Considering a Revision Consult....
I haven't been on these boards for close to a year. I've struggled since day one with WLS. While I don't consider myself as having failed at this point, I do feel that I will NEVER EVER get between mine and my doctors goal weight of 140(his)-185(mine) with this band!!!!!
Looking back I feel I had entirely too much weight to lose to be super successful with the band. From my my start weight to my Drs goal weight I was looking at a loss of 57% of my start weight.
I feel super dissapointed that I should have been advised to have a different surgery with that much weight to lose.
I lost most of my weight in the first 6 months...I'm 18months out now and just fluctuate between a few lbs here and there.
I've had horrible horrific reflux for the past 6 months. I had it checked in September and all was fine no slips but the symptoms are worse and worse. Due to job change and insurance I have to wait until May to see a new surgeon. For those very reasons as well, although I love my previous surgeron I cannot go back to him as he is out of network and I can't self pay.
I'm planning on consulting with Dr. Singh as soon as I can. I'm very nervous that he will take one look at me and want to keep pressing on managing this band instead of revising and/or of course very worried I won't be approved insurance wise for a revision. I'm more open to the sleeve than RNY but at this point I need the doctors to tell me what will best get me to goal or close to it. I still have 100lbs to lose by the Drs goal and 55lbs on my end.
I'm better off than where I was when I started - down from a size 26 to a 16. I can wear xl tops and not 3x & 4x. I don't stick out like a big sore thumb and I am capable of doing normal everyday things much easier now but in light of all that, I am still discouraged and disappointed.
Those who will remember me on this board will most likely remember the struggles I have had along the way.
I am really hoping I have the opportunity to get on the right track and I will find a Dr. willing to go to bat for a revision for me considering the amount of weight I still need to lose, the medical issues that still persist particulary major GERD issues.
I really do not know what I am up against here. I've seen people get revisions so easily like it was nothing. I can only hope to be so lucky!
Looking back I feel I had entirely too much weight to lose to be super successful with the band. From my my start weight to my Drs goal weight I was looking at a loss of 57% of my start weight.
I feel super dissapointed that I should have been advised to have a different surgery with that much weight to lose.
I lost most of my weight in the first 6 months...I'm 18months out now and just fluctuate between a few lbs here and there.
I've had horrible horrific reflux for the past 6 months. I had it checked in September and all was fine no slips but the symptoms are worse and worse. Due to job change and insurance I have to wait until May to see a new surgeon. For those very reasons as well, although I love my previous surgeron I cannot go back to him as he is out of network and I can't self pay.
I'm planning on consulting with Dr. Singh as soon as I can. I'm very nervous that he will take one look at me and want to keep pressing on managing this band instead of revising and/or of course very worried I won't be approved insurance wise for a revision. I'm more open to the sleeve than RNY but at this point I need the doctors to tell me what will best get me to goal or close to it. I still have 100lbs to lose by the Drs goal and 55lbs on my end.
I'm better off than where I was when I started - down from a size 26 to a 16. I can wear xl tops and not 3x & 4x. I don't stick out like a big sore thumb and I am capable of doing normal everyday things much easier now but in light of all that, I am still discouraged and disappointed.
Those who will remember me on this board will most likely remember the struggles I have had along the way.
I am really hoping I have the opportunity to get on the right track and I will find a Dr. willing to go to bat for a revision for me considering the amount of weight I still need to lose, the medical issues that still persist particulary major GERD issues.
I really do not know what I am up against here. I've seen people get revisions so easily like it was nothing. I can only hope to be so lucky!
i think based on your symptoms that the band should come out. horrible heart burn just is not ok! i sure hope you get the revision you want. i do know that people with the band seem to get approved for the vsg revision so push for that if that is what you want. good luck sweetie. things will get better.
Thanks Nicole and Linda - I hope to be posting some good news on here really soon. I may not be able to wait out my May Dr. visit however. The reflux is becoming so bad that it's constant and I'm taking at least 2 zantac per day and eating tums! It really doesn't matter what I eat or drink, I still get symptoms.
Potentially i guess this could be a slip but on the other hand I do not have the same symptoms as a usual slip which is is heartburn at night and coughing, being able to eat larger portions etc.
I hope that whatever is going on there is a resolution in the interim until I figure out what my options down the road are....
Potentially i guess this could be a slip but on the other hand I do not have the same symptoms as a usual slip which is is heartburn at night and coughing, being able to eat larger portions etc.
I hope that whatever is going on there is a resolution in the interim until I figure out what my options down the road are....
Nikki,
Are you attending any support groups? Just went to the pre-op group at SGH. Meh.
I hope you're getting lots of support thru all this health ordeal. Here for ya if ever needed!
Are you attending any support groups? Just went to the pre-op group at SGH. Meh.
I hope you're getting lots of support thru all this health ordeal. Here for ya if ever needed!
First ultra: Stone Mill 50 miler 11/15/14 13:44:38, First Full Marathon: Marine Corps 10/27/13 4:57:11, Half Marathon PR 2:04:43 at Shamrock VA Beach Half-Marathon, 12/2/12 First Half-Marathon 2:32:47, 5K PR Run Under the Lights 5K 27:23 on 11/23/13, 10K PR 52:53 Pike's Peek 10K 4/21/13, (1st timed run) Accumen 8K 51:09 10/14/12.
