SOMEONE PLEASE HELP

SO HERE IS THE DEAL, FOR THE PAST 6 OR 7 MONTHS I HAVE BEEN CONTIPLATING ON RNY DUE TO COMPLICATIONS WITH MY BAND, WELL I GAVE IT ONE LAST SHOT AND DECIDED TO HAVE THE PORT REPLACEMENT, WHICH WAS LAST MONDAY WELL THEY DONE IT UNDER LOCAL ANESTH. TAKE THE PORT OUT AND NEXT THING I KNOW IS THEY ARE TELLING ME IT IS NOT THE PORT AND THEY ARE THINKING ITS THE ACTUAL BAND THAT SITS AROUND MY STOMACH :( SO I HAVE DECIDED THAT I AM NOT GOING TO HAVE THE BAND DONE OVER BUT GO AHEAD WITH THE RNY DUE TO ALL MY COMPLICATIONS WITH THE BAND...BUT MY PROBLEM IS I CAN NOT GET INSURANCE FROM ANYONE!! THEY ARE ALL TURNING ME DOWN BECAUSE OF MY HEIGHT AND WEIGHT...REGUARDLESS OF ME WANTING RNY OR NOT ISN'T IT MEDICALLY NESSECARY TO GET THIS FAULTY BAND OUT??? I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO FEEL GOOD LOOSING WEIGHT AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT IF MY BAND IS GOING TO PREVENT ME FROM DOING IT OR WHAT IS GOING TO GO WRONG NEXT AND HOW MUCH WEIGHT WILL I GAIN BACK THIS MONTH....I AM IN TEERS ALMOST EVERY DAY DUE TO THIS AND MY WEIGHT, I JUST WANT TO BE NORMAL AND BE ABLE TO SHOW EVERYONE THE TRUE ME, NOT SOMONE JUST PUTTING ON A SMILE TO MAKE OTHERS THINK I AM HAPPY.... SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE ME SOME WORDS OF ENCOURAGMENT OR EVEN A LITTLE PRAYER

Nikki, First, I will keep you in my prayers. Try not to be discouraged. As you well know, with faith and perseverance all things are possible. If your band is "not working", but not causing specific medical problems, its removal would not be considered a medical necessity. Insurance companies are businesses. If you're an investor, that's great. However as a patient, it's awful. They could NOT care less about your health and well being. I have a couple of suggestions regarding your quest for health insurance. The easiest route would be to get health insurance from a job. Depending on the "quality" of your employer, this policy may or may not have bariatric benefits. The only way to find out is to ask. Remember, it is unlikely that they will say, "Yes we cover weight loss surgery." At best, expect a qualified response such as, "We cover this type of surgery only if it can be proven to be a medical necessity." If the employment route is out of the question, then see if there are "high risk" policies available. Check with your state government. If that doesn't work, contact an insurance broker. Be loud! If you are not your strongest advocate, who will be? The Lord helps those who help themselves. Don't be shy! If necessary make yourself a royal pain in their... side. Be positive, it really does make a difference. Refuse to take no for an answer! Never give up! No one will "give" you success; TAKE IT! Good luck! Eric Schlesinger, MD, FACS AZ Weight Loss Solutions

Hey, just wanted to let you know of my situation. I was a self pay for the band back in Nov 04.  After countless problems, it was determined that I needed revision surgery.  Well, DH's insurance will not cover any wls of any type.  So last June I got a job with Starbucks.  As long as I average 20 hrs a week, I qualify for medical insurance, with Aetna.  Aetna has just approved my revision.  I am getting my band removed and my getting DS done.  I'm having surgery in 2 weeks.  I don't know what your situation is like but thought you would like to know how I solved my issue. keeping my fingers crossed for you.... Tammy

I am in your same boat...the empty band and the doc couldn't say where the leak was..so I am going for the RNY ....again insurance issues. I had bcbc when I had the band but my freeking employer changed the monthly cost to $500 so last  June I jumped on my husband's plan with a weight loss surgery exclusion...never thinking I would need another surgery. 4 mos into the plan is when the leak was discovered. I have to wait until May/June to jump back onto my works' plan..hoping they have made no changes to the weight loss side allowance. Onto the job..my girlfriend wanted the surgery and took a job as a night nanny with an agency. If she worked 30 or 40 hours a week, waited 30 days, she was good for bluecross insurance.  That is what she did. She told the doc..get the surgery asap so she could quit the job and he was helpful.  Why not start asking around your state board to see if people know of good insurances for places like starbucks, cvs, grocery store etc. where depending on your schedule you could fit in some hours. Good luck. I do agree with you...this insurance system of our nation bites! Maybee the next President will grant bariatric coverage to ALL ! Joan

