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That's awesome! Glad you are doing well!!! I have to agree with @SunlnUT having the band helped with the smaller bites and chewing for sure. I had my band removed almost a month ago now and I am still taking small bites and chewing well. I think after having it for so long, you just learn to keep same habit which is great and will help me when I get my revision on Nov 12.

Call BCBS & find out their requirements. You should have done that first. Know your benefits, what will you have to pay, & what they expect out of you. I have BCBS North Carolina & they don't require anything if you have BMI over 39. I just submitted it (I do authorizations for a living) & gave BCBS my height, weight, & BMI. I got an approval in 3 days. Each BCBS has different requirements. I am assuming CAL is California? BCBS California is BCBS Anthem. -----------------------------------------------\\\ ANTHEM BCBS – REQUIREMENTS FOR WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY In Am I Covered by OC StaffOctober 19, 2013 Anthem BCBS does cover weight loss surgery as long as your policy does not specifically exclude coverage. ObesityCoverage strongly feels that morbid obesity is a disease and every insurance company should cover these life saving procedures. So we are happy to report that Anthem BCBS covers weight loss surgery. In fact, most of the Blue cross Blue Shield network has some sort of coverage for weight loss surgery. It is important to know that your employer can typically opt-out of weight loss surgery insurance coverage for their employees policies. Opting-out typically saves the company money on their premiums. Contact information for your Anthem BCBS is listed below. Even if your policy excludes weight loss surgery, because BCBS has shown that these types of surgeries are medically necessary you might be able to appeal their exclusion. Before calling make sure you see our questions to ask before calling your insurance company section. Note Blue Cross of California is the trade name for Anthem BCBS so your criteria for weight loss surgery will be the same as it is here. ANTHEM BCBS PRE-APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS The items below are the minimum necessary for approval of your weight loss surgery. Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or greater OR… a BMI of 35 or greater with at least 2 comorbidities. Primary Care Physician’s Letter. Active Participation and Documentation of non-surgical methods of weight loss. 18 years of age (special consideration if under 18 with severe morbid obesity and special circumstances). Consult and recommendation from a weight loss surgeon. Psychological evaluation Nutritional evaluation Policies Included in Coverage Blue cross Kentucky Blue cross Virginia Blue cross Wisconsin Blue cross Ohio Blue cross California Blue cross Georgia Blue cross Missouri Blue cross New York Empire TYPES OF WEIGHT LOSS SURGERIES COVERED BY ANTHEM BCBSRecently gastric sleeves have begun to be covered by some of the large insurance companies as a primary weight loss surgery. Currently, gastric sleeves are considered experimental procedures and are not covered. Covered Weight Loss Surgery Procedures Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Open Gastric Bypass Surgery Gastric Banding – including the Lap Band and Realize Band Duodenal Switch also known as Biliopancreatic Diversion Gastric Sleeves Unsure which surgery is right for you? Take our bariatric surgery test! Lap Band Fills Covered? Anthem BCBS considers Lap Band fills a medical necessity when required to meet the proper level of weight loss. This is true only if you’ve had a previous adjustable gastric banding procedure that met all of the criteria laid out for that procedure. Typically, if you paid cash for the procedure ongoing lap band fills will not be covered by insurance. Procedures Excluded From Coverage Mini-gastric bypass Banded vertical gastroplasty Any other ‘experimental’ weight loss procedure Is a Second Weight Loss Surgery Covered if Gastric Banding Didn’t Work? Surgical procedures following a previous weight loss surgery that did not result adequate weight loss, such as a lap band or realize band to a gastric bypass, gastric sleeve or duodenal switch are covered by insurance when the following criteria are met: The patient continues to meet all the medical necessity criteria for bariatric surgery, and There must be documentation that the patient was compliant with the original post-operative dietary and exercise program, and 2 years after the original weight loss surgery, weight loss is still less than 50% of pre-operative excess body weight and weight remains at least 30% of the patients ideal body weight, per BMI. Revisions Revisions are covered if there is documentation of a failure secondary to a surgical complication. Complications can include but are not limited to fistula, obstruction or disruption of a suture/staple line.Does Anthem BCBS Require Center Of Excellence? Yes, weight loss surgery must be done at a Center of Excellence. Do I have to use an in-network weight loss surgeon? No. However, your deductible and out of pocket costs may be significantly lower if you do. And you will still need to find a surgeon that has privileges to perform the surgery at a accredited Center Of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery. ANTHEM BCBS CONTACT INFORMATIONAnthems can be contacted at 1-866-293-2892. You can also locate a contact number and email address on their website after choosing your state. ANTHEM BCBS WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY FULL COVERAGE STATEMENTAnthem’s full policy on weight loss surgery insurance coverage from their web site.

