I think I broke my tool?

Looking for some info about getting a revision. I had RNY in 2005 I lost a lot of weight. I was 351 at my largest and 169 at my smallest. I have gained 63lbs in the last year and want to know if this would qualify me for a revision? My BMI is still very high. Thanks for all your help in advance.

marie

It depends on the criteria your insurance company requires to authorize a revision.  Weight gain alone generally isn't enough to warrant a revision.  If you have a test that shows that your stoma has enlarged or your pouch has stretched they might o.k. it

I had lap band in 2007.  started at 326 - lost 85 pounds - gain 60 pounds back and have been trying to get a revision to DS, but insurance co says no - that unless band is malfunctioning or has caused something serious enough to require surgical correction, they will not cover revision surgery.  Even though my band is filled to capacity and I do not feel any restriction!

You did not fail your WLS, your WLS failed you. What most doctors fail to tell RNYers is that by year 4 or 5 nearly all of the malabsorption that was there in the beginning is relearned by the body and thus many many RNYers (I was one of them and I had a distal RNY) begin to gain weight, often uncontrollably, often to find that despite trying to diet that the weight still continues to pour on.

I started out at a high weight of 430 pounds (73 bmi) in 1999 when I had my RNY.  My lowest and briefest weight was 202 but maintained for about 4 years around 210. Sometime during year four I started gaining weight and over the next six years and countless numbers of diets, including getting back to RNY basics (low carb, low fat, high protein) I still continued to gain weight. I put on 92 pounds before I sought out having a revision from an RNY to a Duodenal Switch.

Depending on what your insurance says you might qualify for a revision. Some insurance companies say only one WLS per lifetime. Other require six months of supervised dieting. I had Cigna when I had my RNY, but Aetna when I had my DS. I had six months of Weigh****chers stamps and stuff from work (lost six pounds in six months and I rarely cheated. Big Deal, right?). I provided that information as well a gym invoice that had 5 years of membership fees. (Yes, I paid for the gym that I rarely ever used. My bad).  If you do look to have a revision please make sure that you have a vetted surgeon who is very well versed in RNY to DS revisions. You may have to travel to another state in order to have it done. I would recommend if you do decide to go the RNY to DS route that you visit the Duodenal Switch forum for support or advice.

All the best,
Maddie