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Hi! My wife had gastric bypass on May 14th (her birthday). Pre-op diet was so hard. I felt bad every time I even mentioned being hungry. Now I'm just now getting over my guilt. Mainly because she doesn't have the same feeling toward food as before. She doesn't get hungry like before and I have to remind her to drink water and eat.

I've sewn for a long time -- in fact I have a BS in Home Ec. I started quilting in about 2000. I'm waiting for a surgery date. I've been getting through all the tests and pre-op stuff, and it's taken months. My date should be in late October, or early November, but I have to prove I've lost the 15 pounds first. I've got 13 down my first week of dieting, and two to go, but no weight loss this week. Sticking with it though. Boy, you have less than two weeks before the big day. Good luck! I think it's going to be life-changing, don't you?

I had a major heart attack and bypass surgery. That is the only response I'm giving. It is pure, unadulterated speed and I'm glad they took it off the market. I should have known better than to have taken the risk.

I had gastric sleeve in 2011.Then severe gerd later.Had bypass 2016.Went to DePaul.Dr.Morales.Have never regretted it.I have lost a total of 110 lbs from my heaviest.

So I'm not sure if I can still post here, but I thought I'd share my experience to why I came to this decision. I had an appointment to see the Lapband surgeon on the 7th of November. So I went along all nervous as I still had not made up my mind that this was something I was going to do. I sit down and tell him this and he seemed a little bit annoyed with me because I wasn't saying "I want the lapband". We went through the whole thing, he asked me the following questions: Do you have high cholestrol? I said no, he asked if I was sure I said yes Do you have diabetes? I said no, he asked if I was sure I said yes (I started getting a little mad) Do you have high blood pressure? I said no, he said are you sure, I said do you want to get the machine and test it?? I understand he has to ask these questions, but these are all things through one blood test you can find out if I was lying, why would I lie??? pffft Anyway, he explains the surgery to me and says that the band on it's own, I will loose around 30kgs (that's about 60 pounds) THEN I can start exercising. I looked at him and said that I'm exercising now. He looked a little shocked... so I left and rang my best mate and told him about all this and I broke down crying thinking I looked like someone who couldn't walk So I thought "screw him" I'll show him I can do it. So now 6 weeks have passed (not since seeing him but since I started exercising) and I've lost 8kgs (16pounds). I've been walking every night, I go and do personal training 3 days a week and I've joined Weight Watchers to get my eating portions right etc. I'm one of those ppl if you upset me and tell me I can't do something, I'm will go out of my way to prove you wrong... which I guess was a good thing to happen, but I just couldn't believe his attitude. So I do wish you all luck in your commitment with the band but I've decided it's not the right thing for me. I'm very lucky I have a HUGE support group who have just simply been fantastic and I couldn't ask for more. It's a little frustrating cause a lot of them live far away from me, but that's ok, I know how happy they are I've made this decision. They supported the lapband but they're also happy I'm giving this a go first.

BariatricPal.com has Elizabeth Anderson, RD in Boston, MA this week as the reporter at large for Obesity Week 2014. Find out what Elizabeth discovered on Day 1. Here are some nuggets from just a smidge of the hundreds of lectures and presentations offered today. There are so many to choose from--it's tough to pick. What guides my selection? Information that could be useful, inspiring and life-changing for my bariatric patients. At a lecture on feeding cues we learned that our visual signals are the strongest cues for eating, not smell. Surprising! I think a certain cinnamon roll company might take objection to that. This got me thinking, what can I do to reduce my visual cues of tempting treats? Here's a quick list I came up with: avoid nighttime TV,(those commercials!) bypass the cracker and cookie aisle in the grocery store, use an alternate route home rather than the local fast food strip. Life is hard, don’t add stress with sugar plums dancing in your head. At a seminar on motivation, we learned that lasting motivation is built from a combination of importance + confidence. We have to truly value the change we want to make and we need to feel that we can actually do it, to get started. Weight stigma is unfortunately alive and well. At the ASMBS Integrated Health Update we were reminded that weight discrimination is still held as socially acceptable in many countries including the US. People with excess weight report skipping or cancelling healthcare appointments if they've been a victim of weight bias in their doctor's office. We know from history that stigma is a barrier to healthcare and disease prevention--think leprosy, AIDS, cholera, drug addiction. Let's get obesity off that list. Insults, sneers and bullying do not, have not and will never inspire weight loss. In fact, research shows they have the opposite effect. Looking forward to another jammed packed, informational day tomorrow. 'See' you then!--Elizabeth

