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If you do have a bad band some insurances will pay for a revision to something like the sleeve. It's worth looking into. From what I've read here, when everything is good it's REALLY GOOD but when it's bad it's the pits! Sorry your having such a hard time.

I thought you all may want to see the infor below.. Insurance Company to Cover Newer Method of Bariatric Surgery by Kerri Seidler on April 21, 2010 ? Comments | Weight Loss Surgery Aetna, one of the nations largest health insurers, revised its policy on obesity surgery this month to include open and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy among its covered bariatric procedures. The sleeve gastrectomy procedure, often referred to as the gastric sleeve, is a newer method of bariatric surgery that is gaining in popularity as a treatment for morbid obesity. The gastric sleeve promotes weight loss by reducing the size of the stomach to help patients eat less and feel full faster. It appeals to many patients as it does not require a medical implant or need adjustments like laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and does not require cutting and rerouting the small intestine like the gastric bypass procedures. Prior to the policy change, Aetna considered the sleeve gastrectomy ?investigational? and did not cover the surgery. As of 4/9/2010, Aetna revised its Clinical Policy Bulletin for Obesity Surgery and stated that the ?sleeve gastrectomy is considered medically necessary when criteria are met.? The policy now reads: Aetna considers open or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), open or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, open or laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) with or without duodenal switch (DS), or laparoscopic adjustable silicone gastric banding (LASGB) medically necessary when the selection criteria listed below are met. Although the sleeve gastrectomy is included under bariatric procedures, coverage for obesity surgery is still dependent on benefit plan details and approval by Aetna. Aetna?s decision follows in the footsteps of United Healthcare, another healthcare giant, which began covering the procedure in October 2009. In response to the Aetna and United Healthcare change in policy, The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) issued a press release announcing its support. In the statement, John W. Baker, MD, FACS, President of ASMBS, said ?We are pleased that Aetna and United Healthcare now includes sleeve gastrectomy among its covered bariatric procedures?Sleeve gastrectomy has now reached that threshold where the data and our experience with the procedure supports its safe and effective use in people affected by the chronic disease of morbid obesity.? The ASMBS, which is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the world, is a non-profit group committed to educating medical professionals, patients, and the general public to the various effects, risks, and benefits of bariatric surgery. The decision of Aetna and United Healthcare to cover gastric sleeve will benefits patients who are morbidly obese and considering weight loss surgery. While weight loss surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity, it should not be considered a ?one size fits all? approach. As the best surgical intervention for obesity can vary from patient to patient, insurers who cover a wider range of options will better allow surgeons to treat patients on a more personal basis.

No I don't think they are doing it with most lap bands at all - it seems to be exception based right now but i'm guessing. I know that she personally had not done a lot at all (I can count on my hands basically and she does that many surgeries probably in 1-2 days). A little bit of blind faith here - and not how i operate but I do trust her (the decision to do the surgery was made jointly with a lot of input from me and her presenting the options and me deciding; but once the decision was made she worked out the details - she knew exactly what she wanted to do LOL I do trust her - she is one of the best in a big city full of top doctors. Maybe they do it on revisions or evaluate whether they should do this -probably case by case. But as they learn more w/ their patients they may be doing it more (or less!). I think in my case it was warranted. I could not be without unfills (could gain 3 lbs a week w/ a loose band); i needed to be tight to lose; and now that i think on it should i be prone to these hiatal hernias or get thrown off my horse again (again we don't know if that was it and i don't anticipate ever having another bad fall like that); and need to live w/ my band loosened this could be the answer. I mean the good thing is my surgeon has been seeing a lot of me since i've been banded so has been close to the situation where she could have made a good judgement call.

