Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums

Hey everyone getting at the end of all my testing (pre op stuff for revision ) my doctors office is summit everything on th 5 th of october . I am just wondering how everybody eles insurance process went ? I have united health care ... But and story will help ... Starting to worry that after all this work I will not get approved

I wanted to get some of y'alls opinions.. I need a revsion due to complications. I saw Dr Kim on Friday and I am honestly not sure what to think ? I liked him . however was not fond of the insurance coordinator . I live in Austin and went with Dr Kim because I heard he's one of the better revision surgeons around. However I left there feeling like my head was spinning and no answers. . They did an upper gi and the lady asked me how in the world I was eating ? I told her not very well .My band has so much damage, scar tissue that liquids barely go through my band .. Doc told me there are ppl with band issues and then there is me ! Mine are bad basically . He told me to co…

I'll be having revision surgery from LapBand to the sleeve next month. My pre-op starts in about 3 weeks. I am curious if anyone else has gone through surgery around where I am. I was originally in the 290s, am currently about 225-230 depending on what I ate for dinner. I was banded 14 months ago and because of complications I'm am being revised to the sleeve. I'm curious to hear from anyone with a similar story. How did you fair after surgery? How much and how quickly did you lose? Was it worth the extra surgery in your opinion? Any words of advice going forward to the sleeve from the band?

I guess I am targeting this question to people who are a few months out so who are past the initial soft/mushy phase etc. Not proposing a race or anything, more like we each set personal goals. For example, I would like to get to 180 by my one year surgiversary of 12/12/12. That is 20# in just over 3 months - in the past that would have been no problem, but i am at the phase where the weight loss is going really slow and I am going to have to kick it in to high gear to make that happen. I have taken some time off from intense exercise and all that - returning to the gym mid Sept and thinking about all the ways I can refocus and jump start the losses again. Other pe…

Hi All, I started this process a while ago so i will try to update. I need a revision to get my crap band out . Its making me physicaly sick and i cant eat anything . With no insurance and no way to get insurance I started checking into the PCIP insurance plan , Pre Exisiting Condition inusurance plan. I applied in Aug for the insurance was accepted a couple weeks later, Sent in my payment and as of Sept 1 2012 I have coverage. I will be going to see my revision doc on the 14th of this month to hopefully start the process of the revision . I know that with PCIP they can waive the 6 month supervised diet , etc for revisoins if they are medically necessary . Lets jus…

I'm one of those who had the lap band in 2007. I had good results the first 6 months. Long story short, the weather affected my restriction, sinuses, hormones, you name it. I started the unfill/fill yo-yo and did that for the next year and a half. Then we discovered my pouch had stretched and my dr. did a revision, putting in a new band (one he said was better anyway). With the previous experience, I was afraid to even have any Fluid put in and it was almost a year before taking that plunge. Not much luck really, just maintaining. The weather and everything else was still affecting me. It was another year before getting another fill. I was cautious because not too …

Hello everyone - I am a newbie to this site and am looking for some help with Aetna Question for those of you with AETNA seeking revision from LB to VSG - how did you get AETNA to pay? My band has a severe prolapse (documented with GI, showing that barium just sits on my espohagus causing reflux and spasms. Originally had lost 130 lbs and have regained 30. When I got banded in 4/2010 AETNA approved the proceedure in 48 hours. And I was very happy with the band and my weight loss. Flash forward to 5/2012 when I began being unable to eat solid Protein, but could eat things like saltines with out any problem! Made an appt for a my first ever fill 3cc and have been so u…

Hi everyone! I had the lap band in 2007. Did fine for 6 months, then started the unfill/fill yo-yo for a year. My pouch stretched and had to have a revision surgery and the band was replaced. I've had this thing for 3 years now, only had 2 fills and STILL have issues. The weather affects restriction, my sinuses affect it, still can't eat a lot, but still don't lose much. I'm so sick of this thing and am looking into sleeve revision options. Has anyone had a revision from lap band to the sleeve and had success? I was reading on one Dr.'s website that revision aren't very successful. That was discouraging....thought I'd try to find people who've actually done it and se…

Sorry - moved this to another section!

