TinaM8

I had lapband surgery 11 years ago. I had moderate success but not nearly what I thought I would have. I failed the band or it failed me. Maybe a little of both. I am considering revision surgery but I just don’t know. What if I “fail” again. Not sure I could mentally or physically handle it. I’ve seen people have greater success once having the revision surgery. I also am very unhappy with the surgeon that did my lapband and I am looking to find another surgeon that will work with me and actually help me succeed. I never had that from my previous doctor. I’ve got a million things to figure out. My insurance didn’t cover weight loss surgery back then and now it does but I don’t know how revision surgery plays into that. Making calls this week to possibly get the ball rolling. Any advice from someone that has had lapband to sleeve revision or any advice at all would be greatly appreciated!

I currently have the lap band and feeling “full” ,not a feeling I feel very often actually, but when the band is working it is all pain/pressure in the chest. That’s the sensation of being full, at least in my experience. My question is what is the sensation of feeling “full” like after the sleeve ???

This gives me hope! Now I start the process of seeing if insurance will approve a revision considering I don’t have any actual “problems” with the band. Let me ask you, did they do the procedure in 2 surgeries or the removal and sleeve all in one? I’ve heard of it happening both ways , I’m hoping for one surgery.

The way I look at it , and this may sound terrible , but I’m not getting where I want to be as things are right now so why not try the revision. It can’t get worse than the mental hell I live with everyday spending another day unhappy. Good vibes to you and your new journey !!! Super early in your sleeve journey. I will be excited to see how things go for you.

It is funny that my insurance didn’t cover any weight loss surgeries for years and then now they do. I thought all these years that the second I found out it was covered that’s all it would take and I would 100% be sure I wanted to do it. It’s crazy that’s not the experience I am having at all.

I am beyond frustrated with everything lapband related at the moment. I had my lapband about 6 years ago. I did okay at first and in all lost 62 lbs. Unfortunately that only brought me down to 220lbs so obviously I have a long way to go. With my goal weight being about 150 I still have a ridiculous long road ahead of me. That would not be a problem if my band was working for me, however, that is not the case. About a year and a half ago I was having restriction so much that I was throwing up in my sleep. Also, still not losing any weight which still boggles my mind. I went in reluctantly and had some of the fill taken out. I was under the impression that the Dr. only took a little out but I am starting to wonder. I have been back in about 4 times since to get a fill and have yet to notice ANY restriction. This is just not acceptable. The last time I went in he told me that I had the tightest fill that I have had since having my surgery. Obviously if I went from throwing up in my sleep to having no restriction at all then it doesn't take a rocket scientist OR A DOCTOR to figure out that something is not right !! The bad thing is is that I have told him that I am having problems and he has yet to do anything but want to give me another fill. Well I have gained 20+ pounds back so I almost feel like I am at the starting point again. This is beyond frustrating. Not only emotionally but add the fact that I am a self-pay patient and this has been a major expense for me. The way I look at it this was a major decision and it is what I consider a last resort. What do you do when your last resort fails miserably ? ? ? ?

I really just need to vent. I have all but talked myself out of this surgery and that in itself frustrates me beyond belief. First off I have no choice but to be approved through insurance because I cannot afford another self-pay surgery (I had the lap band in 2006). Even if I am approved I have a deductible of $6000. That is STEEP to say the least. In order to try and get approved I have to gain weight before I can be considered for insurance coverage because I don't have any "check list" health problems and my BMI is under 40. I was told I would have to gain 25lbs. Seriously!! That goes against everything I am trying to do! It goes against everything I have been trying to achieve for the last 34 years of my life. I also, have no support with this surgery. It feels like everyone closest to me just wants to talk me out of it. They keep saying "Oh I know you can do it with diet and exercise". OH REALLY? Well let's do the math. I am 34 years old and have been obese my entire young adult/adult life. I was also heavy when I was young. I literally spent 2 years of my adult life not being obese. It was between the ages of 19 and 21. I had no relationship, no husband, no job, no kids, no job, virtually NO STRESS AND I was exercising 4 HOURS A DAY !!! Of course I was able to do it. It took me a year to lose 80lbs which was all I needed to lose at the time and I kept it off a year. That in NO WAY is a success. I gained it back plus 30+lbs so OBVIOUSLY I need help. I know that the opinions o2 weight loss surgery are vastly different. Some people are for it and some people think it is the worst thing you can do. I have found there very rarely is any middle ground. I know it doesn't help that I already had the lap band and "failed at it" but the more I learn and the more the lap band is around I see that the band is just not going to work with everyone. I try not to be hard on myself but BELIEVE ME I am and I feel bad that I wasn't able to succeed with the band. It is a huge disappointment. Not to mention embarrassing. Everyone knows that you had it so it is obvious you aren't succeeding with it. I know that there are so many worse things in life that I could be dealing with but right now this is my hell. I have these waves of excitement thinking that I could possibly get a handle on this once and for all. Then it switches to nervousness thinking about having a part of my body removed. Then I just get waves of complete "I am just going to throw my hands up and quit and I will just have to deal with being fat until I die." It helps to have somewhere to vent especially since nobody gets it until they have been there.

