mila1013

i am new, only came on board last month, surgery should never be taken lightly. it is normal to be scared before any surgery, if you weren't there would be something wrong with you, but it comes down to 2 choices, having the surgery or staying the way you are, which is the lesser of the 2 evils? you will have your answer. i too have little kids so i understand, hoping you find some peace and acceptance before surgery. Mila

hi all, similar stories here, I just had my band removed last week, I was going into my 8th year with the band. the first 5 years were like a honeymoon, the 6th started w/some light heartburn-no big deal, the 7th ok here comes the bad stuff (erosion, severe esophogeal dysmotility, band slippage, megaesophagus, hiatal hernia, pseudoachlachia, 3 interabdominal surgeries-extensive adhesions) no matter what we did including another band, repositioning, band emptied for 5 months nothing worked, hence removal. My EG junction is so damaged that at this point that it will need to rest for a few months before any surgery could every be done. I was down to a goal weight of 126lbs so for me the restriction of the band worked, if it was not for the late complications I would have had the band for life. So I am looking into the sleeve as it seems to offer good restriction and hopefully not all the late complications. I am excluded from the RNY or DS due to disease state, so this is pretty much it for me. I am currently trying to find a good high risk revision surgeon in NY, referrals wouldl be welcome, as my leak complication rate hovers around the 25% range due to my complications. high risk revision surgery is not to be taken lightly, I wish everyone great success in whatever surgery they pic, as no one weight loss surgery is perfect for everyone. I am one of those that loved her band, and I do miss the restriction..... Mila

hi, i have not had the sleeve yet, but i can tell you will the band i lost over 50% of my hair and it took about 5 years to come back, can't wait to have the sleeve to lose it all again......:scared0:

from what you have posted, it does not seem you will qualify, to have wls for bmi 35 you usually also have at least two of: Clinically significant obstructive sleep apnea (i.e., patient meets the criteria for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea or Coronary heart disease; or Medically refractory hypertension (blood pressure greater than 140 mmHg systolic and/or 90 mmHg diastolic despite optimal medical management); or Type 2 diabetes mellitus while ever insurance plan is different, I have never heard of having to show 5 years of bmi over 40, bmi 35 yes, but over 40 no. the surgeon can help you with this, s/he knows your medical history....sending you good thougths

Brian, congrats on your surgery, sounds like you had a great experience (well except office staff-that can be really bad) so you stayed 2 nights and it sounds like you are off to a great start, hope you have great success, rest up Mila

the amount of time that it takes to give you an answer is located in your subscriber agreement....good luck to all

hi, would someone like to suggest NY sleeve drs? thanks Mila

I tried this today, and it was great, I changed it a little, I added the parmesan in the mixture, and sprinkled the top with mozzarella-yummy

yep that is expected of insurance co, especially blue cross, they hope you don't know what is in your subscriber agreement and are afraid and you will give up---

When you have an insurance co that cover both RNY and GB, the investigational tag can be appealed and most often overturned, you have nothing to lose but to try to appeal the decision. The BMI no longer meeting requirments is flimsly at best, you had established mobid obesity before the band, I would still appeal. It is obsurd for an insurance co to state in writing "that you have to gain weight to qualitfy for revision surgery" on appeal that would not be upheald, it is like saying that you have had surgery for breast cancer it didnt work and you need another surgery but they would only cover it if the cancer was back that has been in remission by chemo and radiation-yep that would never happen, morbid obesity is a disease and deserves to be treated like one-but you have to do your homework and appeal using your specific contract language-you have nothing to lose, I feel like you have blue cross, they are great for that-good luck with anything you choose, appeal insurance is not for people who can not stand BS as they shovel it out pretty heavily

appealed 11 denials, good for you!!!!

I completly agree with this, and exactly how I feel, people always would say "you dont eat anything" and I was thinking "you eat so much" funny how perception changes...

Tiff you look gorgeous, like a 20 year old. -sausage legs?-I don't think so-congrats on all the work you did to get there and staying there, it is never easy but you give me hope (options after lap band removal) Mila

yes unfortunelty once you have the band removed or deflated weight gain in inevitable, but what is more important is to make sure that area is ready to receive the sleeve, in the 15 months I have had problems i have gained 60 lbs, i no longer know who is in the mirror (have gone from a size 0/2 to a 14) so i understand about the weight gain. it would be great to have done it all in one, but for some (and all who have an eroded band) that can not be done at once, and actually the surgeon does not know till they are in there.....great success for all with everything they pic....

Hi all, I am pretty new here, only a few weeks. Tomorrow I will have my band removed. I will have to wait a few months(about 6) to see if my area heals before anyone will touch me as my damage is pretty extensive and I won't know if I am actually a candidate for the sleeve (right now I am not) I hope everyone does well with their band to sleeve revision, thanks for posting info. Mila

thanks to those who replied, I am home and doing well, now i am just playing the waiting game and letting my EG area heal, will be some time, thanks for all the support Mila

hope you do well, very excited for you, let us know how you do

congrats, you will be home shortly, let us know how you do...

congrats, I think more and more people will be getting approvals which is good for everyone.

Teri, It sounds like you are doing well. I hope you are better MIla

I have noticed this posted many times, there is a big difference between erosion and the band eroding through stomach, the 2 are mutually exclusive. The band eroding through is the big bad guy. There is actually a lot of controversy about this, australian docs, clean this up, resew and put in another band, they are starting to go away from that now, but you would NEVER have a sleeve done when there is a band that has eroded into the stomach, iwithout first removing the band and allowing that area to heal. as a revisional surgery patient it is not to be taken lightly, it is inherently higher risk than for first time bariatric procedures-leaks at about 30% rate, take longer, more infection and blood loss. the higher leak rate is thought to be a result of microscopic changes in blood flow to the stomach, induced by the band. I had my band removed Monday, i will have to wait a few months (probably 6)to see if i heal enough to some day to have a revision to a sleeve, the damage may be permanent and I may not ever be able to. Mila

congrats Brian, it is normal to feel anxious, you will do great, let us know how you are post op... Mila

wow that sounds great, just the way it should be

Butterfly, I am not quite sure i understand your question? I think you should check to see if you have a leak, (they would know that by aspirating the amount in your band, so you have ruled that out by saying you have only .8 cc short of 11 cc) or erosion (you would know you had this complication most likely with vomiting blood) a band slip would make you pretty sick (vomiting etc) in other words you will have clinical symptoms or radiological or endoscopic complications to the band that is a reason to remove and revise, without that, it is really not a medical issue and a personal need/choice. or like you stated "I really want a revision to a sleeve!" which is not medically necessary as you know so insurance would not be liable to pay for it-hope that helps and I wish you great success in whaterver you choose... Mila