I was hoping anyone would have some advice on fighting the insurance company I was denied due to the one surgery a life time and they didn't feel I had enough doucumemtatiom or problems for a revision has any one dealt with this an won I could use some advice an encouragement

Hello Everyone! First, let me say I LOVE this site. Love all the support and encouragement from everyone. My daughter is getting ready to have revision surgery from band to RNY. Can anyone tell me what insurance approval was like for revision? Is a letter from the Dr. enough to justify approval? I have Altius Federal. Thanks! Christi

Just got my operatiom date confirmed! Ypeeeee . It will be on the 5th of september. I had my lapand way back in - 2004 and hated every day of it. I never lost much, suffered from relux and vomitting and even finding it hard to breath. i hope that life will be alot better afterwards.

Tomorrow I will be undergoing my revision, suprisingly I am not anxious. Just want to get this over with, this lquid diet has been hell! I did not have to do one the first time around. Best wishes to all those that are scheduled tomorrow and for this week! Will keep you guys posted...

Hi all, I got banded Oct 09 and for the last year I have had problems with my band. I was diagnosed with a dilated esophagous and it has gotten worse so it was suggested by the RN I see the surgeon for a revision as the band won't work for me long term. Meet with the surgeon today and left in tears. He said unfilled me entirely and says I will need to wait for the dilation to go away before band removal and then a healing time before revision to RNY. I was hoping to have these two done at the same time and sooner than months from now. Has anyone had this issue and can you please share your story? Did your doctor wait? How long? More than one surgery? Complication…

My dr here told me he would put in a feeding tube after revision to help reduce the risk of a leak. So for 2-3 weeks after surgery there would be nothing by mouth until healed. this sounds like a good idea, has anyone every done this. Also, I still cant afford my dr so have researched all Mexico drs, but have never asked them about feeding tubes bc I had never heard anyone doing this. does anyone know if mexican drs will put in a feeding tube to help with the risk.. Also, I didnt know there were differenct kinds of feeding tubes. I assumed it would be insertd directly into stomack (never thought about how it is removed) but then I saw the news where brides are having…

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Hello!! I had the lapband done in April of 2008. Starting weight 263, lowest weight 199 and current weight is 256. I have had numerous fills and unfills...atleast 5 total unfils. In April I had a total unfil, dr thought it was a slipped band and two weeks ago I had a my second fill and band is back to being inconsistant. I have always had hit or miss days....some days I can eat and some days I can't.I vomit alot due to food getting stuck. It's so frustrating and I am honestly sick of this lapband! I have had upper GI's(last one a year ago) in the past and supposedly everything is on the up and up. I have to wonder what all the vomitting has done to my body! So my quest…

I was wondering if anyone knew does Cigna require a revision to do a Psych. Eval. before approving? When I read the policy requirements for revision it did not say anything about it . The patient advocate told me I needed that before she could file but after reviewing the requirements for revision that is not mentioned? I made an appointment but can't get in until July 30th so long what a drag. Anyway is it really required?

Got my surgery date!! September 17th!!

Let me start with a little history... I became a bandster in 2007. I lost 130 lbs and have gained back 115 lbs. I did well in the beginning. The weight melted off of me. Restriction was never a problem. I followed the band rules perfectly. Then in 2009, things changed. An event actually changed everything for me. I either had a virus or food poisoning. Either way, it was terrible, I could not stop heaving. We all know that with the band, anything below the band is not coming up. I had to call my surgeon and was prescribed Zofran, but I think it was too late. Something terrible happened. The area around my band was sore for quite some time and my little "frie…

Hello all; I was banded in 8/07 and have had limited success. I was down 125 at my lightest but am gaining back weight quickly. I saw a new surgeon today who is confident that a revision/RNY will give me greater long term success. I sure hope so. If all goes well I will have the procedure done in about a month. I'm scared but hopeful. I wanted to reacquaint myself with this site so I could connect with others who have had similar struggles and experiences as I have. I am a food junky and I wish there was a magic spell to change that! I need to stay focused and enjoy what I can in moderation of course. Has anyone else found success with a RNY after a lapband?

