Search the Community

On the West Coast, the BEST DS surgeons are Dr. Ara Keshishian in Pasadena, CA and Dr. John Rabkin in San Francisco, CA. They are also the most skilled at revision surgeries. Another great DS surgeon is Dr. Folahan Ayoola in North Texas (Denton, Frisco, & Flower Mound). They all do the real DS, not SIPS (aka SADI), which isn’t the same thing. With SIPS/SADI surgery, you don’t get long term fat malabsorption, will have less weight loss than DS, there is no medical code for surgeons to honestly bill for it as insurance companies consider it experimental, and yet you’ll have permanent requirements for extra vitamin & mineral supplementation to prevent serious deficiencies.

I may be able to help, a little... Last month I was diagnosed with a "profound" band slip. Yet oddly enough, did not have many of the typical symptoms (I believe it slipped in 2008, when the symptoms I do have started appearing). I am currently pursuing band removal, and revision to the sleeve. If you are self-pay, band removal is just another operation. If you are going through insurance, you will need to have documentation verifying that the removal is medically necessary. That is assuming the removal procedure (there is a CPT code for removal of lap-band and associated parts, but I don't have it on hand) is approved. You can find that CPT code and verify with your insurance. I'm at the "proving it's medically necessary" stage. We have the xrays that show the slip. I have almost 3 years' worth of off and on documentation of the same complaints (because I didn't have "typical" symptoms, I was first treated as an overfill... until we got down to less than .25cc... and then I was treated as someone who just needed to eat differently... it was ridiculous.) My insurance company requires an EGD as part of the proof of medical necessity -- I'm scheduled for that next week. From what I've been told, that's pretty much the last step prior to approval. They are also submitting for a revision to VSG (vertical sleeve gastroectomy - or "the sleeve") at the same time. Because of the nature of my slip, my surgeon is not considering my a candidate for re-banding. And with the laughable re-banding sucess rates, I would not consider it an option for myself. I'm not jumping with joy at the thought of a sleeve, but I need something... I can't be rebanded... I do not want a malabsorptive procedure... I do want something with some history of good success... well, the sleeve definitely wasn't my first choice but options are few. NYC_Gal, from what I have read & been told (by sleeved people) the recovery is not that much different. It's the same 2 - 3 weeks as the band, with some people returning within a week. It seems like most people perk up on day 3 - 4. I was OK the day after my band, and fine day 2. If it takes me 4 days instead of 2 days, I won't really think twice about the difference. Also, unless your self pay, there really is no approval from your surgeon - unless you just mean he agreed to do your surgery. Your approval will need to come from insurance (again, moot if you're self pay). Band - sleeve revisions are quite a bit risker than "virgin" sleeves. Adhesions and scar tissue can cause some complications. The pain afterward can be significant -- our ports were sewn in so as not to come back out, and sometimes have to be dug out a bit. Some surgeons will revise in one procedure - others require a waiting period (usually because of swelling and the way it can "hide" leaks). I haven't yet spoken with my surgeon so I'm not entirely sure which way he goes. HTH

I am excited to share that I received my approval for revision surgery from UHC in less than a week. I completed the 6 month diet requirement along with many other pokes and probes. I will keep you all posted on my surgery date and subsequent progress. Stay encouraged!!

I am feeling better about things. I am thinking I might actually revise my one day a week weigh ins...to only stepping on the scale when I go to the doctor. I've been thinking about it and I have been doing everything I have been told. When it is a month from now and still no weight loss..then I will worry. I don't want to obsess over the scale...so I think I am just going to FREE myself from that which binds me...THE SCALE...and just focus on working out, and eating right. Joatsaint...yes it feels amazing...I can't wait until I have to pull out a smaller size...soon...soon.

No fraud there. You changed your eating habits for the better and lost weight as a result. That's great progress. I started the year at 300 lbs. and had my Revision to DS in May. I talk about the change in nutrition and revision surgery with whoever asks. Getting comments like "You look like a different person" all the time. Remember the surgery didn't take any weight off. Your new nutrition plan did. If you follow the plan long term, you'll reach your goal. I got the sleeve 7 years ago. I didn't plan out my nutrition very well. I relied on protein bars and protein shakes heavily as a long term diet. I've learned since then it is better to base your nutrition on natural sources, not processed foods. Once I finished the puree diet, I stopped consuming protein shakes and protein bars.

Slippage is aroung 3-5 % and is usually resolved with either "unfilling" the band for a time then starting over, or revision surgery. Erosion occurs in about 1% of all cases. (at least per this web site I found) www.wlshelp.com

My band slipped and I'm scheduled for a revision next Monday! I am not looking forward to it, but there is no option, so in I'll go. I suspect that it happened after surgery this summer when I was sick in the postop room from anesthesia. But who knows.

