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I'm a month out and in the same predicament. Mine wasn't a revision, so I'm really discouraged. At two weeks the scale hadn't moved at all. The last two and a half weeks I've been going to the gym three times a week and I'm on soft Proteins. That's when the ten pounds have come off. Then again, I'm having issues with my gallbladder now, so... Sent from my SM-G900P using the BariatricPal App

:confused1:I am in the process of getting the sleeve- Just not sure if I will have to self pay or I can get insurance to cover. OK, a little history- had lap band in mex about 3 yrs ago. I had it slip after only a couple of months and had to have surgery. My insurance paid. Later about 1 year later, it eroded and i had to have surgery. HOWEVER, DH and I had just returned from a vacation from Cabo. I was robbed at night the night before we left and thrown down a flight of cement stairs. Just mostly scraped and bruised up. After home that week, started feeling flu like for a couple of days, them BAM, like I hit a brick wall I started going downhill fast. Went to ER, they did all kind of tests and still did not know. BP was tanking fast, white count was through the roof, basically I was in sepsis. Emergency surgery showed a stomach perforation. My stomach had been slowly leaking into abdominal cavity for days until the last day when my liver shifted a bit and allowed the flow to become much more substantial. Anyway, I recovered. Now 100lb back on and more I am getting the sleeve. Insurance paid for this surgery as well, but only because surgery report said that the band was removed as a precaution, that the perforation was due to injury. The surgeon later told me it was a mixed bag b/twn the band and the injury. So I spoke with local surgeon who did the surgery, his billing dept, and spoke hypothetically to my ins co " what if we need to do a revision to my stomach where the perforations was, i.e. weak and portion needed to be removed" they said yeah we will cover it if you need a follow up for the tear. They have an exclusion policy on WLS though, so I have to be VERY careful when submitting the coding. Billing dept asked me what CPT codes should we use? I said I will get back to her. I can't exactly ask my insurance which ones. Its a one shot deal so I need to get it right. Any advice????

YES YOUR SLEEVE CAN STRETCH!!! I just got the results of my Upper GI results 15 minutes ago. It reads: 1. LARGE AMOUNT OF GE REFLUX. 2. DEFORMITY OF THE GASTRIC FUNDUS. CORRELATION WITH THE PATIENT'S GASTRIC SURGERY. My doctor said my sleeve has stretched. It did not stretch back to regular size and shape...but it has stretched. I eat the same amount now as i did prior to my surgery 2 years ago. My metabolism is jacked up and I am 18 pounds away from my surgery weight from before. I fell into old habits thinking my sleeve could not stretch and was the end all to my weight problems and now im right back where i started, except worse. Now, im in the process of trying to qualify for a sleeve to bypass revision to help with the persistent GERD and daily nausea. ???? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using the BariatricPal App

Good to know. I also have BCBSIL and had surgery on the same day as you. I've only seen the bill for the anesthesiologist (all paid), not for the surgeon yet, but I'll be on the lookout for it. Maybe that's why it's taking so long for my claim to show up as paid. Maybe my doctor's office is going back and doing some revising of the coding.

I am having a very slow weight loss. I had my first surgery 3/2000 and VBG revised in 2017. I gained 80 pounds and had a gastric bypass on 3/23/2022. Wondering if anyone else had these issues?

I had a revision from a lapband to a sleeve with a hiatal hernia repaired in a surgery that lasted over 6 hours.The unusual part is that I did not know I was getting the sleeve but that is another story that I will have to share. I was wondering how sore other people are after 3 weeks. I didn't have much soreness in the first 2 weeks but I find I am much more sore this week. I did go back to work but I'm at a desk most of the day. I find sleeping is more difficult more this week than last.

I'm definitely not lifting unless you count my cats. I'm hoping the soreness is just from so many surgeries with the lapband, then my gallbladder removed and then the revision. My skin on my side is sore to the touch so I think some of it's nerve damage.

I had the band to sleeve revision at the same time. That is, they removed my band and did the sleeve. While unfilled for a long time (esophagus issues), I had put on some weight. I did lose the weight I gained after I got the sleeve. The restriction (to me) was less than the band so it was hard work. I never reached my goal but was content with losing the weight I had regained. In August, I had the sleeve to rny revision due to severe gerd, and the weight loss was far more significant and faster. I got to goal fast. This is my case, since everybody is different. Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

One thing that you may want to ask your surgeon about is if they will numb your stomach before surgery. This was not done before my sleeve but was before revision to bypass. Huge difference in pain level.

