Saw Surgeon Today...Very Discouraging

Well i saw my surgeon again and once again he tells me to come back in 3-4 months. I'm getting so discouraged and depressed. As some of you know he said that my pouch isn't stretched that much. He has me come in and then doesn't do anything but give me the run around. First of all he says that insurance won't approve a revision until I'm 18 months to 3 years out from surgery so he won't even try.  I just don't know what to do. I stopped losing weight 6 months after surgery, and I don't care how much he watches me nothing is going to change. I'm now 14 months out and I've gained back 7 pounds. If any of you have some advice for me and what direction I should go in I would really appreciate it. I don't have money to be a self pay so I need a surgeon here in northern california who would do an extended rny for me and accepts blueshield netvalue HMO through Calpers or the State of California. Please Help!! 

I understand how you feel. I stopped losing after 5 months and only lost 52 pounds. It is now 3 years later and I finally have the courage to seek a revision. I found I had a staple line disruption. Can you have your surgeon do an upper GI to see if everything is still intact the way it should be. I  learned my surgeon didn't do the things he said he was going to (ie he told me he was going to transect my stomach and all he did was staple it. The staples have come loose and now I have 2 stomachs but I wouldn't have known that if I hadn't had a test done to see where the food was actually going. In the meantime, do everything you rsupposed to be doing to help yo lose, keep a really good record so that when your 18 months are up you can have something to show what you've been doing. Good luck! Sharon

He has done all the testing and still says he is going to continue to watch me because my stomach isn't stretched that much. It just seems like he is giving me the run around. Did I mention that gas is around 4.45 a gallon here and that I have to travel 2 hours one way to the doctor. I feel I'm wasting time and money.

My thoughts include... calling your ins company and asking them about revisional surgery ... what things would they look at?  Also how bout keeping written track of meals, exercise daily along with weekly weight charts to bring to the office for your followup visits.  ?? checking your metabolism and comparing for caloric needs?  checking labs to make sure your not deficient on something?  Having a barium swallow test to determine course of foods thru stomach to intestine... Looking at another surgeon? Hope any of these ideas help ya out!! 

When I called to ask about revision surgery they said there isn't any guidelines and that it just has to be medically necessary. They also said to just have my doctor submit the paperwork. I told him this and he still doesn't want to do it, but he does stress that they do do revisions, but he knows they won't approve it yet. I thought all insurances were different. How does he know that they won't approve it?

Monique  Do you have any colleges with medical schools  near you?  you might want to check and see if they have  weightloss surgery Dr's that can do the  procedure. Also check with ins - it can make all the differance in the world  . with past history - maybe they can make an exception??

Monique, I know all to well the hoops these doctors and insurance companies make you jump.  You are only 4 months out from the 18 month mark.  Do you really believe that the surgeon you are seeing is really trying to help you?  That is a question you have to ask yourself.  Also, have your insurance company mail you out written quidelines pertaining to how they handle revision weight loss surgery.  You could give this doctor you are seeing another chance and go back to him in a few months and see what happens.  If nothing happens and he takes no action in your case find a new surgeon who want to help you.  Good luck.