Hi Bigjohn58. Here we have both surgeries done. I had my RNY on July2, 2013. I lost 132#'s in 6 months. I did have an 8# gain so now I weigh 125#'s. I have maintained my weight loss for 2 and 1/2 years. I did have some problems with Strictures ( kind of like scar tissue) I needed 5 endoscopes with 4 dilations. But if you ask me if I would do it again I would have to say with everything in me IN A HEARTBEAT. Personally, I wouldn't go into a weight loss surgery thinking I could get a revision later. It is really hard to get your insurance to pay for it sometimes. Plus how many peeps want to go thru surgery 2 times. Now, my hubby, had his Sleeve done June 2, 2015, we went to Mexico and paid cash. Due to the fact that he is diabetic and the OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY wanted him to lose 25#'s and get his A1C to a 8. Well if you know anything about diabetes....when he lost weight his blood sugars were up and when his blood sugars were down his weight was up. That is one reason we went to Mexico. Now I need to fill in the process of the last 16 years!! His first WKLS was the Lap Band he had it for 13 years, they had messed up his port trying to do a fill so back into surgery he went. Now fast forward to 2013 it malfunctioned so he was scheduled for a revision to an RNY. Well, when they got in there the band had eroded into his liver. They couldn't finish the surgery due to bleeding and the scar tissue so they backed out and told him that in 3 months they would do the RNY. He got abscesses and was so deathly sick for 9 months 3 of those he doesn't even remember!! It was so traumatic. But he needed to have WLS because he has Cancer on his Kidney and he weighs too much for them to do anything. ( BTW he did lose 100#'s with his band) He is a large man and weighed in at 420#'s when we went to Mexico!! Ok, now his weight loss has been so very slow with his Sleeve!! He has lost 60#s since June. Better than nothing I guess. In Mexico we still had hopes of him getting the RNY but due to scar tissue being solid on his right side he had to have the Sleeve. I'm not trying to push either surgery on you but...if you had the choice of doing one surgery and losing the weight you need to. Instead of going into something with the hopes of having another surgery if needed. I understand that you really don't want to have your tummy rerouted but....just do lots of research and if you need to get the second opinion then, by all means, do this!! All surgeries are just a tool the real work comes from YOU!! It is to help us reach the goals we have never been able to. BTW I'm 60 so I was 57 when I had my RNY. My hubby is 66 years old. Plus, remember any of the weight loss surgeries do not FIX our brain!! It is still there to tempt us every single day, but there is nothing that says you can't overcome them!! There are unlimited resources online so go into them and check out which surgery is the best for you because only you and your DR can make that decision. Good Luck Sorry for the book. lol

I don't know that I would agree w/your Dr. I'm 5 wks out from band/revision and I've had NO issue with the reflux I had prior to surgery. In fact, he found a hiatal hernia & fixed it. He said that the reflux prob shouldn't be an issue any longer.

Rny 1999 Bowel resection 2001 While 3 months pregnant 2008 plastics 2016 regain 10/25/18 revision Don't meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with catchup!

we seem to have a similar band date, age and weight loss....I havent posted much on here..just read it often. I have a band slip though and am having surgery find tomorrow to fix it. I am trying to find people who have had a revision and what their recovery time was. Anyway, just thought I would say hello and see that I am on track or "normal"

Hey there, and welcome to VST. I'm a band to sleeve revision as well, and I can honestly tell you that I think you'll love the sleeve. I never saw myself skinny either. But, here I am at 130lbs, and really loving it. Yeah, I got the excess skin, and flabbiness, but I wouldn't trade them in for the fat rolls and misery that came with my obesity. Cheers to you on having your date, and keep us posted on your progress.

Hi there- I am a revision patient. I had a band for almost 4 years - lost 40 pounds, gained back 20. Totally not worth it. That said, only you can decide if the sleeve is the right thing to do after the band. I wanted an "insurance policy" after I had my band taken out. I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't baloon up again after the band was gone. It has been 6 weeks since my revision and I am ECSTATIC with the results. The recovery was hard, but the positives outweigh the negatives. I am at a point where I can eat almost anything (but very small quantities) and it feels really good. Make sure you read through this board extensively - there is so much infromation here! Also, there is a band to sleeve revision topic on the main page (scroll down until you see it). A lot of us revision folks post info there. As far as your questions: 1. Is all this true? Averag weight loss is just that - an average. Since I have less to lose, I am not sure how close I will get to my goal or how soon. People lose well over 100 pounds with the surgery. 2. Are there more than 1 type of sleeve operations? There is one variation that I know of - sleeve plication. You might want to do a search on this board for "plication" and send messages to some of the folks who have had it done. It is not nearly as common. 3. Is it difficult to transition from the lapband to the sleeve? Surgically, it can be challenging if you have had complications or excessive scarring. The doc won't really know until they get in there and see what is going on. My revision was not terribly complicated - Dr removed scar tissue and adhesions from my liver and my total surgery time was less than 90 minutes. Emotionally, the transition has its ups and downs. You will feel restriction like you never had with the band. This is good, but the first few weeks on all liquids and very strict diet can be tough on you emotionally. The good thing is that it doesn't allow you to cheat. After 4-6 weeks you are eating normally (but a lot less) and it gets much easier. 4. Does Insurance cover it? (I have Blue Cross) For some people it does - you will have to explore that option. 5. Are there other important questions that I am not asking? Read through the boards extensively and you will most likely come up with a list of questions for your doctor. Also, feel free to ask all of us questions about our experiences. The knowledge and support here is invaluable. Good luck to you in your decision! Lara

