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I need off the lap band ride.I really need Insurance to approve a revision. I can't take it anymore....I have had this band since 2004.I have just about gained all the weight back and I am a secret bulimic because I am constantly throwing up and sliming.i want a revision to the sleeve.I don't want another needle in me...my port is always sore.I feel disgusting.I am seeing a dr in a week but in lots of pain,reflux. What are the steps and timeline generally to get insurance approval and/or response once dr office submits claim?

All this for a revision? I am in pain...a lot of hoops!I have to buckle up and follow the drill!I should of never had the band in the first place!

I have been going through the same thing. Luckily I will be having revision surgery on the 17th and switched to RNY.

Hey Rebecca I am in NJ and I am seeking a revision to a sleeve.I would definitely like to become a buddy.I will be seeing this new Dr next week.I really am miserable with this band.I have HJ Horizon so it is probably going to be a journey.

I am new here and I am excited.I need a lap band revision to a sleeve.I am getting support by reading many of the posts.Grateful.

I am going to see this doctor in a week.He is in Cheery Hill NJ.Anyone know of him?I know he is known for lap bands but I want a sleeve revision.

I was banded in 2004.At that time it was band or bypass.I chose the Band.I am and have been miserable for years.I have completed me to terms with the fact that the band never really worked for me.I was initially 269 and got down to 219.never saw those incredible results.I have struggled with port site bain,bloating,port pain,aches and sliming and vomiting up.I have a "Barf" bag that I have on hand.I am always hungry,acid reflux is off the hook!I am a bulimic because I never know when I can keep it down.Had my gallbladder out 5 years ago.I am going to the doctor to see about a gastric sleeve revision.I am miserable and in pain. I have horizon NJ Health.I need them to cover this revision

I have a band and I am seeing Dr Goldstein about a revision to a sleeve.I am afraid of a bypass.I find it interesting that your doctor recommended a bypass.I have had PCOS for years.The band is a complete failure."Bypass?? Didn't Carnie Wilson have the bypass?

I can't take it anymore....I have had this band since 2004.I have just about gained all the weight back and I am a secret bulimic because I am constantly throwing up and sliming.i want a revision to the sleeve.I don't want another needle in me...my port is always sore.I feel disgusting.I am seeing Dr Adam Goldstein in a week.

Why all the revisions? Why all the revisions?

My mom and I both went to the Nicholson Clinic. I had Dr. Nick do a band on me five years ago and he did my band to sleeve revision a month ago. Both times were great and everyone at their offices are extremely helpful. My mom had a sleeve done earlier this year and she had one of his associates Dr. Roshek for her surgery. She loved him as well. They have a third surgeon, but I can't vouch for him because I don't know anyone who has used him personally. Also, they're a center of excellence if that's a requirement for your insurance. I hope you find the right place for you so that you can reach your goals. Good luck!

I know a lot of people on this thread had procedures done last year, but if anyone's around did you have a hard time finding a surgeon who has done a sleeve to bypass revision? I live in a different place than my original surgery and it seems like a lot of the surgeons I've contacted aren't very familiar with this kind of revision.

I was very happy with Dr. Nepomnayshy. He did my Lap Band in 2007 and also the removal in 2011 when it eroded. Actually before we knew for sure it had eroded, I was rushed to South Shore Hospital (I lived in Quincy at the time) with a mysterious illness (high fever, flu like symptoms) - my kidneys shut down and I was septic. I was in the ICU for 4 days, ended up dehydrated and with a bowel obstruction that they did nothing about. The staff at South Shore Hospital were afraid to give me an NG tube because I was banded, and let me suffer for 2 more days. We called Dr. Nepomnayshy's team at Lahey Clinic and within 30 minutes I was being transferred by ambulance to Lahey Clinic in Burlington. Once in Dr. Nepomnayshy's hands I immediately improved. I am convinced SSH would have killed me. During that stay further tests revealed the band had completely eroded into my stomach and had to be removed. I was devasted that it had to come out because I had done so well on it until then. At the time, I was supposedly only Lahey's second patient to ever experience band erosion (I wonder how that number has changed since!). Dr. Nepomnayshy would not do a revision on me for at least 6-12 months, until my stomach completely healed. At the time I was a wreck, but now I appreciate his caution. If I did end up needing a revision, he wanted to do RNY over VSG (which I preferred) - I think there was some concern about weakening of the stomach wall from the band. By the time I had healed, my employer changed insurance plans and WLS was no longer covered so a 2nd surgery was out of the question. But I would have gone back to him without hesitation. If your insurance covers WLS, Lahey Clinic has a great bariatric program, with lots of support. They were a Center of Excellence before most of the others in MA. I don't know if nurse Pam is still there, but she was wonderful. If I wasn't self-pay, I would go back to Lahey. Unfortunately self-pay for bariatrics in the Northeast is ridiculously expensive.

