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Hi Wendy, I had the same diagnosis and that was after a year of no fill at all. My band had slipped and my doctor wanted to make sure all was well before he fixed it so he had me do the test. Now I need to get my band removed. My doctor has suggested that I get the “gastric sleeve” at the same time I have the band removed because I have gained over 65 pounds this last year with no restriction. I obviously need something besides my will power to keep my weight down! Dr. Cringle is the expert on the Gastric Sleeve I hear but it is really just the first part of the duodenal switch so I think most WLS surgeons could do it. Anyway I hate the thought of losing my band too as I lost over 100 pounds on it and was within 40 pounds of my goal weight when it slipped last year. Oh well time to do battle with my insurance company again. My prayers are with you. Hang in there girl! Bonnie

Thank you GeezerSue and Rachele. I agree Rachele, Dr. Schweitzer does ROCK! He is really the best I have had so far. I did have my general practitioner fax Dr. a letter supporting my surgery (to have the band taken out and have the gastric sleeve put in at the same time) and Debbie faxed it to the insurance company (Principle Life). I called them yesterday and they did not get the fax. So I got the number again and called Debbie who faxed it again yesterday (the number to fax to had changed). So I still have to wait until they deny me again before I can appeal the decision. When I talked to the insurance rep yesterday he said that now I had to show three years of morbid obesity with recoded attempts at failed diets and a nutritionist guidance for at lest three months! I am just really desperate! Both Pat and Debbie at Dr. Schweitzer’s office have been both supportive and helpful. I am just discouraged at how slow this whole process is. If Dr. Elariny had not spent 4 months after the initial 2 months I took to heal trying to convince me to do a self-pay duodenal switch and if I had just gone to Dr. Schweitzer after the first time Dr. Elariny tried to talk me into the surgery I would be months ahead of where I am now. It is my fault really. At least I knew enough to seek another opinion when I did not feel comfortable with Dr. Elariny’s recommendations. It took me a while but I did finally put my foot down and say “no” to him and his insistence that the other surgery was the only way to go. Sorry for the long post but it feels good to “talk” about it with others who have some idea what I am going through. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! Bonnie Start 300 lb Band slip 160 lb today 235

Hi all, it has been a while since I have posted. Briefly, my situation is that my band slipped in June of 2005, Dr. Elariny in Northern VA wanted to do a duodenal switch without even investigating fixing the band. I finally switched doctors to Dr. Schweitzer at Johns Hopkins. After a few tests he found my esophagus is contracted (I think that is what it is). It is a problem commonly associated with the lap band and he said I need to have the band removed. He has suggested a weight loss surgery that is basically the first part of the duodenal switch where the stomach is cut smaller and a large “sleeve” like band is placed around the stomach. The rest of the digestive system is left alone. It is called Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy. I have gained 70 pounds in the last year (about one to two pounds a week). I am constantly hungry, I even wake up in the middle of the night ravenous. I want and need the WLS but now insurance has said I have to go through the whole evaluation I went through when I got the band three years ago. My BMI is too low to automatically approve me. I need to list and document a year of diets that have failed, I have to spend at least 3 months with a nutritionist (documented). I need to have another Dr besides Dr. Schweitzer say that the Lap-band has failed and why. And the list goes on and on before they will even consider approving me for the surgery. I feel like I have already proved that I need WLS three years ago when I went through the first evaluation. The fact that I have gained 70 pounds over the past year should prove that I still need some sort of outside control to lose weight. Do I have to get obese again to bring up my BMI? I am almost 50 and that is really, really a horrible idea to me. I could very well die just trying to prove to the insurance company that I need the surgery. I have a 5 year old, I cannot risk being obese again. Has anyone else out there had this problem? Help!!:cry

Wow that is interesting indeed, I was told by my friend, who is a doctor, that it is a way for the doctor to make money on the side when we pay in cash or do not go through an insurance company. I hate to think of Dr. Elariny like that but two of us with the same “diagnoses” is not a coincidence I think. Send Dr. Schweitzer an e-mail (schweitzer@doctor.com) and set up an appointment with him. I really like the service there and they are really prompt in their reply’s. Also, sorry Lookinup, I didn’t respond to your post about how much fills cost, I have not had a fill in over a year so I don’t know but try e-mailing Dr. Schweitzer or looking on the Johns Hopkins web site for a phone number. Bonnie

