Lap Band to DS Revision in Washington DC area
Update and good news, got my insurance all figured out, Aetna Choice POS II accepted the revision request without an issue. I selected Dr. Daryl Stewart out of Denton TX. I flew into DFW last Monday, got the DS on Wednesday and flew home Sunday night. Been walking, drinking and healing ever sense. I can't wait to be fully healed.
Excellent! Congratulations. If you want to meet up with fellow DSrs, we have a live support group that's open to other patients the first Tuesday every month.
--gina
--gina
5'1" -- HW 195/SW 187/GW 115 July 08/CW 121 Dec 2012
******GOAL*******
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish?
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DS on Aug 9, 2007 with Dr. Hazem Elariny
Congrats on your DS! Remember to sip, sip, sip, and walk.
Chris
HW/225 - 5'1" ~ SW/205/after surgery 215 ~ CW/145~ BMI-25.8~Normal BMI 132 ~DS Dr Rabkin 4/17/08
Plastics in Monterrey - See Group on OH Dr Sauceda Jan 13, 2011
LBL, BL, small thigh lift, arms & a full facelift on 1/17/11 UBL 1/21/13
Love my Body by Sauceda
On August 13, 2011 at 4:14 AM Pacific Time, RockyMtnCamper wrote:
Hi all,I got a lap band in Oct 2007 from George Fielding at NYU, went from 363 to 260 in about 18 months, then climbed to 280 where I remained until late 2010 when my band slipped, Got it unfilled and have gained back to 330. I've been looking into revising to DS and visited Dr Halmi here in Vienna, VA *****commended the Sleeve or RNY since he doesn't do the DS. I'm not interested in the RNY, not sure about the sleeve.
Met with Elariny, he was nice, seems to know what he's doing, he said that most folks that fail to lose weight with restrictive proedures like lap band shouldn't revise to another restrictive procedure like the sleeve. He basically left the choice up to me, even offered to perform a ds and leave the lap band in if I wanted to use it after the major weight loss was done after some time. He wanted to remove my appendix at the same time as the revision as a precautionary measure.
Elariny's staff told me it would be $20k cash upfront if insurance covers the rest. I have Bank of America - Aetna Total Comprehensive. There seemed to be some negotiation room, I just sat in silence and finally said I was thinking cash payment of $6k was more in my range and she said maybe if $20k was too much that they could do $12k, it was all as if she had to get it approved by some committee and had to check on it. Felt like negotiating a car purchase. Elariny's staff also said it was $70k if insurance didn't cover and that we may not know until after they submit for payment after the surgery.
Looking for another option, locally first, or within a couple hundred miles at the max. I don't want to do another surgery in NYC.
I see Vanguri is in Baltimore, Greenbaum is in southern NJ, Elariny in Virginia. Is there anyone else within a couple hundred miles of DC? They need to have lap band to ds revision experience and hopefully not charge me upfront something dramatic.
DS: 2011 (Dr. Michel Gagner) SW: 240
VSG: 2012 (Dr. Michel Gagner) SW: 256
Lap-band: 2006 (SW: 226) , 2011 (SW: 236) (Dr. Christopher Cobourn)
VSG: 2012 (Dr. Michel Gagner) SW: 256
Lap-band: 2006 (SW: 226) , 2011 (SW: 236) (Dr. Christopher Cobourn)
Not sure but I think it's a metabolism issue. The malabsorptive surgeries seem reset the metabolism at least for a few years.
--g
--g
5'1" -- HW 195/SW 187/GW 115 July 08/CW 121 Dec 2012
******GOAL*******
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish?
Join us on the Lightweights Board!
DS on Aug 9, 2007 with Dr. Hazem Elariny
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