NikNakMcCants

I too am going to Upstate and have Dr. Simon. I am having a revision from a broken lap-band to a sleeve. His office has been wonderful! No complaints!! My paperwork was submitted to my insurance company today! Hopefully it won't be long.

OK... WARNING!!!! I AM GOING TO COMPLAIN!!!!!! I am trying to have a revision from a lap band. My insurance company informed me today, that even though I had good success with my lap band before my supposed slip, that I would have to start the whole bariatric process over. They said that because my initial surgery was in 2009 I needed current proof of bariatric compliance. However, they would accept the last four years of diet documentation because the lap band slip was of no fault to me. Sounds crazy right? I have to attend meetings, take nutrition classes, have another pysch eval, obtain another support letter from my doctor, and go through cardiac clearance. UGH!!!!! Meanwhile, I have an empty lap band, an uncomfortable port, pain while eating, excess gas,and a tingling numbing pain that radiates behind my left shoulder and runs down to my finger tips. I want out of lap band hell! I have to focus on the positive. I am able to get all of the above taken care of before my next appointment in April. (I just have to rearrange my life to do so.) Thanks for listening!

Me too! I went from a size 26 to a 14 and now back up to a 20. My back hurts, I am constantly battling hunger, and the skin around my port is also tender and raised. Moreover, at my heaviest weight I was never as self conscious as I am now. I can't wait to move forward. I wish I had the option of a vertical sleeve prior to having lap-band surgery. I feel like the last four years were such a waste of time and effort.

I too am "in the same boat." I had great success with my band until it slipped. My new surgeon said he was going to have his office submit my paperwork . I guess we wait. GOOD LUCK!!!!! Keep in touch!

I visited my new surgeon today. He looked at all of my records, the x-rays of my last lapband revision surgery, and decided that he was going to immediately submit the paperwork to my insurance company for a revision to vertical sleeve. Yeah! He then told me that it now becomes a waiting game. The positives are that I had great success with my lapband before my "possible slip" and I have a good insurance company (Blue Cross Blue Shield). However, because I was banded in 2009 my insurance company may ask for a new pysh eval, documented 3 month weight loss, and nutrition class meetings. So, I will keep my fingers crossed and hope that I hear an answer back soon. If not, I have another appointment March 28th. So, The Waiting Game begins!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have an appointment tomorrow with my new bariatric surgeon. I have visited my physician and obtained a letter in support of revision surgery. I am also down 4lbs. I know it is not much but at this point I will take whatever I can. I am hoping that I do not have to go through another pysch eval. I am also hoping that my insurance company will take into consideration all of my success and then failure caused by my broken lapband. I am a little nervous and very excited. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I proceed quickly through this revision process.

Thanks ladies! The whole lap band failure thing for me has been rough. I went into surgery so positive. I never had any doubts. (Of course, I wasn't aware of others having so many problems with them.) However, do to the failure, I am now so hesitant. I am second guessing and rethinking the simplest of decisions. I am so lucky that I have a great support system. I just do not know anyone personally who has had the sleeve. I am sure I will have lots of questions as I proceed forward. Thanks again!

I was banded in May of 2009. I was at a starting weight of 235 lbs. (I was 260 lbs at my highest weight. I lost 25 lbs in two months on my pre-op diet.) Surgery went well. I had no issues. I loved my band. I was very careful to follow all of my doctor's rules. It worked well at first. In February of 2011 I weighed in at 179 lbs. I had lost a total of 81 lbs. I had set my own goal weight at 175 lbs. I was only 4 lbs away when all of the trouble started. I became sick with a stomach bug. I was vomiting very heavy for a day. I started to get severe pains in my port area. That is when I went to the hospital. I was told that I had a large gas bubble. My bariatric Dr. was called in to empty my band. My band was left empty for three weeks. I gained ten pounds. I was constantly hungry. In March, I started having my band refilled slowly. Soon I was refilled to the point I was before I had become sick. The problem was, I continued to gain weight. I went back to my doctor numerous times with complaints. I continued to follow his meal plans and work out routines. However, I continued to gain weight. I knew something was wrong. In September of 2012 I started getting heartburn. I visited my doctor and he decided that my band was too tight. He took out some of the fluid. I continued to have heartburn. I went back to the doctor. He took out more fluid. It still did not stop. In February of 2012 I went to my doctor and demanded an upper GI. Guess what? I was told my band and slipped. Emergency surgery! While visiting me, post op, my doctor informed me that during the operation nothing was wrong. My band was in fact in the correct place and he did not have to reposition it. A year later, I have continued to gain weight. I am back to a weight of 234 lbs. I have "cut all ties" with my first bariatric doctor. I have looked into various options. I am consulting with a new surgeon next week. I am hoping that he can give me the answers to the numerous questions I have that my last doctor just brushed away and refused to answer. I am frustrated but grateful at having the chance to start over.