything else becomes cheaper too. You won't have as many doctors visits after or be on meds etc. In the long haul it's your life you're investing in. I can't think of anything more worth it.

One more thing to consider is that if you're taking medication for high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes, you're likely to be able to discontinue it, which could lead to savings in the long term. Of course, I realise that if you don't have the money to spend now, then the possibility of savings later on doesn't help much. But if there are sacrifices you can make to get the surgery, it's probably worth it. Confirm this with your medical team, but my understanding is that people with type 2 diabetes can usually discontinue that medication right after surgery, but blood pressure takes longer (1-2 years) to come down, so you'd still be on that medication for a while. Also consider if there are any other medications you're on for conditions that would likely improve as you lose weight (such as pain medication or anti-inflammatory meds for joint problems).

Here's a survey of VSG prices for different states in 2018.

https://www.obesitycoverage.com/insurance-and-costs/how-much /average-cost-of-gastric-sleeve-surgery

According to that survey, the states with the lowest prices are:

1. Oklahoma ? $9,800
2. Arkansas ? $11,935
3. Nebraska ? $12,300

So if you could get your surgery for $12,000, and your insurance would pay half, you'd be down to $6,000 plus the cost of a plane flight and a couple of nights to recover in a hotel (which should be pretty inexpensive in those states). You could probably make arrangements to have consultations with the dietitian by Skype, and to have any preliminary blood work done locally. Take into account any tax savings, and the cost might not be quite as far out of reach.

Thank you for the advice. Always good to hear about the path ahead.

This typo tickled me: "I pack a small lunchouch with drinks". I envisioned an old fashioned lunchbox that, when you open it, it tries to bite you,and you say Ouch! That's why it's called a "lunchouch". Could be very useful for anyone on a diet.