Lap Band Slip

Hi Everyone,

  Well my worst nightmare came true last Friday. My lap band has slipped. I have had many issues with it for the past 4 years. A lot of throwing up. I have lost over 100 lbs, but after trying to deflate the band and then re-inflate it, I gained back 20 lbs. So now I see the doctor this Wednesday to see what my alternatives are. I am not sure if Health Plus covers a second weight loss surgery. I am praying they do. My wife had the gastric bypass and has done great on it losing over 130 lbs in one year. I think this is what I need instead. If any of you know the answer to my question, please reply. THank you!

I don't know if your insurance will pay for another surgery, but i was exactly where you are.  I didn't have a slip, I had other complications, dilation, chronic reflux, etc. but i had the band for 4 years, lost 116 lbs, gained about 20 lbs while playing the "fill/un-fill" game,  then had it removed in May.  My surgeon will not do a revision in one surgery.  He is conservative and wants 3-4 months healing in between.  I've gained a lot of weight back and am waiting to have RNY surgery once my insurance criteria is met.

Best of luck to you!

Lisa O.

It really depends on your insurance.  Chances are, if you don't have a "once in a lifetime WLS" clause, then they will most likely cover it.  Also, a band slip can be used to deem a new surgery as "medically necessary".  I didn't have a slip but I had other complications that added up to "medically necessary" on top of still be obese.  I wish you luck and hope it turns out okay.  I revised to a sleeve last year and life has been great ever since.

Sorry that your going through the complications that you are right now with your Lap Band. I too had a Slip band removed no revision.

if i may ask how did they confirm that it had slipped? At times a Doctor will pull all the saline in hopes of the band repositioning itself and letting the stomach heal. But that of course depends on the severity of the slip. 

I'm not sure you going to get any information in regards to insurance coverage even if it's Health Plus, all the policies are different. The best thing to do is call your insurance carrier or HR person where you work and ASK them DIRECTLY if you have Bariatric coverage. Due the cost of Bariatric Coverage allot of companies either don't offer it or limit it to 1 WLS per Lifetime. So if they covered the band then they might not cover Revision.  GOOD LUCK!

I had a problem late last year and they withdrew all the fluid as you said in hopes that the stomach would go back down and it looked like it did so they put 4cc's in and it wasnt emough so the next time I went in he went to put some more sailine in and the band was tilted. Even I could see it. This was all under xray. I did find out my insurance will cover another one, so I think I am going to go with the gastric bypass instead. My wife has lost over 130 punds in one year and has not had any complications at all. I also like the idea of not have to go back and forth dealing with filling the band. It wasnt like I wasnt trying. I did lose over 100 pounds I just need to lose more. Thank you for responding.

I have health plus and they have gone to a once in a lifetime WLS policy.  They agreed to pay to remove/replace the band but not for another surgery.  This was suppose to be a board decision for health plus wide.  They paid for the band removal but, I had to fight and appeal and show years of documentation to prove compliance. In my appeal I did state that the consumer shouldn't be punished for a faulty device that was mis-represented by the manufacture.  I will be most interested if they have overturned their decisions when it comes to band revisions.  I also had to start from scratch thru the process including having a bmi of 35 with co-morbs  I was the first to get my denial overturned and help those coming thru behind so I would love to hear this is so.