Congratulations !! I have BCBS/TX also. I would have to gain 25lbs before they will approve me and then I assume they still may not so that is a huge decision to make. Plus I seem to have a VERY STEEP deductible at $6000 !!! OUCH! Not sure how to find out of I would have to pay the whole amount or not.

I am SO you !! I have had 2 c-sections too!! I know that I NEED this surgery. I am so unbelievably unhappy with myself just on a day to day basis. That probably sounds so dramatic but it is just really how I feel. I don't know why it is so hard for me to explain that to people that I NEED this surgery. Why they can't understand. I know it is a big deal BELIEVE ME I know it is a huge step but I do need it. I hate to say that the thought of another surgery does scare me. Really just from a nonsense point of view. I let myself think of all of the most ridiculous scary things that could happen and convince myself it is going to happen to me. How selfish I would be to leave two kids behind just on the Quest to lose weight. Anyway, those are the things I always think of. I am also just STUCK. Do I gain the 25lbs just in order to see if I can get approved and then risk possibly not being approved and now I am even more miserable than before. Or gain the 25lbs and get approved and then find out that I will have to pay the full $6000 deductible which is still too steep for me. I just don't know what to do at this point!!

Hey everybody, Just curious if anyone has a copy of the pre-op diet their doctor prescribed them and if they could post it. I don't have a surgery date and actually have not made my mind up 100 percent for surgery (as I already have the lap band) but I would like to follow the pre-op diet to help me lose some weight right now. I swear I am steadily gaining and it is really taking its toll on me! Mentally and physically.

Just to give you a little background I had the lap band surgery 7 years ago. I have had minimal success and a lot of problems. I was a self-paid patient for the lap band but am now considering the vertical sleeve and will have to be approved through insurance because I cannot afford another surgery. I called my surgeon's office this morning and it seems as though it is up to me to find out if I am covered for bariatric surgery. Ummmm.... okay now what? I assumed that the surgeon's office would take care of all of that for me. This is all so Greek to me! What should I do?

Wow everybody.....so I was just told by my surgeon's office that I would have to gain 25 MORE POUNDS before they will even send off the forms to try and get me approved by insurance. Never in my life have I ever been told I needed to gain weight. EVER! Apparently because I can't check any of the little boxes off on the criteria for what they feel you should have to be worthy of this surgery. HMMMM now I am in a very interesting situation. What in the world is that going to do to me mentally. Also, I am assuming that I still may not get approved even after gaining the 25lbs and having the 40 and over BMI. WOW.....a lot to think about.........

I feel ya on this! I hate shopping but I LOVE fashion!! I always said if I was rich and could figure out a way to be a plus size designer I would have jumped on it because I could always envision so many cute outfits but good luck finding anything close in 22/24 and 26/28. I will say that I have had the best luck with shopping at Torrid. I don't have one within 2 hours of me so I have shopped Torrid.com and they really do have some cute clothes. Sundresses, maxi-dresses, and so much more. Also, Simplybe.com is a new one I just started looking at and they have some pretty cute things. As big as I got (282) I still always made sure to try and find the best clothes that I could. I (one day,hopefully) look forward to not having to be in the plus size stores but until then I am on the lookout for the cutest stuff I can find.

I wish the customer service rep. would have been a little less vague and told me more on the phone! I am curious what the criteria is. I guess I should call my surgeon's office back and tell them what I have found and see what to do next.

I have heard so many wonderful things about him! I too live in Louisiana but I am trying anything I can to not be a self-pay. I previously had the lap band that has given me nothing but problems and was a self-pay but I just can't afford another surgery completely out of pocket.

Darn it !!! I calculated my BMI and it is 36.8

Well I called. They said that it is covered however, it differs from case to case as to whether you get approved. Doctor will have to send all medical records and a letter and then they will decide. I am just going to get it in my head that I most likely won't be approved. Not to be a negative Nancy but because I don't have any of the obesity related problems that seem to be determininh factors. Things such as reflux, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, etc. I am still going to try but not get my hopes up.

This is probably one of my number 1 concerns with getting a revision. I haven't decided 100% to do it yet but I really think I want to. I had the lap band in 2006. Lost 60 gained back 20. I have to say..slow or not...I would be happy with weight loss period at this point! I am beyond frustrated with the band!!!

"Call the 1-800 number on your card" I am about to call!!! Now if they don't speak "Greek" to me on the phone I will be doing okay!