Yes thankyou. I took 3 weeks off, but you are right. I may have pushed myself too much coming right back with so many hours. I will take it easy this week. I work weekends mostly and that is where I do tons of walking, sometimes I get to work from home during the week so I don't have to walk anywhere. I started the treadmill very slowly after surgery and have worked up to about 45 minutes at a good pace, but maybe the constant walking of being up and down aggravated the area for more than what I am used to. What has been your symptoms of your body's rejection of the band? What is really crazy, is that I still have some restriction. I am getting between 1000 and 1500 calories a day which is great as I am trying to lose a few pounds before my revision. I have lost 8 since surgery and am going up and down 1 pound variation. I am sorry to hear that you had a rough time with your band, but I am glad that you feel better now. It seems as though there are more problems with the band nowadays and that surgeons are moving away from it. Thank you for you support I placed call to surgeon, just waiting to hear back.

You won't regret your decision to revise to the sleeve. My wife initially had Lap-Band. She lost a lot of weight, but was totally miserable the entire time. When I decided to have surgery, I definitely didn't want the band, I went with sleeve. I had a very positive experience, almost no problems. When my wife's band eventually failed, she went with the sleeve and has had very few problems since. She also lost a lot more weight.

Iam also considering revision from the lapband to the sleeve. I had my lapband since 2008. I haven't lost very much weight and am constantly wanting to eat, even though I can't keep much down. My eating times are between 12pm and 9pm because this is when my band loosens up to allow food to pass through. Who did your revision surgery and what are the major differences you notice between the band and the sleeve?

HI! I did not have the pain you are describing, but Im not surprized that you are having it. It has taken quite a while for my body to heal after having had the band removed after 3 years. It did some damage; I also think there can be some "memory" in the body that can cause discomfort. Im glad you will talk with your surgeon about it, but if you are not having a fever or other signs of infection, I wouldn't stress about it; just be sure to bring it to his attention.~hiddn Thankyou, it is just very uncomfortable when bending or sitting forward. In fact, it started after working two 10 hour days and another 8 hour day back to back, by the time I got home, I had to take a percocet to dull the pain. What you mentioned makes sense. No fever or anything else thankfully. I will give him a call tomorrow though. How long did it take for you to feel better after your band removal? Did you revise to a different surgery? Hi again! It makes sense to me that after working those long hours back to back could possibly inflame that area. My surgeon told me I would have the most difficulty with the port area as I healed. I tend to baby myself, so I took 3 weeks off work after I had the band removed; my surgeon told me to take 5 walks a day, so I structured my days around those walks. I was soon walking 2 miles a day without even realizing it! I think that helped a lot. When I went back to work I did a couple of half days (I normally work 10 hours a day) and then back to full time. I think maybe you pushed it a little too hard for your body to accomodate. I am glad to hear you will be calling your surgeon today, though; it's not something to just let slide and "see". I think it will help your peace of mind to talk with him and then you can relax again and just focus on healing. My healing went very well - I had this surgery 2 years ago, so my memory isn't real accurate on how long it took to feel better. I was glad I took the long time off, though. And was still somewhat tender when I went back to work. I still have symptoms of my body's rejection of the band and hope they will eventually go away. I did not revise. I've gained a lot of weight back, but feel so much better and healthier - my body could not tolerate the band, so I had no choice but to have it removed. I hope this helps!! And I hope things go smoothly for you. ~ hiddn

Did you revise from lap band to sleeve? If so, which did you like better? Good luck with your continued journey!! I have faith you can get back to goal. Thank you so much. You are very kind and I appreciate the encouragement!!!

