Questions on revision

I am schedule to have the Realize Band done in November.  

Those who had the revision was it from the LapBand system or the Realize Band system?  

Also, please with all respect, did you continue to work at losing the weight, as I understand the band is a "tool" to promote weight loss, OR did you rely completely on the band to continue weight loss? 

I have done a lot of research and what I continue to read is that I will have to put forth A LOT of effort to make the band work for me....is this true? OR No matter how hard your effort was, the band just did not help.  

I was planning to do the gastric bypass, but when I received my insurance approval it was for the Realize Band.  

I have heard the good and the bad from people in my area about both procedures.   Because of my insurance I have been at this process since January of this year, and I only have a short window of opportunity to change my mind in trying to get insurance approval for gastric bypass.

I would greatly appreciate any and all information you can provide to me. 

I am not familiar with the Realize band. I had the lap band in 2002 and would not have anything with "band" in it. I just went and looked up the RB. Nope, not me. I suppose others will come along that believes in it. I am having a revision to RNY this coming Friday.

Thank you, I hope everything goes well for you and a fast recovery.    I think I probably should contact my surgeon's office and ask some more questions. 

Have a GREAT day!!!

Definitely ask more questions.  Or you can read more about the surgeries here on this site under surgery types.  There are some great sites that go into great detail about the surgeries.  You can google to find most of them.  That's what I did.  I wish I had the first time around.  Then I wouldn't be going through surgery again to replace the band.  Keep asking questions and do your research.  And remember, if a doctor doesn't do a certain kind of surgery, he's not going to recommend it to you.  It's up to you to be informed. Good luck.

Well, I had a revision from the lapband and can't in good conscience recommend lapband to anyone. I almost lost my life due to an eroded and shredded lapband. I had a revision to RNY and it was the best thing I ever did. Will your insurance not cover RNY?

When I went to the seminar to see exactly what WLS was all about, I went in thinking I will have the banding, but then after listening to all the pros and cons and others in the room and then actually speaking with the surgeon myself, I decided the gastric bypass would be more benefical for me. 

Okay so I get the process going, which has ben an on going process since January of this year becasue of my insurance requirements.  Anyway I completed everything necessary and the papers were sent for approval, but when I received my approval it stated banding.  I called the surgeon's office and they were in question about it also, so they call my insurance company and stated yes gastric bypass was also approved and to wait for the approval letter, it has never come.  So, my husband said the approval for the banding is here and he was afraid that if we continued to go back and forth with the insurance company they might decide to not cover anything.   So, this is where I am at the moment regathering information on the banding procedure, which is the Realize band system and not the LapBand system procedure.  I only have a small window of opportunity to possibly change my mind to have the gastric bypass because of my insurance criteria.  

Thank you...

 

If they approve the realize band, then they cover weight loss surgery, so they should cover the RNY which has a better track record. Good luck!

Hi everyone,
      I just want thank you all for also helping me too. I was started to think of doing the band WLS too in the last few days. Mainly because I already had  VSB Stapling and banding back in Feb 1992.. And I thought it would be a much easier surgery to do, since I had it done before....

My staple line opened up on me I just found out. I really hope that I can have a revision. I hope to see Dr. Kelly in Worcester Ma. It is so hard to get an appt there let me tell you!! I Thought i would get one the first time I called last week. I am still waiting! Now I find out today that I will not  even be able to make an appt until next Thursday or Friday. Then I don't how long it be from then to see him..The gal who sets up Dr. Kelly's appts is on vacation..No one else can do it, I was told...

I did really well for a long time in keeping my weight down.. then bam! It starts creeping back up! In the last 5-6 years. I went from 388lbs down between  210 for years..then hit 230 for a few years. Shot up to 268 last year. Now I 243lbs. I kept off 145lbs. I hope this helps me in getting the surgery..What say you?
 
I think the reason I did well was because there are many foods that I still can't or shouldn't I should say eat.. I Get really sick from them..Bad pains and throwing up... Some times I can eat chicken then some times I can't!!!Funny ain't it??? Well take thank you for any responds to this. Alizka