Hi! I have so many thoughts and feelings I want to express or ask about, so I hope this post makes some sort of sense. I was banded 5 years ago. I stayed with the program for about a year, maybe a year and a half, I don't remember. I had to keep going in for fills and unfills, never truly reaching restriction. I was so frustrated, I gave up and got unfilled. I recently went back to my WLS clinic for the first time to get back on track. They put me on the South Beach diet for four weeks, when I go in next to speak to my surgeon. When I was there, they said that my surgeon is having great success with the VSG and that they feel it might be the best route to go. I weigh 32…

Hi everyone, This is going to be a long post, so apologies ahead of time! I'm new to VST and thought I'd introduce myself and tell a bit about how I've wound up here. I'm a 39yo (very soon to be 40!) married female, who is an American expat in Australia. I've been here nearly 10 years now. I'm a bandit who will be revising to the VSG. I got my band May 2008, in Perth, although lived remotely at the time. I really wanted to have the RNY but as I was desperate to get pregnant, I didn't want to "waste" 2 years, so I opted for the band. (it goes without saying that I am still childless and largely out of time now :-(, sad but nothing to be done about it but move…

I am a long-time member of LBT, although I have read these forums for quite some time. Just thought I would share my story as I go about a likely band to sleeve revision. I was banded in Nov 2009 at 374 lbs. I had a long road to restriction, but once I got it, I rocked my band. To be perfectly honest, I probably kept it a bit too tight, but I LOVED the lack of hunger when my band was on the tighter side. For the first time in my life, I did not think about food 24/7. It was awesome! I followed the rules to a "T", and the weight slipped off. From my banding until Dec 2011 (2 years), I lost 190 lbs. I was thrilled! Despite the occasional PB and inability to eat certain …

Ok, so I received the Lapband 12/31/2009 paid by BCBS. Now that I am with a different company and have AETNA POS II- will I have a chance of getting them to pay for the revision to the sleeve? I had my consultation and the insurance coordinator advised me that she will need me to have a sleep study (which I did last night) and the next 3 months to meet with a nutritionist. She also advised me that she is requesting my weight history from my last surgeon. Do I have a good chance of getting an approval? Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks in advance for any comments or feedback.

I started my pre-op diet 11/28/11 at 308; weighed 300 on the morning of my surgery 12/12/11. I was warned that since i didn't do well with the band, I might be a slower loser, i might have learned to "stuff" my esophogus and have poorer results. Well, all I have to say is if my results are "poor", I don't know what good results would look like!!! Yesterday (Monday) I weighed in at 212#!!! 96 pounds shed since I started that pre-op diet. I can hardly believe it. I went on an annual camping event and one person didn't even recognize me! I feel like myself again. I feel like the person who is capable of doing physical things, enjoying my horses, playing with my dogs…

I have been fighting with my doctor's office over a revision. I had a band slip nearly a month ago. My surgeon wanted me to revise to sleeve. All the insurance folks are telling me BCBS of MI won't cover a revision to sleeve and that I have to have a new band installed instead. I have had so many issues with my band and don't really want to go down that road. My BMI is 34.6. I know other folks have had success getting this covered. What's the deal?

Has anyone had any experience w/ the pre existing condition insurance through the govt paying for revision ( band to sleeve ) ? I Have heard some rumblings of it ? Anyone have this insurance and had the revision ? If so what was the process ? Thanks

I applied for medcaid today . It seems like i should be approved based on what I have read ? BUT who knows. Does anyone know what the medicaid guildlines are in Texas for revisions ? thanks Mindy

It's been quite a process but, I've finally been given a date for my revision surgery! June 6th they told me today. Zoiks, saw the nutritionist at 8am this morning and within hours after her telling me she gives her approval I got the call. June 6th is the date so far, just need to get a medical surgery approval letter from my PCP and approval from the insurance company. Preop work May 21st and off I go. I'm excited and nervous which I know is natural. Still a scary thought having my inner works re-worked but, I know it's the best choice for me. I did well with my lapband until the dang thing slipped TWICE! So I know I can do this and the proper way to eat etc. I'm so loo…

I have done my cardiac testing for the revision from the lapband to the bypass. I called my primary doctor's office and had them to fax my results to my surgeon.now i am waiting on them to contact me and set up my consultation with my surgeon.I am still a self pay.yes i wasted 20k, yes I am very unhappy with the results.but I know that this is my life and I need to be happy with me, credit card ready, here i come.hopefully this will bring me joy in that this is a major step in redefining me ang being satisfied with me.