I had the lapband from 2001 to 2011 and didn't lose much, regained it all plus some after I had to have the fill removed, suffered from band induced reflux etc... Except for about the first few months, I never really experienced hunger relief from the band - restriction yes, hunger relief no. I also didn't recieve proper "dietary" guidelines. I thought since I was a volume eater (lots of healthy food too - just too much of everything) the band would be ideal for me, but instead it turned me into an eater of "sliders" etc. It takes alot of maintenance to get the band tuned just right and it is not a permanent solution (many see that as a pro) I revised to the sleeve in 2011 and have lost 150# and maintaining in the ballpark of goal for over 2 years now. There is not alot of long term data on the sleeve, but what little there is indicates that it is not as effective at eliminating diabetes. I am very happy with my choice but I think a person should investigate all possibilities including bypass etc.

Hi! I'm having my revision surgery on the 17th! I'll be happy to get on with it. I'm starting my second week of the pre-op diet as well . Good luck!!! :-)

I've never posted on boards before but someone suggested I might find support here. I'm one week away from band to bypass revision surgery and getting nervous! I'm anxious to get the band out due to problems I've had with it in the past four years and looking forward to the bypass to help with the weight. I do find that a few well meaning friends and family are not very supportive.

: @choosehope- I am so sorry to hear that your surgery was being pushed out due to illness. I hope that you feel better quickly so that it can be rescheduled soon! I had lap band on Nov 16th 2011, and I knew that I was going to give up Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners because of it, but I really was ok with it. Those holidays are the worst for pies, Cookies, and so many more fattening things that I didn't need. With having the restriction from the new surgery, I really didn't crave anything. My family offered to puree some turkey and gravy....hehe I wasn't that desperate. I was able to get through just fine without any temptation. I know that with my upcoming revision to bypass on November 12th, I will be fine. I think if you can get through the 2 toughest holidays that's known for eating, then you can do just about anything I still was able to sit with my family and enjoy conversation while I drank my egg nog flavored Protein shake. I helped prepare the meal, but had to have others to taste test which was fun. My family was supportive, so it was pretty easy for me. This year will be the same

HI! I did not have the pain you are describing, but Im not surprized that you are having it. It has taken quite a while for my body to heal after having had the band removed after 3 years. It did some damage; I also think there can be some "memory" in the body that can cause discomfort. Im glad you will talk with your surgeon about it, but if you are not having a fever or other signs of infection, I wouldn't stress about it; just be sure to bring it to his attention.~hiddn Thankyou, it is just very uncomfortable when bending or sitting forward. In fact, it started after working two 10 hour days and another 8 hour day back to back, by the time I got home, I had to take a percocet to dull the pain. What you mentioned makes sense. No fever or anything else thankfully. I will give him a call tomorrow though. How long did it take for you to feel better after your band removal? Did you revise to a different surgery?

Welcome @@Doubletruble#1 ! Glad to have you with us! When are your evals? I found out yesterday that since I will be a revision, I only have to do 3 months instead of 5. I started my supervised diet back in April so I have super exceeded what my insurance requires. Thank goodness, it is one less thing that I have to worry about. I would like to invite you to our private WLS group on facebook. I will message you with my FB ID and when you send me a friend request, I will add you to our group

My first RNY '03; revised '08; Wt regain was my fault clear and simple. Now, I've been vomitng over 1 yr intermittently. As always, went back to my surgeon. Many tests; 1 surgery; still vomiting; one more test and as always, he wants to read the actual study; He doesn't believe radiologists read the studies as he would. He's found the culprit now and more sx needed. My point; Go back to your surgeon. Bring CD's of all the xrays you've had. Let him see if he can help. Get med. records of the ER visits for your attacks as well. They do know more that GI Drs. and rads. and put all the info together in a way other Drs. probably wouldn't. Could be a torsion causing pain; or a volvulus that resolves itself; or an internal hernia. I'd be so interested to see if original surgeon could shed some light. Keep us updated. And if he can't help, consider another bariatric surgeon consult. Where do you live, BTW? Good luck!!

My surgeon is the Director of Bariatric Surgery for Einstein Hospital in Philadelphia, and has performed thousands of Bariatric surgeries. He was even featured in an article done by ABC news. He sat down with me and asked ME what I wanted to have done. Of course I asked what his recommendation would be for me, and he said that bypass is generally more successful. Many people are very successful w/ the sleeve, while others end up getting revisions done, choosing finally, RNY. Point being- don't feel forced into ANYTHING. This is YOUR life, YOUR body. Research your doctor. Make an informed decision. Don't let ANYONE bully you into anything. Good luck!

