What is cost of revision surgery from lap-band to VSG

Looking at revision from Lap to VSG.  I have been checking into my insurance and it looks like it will be covered.  However,  I want to be prepared just in case it falls through.

How much has revision surgery from lap to vsg cost everyone else? 

Thanks so much for your help.


Bonnie

$12,500 in Mexico, not sure about the US.

I'm curious as to why you'd want to go from one restrictive-only surgery to another restrictive-only surgery. Was you lap unsuccessful? If so, please take a very close and honest look as to why.

Have you considered the DS?

The lap worked in the beginning.  But after 8 months I started gaining weight even after 2 fills. 

I would still be so hungry I couldn't stand it.  I would constantly be PB'ing even at the smallest bite of food.  The only thing I could get down were liquds.  Sometimes in the morning I couldn't even drink the liquids because I was more inflamed in the morning.  When I started having serious acid reflux to the point of not sleeping I had fluid removed.  This helped but that was a year ago and I am still having the same issues.  If I get a bite of food down,  there is pain associated.  Right now the only things I can eat are the wrong things.  I can't eat a healthy piece of food if I want to. Plus my port has flipped so it takes a Flouro to get anything done.

The lap-band has restriction at the entry point to my stomach but did nothing to stop my hunger.  The restriction wouldn't let even a small bite of healthy food in. In fact I think my hunger is worse than before my surgery.  Between the acid-reflux and pain,  I can't wait to get it out.

I have been reading about the VSG and the restriction comes in after the food enters the stomach plus the part of the stomach that is removed is associated with the hunger hormone.  I have thought about the DS but am not sure about having my intestinal track shortened and the malabsorption.  I have a family member where the malabsorption has caused serious problems with iron deficiency.

 Have you had a DS? How long ago?  Also,  how does it affect your intestinal functions?

Thanks

Bonnie

 

 

Hi, Bonnie.

I haven't yet had the DS, but I have lived the last 22 years with a VBG... similar to the lap, with the restriction gained with staples instead of an implanted device.

There is a lot of misinformation floating around about the Duodenal Switch. You don't shorten you intestinal tract with the DS. You DO shorten the length of small intestine where there is a mingling of the food you eat and the enzymes that help you absorb calories and fat. You'll find an animation of the DS on the site, below.

http://www.johnhustedmd.com/

scroll just a bit, and there's a flash of each of the different types of surgeries. You'll see how the shortened "common channel" decreases the amount of calories that you absorb. Yes, it's a higher-risk surgery than the VSG. But the statistics on the VSG aren't available beyond 4 years. Even so, there was a significant regain for those four years out.

And for a revision from another restrictive surgery? Doesn't make sense, to me. I KNEW I couldn't do another restrictive-only surgery. My first one didn't work for good reasons. My metabolism is so shot, restrictive-only wasn't going to cut it.

I would truly take another look at all your options. Your metabolism is now trained to and used to the smaller amounts of food. You'll probably lose at the start with another restrictive-only, but I'm afraid after your capacity increased (as your stomach stretches), you'd find your body working double time to store as many of the calories you give it.

Yes, there is a higher risk for malnutrition. But that's something that is completely within your control. You eat your protein first, and you take your vitamins every day. No exceptions, no excuses. You do those two things, and keep your simple carbs to a minimum, and it's a perfectly healthy way to live. There was a post the other day that told of a long-time-out DSer who was 70 years old... still healthy and still maintaining her goal weight. The surgery has been around for over 15 years, so lots of data to be had. Check out these two sites:

dsfacts.com
duodenalswitch.com

The bathroom issues you talk about don't seem to plague the vast majority of the DSers. I've been to five DS support group meetings ... several of them lasting well over six hours... and I've never seen anyone in pain from gas or stinking up the place or running to the bathroom clutching their bums. Honest... ~smiling~

Please come to the DS board and do some reading. Ask questions, if you want. The folks there are VERY generous with their time and information. I haven't had the surgery yet, but I've done enough research to know it's the right surgery for me. So, pose your questions to those who are living with the surgery. There are several lap-to-DS revisions that post regularly. Use them as resources. Ask them why they chose the DS over the VSG.

It may not end up being the surgery for you, but at least you'll go into your next surgery knowing you explored all your options.

Take good care

Kathy

One word of caution ... your surgeon may not perform the DS. If that's the case, s/he'll try to dissuade you from persuing the DS with horror stories about stinking, about having to carry an extra pair of underwear around with you for the rest of your life, about horrid malnutrition.

they'll try to convince you that the surgery you *really* want is the one they perform. So take care in where you get your information. For my money, the folks actually living with the surgery were the most valuable source of information. So ... do you own research, THEN choose a surgeon to consult. If you've decided the DS is for you, find a DS surgeon to consult.

The folks on the DS board can help you find a surgeon, too... ~smiling~

good night, Bonnie

I just post a reply for something like your question. in illinois it's a doctor here who charge $15,000 for revision to ds. thats self pay. and he want you to take out a loan just in case your insurance dont approve you. and even if you get the approval through your insurance he still wants you to take out a loan because the insurance company send out the payment after the surgery and they will send it to you not him. so to make sure you bring it to him you will have to have a back up with the loan through care credit. so he can assure he will get paid for doing the surgery.

I just wanted to clarify that the while there was some studies showing of regain after year 4 with the VSG, those VSG's were done with a larger bougie then is normally used now. They found that the larger the bougie the more likely the regain and since going to a smaller one the results are comparable to that of the RNY. I would suggest posting on ALL the boards and asking questions. I am NOT suggesting one surgery is best. I have made my decision for me and my eating patterns and food issues. I strongly suggest other people do the same. Post on the RNY, DS and the VSG boards for people who have had a revision from lap-band and get information. Research your heart out so that when you make a decision it is as informed as possible. Good luck and best wishes!