You probably already know this, but do not take Ibuprophen or ANY other NSAIDS after gastric bypass. They cause ulcers and you can hemmorage...

Feeling the same way. Tomorrow morning is VS day Feeling alone and scared. Do not want to leave my 7 year old without a mother Preparing to feel regret and then to get over it in a few weeks Found out today I have a hiatal hernia do they will take care of that too but warned me I may have GERD and offered to do gastric bypass instead Not what you want to hear 12 hours before

Oprah did a show years ago when gastric bypass was becoming popular. Many individuals failed to work the mental health part and transfered their food addiction to alcohol. It in no way says that it is definitive that WLS causes alcoholism.

Hey there. I'm 25, and I had had my surgery on November 12th. As of this morning, i've lost 62.8 lbs, dropped almost 10pts off my bmi, and dropped almost 4 clothing sizes, and my self confidence is way up. If I had the choice to do it again, I would do it in a heart beat.

I have gotten Medicare to reconsider accepting the Sleeve Gastrectomy. you need to view the psoting. They are soliciting public comments. http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/nca-details.aspx?NCAld+=258&ver=2&NcaName=Bariatric+Surgery+for+the+treatment+of+Morbid+Obesity+(2nd+Recon)&bc=ACAAAAAAAAAA Please visit this site and post any information in favor. Thanks. Marcia name='likasulema' timestamp='1318798760' post='219248'] i have medicare as my primary coverage, but empire blue cross as my secondary. MEDICARE does NOT cover the sleeve yet because its relatively new (few years or something. ) Medicare DOES cover the lapband and gastric bypass. (but i want the sleeve) My surgery for the sleeve is 12/7 - medicare will send the "official" denial for the sleeve after hospital sends bill, empire needs to see the "official" denial first, and then empire looks at my qualifications in having the sleeve. I have all the qual.. (BMI, diabetes, high chlolesteral, and high blood pressure, and sleep apnea (aren't I lucky???!!!) The insurance companies know that Medicare doesn't cover the sleeve, but they need the official denial after the surgery. Then the other insurance company can proceed. I know this sounds weird, its the beurocracy (msp) but thats how it was explained to me. Empire does cover the sleeve - so they told me after all the paperwork is sent in I will be 99% positive I will be approved. They can't officially guarantee it for obvious reasons. But they did tell me unofficially of course that everything looks fine. so the bottom line is MEDICARE doesn't cover the sleeve, no if ands or butts, but your secondary might cover it, like my empire blue cross. hope i've helped - without confusing you too much - write back w/any more questions )