Revised my thoughts from yesterday.

For the past few years I've wanted to get banded. I go to Church with a woman who was very successful and she inspired me. My insurance doesn't cover any procedures so after I was done having kiddos my husband added me to his insurance policy. I officially became covered January 1st, so on Jan 3rd I had a consultation with two surgeons, Dr. Nicholson at the Nicholson clinic and then I had an appointment at True Results, Dallas. During my first appt Dr. Nicholson suggested I consider the sleeve procedure and for a few seconds I considered it...until I walked in to True Results and they told me how dangerous it was, how it hadn't been on the market long enough, etc. etc. I guess since I'd wanted the band for so long they told me everything I wanted to hear. I continued going to True Results for two more months, but in the back of my mind I kept going back to what Dr. Nicholson had said. He told me about problems with the band that were just developing and told me that since I lived so far away from a bariatric facility (I have a 3 hr drive, one way) that the band was more than likely not the route I would want to go. He always maintained that if I wanted it he would gladly give me one, but that he just didn't think it was the perfect fit. I continued to have thoughts that the band probably wasn't the best thing for me, but once i started visiting True Results I felt "stuck" in the sense that I didn't want to waste all of the time I'd already invested. I asked True Results if they offered the sleeve and they said they did, but that their surgeon didn't do as many of them because the band was "better". About a month ago I started really researching the band vs the sleeve and kept coming across numerous people who had the band, then had problems and revised to the sleeve. I didn't want to be one of those people. I want whatever I choose to work for life and i want to be happy with my decision forever. I also didn't want the surgeon that performed my surgery to do them every once in awhile, I wanted my surgeon to be the best of the best. I prayed about my decision and asked God to lead me in the right direction, whatever that direction was. The same day I was searching a forum who specifically pointed out True Results and the surgeon that I would have had and said if you're considering him/that clinic to run as fast away as possible. She wasn't speaking to me, but I felt as though she was if that makes sense. I then decided to contact Dr. Nicholson's clinic and see if they would even take me back. I'd only gone to one appointment and then had "chosen" another doctor, so for all I knew they would tell me tough nuggets. Nope. They said that they loved it when patients researched other doctors and that they were happy that I had "shopped around" and then returned to them. Lastly, I had been upset that the 2 months worth of nutritional appointments would be wasted in a sense, but had decided that in the long run, what was 2 months of my life, if it meant my life and happieness? Just for the heck of it I thought I would ask the Nicholson clinic if there was any way they would give me credit for the nutrition appointments and sure enough they will! Everything is falling in to place and I really couldn't be happier and more excited about getting the sleeve. I'm ready to change my life for the better and looking forward to this journey! Now if I can just jump through the flaming hoops for insurance and get my surgery scheduled

Thank you all for your kind words and support. At this point in time I think that I am going to do the RNY. My over all health and living a longer life is more important to me at this point and I know that I would never be able to go at this on my own. So I will be making that call monday morning to the surgeons office and see about getting the ball rolling and seeing if the insurance company will pay for a revision. Keep your fingers crossed for me!! I'll keep you all posted!! Jo Ann

First, I'm sorry that yet another one of us is having to go through this. That said, decide NOW what you are going to do NEXT about weight loss, because that might save you the time/money of a third surgery, (band in/band out/different procedure.) Some people are at a good enough place that they decide to go it alone. A couple of us had the band removed WHILE having the DS. (In my case, the surgeon's program fee is $1000 more because I'm a revision, but that's WAY cheaper than paying for a third surgery.) I think someone here has had an RnY or is thinking about it. I think there MAY be a tendency, once we decide that band IS coming out, to want it out NOW. I'm just saying that factoring in your NEXT move in weight loss, may be worthwhile. Sue

The port sight is the sorest of the whole surgery process and the discomfort there lasts the longest. I had trouble finding a comfortable sleep position for the first week or so (I'm a side sleeper) I slept in a recliner for the first 3 nights, then started doing some funky stuff propping pillows all around me to get comfortable. You probably won't be able to sleep on your stomach right off the bat but it will go quickly and with some 'revisions' you can probably figure something out soon.

Hi Christie, I think I will be moving forward with scheduling a revision to RNY here soon. I plan to call my surgeon tomorrow to get the ball rolling. I think it is cool that you posted about your bypass here on LBT too. A lot of folks on the "I have failed my band" forum would probably be interested to hear your story. Best, Hilary

Thank you for sharing your journey. If I could do it over again i would have gone with the RNY too. I warned my mom against the band but she went with it anyway a year after I did and ended up having to get it removed 3 years later. Even my weight loss provider has admitted that the band doesn't work in the long run and they don't do many of them at all anymore. At least I'm still 20 pounds from where i was at my highest weight (2 years to lose 80 pounds and 1 year to regain 60) and I still have my band (fortunately I never had as many damaging issues with my band and I'd rather have it then be without it). Was denied for a revision back in October of last year and am going to start trying again. I suppose nothing is perfect, in the end. I just think that for me the RNY would have given me a better shot at success.

