Hello: My band was removed on 7/30 due band being fully eroded into stomach. My appetite is back to where it was when I weighed 325. Please share your experiences with me if you got the sleeve after being banded. Things I'd like to know are: Is it hard to get insurance approval? What are the requirements for BCBS and HCHP? What are the pre-op requirements? Is it a difficult surgery? How many days in hospital after being sleeved? And, most importantly, are you glad you are sleeved? I can't seem to get new lines when typing here, apologize for the format of my questions. I look forward to hearing back from you. I was very successful with first band in 2007. Not successful with larger band in 2010. Now what? Thank you.

You should create an account at http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/ . It's part of the same group that founded this site and has the same format. There won't be many if any one here who has a sleeve.

If you don't mind me asking, what were your symptoms for erosion?

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If your erosion was due at all to acid reflx or gerd I wouldn't go with the sleeve. I have 4 friends who've gotten the sleeve in the last year. All 4 have horrible problems with acid reflux now, 1 has required hospitalization for it. And from what I've read it seems more common in that surgery than the other options. Have you considered a bypass?

I have the old 4cc band- love that thing. In spite of having it slip once, and currently loosing some Fluid. I know if I had to do it and couldn't have the 4cc band again I'd go for the bypass. It was something I had to seriously consider when I had a slip.

If you don't mind me asking, what were your symptoms for erosion?

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Sorry it took me so long to respond. My symptoms were weight gain and after having four fills in a short period of time not having any restriction still. No pain at all.