The Latest on Nutrition and hair Loss in the Bariatric Patient by Jacqueline Jacques, ND Nutrition and Hair Loss A common fear and complaint of bariatric surgery patients is postoperative hair loss. While for most of us as people, our hair is important as part of our self-image and body image, it is not very important to our bodies. For this reason, nutrition can have a great impact on hair health because when forced to make a choice, the body will shift nutritional stores to vital organs like the brain and heart and away from hair. Hair loss has many causes. The most common type of hair loss after weight loss surgery is a diffuse loss known medically as telogen effluvium, which can have both nutritional and non-nutritional causes. Whether you are aware of it or not, for most of your life you are always in the process of both growing and losing hair. Human hair follicles have two states: anagen, a growth phase, and telogen, a dormant or resting stage. All hairs begin their life in the anagen phase, grow for some period of time, and then shift into the telogen phase,which lasts for approximately 100 to 120 days. Following this, the hair will fall out. Typically, about 90 percent of hairs are anagen and 10 percent are telogen at any give time—meaning that we are usually losing a lot less hair than we are growing, so the hair loss is not noticeable. But sometimes this can change. Specific types of stress can result in a shift of a much greater percentage of hairs into the telogen phase. The stressors known to result in this shift, or telogen effluvium, include the following: high fever, severe infection, major surgery, acute physical trauma, chronic debilitating illness (such as cancer or end-stage liver disease), hormonal disruption (such as pregnancy, childbirth, or discontinuation of estrogen therapy), acute weight loss, crash dieting, anorexia, low Protein intake, Iron or zinc deficiency, heavy metal toxicity, and some medications (such as beta-blockers, anticoagulants, retinoids, and immunizations). Nutritional issues aside, bariatric surgery patients already have two major risks of major surgery and rapid weight loss. These alone are likely to account for much of the hair loss seen after surgery. In the absence of a nutritional issue, hair loss will continue until all hairs that have shifted into telogen phase have fallen out. There is no way of switching them back to the anagen phase. Hair loss will rarely last for more than six months in the absence of a dietary cause. Because hair follicles are not damaged in telogen effluvium, hair should then regrow. For this reason, most doctors can assure their weight loss surgery patients that with time and patience, and keeping up good nutritional intake, their hair will grow back. Discrete nutritional deficiencies are known to cause and contribute to telogen effluvium. One should be more suspicious of a nutritional contribution to post-bariatric surgery hair loss if any of the following occurred: 1. Hair loss continued more than one year after surgery 2. Hair loss started more than six months after surgery 3. Patient has had difficulty eating and/or has not complied with supplementation 4. Patient has demonstrated low values of ferritin, zinc, or protein 5. Patient has had more rapid than expected weight loss 6. Other symptoms of deficiency are present. Iron Iron is the single nutrient most highly correlated with hair loss. The correlation between non-anemic iron deficiency and hair loss was first described in the early 1960s, although little to no follow-up research was conducted until this decade. While new research is conflicted as to the significance of ferritin as a diagnostic tool in hair loss, it has still been found that a significant number of people with telogen effluvium respond to iron therapy. Optimal iron levels for hair health have not been established, although there is some good evidence that a ferritin level below 40mg/L is highly associated with hair loss in women.1 It is worth noting that this is well above the level that is considered to be anemic, so doctors would not be expected to see this as a deficiency. Zinc Zinc deficiency has been tied to hair loss in both animal studies and human cases. There is data linking zinc deficiency in humans to both telogen effluvium and immune-mediated hair loss. Zinc deficiency is a well-recognized problem after biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch, and there is some indication that it may occur with other procedures such as gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding. In 1996, a group of researchers chose to study high-dose zinc supplementation as a therapeutic agent for related hair loss2 in patients who had undergone vertical banded gastroplasty. The study administered 200mg of zinc sulfate (45mg elemental zinc) three times daily to postoperative patients with hair loss. This was in addition to the Multivitamin and iron supplements that patients were already taking. No labs for zinc or other nutrients were conducted. Researchers found that in patients taking the zinc, 100 percent had cessation of hair loss after six months. They