My story is the same as yours. I revised to a sleeve and went from 256 to 132. I'm currently working on getting off the regain I put on in the last year. If I can't get back to goal I may consider a DS but think I can do it and would prefer to avoid mal absorption. I'm seeing my doctor, who had a bypass and works on maintenance herself, for the regain. She requires protein shakes and low carb in her program.

Hi Willow! I had a band to sleeve revision. The band worked well for a short time, but then I kept getting obstructions and I'd have to start at square one. Yes, I'm thrilled at how well I'm doing. What are you going to have done? Best of luck to you! Dubaiboy - Good luck tomorrow!! I'm sure you'll do wonderfully!! Best to all, Crash

I had lap band removed 8/10, along with the port of course and he also removed alot of scar tissue from around the area. I went back to work over Labor day weekend and walked alot!!!! I noticed some residual pain on my left side deep, near spleen area (which is where he most likely removed quite a bit of scar tissue from). I have had twinges of pain on that side ever since I worked this weekend. I am beginning to wonder if there is surrounding tissue is inflamed and hitting a nerve there ? Anyone else have similar? I will definitely mention it to my surgeon when I see him again and hopefully he can fix that when he does my revision to bypass this November.

I was 46 when I had my surgery in February. I needed to lose 100 pounds, so right as the cut-off point of your question. I have lost 72 pounds of that in 7 months. I would do it if I was a few years older, I would do it if I had only 65 pounds to lose. I had looked into WLS 6 years ago. I did not qualify since I did not weigh enough and didn't have the right co-morbities for insurance. 5 years later I was now heavy enough to not need the co-morbities but now had those too. I wished I could have had the WLS 6 years ago. I was taking diabetic meds off label for PCOS and was pre-diabetic. No more. I was taking meds for high blood pressure- one week after surgery and no more high blood pressure meds. I was taking Nexium for GERD for years prior to the sleeve. I stopped taking Nexium after my 3 month visit. I am down to Celebrex and I no longer take it daily, just as needed. Only you can make the decision but I would not cancel it 2 weeks out. If you are going to cancel wait until the last moment. Look back over your personal history of weight loss, weight gain, weight loss and decide whether you can take it off and keep it off. Many of us have proven we can take it off but we can't keep it off. Are there things you want to do and can't do because of your weight? Write up a list of pros and cons. Is transitioning to by-pass the worst thing? I don't know. But there are plenty of people on this board that their WLS of choice was by-pass and they are happy with the results. Does anybody want to go through the extra revision? No, of course not. GERD is a real concern. I had it before the surgery. My surgeon fixed my hiatal hernia during my sleever surgery. No more GERD. Losing the weight helped with that too.

I had my band removed August 10th and I have lost 8 pounds. I am currently waiting to revision to bypass. My surgeon even told me that I would probably gain weight after removal since my hunger and cravings will come back. However, I will not allow that to happen. I am still watching my calories 1500 or less and doing Zumba 3 times a week, walking, and dancing 4 times a week, and weight training 2-3 times a week. I have until November before removal and my goal is another 10 pounds loss before then. The only person that can prevent that from happening is myself; )

@@Annek2014 You said: "... If it is not better after that Endoscopy, we are looking a revision surgery." I'm confused about what you mean by "revision". Usually people mean something like "revision to RNY from band" or something like that, but there should be no revision from an RNY. Unless you mean reversing the whole RNY surgery, and reconnecting your stomach? Is that the "revision" you are talking about?

I have struggled with this problem since my cardiologist put me on a pill for my afib 6 years ago. Add Lap Band surgery and then revision to RNY, and I was doomed. I take a dose of Miralax every morning in my hot liquid (usually hot tea) and I am regular sometimes twice a day. Simply a miracle. I swear by the stuff. I will probably be on it the rest of my life.

So you have the ''breakfast food'' plus 2 Premier shakes a day? Seems to me like a lot of calories. Double check with your surgeon's recommendation, 1,800 cal a day is a fairly large amount at this point. If you have a nutritionist, you could revise with her.

I am happy to tell you that I will be having a revision to bypass. I'm reading all about the good and bad and I'm still so excited!!