Aurelia

Mine came 2 days after surgery. Fun times.

So I have a bit of a complex issue. I had the Lapband put in 2009 and had great success. In 2015 I developed an antibiotic resistant port infection and had to have my band removed. I’m trying to get approved for the gastric sleeve but my insurance has denied saying I’m only allowed one surgery per lifetime. Has anyone ever successfully got them to approve it with peer to peer review. Trying to arm myself with as much info as possible.

It depends on the type of coverage you have. I have Choice Plus and everything was covered for my surgery.

6 months and I absolutely hate it. I have lost a lot of weight but I've been in pain and no one really knows why. I maybe getting it removed. My mom was thinking about getting the surgery but after she's seen how much I've endured she changed her mind. It's not for everyone and everyone's body reacts differently. I'm grateful for the weight loss but the price has been too high in my opinion.

You're not alone. I hate the band and wish I had gotten a bypass or a sleeve.

Violet, Thanks for understanding where I'm coming from as an aviator. No offense to the responses that I've received but business or leisure flying is not the same as working a flight. I'm glad I got a FA to respond to my question. I have spoken to my doctor about adding my issues to his case studies and so far he's given me a cat scan and an upper Endoscopy but all seems well with the band. I still have ridiculous port pain and I think it's shifted and lodged up by my ribs. He's not really sure what's going on and seems to just be scratching his head. I have a work colleague who had bypass and he has no issues. I really think doctors shouldn't recommend the band to pilots or flight attendants. It's just pure hell!!

I'm not talking about run of the mill soreness. It hurts to touch...I can't have anything on it. He says my band is most likely infected.

Has this ever happened to anyone? It started out with port site pain that was very tender to touch...went to see the doc today and now I'm waiting to have a CAT Scan done. He said the band might have eroded. In a situation like this would they revise it to a sleeve or gastric Bypass? I'm just scared because my weight loss is going great.

No it's my port. I feel it moving and making a popping noise.

Um...there's no joint in my stomach last I checked.

for the past two weeks I've noticed that my port site is very tender to the touch. Forget laying on my stomach...it's incredibly uncomfortable. This week it started popping when I would bend over. Is this normal??? Anyone else experience this?

I guess everyone is different! I do try to drink water throughout my flights to stay hydrated. It's just nearly impossible to get anything down once I'm back on the ground. This is so weird. Plus you also have to remember that I'm in the air a lot longer than the average person especially when you factor in my 3 hour commute home after flying for 13+ hours from the middle east.

Sally, I think two things cause the restriction...The Cabin Pressure and the dry air in the cabin. I finished flying on wednesday morning and I'm still not able to eat because I'm so tight. I'm giving it one more day and then calling my doc to see about a slight unfill.

I was outpatient and the my hospital bill was 36K My physician was 10K Anesthesiologist was 6K Physicians Assistant was 5K I nearly fell to the floor when I saw the charges. Thank G-d my insurance covered everything and I didn't have to pay a cent/

I'm a Flight Attendant and I just wanted to see if my experiences with flying with the band are on par with others. My trips typically last 4 to 5 days and they are pure hell. I try to drink water during my flights because I know dehydration can cause the band to tighten. However, I find that I am unable to eat on the days that I fly and for about 2 days after. On the last trip I did I almost passed out from the lack of food. I have considered perhaps getting an unfill but on the days that I'm not flying I'm ok with eating food. Has anyone else experienced this and how did you combat the problem. I've also noticed that my port site becomes extremely irritated when I fly and I feel it popping when I bend over. What's a girl to do?