RaeAnn

Maryann I got an estimated cost a few days ago for self pay and a revision from lapband to gastric sleeve with Dr. Ganta and they have it at 17,600.

I'm scheduled for September 6th, but self pay and my mom is helping me so I'll be nervous until everything is paid. Mine is being done in Austin, TX, but I don't think I'll be telling anyone that doesn't already know. I have a lapband now and wish I hadn't told anyone about it because it makes it really awkward when it doesn't go well. Even then it was only close family. I'm 31 as as well. How long will your flight be to Tijuana?

I've been reading again for the same reason. I joined when I was banded back in 2007 long story short I lost some weight down to 224 band was too tight for a long time I gained to 246 and then had an unfill due to dilation so I gained up to 276 and now from there I'm sitting at 320. I had Fluid added back in last year, but all it has done is stop the weight gain. I visited another surgeon hoping to have a revision to sleeve. My insurance right now is UnitedHealthcare Plus Choice (something like that) my RN told me that if it was approached as a revision surgery I would have to show some kind of complication with the band which my doctor said would be slippage, erosion, or the band somehow failing mechanically, otherwise it would be treated as a new surgery and I would have to go through the 6 month supervised diet, psych evaluation, and would have to show a 5 year history of heights and weights from a doctor to prove a history of being morbidly obese. Because I haven't had complications my surgeon believes that it is likely my insurance will deny the request for revision and possible deny it as a new surgery because I don't have the 5 year weight history I need so right now I'm looking into self pay options. I hope your insurance will approve you and you can get the sleeve. I've also struggled with feeling like I failed so I understand that. If I had just found the money to go back and get the band unfilled instead of living with it being too tight I might've kept losing weight. I just try to learn from it.

I was banded August 2007. I've lost weight and kept it off though in the last few months I've gained some of it back. I have only had 2 fills since I had the band put in and am considering going back to get another fill, or at least to see what is going on with my band how much fluid I have in it etc. I haven't been exercising and I'm sure I've been eating more than I should and it isn't even bad food just too much. I have this huge fear that after all I've done with the band and the weight I have lost that somehow I won't be able to lose anymore. I think I hit a plateau and instead of trying to break through it I just gave up. I've reached the point that I want to try again so I'm going to start exercising and eating less food and possibly going in for a fill. I just know that I need encouragement from people that are going through the same thing I am, and I think I can find that here.

I'm in Liberty not that far to drive to Baytown. The meetings are on the second Tuesday of every month..are they always at the same Starbucks? And yes how do we know if its the right group? :thumbup:

I've been banded since Aug. 17, 2007. Pretty sure that my pouch has stretched out so I'm going to try the 5 day diet that was linked above. Hoping that works :w00t: :thumbdown: