Carrie_C

I would think your insurance would cover the removal since you are actually having problems with it. I am in the same boat, I want mine out and I don't want anymore weight loss surgery. I am waiting for my insurance to kick in and then I am having it out. I am sick of being in pain and being miserable. Even if my new insurance won't cover the removal, I will borrow the money or run up my credit cards. I don't care. I just want it out.

I agree with you. This is no way to live. And you are right, the doctors are no help. All they see is a fat person and blame all problems on that. And it is embarrassing. I hate it. I also just started a new job and my insurance hasn't started yet either, so I have no idea if it will cover the removal. Even if it doesn't, I am still having it removed. I don't care if I have to run up all my credit cards or borrow the money. I would rip it out myself right this minute if I could.

Yea my quality of life is really bad. I don't want another weight loss surgery either. I figure I can keep the weight off and hopefully even lose what I have gained since hopefully I will be able to eat healthy food once it is out. If the weight doesn't stay off, I would honestly just rather be fat than have to ever deal with this again.

Thank you for your reply. I was also very excited about the weight loss, even though I always felt miserable. I think my surgeon will be willing to help me. They do a lot of different weight loss surgeries, and I think they also do a lot of band removals. I am just worried about insurance paying. But at this point, I am ready to beg, borrow, or steal to have it out. Did you have another type of weight loss surgery once yours was removed?

I never saw my surgeon again except once soon after my surgery. I always saw the nurses. They knew the problems I was having then, but they always seemed confident that all I needed was an unfill. I wanted it to work so badly that I never pushed the issue. It is partly my fault, but they also just acted like nothing serious was ever wrong.

I have had the lap band for 7 years, and after years of misery, I have decided to have this stupid thing removed. I haven't called for an appointment yet. I just started a new job and my insurance will soon kick in. As soon as it does, I am calling to make an appointment with the surgeon who put it in. I have had nothing but problems since day 1. Every single fill I got was too tight. I would be fine the first day, but then the next day I wouldn't be able to keep a thing down, not even Water. I would be in terrible pain, and I always had to go back in to have some Fluid removed. This went on for about the first year, then I decided to not even bother with going back in for another fill since I had so many problems. In 2010, it got to the point where I couldn't keep much down and I was having to drink something hot just to get a few bites of food down. So I went in and had the rest of the fluid taken out. I still have constant problems, even with no fluid. Some days I can eat anything with very little problems. Other days, most days, I can't get a thing down. I constantly slime and burp. It doesn't matter how good I chew or how slow I eat, it is always the same thing. Food always gets stuck. I don't go out to eat with people because I know I will have to run to the bathroom, and it is embarrassing. The only person I will eat with is my husband, and even then it is embarrassing, but he is used to it. I initially lost about 65 pounds. But the only times I would lose was when I had a fill and the band was so tight, I couldn't eat. I would lose about 10 pounds in a week. Then once I had some fluid removed and could eat a little, I lost very little weight. In the last year, my band has gotten tighter, and I have had even more problems. I have gained about 40 pounds back. But it is because most of the time, all I can keep down is junk. I can sit here and eat ice cream all day with no problem, but I can't keep a vegetable down to save my life. My eating habits are now worse than ever, because junk is all I can eat. My cholesterol is high and my triglycerides are through the roof. Plus I have always had constant port pain. What I'm wondering is, those that have had it removed, did your insurance pay? This is the main reason I have put off getting it out is because I'm not sure if insurance will pay to remove it. Did your surgeon give you a hard time about having it removed? What was recovery like? How long should I take off work? (I am a nurse on a stroke floor). I so wanted this band to work. I have been in denial for a lot of years, but the simple truth is, it isn't working. Thanks for reading.

You have more in your band that I do. I only have a little over 4 ccs in mine. I did have more, but it was too tight. I have a very thin line between too tight and just right.

I agree. Maybe some of our bodies just reach a certain set point that it's comfortable with.

Thanks, you all are right. I think I will call the doctor and go have a small amount taken out next week. I have just become SO frustrated!

I am wondering also if my band might be too tight. There are a lot of times I just eat slider foods because that's all I can keep down. But I'm afraid if I go have some fluid removed, it won't be tight enough.

I am beginning to think you are right. It seems the first part of the weight came off good with just moderate exercise. I think I just need to make a bigger commitment to working out every day.

I had surgery a little over 2 years ago. I lost 70 pounds within about a year and a half. My goal is to be at 150, but I honestly don't think I will ever get there. I have not had a fill in over a year. I do not need one. I have good restriction and there are even days where I can barely eat anything. In fact, a lot of times I have to drink something hot before I eat or I can't keep anything down. I have been at basically the same weight for about a year. I will gain and lose the same 3-4 pounds every few weeks. I know I need to exercise more, but I just wonder, is this as good as it gets?

I think she's just jealous, lol.