I had a lapband placed in 2008. I have had problems with it--namely a dialated esophogus and if I have the band tightened at all I vomit. I have SEVERE shoulder pain every time I eat and have since it was placed. I am new to Kaiser. I had my surgery in Mexico.

Here's my question. IF my band needs to come out will Kaiser pay for the sleeve? If so will they require that I met their BMI requirements at the time of surgery? What history will they require? Will I have to go through classes here?

If anyone has experience and can share theirs with me I would GREATLY appreciate it!!!!

Lynn

I got my lapband in 2007 in Mexico. After a year it just quit working and it stayed dormant in there for seven years and two children. In April of 2014, I went to my Kaiser general doctor who referred me to the bariatric surgeon of my choice (through Kaiser, of course). After an upper GI was done, it was determined that my lapband needed to go. It was old & rusty and doing irrepairable damage to my esophogus. I was scheduled for a revision to sleeve in 10 days and I don't think I met the BMI requirements. With Kaiser, it all depends which doctor you see. Some are great and want to help, others not so much. May I ask where you are located?

Edited May 29, 201412 yr by Leyanna

I should add that per the terms of my insurance, I paid $500 for the band to sleeve revision through Kaiser.

I had the band placed in 4/09 outside of Kaiser. I now have Kaiser and Last year I had the band removed and was scheduled for the bypass at the same time but changed my mind last minute on having the gastric bypass done. Fast forward a year later and I am scheduled next week on 6/5 to have the gastric sleeve. So yes, They will do revisions. Good luck to you!

I'm at Kaiser South Sacramento. I have an appt w Grinberg on Tuesday but I'm open to anyone else at Kaiser South Sac. For those who replied: first of all thank you! Second of all did they ask you weight at surgery or require records to show you qualified in bmi when you had originally? Also what was your bmi at revision? I actually work at Kaiser so all I would have is a $100 copay. Really hoping this happens! Any info on your story would be helpful!!

I'm not sure about South Sacramento. I noticed that MorethanJustaPrettyFace and I have the same doctor, Dr. Gary Belzberg in Harbor City, Ca. He is the best doctor of everness in Kaiser. Another doctor may not be so kind as Dr. Belzberg.

Edited May 30, 201412 yr by Leyanna

Hello Lynn, I too had my band placed outside of Kaiser back in 2009, I am now a Kaiser member. I started having serious complications with my band this April. My complications seemed to exacerbate from tolerable over the last year to severe over night. I was out of work for two weeks due to how severe the complications were. I must have gone to 5 Dr. appts and several studies with no results. They finally agreed to refer me to a bariatric specialist after a couple weeks of disregarding that the problems were due to the band. I'm in the Orange County region and it seemed like I was getting no where. I forgot to mention that they wouldn't have me see the bariatric specialist until they did one more diagnostic study. I lost 15 lbs in less than 2 weeks because I couldn't hold anything down but liquids. I finally got a call from a nurse from the Orange County bariatric department. By this time I couldn't even hold down Water and felt completely fatigued. The nurse took all my info and was going to try to work on getting me in to see the Bariatric specialist. She went on to explain that even if I was seen at the soonest appt available that they were not going to be able to remove any Fluid from the band or do any adjustments to it. That all band adjustments or any care for it, patients would have to be referred to the South bay bariatric center(Los Angeles County). So in other words I was still left without any help and would continue to suffer until the proper referral was done. She continued to advise me if I was really not feeling well it would be best to go to the South Bay ER, because I would be seen by a bariatric specialist immediately. This was the best advise and help I had received in weeks! I went to the ER that evening and was seen by Dr. Belzberg. I agree with Leyanna's post/reply, He is the best and very informative. He was very straight to the point and said the band was going to have to come out. He took out all the fluid out of the band there in the ER. Said he had to let my esophagus and stomach rest at least a minimum of three weeks before he could remove it and do the sleeve all in one surgery. He scheduled my surgery right there and then. I had my surgery May 1, 2014. I am now 4wks post op. Sorry for such a long story to get to the answer. Yes, Kaiser will do the sleeve if your lap band has to come out even if it was placed by an outside facility. I wasn't asked for previous BMI info, although mine was in the 40's back in 2009. I didn't have to go to any classes or meet any pre-op criteria either. I wish you all the luck and hope you get referred to the right person. Keep us posted!

Thank y

Thank you. That gives me hope. But I'm guessing my problems aren't as bad as yours. I'm having shoulder and chest pain EVERYTIME I eat or of o get too hungry. I'm having pain at my port site and heartburn/ reflux no matter how lose the band is. Plus I've gained back 30 lbs. I think just to be safe I'm going to give them a preop bmi. Of 41. I don't remember exactly what it was anyway. I have my op report but that's it. Ok one more question. I do administrative type work. I walk quite a bit and sit in meetings. What is the minimum amount of time I can expect to take off work? I'm thinking 3 weeks?

I'm at Kaiser South Sacramento. I have an appt w Grinberg on Tuesday but I'm open to anyone else at Kaiser South Sac. For those who replied: first of all thank you! Second of all did they ask you weight at surgery or require records to show you qualified in bmi when you had originally? Also what was your bmi at revision? I actually work at Kaiser so all I would have is a $100 copay. Really hoping this happens! Any info on your story would be helpful!!

HI there I go to South San Fran Kaiser and I'm having my revision surgery on 6/18 to the sleeve. I only have to pay my $20 copay for my surgery as well. I was banded in 2008, had a baby in 2011 and since then nothing but issues any time we try to fill my band. It has taken me 3 years to say yes to revision based on my own worries but after putting back on most of my weight I know it's time. We did document everything we did, new upper GI, fill/unfill band, went on the pre op diet and still had issues and I believe because of the issues I was able to get approved so quickly (decided on 4/29/14 and got my date that same day for surgery).