A year ago I started this process in the exact same frame of mind. I was going to get a sleeve. Period, end of question. I actually have myself on video stating that exact same thing, quite vehemently too, as I had started a video diary for myself early on to track my progress. I was perhaps halfway through my insurance's mandated pre op classes before I began to wonder if perhaps bypass might be a better choice in my case. I have the occasional reflux too. I also have a wicked sweet tooth, so dumping might not be a bad incentive to have to stay on track. I'm also older (54), and really don't want to think of the possibility of having to revise to bypass if the sleeve didn't work for me. Not to mention the fact that my insurance has made it very clear that they will only pay for one wls per lifetime. I currently take a huge regimen of Vitamins anyway, so I'm willing to take on both the positive and negative outlets of malabsorption. In all I've come to believe that restriction just might not be enough for me. Hence, the switch. So here I am, a year later, having completed every single requirement my insurance put in front of me, including losing 10% of my excess weight. I even have undeniable written proof of my insurance's approval in my hands and... I'm still waiting. I carry my phone with me everywhere, waiting for *that* call - the surgical consult. The last step before actual surgery. But because of the high demand and back log, I might not get there for another couple of months. I've resigned myself to the fact. But I know one thing, my resolve that this is the right step for me has never once wavered, and it never will. There's nothing anyone can say that will make the waiting any easier. It's hell sometimes, I won't lie. But I'll get there and so will you. You've done everything right. Extensive research is the key. You have to know what's right for you, which might be something entirely different than someone else. WLS is definitely not a one size fits all kind of thing, and it's not something to enter into without knowing exactly what you're getting into. You sound like you are well on your way to being monumentally successful. Keep on that path, and you'll suddenly look back one day and realize that it all passed by a lot faster than you thought it did. That's what keeps me going. Good luck on your journey!

Hey there UberMom, I get stuck and I have no restriction at all! I am keeping with my plan of only Protein and liquids. I try really hard to stay away from the bad carbs. I am not exercising and I am waiting for a total band revision. You can do this! I will keep watching for your progress! thetig

HI there! I am another band to sleeve revision. The sleeve is soooooo different. It actually works!!! It sounds like your tummy will be healed and ready for this next operation - a lot of us did the removal and sleeve at the same time. With the year of healing, I'm sure your tummy is more than ready for the change. It is a tough recovery, but the results are really fantastic. You might want to check into the band to sleeve revision group off the main page. Good luck!

I have a history of cancer, my oncologist and surgeon both agreed the sleeve was the best route for me because the band leaves a foreign object in the body and there can be slippage and erosion, etc. My surgeon no longer does lapbands, but he is doing many revisions. In addition, they both agreed gastric bypass was not suitable to my health due to the malabsorption issues. So the sleeve it was..

Revised Banana Message:

I had my band out separately, before being sleeved, so my experience may not be the same as someone doing the revision in one surgery. After having the band in, recovery was pretty easy though i had some gas pains, and my port bothered me. But the port bothered me until it was removed. Removal of the band was done as an emergency surgery, but the recovery was very easy. Again, the port incision (from removal) was the worst spot, and i lamented the new scars on my recently tucked tummy. But i was able to eat broth more easily than i had eaten anything in 2 months, and the hardest part was staying out of the gym for a month. Getting sleeved was actually easier on my than having the band out, but that was probably because i had been in pain and unable to eat sufficiently for 2 months prior to the removal. I was up trotting the halls the evening i was sleeved, and have had an amazing recovery. Feel so much better than i did at any point during the 17 months of being banded.

I am L&L nite nurse as well. Had revision of lap band to sleeve on 3/18/15. Have been off for recovery. Start back to work this sunday. Very nervous about it. Still can't tolerate protein shakes. They make me super nauseated. Haven't needed caffeine at home. But know I will when going back to work. Was a diet Dr pepper. Plan coffee or ice tea. But that water with caffeine sounds good idea. Will be advancing from pureed diet to soft food diet as I return to work. Down 23 pounds. And feel good so far. Have been walking a couple days a week to build up stamina. Surgery was done laproscopic. But still nervous about over doing it and causing herniation or internal damage. I am released for full duty by my Dr. Thanks for your ideas and suggestions. Especially from 12 hour night shifts!!