Hi- i had by band in '04.... At 244 never lost more 40 pounds. Always chokes always puked. Got to point that i felt like i was drowning each night...i was too scared to sleep sometimes. Finally went to talk to my band surgeon to ask what options i had. He just said " what do u want from me.. I gave u what you wanted, to eatless why are complaining!" .... Ahhhh . I went straight away to the internet to look for my options. I was lucky to find that a top surgeon from Houston had returned home to Israel. It took me 4 months to get all the paper work sorted out. I had (at 282 pounds) the revision op plus gallbladder removal in the same op. i found the recovery good, not too hard . Now i feel , seven months out, great. 105 pounds down, fitter than i have ever been. The band was like a mediEVIL torture device!! It should be banned!! I feel like going back to the band surgeons waiting room and telling them of their options!!

It is really overwhelming. I've had the band and now the sleeve. Just from my experience, the sleeve is fabulous. I would say to research the good, bad and ugly of the band. I thought I would be one of the lucky ones and beat the statistics with the band. Unfortunately, I only had my band 8 months, and then revised to the sleeve. I do not regret my band decision because it taught me a lot about myself, and my eating habits. But, it damaged my stomach tissue, it was a horrific experience. My quality of life was in the toilet. Here is some interesting information from the band manufacturers. 1 in 4 band patients will have to have another surgery to repair a band issue, or remove it entirely. It now has the lowest and slowest weight loss results. Also, I have never found one band patient that has had their band for at least 10 years without a slip, or other major complication at some point. I did find one patient on OH that has had her band for 9 years, but she is now seeking a revision because of the chronic issues she's struggled with over those years. She had her band replaced once around the 5 or 6 year mark because the band leaked and she lost restriction.

You said at first that you were leaning towards the Sleeve, but your Dr recommended the DS. Then you said if it didn't work out you could go back for another WLS. I would strongly think hard on that. It isn't easy to get revisions approved and sometimes they can even do the surgery. Now I will try to explain why I feel this way. It might be a long but here goes....My hubby had the Lap Band for 13 years, they punctured the port and he had to go back to surgery. Then like I said 13 years out it malfunctioned. BTW he did lose 100#'s but he is a heavy big guy. Sept of 2013 he went in for a revision from the band to a RNY. When they got in there the band had eroded into his liver. There was too much bleeding and scar tissue so they backed out. No WLS for him. They removed the band and his gallbladder then told us in 3 months they would redo his WLS. NOT!! He developed abscesses and was deathly sick for 9 months 3 of them he doesn't remember. After he healed up we went back to the Surgeon but was turned away and called a problem child!! But he did get a reference to OREGON HEALTH AND UNIVERSITY in Portland, Oregon. Again, he was told to lose 25#'s and get his A1C down to a 7 or 8. (3 month blood sugars) he couldn't do both because if his A1C was down his weight was up, the other way around weight down BS up. So we went into debt and went to Juarez, Mexico. When they got in there his whole right side was solid scar tissue then again no RNY, they did the Sleeve. Now he has lost 60#'s but you know how we all say this Surgery saved our lives? Well, he has Cancer on his Kidney and was told that he couldn't have anything done until he loses 150#'s. He now still has 90#'s to go. The Sleeve just doesn't seem to have enough restriction. I know others have great results but it isn't happening for him. All of this and he might still lose his life!!! This is why I say it doesn't always happen to have more WLS. I would really think hard on what surgery I had and go for the one that will give you all of the results that you want and need!! Just my thoughts. Good Luck

Hi I am new to the board and so grateful to find this thread. I was banded in February 2006 and am now going through the process of a Gastric Bypass. I had minor problems with the band and never used it because I was too scared. I weigh over 400 pounds now and I am wanting to do something permeant that will get a lot of weight off. My first appointment with the surgeon was two weeks ago and all he mentioned was that there was a bigger risk with the revision. So glad to hear other's stories!

sounds like me with the band too. mine slipped about a year after i had it, i then had another surgery to revise it but the doctor warned me that once a band slips it usually always will slip again. well about a year after that band slipped as well. since i was pretty much as goal too, i had the band removed . here i am 5 1/2 years later and my weight is all back. im considering the sleeve for the past 2 years. im just very nervous especially since i had problems and i was also told i would have a lot of scar tissue which mean im at a higher risk for leaks!!!!! im scared!! any advice or words from anyone???

