What to say to get them to take lapband OUT?

NurseyKnitter · May 5, 2011

5.5 years with the lap-band. Had it put in in Monterrey Mexico.

Always had PBing but minor.

Successful with weight loss until after a bout with bursitis and taking Celebrex twice daily that inflammed my stomach -- had to have the Fluid removed.

I think most if not all of my Fluid is now removed, but I continue to have PBing with most meals (and yes - I am a pro at small bites and slow eating - it doesn't matter). Recently having strong waves of nausea and vomiting with some meals. food sticks in my esophagus and won't go down - sometimes for 10-15 minutes. I get serious bouts of hiccups.

I cannot eat :

any fruit due to it's fibrous content
most vegetables: due to fibrous content
chicken unless greasy
bread
eggs

I feel like I'm unable to eat the healthy foods that I need to eat in order to lose weight so I'm stuck eating the bad foods - potatoes, hamburger, Pasta because they go down without too much of a struggle after the first few bites.

I need this band OUT -- I'm concerned the doctor won't agree AND that he won't want to touch me since I had the band done in Mexico!

Has anyone had a band placed in Mexico and taken out by a US doctor? Any problems getting the insurance to agree to have it removed? I don't want to cash pay for this surgery.

salsa1877 · May 10, 2011

I just converted from a lap band to a RNY last week and no one even asked where my band was placed. Having just the band taken out may or may not be covered by insurance. I had some difficulty with my insurance not wanting to cover the surgery but I am beginning to think it was the doctor and not the insurance companies. According the new doctor that actually did my surgery a significant portion of his practice is revising the band.

At the beginning it too worked for me. I lost 110 pounds in 9.5 months but when things went bad, they went WAY bad. My band slipped and like you I couldn't eat anything solid really for months. I gained 25 pounds in 3 months. I was devastated and heartbroken because I was a self pay for the band and I had worked so hard. I look forward to eating healthy foods again and not doing as we have so lovingly called it "the lap band dance" at every meal! I was throwing up so much by the end that we dubbed my band the "anti-gravity" band cause what went down always came up!

I would talk to a bariatric surgeon in your area and see if they will submit to insurance for a revision and talk to them about your problems. That was the only thing I did. Now my original surgery was not done in Mexico but as far as I know my insurance didn't know that.

Hope it gets better.

Karri

5.5 years with the lap-band. Had it put in in Monterrey Mexico.

Always had PBing but minor.

Successful with weight loss until after a bout with bursitis and taking Celebrex twice daily that inflammed my stomach -- had to have the Fluid removed.

I think most if not all of my Fluid is now removed, but I continue to have PBing with most meals (and yes - I am a pro at small bites and slow eating - it doesn't matter). Recently having strong waves of nausea and vomiting with some meals. food sticks in my esophagus and won't go down - sometimes for 10-15 minutes. I get serious bouts of hiccups.

I cannot eat :

any fruit due to it's fibrous content

most vegetables: due to fibrous content

chicken unless greasy

bread

eggs

I feel like I'm unable to eat the healthy foods that I need to eat in order to lose weight so I'm stuck eating the bad foods - potatoes, hamburger, Pasta because they go down without too much of a struggle after the first few bites.

I need this band OUT -- I'm concerned the doctor won't agree AND that he won't want to touch me since I had the band done in Mexico!

Has anyone had a band placed in Mexico and taken out by a US doctor? Any problems getting the insurance to agree to have it removed? I don't want to cash pay for this surgery.