I got the sleeve on April 18th. I have had a few days where the reflux was extremely painful. I have yet been unable to lay down to sleep because of it. I am on a medication for 30 days called pantoprazole 40mg. It worries me a lot because i cant afford to get a revision. I never had this issue before surgery. If you have heartburn. Getting the bypass may be best. It basically eliminates GERD for most people.

You can't fake GERD. I mean there's a number of tests that can detect it via imaging. I developed GERD about six years after surgery. I had all of the tests that proved it so getting approved for revision was easy. I lived with GERD long enough on a double dose of Protonix to develop a kidney stone from overuse of PPI's... who would fake all of that? Not me.

By the way, people who have gastric bypass often have to have resurgeries as well because after about a year's time, the stomach pouch relaxes and thus they can eat more, and the intestines make more cilia which absorb food so after one year weight loss becomes tough. Many RNY patients have "revisions" later on to tighten up the stomach again. With a band...."later on" you just get another fill. No procedure is 100% foolproof. I LOVE my band and wouldn't trade it for anything.

I got approved for my revision!!!!!!!! *bounces around the room excitedly* Surgery isn't scheduled yet but I have a tenative date of June 6th or sometime that week

YAY YAY Angie for getting your date set. I hope these next couple of weeks fly by for you. Congrats to you as well for having a date. For me, pain was minimal post-op, but I have a high pain threshold. Others experience more pain, and require more pain meds. I was a revision so the most discomfort I experienced was around the area where they removed my port. Other than that, the gas pain from the CO2 gas they use to inflate our abdomen is more bothersome than anything else. Walking helps tremendously, and some found a heating pad helped as well. Best wishes to you both ! ! !

:confused1::confused1: Am I eating too much???? B - 12 oz of coffee w/scoop of Protein slice of bread w/peanut butter S - 1/2 of grapefruit L- small side salad about 1 1/2 cup of lettuce - I wasnt able to finish it all (almost) I was three months out on 3/11. Did my stomach stretch out of place already? If so is it possible to have a sleeve revision to a smaller pouch? T

Anyone pay out-of-pocket for the lapband and later get insurance to pay for revision? I paid for lapband out of pocket now, gained weight back. I'm considering sleeve but can't afford to pay out of pocket again. I paid out of pocket for the lap band because I didn't want to jump through all the hoops for insurance. Anyone else with a similar situation?

Hi Roxine thank you for sharing your journey. Glad to hear you are well on your way to recovery & a better & healthier lifestyle. I had revision bypass on March 9th. The surgery went flawless however my stomach is super swollen due to what I'm hoping is from the gas. It's a bit uncomfortable to say the least. I'm hoping the swollen goes down before I go back to work on the 19th. I fly back home from TijuanaX tomorrow where I will continue to recoup. I'm still on clear liquid diet for the next 2 weeks. I Just ordered me LonoLife Grass Fed Beef & Chicken broth from Amazon. It has 10g of protein & comes in little packets, this will surely help me get my protein in. I will start on protein broth and shakes next week this week I will continue to focus on get my fluid that includes 64 oz of water. I like to add Crystal Light to my water it makes it easier for me to drink.

No, Mark. But there are some VBG (the older non-adjustable gastric band) conversion patients, but I don't know if they converted to the Swedish band. (And there is a Cousin band in Belgium, right?) All the different international band names can be a bit confusing. Hopefully some one will come here with better information. Meanwhile I would also check the ObesityHelp*com forum called "Revision" - I've seen quite a few former VBG patients there. Good Luck. ("Bumping Up" this thread so others will see it.)

Welcome to LapBandTalk! I'm surprised about Aetna since their revision policy is pretty generous. Did you have a WLS exclusion?

I had what I term to be a persistent leak. I had two port replacements (both unsuccessful at stopping the leak) because I was leaking 'slowly' so they were sure it wasn't the actual band. I went through a period of being very disillusioned (and gaining weight) before deciding that someone had better listen to me or else. 2 months ago I had a full band replacement. They never did discover where my band was leaking from despite a barium swallow, and now I'm finally experiencing restriction that 'sticks'. The leak was considered a band fault and not a patient fault and therefore my revision (as well as my port replacements) were covered by my insurance. The fact that I was consistently losing Fluid from my band - to me- meant that there was proof that the band was leaking. I didn't think they needed to actually locate the leak for them to fix it.