then stopped the zinc. In five patients, hair loss resumed after zinc was stopped, and was arrested again with renewed supplementation. It is important to note that in telogen effluvium of non-nutritional origin, hair loss would be expected to stop normally within six months. Since the researchers conducted no laboratory studies and there was no control group, the only patients of interest here are those who began to lose hair again after stopping zinc. Thus, we cannot definitively say that zinc would prevent hair loss after weight loss surgery, and further study would definitely be needed to make this connection. A further note: The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for zinc is set at 40mg in adults. This study utilized a daily dose of more than three times that level. Not only can these levels cause gastrointestinal distress, but chronic toxicity (mostly associated with copper depletion) can start at levels of 60mg/day. Information related to this study has made its way to many a support group and chat room—even to doctor’s offices—with the message that “high-dose zinc will prevent hair loss after weight loss surgery.” Patients should be advised that high-dose zinc therapy is unproven and should only be done under supervision due to the associated risks of toxicity. A lab test to check for zinc deficiency would be best before giving a high dose such as this. Protein Low protein intake is associated with hair loss. Protein malnutrition has been reported with duodenal switch, and in gastric bypass to a much lesser degree. Little is known about incidence, as only around eight percent of surgeons track labs such as total protein, albumen, or prealbumen.3 Limited studies suggest that patients with the most rapid or greatest amounts of weight loss are at greatest risk.4 With surgical reduction of the stomach, hydrochloric acid,5 pepsinogen, and normal churning are all significantly reduced or eliminated. Furthermore, pancreatic enzymes that would also aid in protein digestion are redirected to a lower part of the small intestine. It is thus likely that maldigestion rather than malabsorption is responsible for many cases. Some studies have also implicated low protein intake.6 Research also indicates that low levels of the amino acid l-lysine can contribute to hair loss and that repletion of lysine stores may both improve iron status and hair regrowth. In a study of anemic patients with hair loss who were supplemented with 1.5 to 2g of l-lysine in addition to their iron therapy, ferritin levels increased more substantially over iron therapy alone.1 Biotin Many individuals believe that supplementing with, or topically applying, the nutrient biotin will either help to prevent hair loss or will improve hair regrowth. To date, there is no science that would support either of these presumptions. While biotin deficiency can cause dermatitis, hair loss is only known to occur in experimentally induced states in animal models or in extreme cases of prolonged diets composed exclusively of egg whites.7 Other Other nutrients associated with hair health include Vitamin A, inositol, folate, B6, and essential fatty acids. Hair loss can also be caused by systemic diseases, including thyroid disease and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and is influenced by genetics. Conclusions Hair loss can be distressing to bariatric surgery patients, and many will try nutrition themselves to see if they can prevent it. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that early hair loss is preventable because it is most likely caused by surgery and rapid weight loss. Later hair loss, however, can be indicative of a nutritional problem, especially iron deficiency, and may be a clinically useful sign. Educating patients about the potential for hair loss and possible underlying causes can help them to make informed choices and avoid wasting money on gimmicks that may have little real value. References 1. Rushton DH. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2002;27(5):396–404. 2. Neve H, Bhatti W, Soulsby C, et al. Reversal of hair loss following vertical gastroplasty when treated with zinc sulphate. Obes Surg. 199;6(1):63–65. 3. Updegraff TA, Neufeld NJ. Protein, iron, and folate status of patients prior to and following surgery for morbid obesity. J Am Diet Assoc. 1981;78(2):135–140. 4. Segal A, Kinoshita Kussunoki D, Larino MA. Postsurgical refusal to eat: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or a new eating disorder? A case series. Obes Surg. 2004;14(3):353–360. 5. Behrns KE, Smith CD, Sarr MG. Prospective evaluation of gastric acid secretion and cobalamin absorption following gastric bypass for clinically severe obesity.Dig Dis Sci. 1994;39(2):315–20. 6. Moize V, Geliebter A, Gluck ME, et al. Obese patients have inadequate protein intake related to protein intolerance up to 1 year following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Obes Surg. 2003;13(1):23–28. 7. Mock DM. Biotin. In: Shils M, Olson JA, Shike M, Ross AC, eds. Nutrition in Health and Disease. 9th ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1999:459–466.

