Hoping to Make the Switch!

Well after 5 unsuccessful years of having the lapband I am ready to make the switch. I was convinced that once I was able to get back on board with doctor visits with my original surgeon he was concerned with my severe acid reflux and having to take medicine to control it daily for three years. Well he unfilled my band and voila the pounds packed back on in two months. After reading so many band horror stories I am now a little terrified of possible scar tissue that I had no idea could happen from having the band to your stomach. So now I am back at a shameful 330lbs and I am so ready for this weight to be gone for good. I have just started investigating this surgery and the more I look into it the more I think it is the right choice for me.

Only one problem. I am in the Washington, DC area and it don't appear to be that many surgeons skilled in this field so I was hoping for some referrals from you guys who have had this surgery done either in this area on close enough on the east coast. Thank you guys for all of your help!

Dr Elariny is one of the best DS surgeons in NOVA but he does charge over and above what insurance covers. Some folks go to Atlanta and see Dr Smith for the DS and I believe he's doing lap band to DS revisions. You might want to check out the DS surgeons on www.dsfacts.com
It's a really good web site for researching. :)

--gina
 

Thanks!

I'm glad you are finding you way to the DS. We are seeing many lap band to DS revisions these days as the band has such a high failure rate - which brings me to what I really wanted to say, that being that you should not feel ashamed of your current weight. YOU did not fail, the band failed you, and caused you some medical problems to boot.
     Get the damn thing out, get an operation that will not fail you, and be proud of yourself for not giving up.

Larra

Thanks Larra! I have contacted two surgeons so far trying to get a feel for everything. I know I can have my primary surgeon do the extraction and the sleeve but I don't want to wait. If possible I want to get it all at one time.

You are wasting your time countacting any surgeon in your area other than doctor Elairny if you want it done as just one more surgery.  If he is unaffordable (and he certainly would be unaffordable for me) you will have to travel.  Well, I say wasting your time, but I guess some people have to find out for themselves that this is the case.  I definitely would want it as just one more surgery, especially beacuse there is too much risk that insurance would deny the last part as another revision.