I have thought about the same thing and often. I'm at a loss. I don't won't to ever lose my band because I've had tremendous success with it. But, the thought of having it without insurance coverage to adequately care for it terrifies me. I see a lot of self pay people and people who've lost their coverage who talk about going years without a check because they can't afford it. When they finally go back in, they have bad complications and slips because of poor after care. After care with the band is crucial. I'm not sure what I'll do I'd I lose coverage for it. Do I get it removed? Revise to the Sleeve? I honestly don't know. I only know it would force me to make some really hard decisions.

I've said all along, that I wouldn't have a revision if I lost my band. But now? I don't even know what the sleeve would be like after plication. Or if it's even possible. I have a lot to address with my doctor at my next visit. I want his take on the whole health insurance issue, and if there might be a way around it. A big question in my mind is, if new insurance is supposed to cover pre-existing conditions, would our surgeries be covered under that caveat? If we had a serious complication that required removal of the band, wouldn't that be considered "pre-existing"? Geez……so much to think about. I don't know that we'll get definitive answers, either. Last night……as I lay awake at 3am…..Thanksgiving sugar cursing through my veins, I was having a bit of meltdown on this. I really did a number on myself with all the possibilities, in addition to wondering how the hell I let myself eat too much crap. Okay…..it was a holiday…..I'm moving on

I just started my new job a little over 90 days ago. My company is huge (over 4,000 employees in 130 countries). They are a Self-funded Insurance with a third party administrator. We use MultiPlan as our provider and Allied Benefit as the administrator. (At least I think this is how it goes....lol) In my Offer Package was a copy of the "Medical Benefits Plan Schedule of Covered Expenses". On this sheet, the coverage reads: "Surgery or treatment for MORBID OBESITY only if the covered person is twice his/her ideal weight or greater than 100 lbs overweight and suffers from documented seperate conditions (i.e., severe diabetes, mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular complications, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertriglyceridemia, amenorrhea, hypercholesterolemia, degenerative joint disease, & athralgia of other weight bearing joints which are aggravated by morbid obesity). This must be documented by objective evidence provided by the physician who is treating the covered person for the condition that is aggravated by morbid obesity. This does not include gastric bypass surgery (i.e., "stomach stapling")." In-Network: 100% ($25 co-pay if outpatient) :tongue: Well, I recieved another copy of this stated coverage in my New Employee Orientation....so I ASSUMED that Lap Band would be covered. So I started my journey. (Now keep in mind, this is all x2 since my DH was planning on having surgery with me.) I began researching the area doctors, and found this site. I saw my PC and told him I wanted the surgery - he agreed and approves of the procedure and sends out the referral. $25 I asked him for current blood work - he sent me. $?? I sought out a psychiatrist for the Evaluation - found one, had her 3 required visits and "passed" the evaluation. $75 Now I have completed the "hoops" for the surgeon and was waiting for my appt. with him. So, now I am sitting at work daydreaming about the surgery and think that I will be nice and try to keep the ball rolling at the unbelievable pace that it is and send a note over to the surgeons office (as I was told I could do to help expedite the paperwork) that says my insurance doesn't require the diet history/supervised diet. :wink: I decide to send a copy of this "Schedule of Covered Expenses" along with the letter. I go to the website the website that I can print my coverage info from and print a copy of the schedule that is posted on their website and get the shock of my life when I re-read it and find out the VERY LAST SENTENCE in the coverage has changed!!!! Instead of reading that gastric bypass is the only thing not covered, it now reads: "Note the term "treatment" does not include any surgical procedures - see General Limitation, item #17". #17 - This policy does not pay for instruction or activities for weight reduction or weight control, including charges for Vitamins, diet supplements, or physical fitness programs even if the services are performed or prescribed by a Physician; for any surgery performed for the purpose of weight reduction. WOW!!! What a shocker!!! The page that says no surgery is covered says Revised 1/06 on the bottom - the other pages I have don't have anything written on the bottom! So, first things first - I head straight to my HR department. They have no idea, so I am walking them through the details step by step. They tell me they will get back with me. :wink: She comes back a little while later and tells me that she called someone (within the company) and was told that they would reimburse me for my costs of preparing for the surgery, but that surgery isn't covered. The page printed from the internet is correct :eek:!!!! I called the insurance company and talked to a lady who was very helpful - she told me that I could send a letter to the medical review board and that I needed: 1 - Letter from surgeon 2 - Current and reccomended weight 3 - CPT codes and the fee for each procedure 4 - 6 month supervised diet They didn't even ask about BMI, co-morbidities, etc. My head is just spinning!! Is this a positive sign or a so-called death sentence?? I don't know what to do. I don't want to take the reimbursement and then them say "well, since we reimbursed you, it was like you agreeing that there is no surgery" or something screwed up like that. Sorry for making this so long, but I am just on a roller coaster about all this. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I don't even know if I should try. :frown:

I agree with everything said here. I am going to have a revision from lapband to sleeve. The maintenance is not fun sometimes you can't get the right restriction: either to tight or too loose. I would have never have gotten the lapband if the sleeve was available 5 years ago. IMHO go with the sleeve, my revision is September 10.............

I had the glue for my original surgery. When I had to have a port revision last week he did both. He cut out my old port scar and sewed me back together. He used stitches for that, but then put the glue on top. He said the stitches would eventually disolve.

I've struggled with my weight all my life. I turned 40 and was still overweight after saying I didn't want to be overweight when I hit 40. Finally had enough with high blood pressure meds and getting even bigger but so afraid of re-routing my organs. I remember seeing the commercials for it and I kept saying if there were something less evasive I would go for it...then saw an add for lapband. I went for it just before my 42 birthday. Well 6 years and a revision to a bigger band, a really bad prolaps and emergency surgery to take the band out...I was done and figured I was going to be overweight but, at least feel good. Well the big 50 is around the corner, the weight started coming back on again because the band was gone and I finally said....I just need to do this. The medical world has gained 6 more years of experience performing the RNY surgery and taking care of patients and it's become so much safer - I'M GOING FOR IT! I need help to help me stick to eating right and getting healthier. So......I want to be healthier for my 50th birthday! Started the process back up last year with the same surgeon that did my lapband but, discovered that was part of the problem...he didn't listen to me. So after going through hoops and being left on my own with them, I changed bariatric centers and started again. TOTALLY different experience and I couldn't be happier with my surgeon and the bariatric center she works in. I'm down over 40 pounds - it's coming off slow but, I know that's how my body works but, at least it's coming off and coming off healthily because I'm following the rules. The best part is I'm no longer gaining so to me that's worth it all!

@@Dub I am so very very excited for you! You have clearly done a lot of thinking and researching WLS. You are well on your way to a much healthier life already. I am glad to hear you have kept an open mind about which procedure to pursue. There really is a lot to understand. I too had my heart set on the sleeve mostly because of all the hype. When I went to my first appointment with the Bariatric doctor and Bariatric nurse, they went over my full history. As we began to discuss the different options the fact that I suffered from Reflux and Gerd came up. At that time they recommended that I consider bypass instead of the sleeve. I was devastated but decided I would do some research and get a second opinion. The more I researched the more I learned that the sleeve and band can both make reflux worse and in some cases give someone who has never had it, can cause it to happen. In my case I was already on the maxi u dose of reflux medication so if I had a problem with it post sleeve there would be nothing they could do to resolve it besides revise to a bypass. After I saw my gastroenterologist he definfinately recommended bypass and even told me that the bypass would likely cure this disease for good. Well, after that meeting it was a no brainier for me. I had my bypass on 9/29/2014. I have been off all reflux medications at the 30 day post op mark. I have never ever had a single episode of heartburn, reflux or Gerd. I am down 105lbs and would like to lose another 40 although I look terrific already. I no longer have diabetes, stage 3 kidney disease, knee pain or ankle/foot pain. My sleep apnea has been resolved. I do still have serious spine issues that have gotten worse but that was because I waited too long to do something about my weight. I have normal to sometimes lower blood pressure and my cholesterol both good and bad are now all normal. I feel so lucky that I have a second chance at life! Your story is so inspiring and I really wish you the absolute best of luck as you go through this process. In terms of changing some things now, you are asking at a perfect time. I would suggest going after one thing at a time but for starters stop with the soda. You will never be able to have it again post surgery so ween yourself completely off now so it is not such a shock to your body. Then start with coffee. Practice eating your meals very slowly. Never eat for more than 30 minutes but try to take that whole time to eat your much more normal portions. Also if up you can, practice eating without drinking 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after. This was the hardest for me to practice before surgery but I have had no problem sticking to it post surgery. Also if you eat in front of the TV, try really hard to eat without distractions. It helps you pay attention to what your body is telling you. Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress! I am looking forward to your success! You deserve it and are working hard to get after it.