I thought I better start writing about this journey now so I don't forget. I had lap band surgery November 3, 2007. I actually lost about 60 pounds with the lapband at one point but gained most of the weight back. For the first four years of the lap band I was in constant flux. I dieted more in that four years than in the rest of my life. In December 2011 I was back up to 255 pounds. At that point I realized the lap band had failed me and I needed to consider other options. Through a long drawn out process I was accepted by my insurance company to get a revision to the Sleeve. On December 27 I decided to make a radical change in my lifestyle and eating. After con…

Day I finally went to the emergency and they discovered that Lap Band I had put in my stomach on October 2010 has severely slipped. and I was way dehydrated since I couldn't drink more than a half a glass of Water a day before and couldn't get out the bed because of the weakness. It was also the day I reached my goal weight of 150lbs.... Now, completely unfilled waiting for my lap band to gastric sleeve revision. food... My roommate though something was not right when I came home with groceries one day. 6 IVs a day keep the dehydration away... It would be interesting to see nurses faces when they will be stapling 90% of my stomach off - I am so tiny …

So I was told by my doctor and the bariatric coordinator that in their experience people who had the band and are revised to the sleeve tend to lose weight slower than "virgin" sleevers. Im 6 weeks out and have lost 24 lbs (but that was all weight that I gained after the Fluid was taken out of my band because it slipped) and the scale is just moving so slow and its frustrating. There ARE other signs that Im losing weight- clothes are fitting better and Im having to get new clothes. But I want the scale to reflect the same. For those who are farther out than me, PLEASE tell me that it will come off. Im just a little frustrated at this point and needing some encouragement. …

Hello all, I'm a former 10 year crap band guy. I had my revision done this June 1st and have been doing great. I have transitioned flawlessly from clears to Full liquids to mushy and now just starting on solids. As I went through these phases I never really felt any restriction or difficulties. I was able to drink 8 ounces of clears at a time. When full liquids came I could drink 8-10 ounces of Protein shakes in 15-20 mins. Now the issue I'm having is with solid foods it seems like I can eat almost anything. Now I've have not cheated at all and have kept to my diet. I'll eat 2-3 ounces of chicken or Tuna with another 2-3 ounces of veggies and it cottage cheese etc…

I was wondering if anyone here had the TOGA surgery (Transoral Gastroplasty). It is not FDA approved but it was done for clinical trial but discontinued. I had it done almost 3 years ago and it was unsuccessful. I lost 40lbs during my pre and post op diet and quickly gained all but 15 lbs back. Anyhow I wanted to find out if anyone had the procedure and been revised to sleeve. Ive been on numerous sites since my surgery and I met some ladies that were having it done but haven't heard anything since, good, bad, or indifferent. I cannot find anything online about the long term success ir whether anyone had failed on it and had revision. I read one medical study about 4 TOGA…

I was just wondering if I will go through a 2nd round of hair loss with the revision surgery? I had some hair loss after the band- it wasnt that bad actually. It was like post-partum hair loss for me. But was just curious if revision-ers have to go through a 2nd round of hair loss?

So I figured I would just jump right in with everyone and tell my story . (I’ll try to put it all in a nutshell!) I have struggled with my weight most of my life. I hit my highest weight after having my daughter in 2007. I weighed in at 318 pounds. In 2008 I was able to get down to about 250 pounds and could not get any more weight off and opted for the LapBand surgery. I got down to 220 pounds in April of 2010 and wasn’t able to get any more off when I got pregnant with my son. I had my son in December of 2010 and was up to nearly 280. I am currently at 260 now and after talking to my doctor, I have decided to go with a revision and have my LapBand removed and have…

If you have lost down to below a 35bmi then start having serious issues/complications with your band will they still do a revision on you?

I have some scars I want fixed (didnt even know it was possible) and I want to call to see if my insurance would cover it which I doubt, but still want to find out.

So.. I'm getting nervous (understandable) and excited to finally have a date. I'm having my Revision from Band to RNY next Thursday June 28th. Wondering what the difference will feel like after the RNY versus when I had the band done. Have felt discouraged for a while now that the lapband did not work out for me but I'm optimistic about the RNY. I'm really looking forward to finally getting the rest of this weight off and looking forward to having baby #3 after hitting my goal. Would love to hear the experience from those who have already had a revision.