: Obese mum has band fitted then taken out because she prefers being fat. food addiction, and I’m still addicted to food today. With the band, I couldn’t get used to the small portions and hated not being able to eat what I liked. “My band even slipped. The doctors offered to repair it, but I didn’t want to go through it all again so they removed it instead. “Now, at 20 stone, I’m happy in myself. I’ve realised I’m meant to be this size.” Teaching assistant Diane, from Newcastle upon Tyne, is one of a growing number of people who win approval for taxpayer-funded weight-loss surgery. Last year the NHS spent an astonishing £85million in the war against obesity, and the number of gastric band operations has more than doubled in six years. More people than ever are asking their GPs to approve gastric bands and gastric bypasses on the NHS. They are also asking for free follow-up plastic surgery to tidy up the resulting loose skin. Diane, whose current body mass index of 50.8 makes her morbidly obese, had a gastric band inserted, four endoscopic examinations, emergency hospital visits, a procedure to loosen the gastric band and finally another major operation to remove it... all paid for by the taxpayer. After.. 13½st and size 14. But she wasn’t happy THE REALLIFE STORY AGENCY In addition, she has seen NHS dieticians, psychologists and specialists at up to £100 a time, all approved by her local Primary Care Trust. If Diane had paid for the treatment privately, it would have cost up to £8,000 to have her gastric band inserted. The procedure to loosen the band would have cost another £300-£400, and the final surgery to remove it would have come to between £4,000 and £7,000. Her treatment has amounted to an expensive total of around £15,000. But, according to Diane, she hasn’t wasted a penny of public money. “I qualified for the band, and just because it didn’t work for me, it isn’t my fault,” she says. “It wasn’t a waste of money because it was the journey I had to go on to get to the healthy and happy size I am now.” She insists nobody warned her exactly what life would be like with a gastric band. “When the band was put in, my world changed dramatically,” she says. “I’d try eating my favourite foods, like bits of pizza or lasagne or even a spoonful of beef curry, and they’d come straight back up again. I couldn’t eat the amounts I wanted and when I did it would come straight back up. The surgery made me bulimic because I’d try eating the food I enjoyed and vomit. “I’d had enough of it because I couldn’t eat what I loved. So to be happy again I had the band removed. I’m happy now. I’m meant to be a big person.” Diane was always a chubby child, and by the time she had her daughter Stephanie in 1990, she weighed 14 stone and was a size 14-16. “I have always been a yo-yo dieter but after I had my daughter I battled to lose weight,” she says. “I tried every diet under the sun and nothing worked. “Over the years I put on more and more weight. I was addicted to food. I’d eat a meal, I’d finish my daughter’s meal, I’d then eat six packets of crisps and a family bar of chocolate. Before I knew it, I had hit 23-and-a-half stone and I was wearing size 26-28 clothes.” Before.. 23½st and a size 28. Her weight crept up despite diets THE REALLIFE STORY AGENCY Diane confesses she couldn’t stop herself eating. “Food was a comfort and made me happy,” she says. “I admit I made myself this big. At my largest I had arthritis in my knees and as part of my job I had to sit on small kids’ chairs and my size was getting in the way.” With the encourage- ment of Stephanie, 22, Diane asked her GP for help in 2009 and was referred for weight-loss surgery. With a BMI of well over 40, she met the basic requirements for an NHS-funded operation. “My case was presented to the local PCT board, and after 14 months I was given the green light,” she says. “I was lucky as some people wait for three to five years for weight-loss surgery or other things, like back operations.” Diane, who had her operation in November 2010, says: “I was excited about the prospect of a new slim me.” In the first 10 days she lost a stone. “It was a massive shock and in six weeks I lost another three stone,” she says. “It was extremely difficult to adjust. You have to eat smaller amounts. Eat too much and you vomit.” As Diane’s weight fell off, she revelled in the compliments she received. But she struggled to control her portions and dreaded going out for dinner in case she’d eat too much and be sick. “Half a starter would fill me up,” she explains. “A sip of Water could make me rush to the loo. Sure, I was getting compliments and people told me I looked amazing. But inside I was feeling terrible. I expected to feel healthier and happier, but I didn’t.” Then Diane started vomiting blood, and had the first of four endoscopies to find out what was going on. “It got to the point where I wasn’t eating anything without a problem,” she says. “Finally an endoscopy revealed a tear in my stomach, so my consultant deflated the band in July 2012. I had lost 10 stone by then. “Three months later the surgeons said they could repair the tear and re-inflate the band but I asked for it to be removed. I couldn’t face years of feeling miserable, years of being unable to eat properly.” The band was taken out in October 2012, and since then Diane has gained seven stone. “I now know I was meant to be big,” she insists. “I eat healthily and exercise. I’m finally happy at this weight. Yes, I enjoyed the compliments, but ultimately I wasn’t happy. People told me I had lost my sparkle. “I know it seems a long process and I started at 23-and-a-half stone and am now back to 20 stone, but the band didn’t work for me. “I haven’t wasted NHS money because the surgery could have worked, but I realise now I’m meant to be this size. “I work hard and pay my taxes and I was approved by my GP, a consultant and PCT.” Stephanie meanwhile says she is immensely proud of Diane. “I have supported her throughout the process,” she says. “It was terrible to see her being sick all the time. She looks so much happier now. This is the mum she is meant to be.”