I have switched doctors twice. Once because I moved and once because I was not happy with the advice my doctor gave me. We are all entitled to a second opinion and, indeed, we should be getting them if we have a shadow of a doubt as to our treatment. The doctor is the expert but he/she works for you and in the end it is what you think/feel that will be of any importance to you. Do not let anyone run you over with their opinion.* *~Hard won knowledge from 50 years of living mostly at the whim of others.~ Bonnie

I just want to make it clear to 2 Big Sandy, that Dr. Elariny has been a fine doctor to me except for pushing the RnY and the wait time he has been very good and compassionate. And the time he made me wait 3 hours he did give me a good 20 minutes of his undivided attention. However having said that, Johns Hopkins is world renown and because they are a teaching hospital they have to charge the least amount possible. Also, by the uniqueness of being a teaching institution they have the benefit of a team of professionals on hand to consult with if they want another point of view. They also have more experience than most doctors in private practice. I am finding it much better than Dr. Elariny’s practice just because when I have a question or a concern I e-mail Dr. Schweitzer and get his input without having to go into the office. So far he hasn’t charged me either. Let me know if you have any other concerns about either one of my doctores and I would be happy to get back to you. Bonnie

Hi, I live in Arlington and I used Dr. Elariny who was kind and knowledgeable. But…his office wait time was outrageous (3 hours once). And then when my band slipped he thought I should get a RnY which I was dead set against. After two visits to discuss he talked me into having surgery to fix the band while at the same time have the RnY done. Only my insurance would only pay to fix the band not new WLS surgery. It was going to cost me another $6,000 to have the whole procedure done. I do not have $6,000. My boyfriend who is a doctor insisted I ask Johns Hopkins for a second opinion. So now I have switched to Michael Schweitzer, M.D. schweitzer@doctor.com who is great! He has ordered an Esophageal Motility test to see if there is any damage to my esophagus and if everything is ok then he will fix my band and I will be on my way. I have been with very little restriction since July of 2005 trying to get this resolved. I have gained back 37 pounds of the 135 I lost (my surgery weight was 300 lb). Any way Dr. Schweitzer answers my e-mail personally within 24 hours when every I write him so you can send him and e-mail or go to his web site at http://www.smallscar.com/ . He has a lot of experience and is very easy to work with. Hope this helps. Bonnie

Hi, My band slipped in July of 2005. The Symptoms I had were reflux at first then I could eat more than usual but I was in pain every time I lay down or walked. I had it checked (fluoroscopy) and the stuff they make you drink was barely making it through my band. They took all the Water out and now I can pretty much eat anything in small quantities but I get hungery real fast sometimes as soon as 20 minuits after I feel stuffed! Go to a doctor, perferably one with a lot of experiance. Good luck I hope it is just nervers. Bonnie

He was great! He met me in Hawaii where he came in to his office on a Sunday to meet me and discuss the surgery. On Monday he did the surgery and I was in the hospitle overnight. The nurse thought something was wrong because I never pressed the button for pain meds. I did not need it! I was not able to do follow up in person with Dr. l Cirangle because at the time I lived in Anchorage, Alaska, but I kept in contact through e-mail and he always responed promptly and with through answers to my questions. As a matter of fact my band sliped this summer and I had to have it un-filled. I asked Dr. Ciringle if my current doctor (Dr. Elariny) could contact him and he gave me his phone number and his staff's phone numbers and his cell number and said to please have him call. Which Dr. Elariny did. Oh one more thing. The anastesologist (sp??) came to see me after surgery and I asked him how the surgery went and he said, "Some surgons are gifted and a pleasure to work with. Dr. Cirangle is the best I have ever seen. I doubt you lost a table spoon of blood". That about sum's it up I think in terms of how good he is. Bonnie Banded 2/2003 Dr. Ciringle 300/175/210 Start/when band sliped/current