pjlewis

I would join 100 %! While I have been approved to have my band removed and then revision sleeve, with insurance, my portion would still be approximately $13,000. Why? Most insurances won't pay for the removal. They will cover the revision and it is all tied in with the surgeon but since I have $6000 out of pocket and the surgeon isn't contracted for removal, that cost is on me. I am stuck with this "thing" inside my body, even though I have developed a hernia and am no closer to my goal weight than I was when I had this put in, in 2008. I know that some of it is me, of course, but due due severe spinal issues I can not exercise the way I did in the past and unless starving, I am at a loss. I had the band opened completely and while food goes down, the nerve endings in my stomach have been altered to the point that I just don't feel full or even satisfied. The hormones released to tell the brain, stop eating, you are full also seem to be off. I will be seeing an eating disorder specialist but as a cash patient, for the lapband, all I want is to be reimbursed to have this horrible device taken out. I don't even care as much about revision but I don't want this in me anymore. I feel that as a patient the description of feeling "full" was so incredibly misleading and it has caused an even worse effect on disordered eating. I have to work diligently to not gain weight now that it is open. I feel that everything has changed so much metabolically and physically that I was never warned about as a side effect.