I have heard that band is the first step in bypass for people over a certain weight. With that aside I'm not sure you have confidence in this surgeon . I interviewed 2 surgeons before making my decision. You will be going to the doctor for the rest of your life. And if you have red flags now they are there for a reason. Take a step back and look at the options best for you.

Bandedchick, first of all, I am so sorry for your loss. (((hug))) Hair loss. Yeah... That one is a horror show, fo shizz! When I started this process a year ago, I had ass length, insanely thick hair. I knew, from my research, that I would experience shedding post surgery, so a couple of months before I was banded, I had my hair cut to just above waist length to make it easier to deal with. Or so I thought. Had my surgery on November 21st and in mid January, my hair started really falling out. In hanks. I would wash it, comb it out in the shower and have handfuls of hair in a ball on the shelf in my shower. Comb out after my shower and have a shower pouff sized ball of hair sitting on my dressing table. I'd just sit and want to cry. Every time I touched my head, brushed or combed my hair, more and more and more just. Came. Out. It got to the point that I couldn't deal with the hair loss and my long hair any longer, it was too depressing, I called my hair stylist, begged her to squeeze me in for a cut. She knew that I was shedding and why so she got me in that day and cut my waist length hair to just below my shoulders. My much shorter hair just made the shedding easier to take. My hair is so thin, in comparison to where it was when I started but it is so thick that I don't have bald spots, just some thinning around my hair line and a pretty skinny ponytail. LOL My shedding has finally normalized. *whew!* And, at my last colour touch up a few weeks ago, my stylist told me that I have a ton of new growth coming in! I will give it about a year for my thickness to recover then I can let my hair grow, again. Having short hair is fun but I miss my long hair. I'm ready to get it back, again. I will say this, losing my hair has been worth it. If I had to go through this to get my band, it's a price I'm willing to pay.

I had my Sleeve done last November, right in the thick of Covid. I am not sure if Covid made a difference but I imagine it did. My private hospital was picking up a lot of ops from the NHS. It was very busy. In all it took 8 months from start to finish. I was initially told 4 - 6 months. The hospital that I went to had to stop its Bariatric work and have its practices audited. That took an extra, very frustrating 2 months. Every surgeon has their own pre op diet some lucky people have none or just a day on liquids. I got 3 weeks of milk and vegetables. High carb veg was not allowed.

I was doing so well during the summer. Posting each day about my food, liquids and exercise. Since the kid's school has started I can't find the time do log. I'm lost. I eat whats easy and that's usually not the right thing. I've been dumping lately because I'm eating on the go. I wish it was summer again! I'm maintaining but....how long will that last. I cancelled my fill for this month because I was doing so well. I moved it to November. I think I might need to call and move it up. I fell I'm losing it! HELP!!