I was banded in January of 2009. I choose band over bypass then because I wanted something reversible and adjustable since I was planning on having another baby. I lost 40 pounds in the first year. Not stellar but good. Then I started having reflux. I got stuck on every food. I threw up or slimed every time I ate. I turned to slider foods and gained it all back. Every last pound and a few extra now reside with me I started to look into revision last year. I met with a new surgeon who took all the Fluid out of my band so the reflux would subside a little and so I could eat. I love the new surgeon! He told me he sees a lot of people like me. So I have my insurance approval but I had to schedule my surgery out in December so I cam finish school. I'm excited and scared. I know the recovery is worse with bypass but I'll be so happy to have this band out. I am excited to not feel like there's a ball constantly jabbed under my ribs. I'll be happy to eat with out being asked if I'm stuck again. Lots of luck to us all on the journey!

Still struggling gaining not losing one year after revisions surgery..... ! So disappointed and frustrated!

I'm you're twin same story please don't get discouraged with a revision the weight loss is good first 5 months then slows way down we are different than straight bypass people. ..

Hey all! I'm new to this forum but a lot of the topics have really helped me so thank you!! I actually had a Band to Sleeve revision 6 days ago. Everything is going great so far.. No real pain.. Been doing clear liquid diet now since my surgery. I'm wondering when you all made that transition from Clear liquids to full liquid? My body is craving nutrition.. I must only be getting 150 calories a day right now. I know all surgeons have different plans but I feel like my body is ready to advance. I'm very weak too which is what bothers me the most. So far I've lost 18 pounds since my weigh in last Monday which is insane. Would love any advice I can get! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

That makes 2 of us, if is something that will help and is available then why not do it. The clinic should've mentioned it instead of waiting for a slip revision and offering it then...thats if its even available here in AZ :/

As someone who was banded and then had a band slip, then opted for revision with plication... I just wshh I had done banded plicaiton from the outset!!! If band with plication isn't an option, please look at gastric sleeve. I didn't research the sleeve because I didn't want something that wasn't reversable... after having the band alone, I am a firm believer that weight loss surgery is great... and I hope to never have to struggle with weight loss without one tool or another!

I know one of the reasons people choose bypass over sleeve is acid reflux or GERD. From what I've read if you have reflux before surgery it gets much worse. It also seems that some folks with the lap band or sleeve eventually get a revision to the bypass, which is the gold standard in bariatric surgery...but many, many people are happy and successful with the sleeve. Sounds like something you may wanna sit down with your surgeon and together decide. I was set on the sleeve until my pre op GI tests came back and the lap band had damaged my esophagus. He told me I may have issues with the sleeve and suggested the bypass. Best of luck on your decision and your surgery!

If anyone else gets a diet like this, I found out it is for stomach issues. Makes sense, I have gerd/esophagitis and am awaiting a revision to RNY for that reason. Sent from my SM-N986U using BariatricPal mobile app

That was my experience with the sleeve too. I never had heartburn before surgery, and it was in full force afterwards. My surgeon told me that if I still needed to take the reflux medication a year post op that I should make an appointment to see him. I was so stubborn and didn't want to have to get another surgery so I suffered through almost another year of really bad reflux. Finally 3 months ago I decided enough was enough. I had to go through some awful awful tests to give my surgeon enough info to recommend the revision surgery. I just hope after all this I can finally get some relief. Hopefully you won't still have the reflux after a year out but if you do just be prepared to possibly have to go through another surgery. This might help you down the line if you're doubting getting the surgery, I have to keep reminding myself of the bigger picture here because if I don't get the surgery to fix this then that acid will more than likely do some serious damage to my esophagus (more than it already has).

Best of luck with your surgery. My revision is May 22nd and I'm getting excited/nervous. I hope you have a quick recovery.

first thing remember you are human hunny......I always had a little something here or there for my cravings, would buy fat free ice cream or yoghurt...etc. I call it head hunger. It is not that your body is craving food, your brain is wanting comfort is something that is supposedly naughty...Take the naughtiness out and the guilt hunny by saying I can find something that is low fat, low sugar that will ease my cravings....For me this was a life change and a total change of what I eat, but I have taken the guilt out of my eating as it was sending me insane.....I have a little of things that I enjoy. With my first banding before the revision, I had gone from 209kg (459 pounds) to 149kg(327 pounds) in just over 13 months. I predominantly ate well and looked after Lola, but there were times that I had a little chocolate, a little ice cream or indulged in something I really wanted.....go gently hunny, think of what you would say to your best friend in the same position.....and then think that of yourself!! xoxo good luck