Well I went to Dr. Singh yesterday regarding my reflux. He did a complete unfill! Now I am very worried. I haven't had an empty band since I had surgery.
He was optimistic about wanting to do a revision - he said for sure if there is a slip I can either revise to another surgery or fix the band. He asked me if I liked the band and was I happy and I told him no that the band has not exactly been ideal for me having battled fill, unfill, fill, unfill for the past year and never being able to get in a good zone etc and his exact words were "Ok, then will just take the damn thing out and revise" haha. He is quite jokster with his patients but also seems very experienced. His practice is a Bariatric Center of Excellence which is a good thing I guess.
The recommendation was that revising to another resitrctive procedre was not the best choice for me to get to goal and he was rather adamant about revising to RNY. He also said that if there is not a slip and the reflux was that severe with only 4cc in the band then the band mechanics is just not ideal for my body and I can't keep having such severe reflux and in that case it should still come and be revised.
I'm currently on meds for reflux and scheduled for a barium swallow and blood work.
He is hoping to be able to use the last year of medical history and visits to my previous surgeon as "attempted" weight loss for insurance purposes. The issue with the insurance may be that regardless if there is a problem with the band, they may require another 6 months of presurgery diet/weightloss history attempts. The office in fact told me that if the band has to come out for medical reasons, potentially based on the insurance that I would FIRST have to have it removed and then wait the six months and go through nutrition counseling AGAIN and then have to get approved AGAIN from my insurance. I don't even have the same insurance policy as I had when my first surgery was approved. I'm already frustrated.
I've asked some other OH'ers who have had revisions if they experienced this so I'm waiting for some feedback.
Trying to take one day at a time but that is easier said than done especially with the fear of weight starting to come back on while things are figured out. I told him I cannot go back to wear I was before. So I am hoping once he gets the tests results back we have an answer and can move foward.
He was optimistic about wanting to do a revision - he said for sure if there is a slip I can either revise to another surgery or fix the band. He asked me if I liked the band and was I happy and I told him no that the band has not exactly been ideal for me having battled fill, unfill, fill, unfill for the past year and never being able to get in a good zone etc and his exact words were "Ok, then will just take the damn thing out and revise" haha. He is quite jokster with his patients but also seems very experienced. His practice is a Bariatric Center of Excellence which is a good thing I guess.
The recommendation was that revising to another resitrctive procedre was not the best choice for me to get to goal and he was rather adamant about revising to RNY. He also said that if there is not a slip and the reflux was that severe with only 4cc in the band then the band mechanics is just not ideal for my body and I can't keep having such severe reflux and in that case it should still come and be revised.
I'm currently on meds for reflux and scheduled for a barium swallow and blood work.
He is hoping to be able to use the last year of medical history and visits to my previous surgeon as "attempted" weight loss for insurance purposes. The issue with the insurance may be that regardless if there is a problem with the band, they may require another 6 months of presurgery diet/weightloss history attempts. The office in fact told me that if the band has to come out for medical reasons, potentially based on the insurance that I would FIRST have to have it removed and then wait the six months and go through nutrition counseling AGAIN and then have to get approved AGAIN from my insurance. I don't even have the same insurance policy as I had when my first surgery was approved. I'm already frustrated.
I've asked some other OH'ers who have had revisions if they experienced this so I'm waiting for some feedback.
Trying to take one day at a time but that is easier said than done especially with the fear of weight starting to come back on while things are figured out. I told him I cannot go back to wear I was before. So I am hoping once he gets the tests results back we have an answer and can move foward.
Dont go to Pinnars office, he sold his practice. I had a consult with them this week and they are all like corporate america. It was the worst office visit Ive ever had. When they started talking about price breaks and profit margins I felt like I was at Costco and I walked out.
Im going to Dr. Morazz now and he's awesome!
Im going to Dr. Morazz now and he's awesome!
I actually had my surgery with Dr. Pinnar (Eric the son not the dad). I've always been happy with the practice and their support but the not taking any insurance-being out of network and the distance to VA was all too much for me.
He however did my gall bladder removal for me and took the assignment of what the insurance paid him which was nothing. I think he is a great Dr. and I never had any of that with the money - matter of fact due to what little my insurance paid him for my band surgery they wrote off alot of costs for me - thankfully!
Dr, Singh said something like Dr. Pinnar was relocating to FL. I didn't believe him LOL! I was just there in the end of October so not THAT long ago.
Needless to say Dr. Singh will be my new Dr. either for revision or band maintenance whatever happens to me!
He however did my gall bladder removal for me and took the assignment of what the insurance paid him which was nothing. I think he is a great Dr. and I never had any of that with the money - matter of fact due to what little my insurance paid him for my band surgery they wrote off alot of costs for me - thankfully!
Dr, Singh said something like Dr. Pinnar was relocating to FL. I didn't believe him LOL! I was just there in the end of October so not THAT long ago.
Needless to say Dr. Singh will be my new Dr. either for revision or band maintenance whatever happens to me!
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