Have you spoken with your doctor about revising to another procedure? Your body may be better suited for bypass or sleeve. Learn all you can about them before making any decisions. It can often be done during one operation, keeping costs down.

I am Spectrum Health Weight Loss with Dr. Schram. FYI my husband had Dr. Foote in 2004 when he had his gastric bypass

You had the lap band? Idk how many people will know the answer to this since 99% of us are now RNY gastric bypass. I don't think the band is necessarily supposed to be temporary? - Kaylee Ann ~ Surgiversary: 6/11/12

I'm sorry I wasnt clear. I had RNY gastric bypass. I meant gastric band as in the Velcro thing you have to wear over your stomach. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'll post a pic.

Happy 2 month Surgiversity to us Alexander3125, Although my postoperative course is no less tortuous than my 3 weeks of seeking, I had a HWeight,of 355, today at a different surgical speciality, 281 pounds, I still,believe in my surgeon, my variety of surgery (RnY bypass) and feel once these gloomy days are,past I can still be healthier and reach my future BD, without,it I was edging too close to a mortal physical occurrence. one parent lived to 80, the other to 86, and I will meet or beat them. Outlivng,my husband who denied being obesr, refused to diet, died at 70. 👵🍶SO TODAY IS A TRIUMPH AND TOMORROW? Now,I Have a chance to Smile!😝

I am Spectrum Health Weight Loss with Dr. Schram. FYI my husband had Dr. Foote in 2004 when he had his gastric bypass

Hi, my name is Mary and I've just registered with the site. Despite that, I'm very familiar with Vertical Sleeve Talk, because it has been my "go-to" place for help and advice these past several months. I began the journey toward weight loss surgery in April of this year and, thoroughly researching my options, knew from the start that I wanted the vertical sleeve. But my insurance is Anthem Blue Cross (in Southern California), and I felt pretty dismal about my chances of being approved. My surgeon, (Quilici) requested the sleeve, but, sure enough, Anthem denied the procedure on the basis that it is "always" experimental. They approved me instead for the gastric bypass. If it hadn't been for everyone on this forum, I never would have had the knowledge or courage to file an appeal. I want to thank all of you so very much. Because of you, I knew to file the appeal directly with the DMHC in California, rather than with Anthem, and I knew exactly the information to send and what I should include in my letter. And I won my appeal! I'm scheduled to be sleeved on September 24th, and am looking forward to a new, healthy life. I'm even excited about starting my two-week pre-surgery liquid diet tomorrow. (Although I imagine the thrill of liquids may wear off in about three days. <G>) So thank you all very much. I'm so glad to be getting the sleeve instead of the bypass, and never would have been able to get that accomplished without the amazing help and advice you all have shared. -- Mary

Welcome. I too had a band for a few years and lost around 85 pounds and then just stopped. I could not have any more water added as I was at the max fill. I was constantly vomiting due to food getting stuck due to the high fill of my band. I went to the doctor after about 6 months or no weight loss and talked to him. I still had another 100 pounds to go. He said that due to the amount of weight that I had to lose initially that I should have probably gone for the sleeve in the beginning and not had the band. Well it is a little late now. At the time I had the band insurance was only paying for the band or the bypass and I knew that I did not want the bypass. My insurance denied my request for the band removal or the sleeve and they wanted over $40,000 here in the US and it would have had to been done in 2 surgeries about 3 months apart. There was no way that I could afford this so I started to check into other options and found surgery in Mexico. After doing much research and talking to several people on the phone I decided that this was my only option at last winter. I called and scheduled surgery with Dr F Garcia in Tijuana, Mexico. I bought my ticket and on Dec 10, 2011 I left for San Diego. They picked me up and took me to Mexico. I can not say enough wonderful things about Dr Garcia, his team and the staff at Mi Hospital. I would do it again in a heart beat. They took out my band and did the sleeve in the same operation. I hope that you have good luck with your insurance. Keep pushing ahead.