Hi - I have my initial consult with Dr. Shillingford on 8/12! I too am self-pay. I had the Lap Band removed due to erosion back in 2011 and by the time I was ready to do a revision, my employer changed insurance plans and WLS was no longer covered. I decided to wait, I was looking for a new job and wanted to believe I could keep the weight off on my own. Fast forward a few years (and after regaining all the weight) my new employer's plan also does not cover WLS so I started looking at self-pay options. I live in CT now and the cost of self-pay for VSG is $25,000 - 30,000 depending on the hospital your surgeon performs the surgery at. There is no way I could pay $30K out of pocket so I gave up for a while. I looked at Mexico for $5 - 6K but the lack of after care concerns me. For some reason I never considered FL until now - I am self-pay I can go anywhere! My parents live in S. Florida so I can stay with them for an extended period while doing pre-op tests and post op recovery (I am in sales and am home-office based so working from my parents' home is no issue). So my question for those of you self-paying with Dr. Wizman or Dr Shillingford - are you at all concerned about post op care if there is a complication? I have noticed on other surgeon sites that they participate in BLIS (Bundled Loan and Indemnity Soultion)- it helps protect you should you need secondary surgeries from a complication. I don't see anything like that on Dr Shillingford's site. I know I personally cannot afford to pay for additional surgeries should something go wrong. Is this covered in the "all inclusive" package? Seems to good to be true for only $10 - 11K. I know most complications from sleeve arise in the first 30 days (leakage is the primary problem) but are you at all concerned about how you will deal with any issues that arise later on?

Thanks for the tip. It finally feels like it is making its way down. It has taken all day. It made for an uncomfortable day. Wishing you the best! I agree with you. This no easy journey. I feel that way with going in for revision after having complications. I have finally gotten to the point of not caring what others think. Yes, I had surgery and I am still obese for many reasons. The insurance coordinator is not very welcoming and treats me like I failed not really understanding why... This whole journey is filled with humbling experiences, realities and some tears...oh and swallowing cherry pits!

Hi Everyone, I have the band and am trying for a revision to RNY. My BMI is currently 37.5. I was denied last year as the Insurance company told me that I had to be at a 40 BMI for 5 years (the same rules as before I was banded). This seems a bit absurd that I would have to do the same song and dance for a revision. My only real complications have been GERD and lack of weight loss (I am fortunate). My question is - has anyone gained weight or somehow artificially inflated their weight consistently for approval for a short period of time to realize the goal to a revision? I don't want to gain 15 pounds and have keep it on for 4 more years to have the surgery! I feel like it is almost a bullying technique by the insurance company, esp. as it has been shown that the band is ineffective. I also realize that I sound kind of whinny (lol) and in the end I need to blame myself for my weight gain. I also realize that this is kind of an ethical question...but there has to be someone out there who has at least been in my boat? I think I might be beaten up a bit by asking this question...

I should also add that now that I'm seeking a revision I'm going through a Renaissance period once again. Last year I started journey #2 down the path of switching from a band to the RNY which ended in my first rejection. I'm going for round two. Yahoo! I'm up for an adventure!

2 months post op sleeve revision to bypass feeling great. Slower weight loss but steady no gain.

losing_the_band thank you very much for sharing your story. I believe I gave up easily because I was literally going into another surgery (prolapsed bladder) and just wanted to put my energy into healing. But now, 9 months out and recovered from my surgery, I'm ready for a fight! My surgeon is well experienced with revisions and I was told last year that mid-year they did more band revisions then actual bands. I believe in their skill but will they fight for me? I'm not sure. I've suffered from GERD when my band was tight, and I was told that I was STILL suffering from it even tho I had no clue that I was. My band was like everyone's band - a foreign object wrapped around my stomach. I believe that there are some for who this works well (and for a couple of years I worked my band well and was considered a "success", too). Question for you tho - what was your BMI at the time you appealed?

I am confused. What is frothing/fomies? I know about dumping but not the other. I am a band to bypass revision so I am extremely familiar with things getting stuck and having esophagus pain for hours until you vomit. Is that what you are referring to?

