Gigi_Girl

Hi Vicki, good to hear your good results! Dr. Miles put in my lap band in 2008. I had no complications with my initial band surgery. It now has a leak and I am gaining weight. He has requested my insurance cover revision to a sleeve. I am in a holding pattern. You say you stayed at the Hampton, does he not require an overnight stay for revision?

Amen!!! And yes, they listed those items specially.

Thanks for the support iwannabslim. Congrats on your approval. How long did it take the medical review board to approve your revision?

I congratulate you on being able to get til your revision. Sorry about your luck with your carrier(s). My insurance had only begun paying for lap bands a year or two before I got mine. Now it has been only a year or two since they approved the sleeve. The question lies with how strick they are for revisions with mechanical failure. Seems like a no brainer. We see.

Wow! what an ordeal. Hope you are doing well post-surgery. Keep us posted!

I hope I know in two weeks! The insurance company got my doc's paperwork on May 1. Hope your surgery went well. Keep us posted!

Wheetsin, thanks for your history. My provider is BCBS of AL. They say revision are possible for infection of port or erosion or slippage of band. Nothing is said about leaks. I was told it is a case by case basis. I checked again today and still no answer. I'll wait another week before I call back. Thanks again for your support. Gigi

Your insurance may allow you to present photographs over the last three years as a substitute for weight and a supplement to physician's records. It is worth a try.

Can you track your package? I use Bariatric Advantage multi Vitamins, calcium, and Iron, but I order thru Diet Direct. They have good quantity discounts and free shipping for orders over $49. Their shipment usually arrive in a few days.

I am fairly new here. What does NSV stand for?

I vote for #2. With a round face and thinning hair, I think the layers would give you more dimension.

My leaky band was unfilled as I wait for insurance approval for revisional surgery to sleeve. Now for some reason I can't get full and I stay hungery. Is it psychological because I know I was unfilled? Or is it just stress eating due to being anxious? I know the band still gives me some restriction without the Fluid, but it is like I felt before I got the band in 2008. I was unfilled on April 18. Insurance company received my doc's request for revision on May 1. I am not a patient person. Gigi

I will need a two week liquid diet and they asked what medications I am taking, but have not been told anything else as of now. I have jumped thru so many hoops in the past, I won't be surprised if they add to the "to do" list.

Congrats to you!!! Did you get the verbal ok for insurance and now waiting for the official "letter" to arrive? I'll keep my fingers crosses that the doc's office will receive the letter on Monday.

hrtgoeson, does your doc require a pre- surgery liquids diet? Were there any other prerequisites?

How do I deal with waiting? Not very well. I am in the same boat at you. It has just been a week since doc's office filed for my revision. I think about it multiple times daily. The best advise I can give (and try to live myself) is to keep busy...work, read, workout,,,anything to keep my mind and body occupied. How long have you been waiting?

It is very reasonable to wait a week and call. That way, if you find out the results are in, you'll be even more excited and gladly make the drive for the next visit!

Gallbadder surgery is not too bad. Similar to the discomfort from having lap band surgery. It is very common with women who lose a lot of weight. I had my gallbadder out In 2005 after rapid weight loss and little to no fat in my diet. My attack was set it off when I cheated....I ate a few bites of a hot dog. (If you already have stones, any fatty or spicy food can set off the attacks if your system is not used to it.) Short of staying on demerol for the labor like pains, I was glad to get the gallbladder gone.

1maryreigel, I will be thinking of you next week. I am encouraged by your response. It has been one week since doc filed with insurance. Keep your fingers crossed. Keep us posted. Gigi

Colorchic, good to know. Let's home BCBS of AL will do the same. How long did it take for them to approve? As a side note, I have been reading reseach on the band and discovered that they have a 40% fail rate and if rebanded instead of revised, the fail rate for the second go round is over 50%. Hope the insurance companies realized revising it once is cheaper and healthier than replacing it twice. Gigi

Way to go!

Thanks iwannabslim, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too. Funny how they they keep things to themselves. My insurance says they will pay for revision if either band erosion or slippage OR infection around the port site. It doesn't say anything about leakage, but one would think, a defect should be covered. I'll keep you posted.

My doc was suspicious the last few fills, so they started drawing out out all the Fluid and measuring it, then putting in fresh fluid. The last time, only 1/3 of the fluid from before could be extracted plus the fluid removed was blood tinged one time and yellow the next. Not sure why, any ideas? I am afraid that my insurance will give me the same answer as you. My only grace my be that my weight is 211. I have Alabama BCBS, what is your insurance? Newbie, as for you, you do know that the more weight you lose, the harder it is for the pounds to come off. Hang in there! Gigi

I don't have an answer to your question,but I have a question for you. I was banded 3 1/2 years ago and my doc confirmed last week that my band has a leak. They are asked insurance to pull the defective band and revise to a sleeve. How did you find that your band was leaking? Anything that I need to be aware of as I wait for the insurance to respond?