@WasaBubbleButt: My family is NOT bizarre, they just love & care for me. They have my best interest at heart. While I may not completely agree with them, I still value & respect their opinions. They worry about my safety, my health & any complications that may occur. I appreciate your passion, but they are not bizarre in the least bit, just very cautious.

My younger sister & brother had sleeve surgery last year in Florida w/ Dr. Steve Webb & have had tremendous success with zero complications. They want me to also go to him. I would like to, however, although I do have insurance, I have NO benefits for WLS. Therefore I'm a self pay & can't afford the $18,000 surgery w/him. I feel like I can get the same exact quality surgery (if not BETTER) & still have the same results as them, PLUS save approx $4,000!!! I am a married mother w/3 children, so the savings is appealing to me having a family to also think of. However, my family thinks I shouldn't bargain w/my health & say that one should never put a price tag on their health. My father says he will contribute to my surgery, if not pay for all of it. But my husband & I are proud people & have never accepted money from our families in the (almost) 17 yrs we've been married & don't want to start now. We are comfortable paying for the Mexico surgery.

This is challenging having my family be very opposed to surgery in Mexico. But I'm holding my ground & sticking to my guns thus far. I am nervous, but feel like I'm making an a good decision. I have THOROUGHLY researched this & feel like Dr. Aceves is the best of the best.

Thanks again for your kind words of support & your not so kind words! ;)

 Thanks for all your support as this is a very challenging time. I dearly love my sisters & know they are coming from a good place. But I do feel good about my decision, nervous, but good for the most part. It's part of my personality to be a people pleaser & want everyone's approval, but I feel like I've done my homework & am not making an irrational/bad decision. Thank you all again!!! 

 @Fatguyinalittlecoat, the following is an actual email my sister recently sent me. My family is not easily convinced & think I'm absolutely out of my mind for choosing Mexico:

This is not an easy surgery. It's no walk in park. Doesn't matter how experienced said surgeon is by some fancy website, or extensive webpage. You are not within your country.  Post travel will be a ***** under the very best of cir****tances!!!! They are legal considerations that you have to appreciate. You have NO legal recourse in a foreign country as a result of medical complications, fraud, or negligence. Have you even checked with Mexican embassy to find out policies and advisories on their medical tourism and their safety standards?Medical forum boards and impressive lingo should not be the standard in which you choose your medical care. Dr experience is a big selling point, I agree, but again if he is not being regulated by a medical board and you have no licensed third party that back up his claims, then it's a moot point.     It is up to you. I just want to state for the record that I think it's the WORST idea of your life. I'm sorry if I sound mean or unpleasant.  I am really concerned and think that it is never a good idea to put a cost to your health and care.  Simple. I'm sorry. That's just how I feel. I wish you the best of luck with your decision. I pray and hope it's truly what you want it to be. 

My family tells me that it's going to be impossible to fly home on a plane (from Mexico) after sleeve surgery without having major discomfort & pain. My sis had sleeve surgery in the states & swears she wouldn't have been able to get on a plane 3 days later without any issues! They are really starting to worry me with this. Thoughts please!!! 

Glad to hear you are doing well so far!! I've seen a couple of posts on here lately that have actually scared me, so yours is encouraging!! Good luck on the rest of your journey!!

 What do you use the syrups for?? Coffee??

 Thank goodness because I'm a coffee lover & was worried!! Gives me hope that I can enjoy it & still lose weight!!

Your you tube posts have been very informative to me..discovered you when I was researching the sleeve. Good job on your success!! Glad to have stumbled upon you here on OH!! Do you personally cook all your meals?? I see you have quite the variety.

 Looking good!! Congrat's to you!! Can't wait for my surgery!!

Ok post op VSG'ers..How long does life really suck after VSG before you start to see the light at the end of tunnel & realize that surgery was well worth it??? Just trying to mentally prepare myself. 

 Haven't had surgery yet, but this is my fear. I'm a huge coffee & diet coke drinker, both of which you shouldn't have post-op! But I have heard over & over again on OH that people's taste buds change after surgery. I'm hoping this to be the case!

 Not that big of a deal, but I just got an email from Dr. Aceves patient coordinator (Nina) stating he can't do my surgery on Dec 3rd because he has just been asked to be a presenter at a sleeve conference in New York  the 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th of Dec!! Although I'm a little bummed because I had THAT date set in my head, it gives me comfort knowing he's thought of enough to be a presenter at a sleeve conference in the US, very reassuring!!! Now shooting for the following week. 

 Thanks everybody! She's going with me regardless, but it would be nice if she had a little more faith in me. She is a sleeve patient herself, having done it in the US though. The way I look at it, like others have pointed out, is that Dr.Aceves has done WAY more sleeves than many US surgeons. The surgeon I would've used here has only done approx 100, Aceves has done approx 1000!! I'll take the doctor w/more experience any day & suck up my fears of traveling to traveling to Mexico!!! ;)