Hi all,

I'm having serious complications with my band and am needing to have it removed. Anyone out there self pay that had to have it removed? How much (total) did it cost? I had my band installed in Mexico, but feel like I need to do this sooner than waiting to get to Mexico... Please help.

Corinne

Hey, guys! Corinne was sent over here from OH because there are no OH boards specifically for band problems. (i may have sent her.)

Anyway, if you have any info to share with her, that would be cool.

Corinne...my band came out as part of a revision to my DS...you knew that. So the cost was all inclusive.

Maybe some others can help. BTW...do yo have insurance at all?

My band was removed 3 weeks ago. I was self-pay for the installation, but my insurance paid for the removal. If you have insurance, you probably want to find out if, even though it didn't pay for the install, it may pay for the removal.

I haven't gotten any of my paperwork/claim information back from the surgery so at this point I have no idea how much it actually cost.

Good luck and hang in there!

Hi Corinne,

When I asked my band doctor how much it would cost to get my band removed they told me it would be anywhere between $5,000 - $10,000. And she said probably closer to $10,000.

I just had a conversion to MGB and the cost to remove the band was included in my conversion and was much less than what my band doctor quoted me.

I don't know if that's the normal price for removal, that's just the price that was quoted to me. Good luck and best wishes.

Tricia H

quick update - I'm having the band removed by my original surgeon in Mexico--$3500 includes everything!!

Hi,

You might check if you have insurance if it is a need to have it out emergency they probably will pay my insurance did.It cost a little more than 30,000 that was for the hospital and all. I had a 2000.00 out of pocket cap and that is what i had to pay. Tracey

Momof4, what's MGB?

Mini-gastric bypass I believe-MGB

Alex,

Sorry I don't come here everyday anymore. MGB is mini gastric bypass and I had my lapband converted on October 12. I only had to stay on liquids for 7 days and I am already on mushies for one week and then to anything I want. I am doing very well. The pain after surgery is so much less than after the band. As a matter of fact, I was up and walking just ten minutes out of recovery. I won't ever PB again and dumping is much less common with the MGB than RNY or other gastric bypass surgeries. I just walked a 5K to help cure juvenile diabetes and have been back to normal activity since 4 days out of surgery. Good luck to those of you who are getting your band removed.

When I got my conversion, the doctor discovered that my band had slipped and was up by my esophagus. I knew it, but my band doctor kept insisting that I was eating too fast or taking too big of bites. What a relief to be done with that whole mess. Good luck Corinne on your band removal.

Tricia H

Thanks for the information, Tricia. Best of luck to you!!

Tricia, if you don't mind me asking, will the surgeon who did your conversion consider doing one on someone who is only bordering on a normal BMI range?? I am not considering it now but after my recent reflux hell of the last 4 weeks (I just had a major unfill) I might consider it down the road, especially if I slipped.

Heather,

I know that he has converted several lapband patients--all needed to lose different amounts of weight. I do know of one patient that he performed the MGB on and she only needed to lose 20 lbs. or so, I'm not sure of the whole story, but that 20 lbs. was life threatening to her. He performed the surgery and only bypassed 1 foot on her. I had 3 feet bypassed, but the norm is 6 feet. I know of him performing 8 feet for the severely obese patients too. Normally, he won't perform surgery on anybody under 30 or 35 BMI. He is more willing to consider you for his surgery if you are a lapband conversion, no matter how much you need to lose. He knows of the failure rate of the lapband and the discouraging and helpless feelings it leaves in people. He is very sympathetic and his staff is excellent too. Beware of the packet though. It's quite complicated. Go to clos.net and scroll to the bottom. Join the mailing list, which is actually his message board and you can read and interact with hundreds of people there. You do not have to be a patient to join. You do have to sign up for yahoo though. Dr. Rutledge and the other CLOS doctors are on those boards too in case you want to ask them direct questions. Also, if you call Dr. Rutledge's private cell phone number, he does answer. I called him at 7:30 on a Thursday night and he answered all my questions. Good luck to you.

Alex - Thanks for the good wishes. I know I will succeed with this. The best thing about it is that I DON'T FEEL HUNGRY. I never would have believed it, but it's true.

Tricia

Mom of 4, what does a MGB cost? You may have seen my post about eroding, my band has to come out asap, and I'm researching my options before decided whether to be rebanded or move on. I'd read about MGB prebanding and thought it sounded promising, but didn't know where it was done, or anyone who'd had it done.

Corrine, I'm not sure if you're interested in pursuing outside the USA but my quote was far, FAR less than that for removal, I'm going back to Tijuana to have mine removed next month.

Pam,

I'm so sorry to hear about your problems with the band. I don't come to this board often as it has been almost 3 years since my band (Feb'04).

Do you mind if I ask how much you are being charged to remove your band? I was also banded by Dr verboonen w/the Midband and I keep having similar aches and pains to the ones you described. Sometimes I can eat a cow, but this morning I BP'd on the second bite. I have had 5-6 BP episodes in the past month (I had maybe one BP in the first 2 1/2 years I was banded). I had reached my goal, but I have gained alnost 15 pounds in the past 6 months.

Adding up all of the above kind of worries me. I thought the Midband had less problems, but hearing you have had an erosion make me concerned even more.

I hate to let this go on for too long. Don't you live in N FL? When are you thjinking of returning to TJ? Are you intersted in having a travel buddy if I went along for flouo/fill? I live in St Augustine.

Feel free to e-mail me if you want to talk about this more.

Sorry this post is so long!

Li

Pam, Im going to find your post. Gosh, I sure HATE hearing that dreaded E-word!

Tricia, Question.. did your insurance pay for the conversion?