In reading about revision surgery for the Lap Band, I found a link to the results of a clinical study in the Bariatric Times, (reference this link: My Tiny URL - Create Tiny URL's Short URL Service) on gastric sleeve plicaiton. Results of the report are based on post-operative outcomes for 66 patients (44 female) who had the gastric sleeve plication procedure between January '07 and Mach '10. Mean patient age was 34, with a mean BMI of 35. Follow-up visits for the assessment of safety and weight loss were scheduled for 1 week and 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months in the postoperative period. The study describes gastric sleeve plication (also referred to as g…

Hi everybody! Just wanted to give an update! (Sorry it took so long, i was SOOO out of it yesterday!) Anywho, i had my surgery around 11 am yesterday. Im pretty sore, especially getting in and out of the bed! But i think a good portion of my pain is gas pain (abdomen to shoulders). I do have a drain that is gross and keeps filling, im not sure if it is causing pain or not though. I am using my heating pad and it seems to help. I havent had ANY ice, Water or anything yet! My mouthis SO dry! Im not even allowed to chew gum! Hopefully in a few hours i can have some ice chips! I havent really had any nausea, some other ladies have though. I hop e i dont get nauseous either :-…

Hey all. In Mexicali. Doctors and staff here are lovely and better than expected. Went into surgery yesterday for a revision ( band to sleeve). They removed the band but because it was so badly eroded and slipped, they were not able to perform the surgery. They will need 3-6 months for it to heal first. Ugh...another surgery. For those who have had to do this two step process, what was life like between the two surgeries? What will life be likes getting out of here in the short term? Did folks gain a lot of weight in the period in between? Wht did you do to cope while waiting? Thanks for any words of advice. --Heartbroken in Mexicali

My name is Danielle and I was banded a little over 2 years ago. I have lost and maintained a 100lb weight loss but still have about 100 more to lose. I started having problems with my band after about 6 months. I have had pretty frequent abdominal and chest pain and vomiting. Food backs up into my esophagus and I have to throw it up. I have had multiple ER visits and tons of test and procedures and they can't find anything wrong with me other than that I am having esophageal spasms for some reason. They deflated my band this spring and I have continued to have the problems. I am hoping that revising to a bypass will help. I am just waiting for the scheduler to cal…

Hi everyone! Ive been reading through this forum because Ive seen a lot of people in other areas comment about having revisions from band to sleeve. I was sleeved in April, but had seriously thought about the band before. I decided against it just because I was leery of something that had to be adjusted all the time. Im wondering WHY theres so many revisions though? Did it not work? Or are there a lot of problems with it? Just curious to know

Hi everyone, I just wanted to post to see if there might be anyone out there that has had a revision done and gone through Kaiser Fontana? I was banded back in November 2002 (self-pay) and have just now started the process to get a revision done by Kaiser in Fontana. I have already had my Upper GI and Dr. Fedorka reviewed it and determined that I am a good candidate for the revision in one surgery after I complete the Options classes and the other requirements. It would be nice if all Kaiser's had the same requirements for WLS and it seems that Kaiser Fontana seems to take the longest. Kirstyn

I'm at a complete loss. I'm walking 3 miles 5 days a week. I'm drinking as much as I can and getting all the Protein I can. I'm starting at a low weight - 187 - but I should have lost SOMETHING by now just by the fact that I'm exercising so much. Arghhhh. No idea what to do. I should add that the 10lbs that show on my ticker are pre-op diet weight loss. I'm actually up 2 from that.

I have had my band since February 2007. Yesterday, I went in for an upper GI to check and make sure my pouch hadn't stretched. I haven't had any pain or discomfort, no vomiting, or acid reflux. My only complaint was that despite having an almost full band, I could at times eat much more than I thought I should be able to. Hence the decision by my doctor to do the upper GI. As reference, I began at 277 before my lapband surgery. I got down as low as 183, bounced back up to 223 and am now sitting at 211 with a BMI of 32. My goal weight is about 165. This is in a period of almost four years. When I drank the contrast liquid, we watched as the Fluid went down the e…

Hi all, I have a Lap Band and am going to have a revision to the Sleeve done in 5 days with Dr. Kelly. A lot of different emotions going on, excited, anxious, nervous, etc.. I would love to hear from anyone that's done the revision.