So I'm about in the same boat as VDLT in regards to having the band giving me many issues. I've been banded since 2009. My main questions about having the sleeve vs the band: What is the main difference you noticed as far as your eating habits (ability to eat, how much you could eat, how you tell you have eaten enough, etc) without the band giving you a "hard stop"? Do you feel just as or more successful? Do you think it's easier to over eat with the sleeve? I'll have to have my gallbladder out - and am considering having revision to the sleeve at the same time. I discussed with my surgeon and he said yes he could do both at once. I keep going back and forth about doing it. I'm back to feeling like I should just go ahead and do it. Ever since my band was too tight like 2 months ago and I had to have Fluid taken out I haven't felt very good. I got it re-filled with 1cc then 4.5 weeks later I got one more cc. That last one was about 3 or so weeks ago. It's so weird - sometimes I feel like I can eat way more than I should be able to - I have about 8.7cc in there now...maybe a tad more - and other times I can't keep anything down. I started having reflux again and went to liquids for a few days. It went away. Now it's back this morning and I haven't even had any solid food. I made a Protein shake for Breakfast and was only able to drink about half of it. I took all my medication, but it hurt (I guess I went to fast, I try to wait a few minutes between pills, but was running late today). I am starting to feel like I'd be better off having the band taken out and switching to the sleeve. Through all this annoyance of the last 3 or so weeks I haven't even lost any weight. Go figure. Since the symptoms for being too tight and a band slip are about the same I'm not sure what to think any more. I'm sure I probably do not have a slip but I'm kind of paranoid about it anyway. I know if I call the nurse at my surgeon's office she'll have me come in and get an un-fill. At which point I guess I'll just start whatever process I need to start to do the revision. It's quite scary to me. The only surgery I've ever had was the band surgery. And of course the anesthesia made me sick after they had to wake me up from it (I take after my dad in that respect lol). So I'm also not keen on having surgeries, but the gerd/reflux and the chest pain...I was truly miserable this weekend whenever I tried to eat anything. And despite the fact that I'm not eating very much AT ALL I still haven't lost any more weight??? I can't figure out how that happens. Especially when I'm still active. Maybe not enough calories. I mostly drink protein shakes/drinks. I try to eat more solid food for dinner usually. I think I'll just have to call the nurse and get this whole process going. I don't like being nauseous, throwing up, and the reflux, OY! I've NEVER had reflux or gurd. EVER.

@@augkash - are you getting revised?

Ok, so I had my Lapband in Dec 2009. I do not regret doing it bc it got me from highest of 260 down to 200. But I had issues like you mentioned. What I could eat one day, would get stuck the next time I tried. I got to a point where my weight was bw 200 and 215 fluctuating but not losing more and I was miserable. On 4/27/15, I was revised to sleeve. I could not be happier. The surgeon warned me that the band could be eroded, emulsified, wrapped or twisted. ..and if he had to do extra work to get it out that he may need to let me heal and come back in 3 months for sleeve. That scared me! I didn't want to gain back to 260! And I had never thought of all those complications that might happen. Good news is it went fine. 3 months and down to 178. The difference? Well, I have had no issues with food....even bread which I am not eating all the time bc protein FIRST and I can only eat a small amount of food at a time. I used to get a dull ache in my tummy area intermittently and I blamed it on nerves, something I ate, constipation, my period, etc but with the foreign objects out of me the ache is gone. Just my two cents. Best wishes on whatever you decide!

I actually just got approved for revision from band to bypass, and I had a band replacement in 2011 after my first band slipped severely. I had two denials for the band-to-bypass revision, and my surgeon finally did a peer-to-peer appeal and got it reversed. I think it's fairly standard practice for insurance companies to deny the first attempt at revision appeal, because they're hoping you just give up. Mine was denying it because they kept saying that I couldn't prove any technical malfunction of the band, even though I was having severe reflux and was unable to tolerate any Fluid in the band anymore. I would recommend contacting the Lindstrom bariatric law group, since they will handle the appeal for you. I got a quote from them, since I was going to use them if the peer-to-peer appeal was denied. I would first recommend trying to find a surgeon that specializes in revisions, though. We're special cases, and we and our surgeons can't treat our stomachs like ones that have never been touched. With a doctor that does a lot of revisions, their staff will be more experienced in how to finesse the insurance approval/appeals. If I'd had a revision surgeon when I had to have my band replaced in 2011, I probably would have gone with a different surgery instead of a replacement. I believed my insurance coordinator, though, when she said I didn't have a chance at getting it approved, so we didn't even attempt to get a conversion to another surgery approved. I know now that I would have actually had a really good chance of it getting approved, since I'd had a major complication.

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.