Hi Joan, I'm hoping you'll see this message.  I'm also a band patient of David Lautz.  I lost beautifully for the first 4 months and havn't lost anything since (I'm now almost 15 months post op).  I've been talking to him at my last few fill appts. about revising to RNY and am seriously considering it.  I'm wondering if he's going to do your revision.  My only hesitation is that he's only done 8 of them (lapband to RNY).  My husband is a statistition and he tells me not to worry about it.  My head is stuck on the advice that says don't have a surgeon operate on you unless he's done at least 100 surgeries of the kind you're going for.  My husband says, "who knows which way the stats go, it could be that 100 surgeries makes you a good surgeon or it could be a good surgeon gets to 100 surgeries".  Anyway, just wanting your thoughts on having him do the revision.  I have lots of confidence in his abilities as a RNY surgeon and a lap band surgeon, but he's not time tested on the revision.    Thanks for any thoughts you can give me.

You too??? I thought the Band was working out really well for you?? I'm sorry for your troubles Good Luck with your your revision. Leila

Nikki, What about talking to the insurance person in your physicians office.  They may be able to give you some insight as to some large companies in your area with insurance that is covering surgery.   In Illinois there is a state board of insurance that helps get insurance for people with preexisting conditions.  It is called ICHIP here - I'm guessing your state has something also.  Can you work?  If you can work, than employer health is the best route.  If you can't, write back and I can try and do some research when I am at work tomorrow.  I work in a dialysis unit where insurance issues are very common. Pam

This is to ap7yrs - you are right, your husband is wrong (how often is that the case!) I'm a revisioner, band to DS, and I learnt early on in research that revisions are trickier. You have already had one stomach surgery, any second one you get is more likely to be complicated. So I wouldn't go with any surgeon who wasn't experienced -  not only in the surgery that you want, but also experienced in revisions. I'm doubting your current surgeon has that experence. You might have to look further afield. duodenalswitch.com lists DS and revision surgeons, and I bet someone will be along soon for the equivalent RNY site.

Nikki, My band had to come out last week because it was causing an infection with my stomach. Since it was medically necessary there was nothing they could do. I'm self pay. My doctor did the revision while I was in there. I know my hospital bill will be tremendous, but I will pay what I can on a monthly basis. I had to have one surgery, I just combined the two to accomplish both tasks. Either way, I just want you to know that I am thinking of you and saying a prayer for you!

Hey Nikki! Don't cry Sweetie.  You are young and beautiful just go out and live life regardless of your weight - I did - I lived it up girl!!!  Starbucks has serious insurance and in the meanwhile, At 19 you must still have the capacity to go on a serious diet and exercise.  Our metabolism does not begin to slow down until we are 25 years old.  My niece who is now 22 and is a compulsive/binge eater just like me has dieted her weight from over 250 to 160+/- she has stayed down for 3 years whenever she slips for awhile, she gets strict with herself until she is back down.  She road her bike or walked to work instead of taking transportation.  She prepared her meals and just kept busy.  Me, I've had success at your age with weight loss, at her age but after awhile, you burn out.  I can't control myself for one day even.  But guess what, I'm goint to try to diet again because this f*cking band does not work. I've have lots of experience with my band not working too and it has stopped my life at times.  It is downright embarrassing to have WLS and not lose weight.  Girl, I thought I'd be twiggy by now.  I've been obsessed with getting the band to work or get it taken out or have a revision.  While I do believe in malabsorbtion, it is a big word - to me and in your case, even bigger because of your age. You can end up sicker years down the road post-op  with a malabsorbtive procedure - osteoporous, hypoglycemia, strictures, really low iron that requires weekly infusions, B12 deficiencies, and there is a very high incidence of weight gain with RNY.  Do you see all the revisions - tighten the pouch, tighen the stoma, shorten the intestines (more distal RNY), Lap Band over pouch, RNY to Duodenal Switch etc.  We must learn how to control ourselves no matter  or we will end up right where we started - even worse.  Every surgery you have creates scar tissue making the next one riskier and riskier. Nikki all I'm saying is that you are young.  Slow it down a little bit and work with what you got for a while - I know the band is not working - mine's not neither.  Just eat clean and less (healthy - 1500 calories usually provides reasonable weight loss) and exercise your tail off. If you'd like to do something together let me know. Much Love, Peace, & Harmony, Leila