Feeling discouraged
I am feeling super discouraged, not sure if you have any advice that I can maybe use. I had lap-band in 2009. I did really well. I lost 70 lbs in the first year (didn't reach goal but I felt like I would have). Unfortunately I got a ulcer on my band line so my band was unfilled completely for 3 months. I was proud that I only gained a few pounds at first but as they slowly began refilling I wasn't reaching restriction. It took about 6 months of slow fills and still I wasn't getting restriction only to get another ulcer. I was so upset. We unfilled my band again and sure enough the weight had been adding up. In that year I gained back more than half of my weight and then while researching revision I gained back the rest.
Then I revised to gastric sleeve surgery. I cant attest to why but from the very beginning something didn't seem right. I had constant severe heartburn, I was always hungry (which wasn't supposed to happen) and lost really slowly. With the assistance of weigh****chers, exercise and tiny portions it took a full year to lose 50 lbs and that began to slip back on when I got discouraged and stop going to weigh****chers. Now here I am almost 4 years later, still eating small portions (though larger than of course in the beginning) but I have once again gained back a lot of my weight (BMI 37.7). I have 3 hernias but was told after my endoscopy today they wont be sending me to a bariatric surgeon as they don't feel the hiatal hernia needs surgery just that I need to "lose weight and eat less" (I seriously wanted to shout).
I am so discouraged. I want to at least talk to Dr Keshishian to discuss if DS revision is an option but when I called his office today they said that my insurance (BlueShield) is considered "Out of Network" for them. I postponed my other hernia repair surgery until December hoping to get a consult before then in hopes that maybe there is still a chance Dr K can help but I cant afford to pay out of pocket (both my spouse and I have student loans and kids in braces). Does out of network usually mean my insurance wont pay? My evidence of coverage doesnt even mention bariatric coverage and Dr K's office hasnt called back yet to let me know anything but it doesnt sound good. We have so very few options for DS surgeons. Any advice would be appreciated.
First you need to read your insurance policy. Does it say anywhere they don't pay for bariatric surgery? If it doesn't say that there should be all kinds of language about paying for what you need. So you look at all the surgeons in your area for one who does the DS. If there isn't one there should be some kind of a process to get you to a surgeon who does the DS.
Another option is Dr. Esquerra in MX. He is really good!
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