Revision --Lap band to RNY-- It kinda makes me sad

I had a lap band- after 14 months only lost 38 pounds and was told it is up to you now. I did not return, maintained +/- 10 pounds nad last year, vomited with some force, then the restriction was gone- regained 23 lbs, tried diets, diet pills prescribed by my primary doctor (wasn't seeing my surgeon) and went back to my surgeon and found out that my band has a leak! Then I tried to get my insurance (Aetna) to approve fixing it or better yet- converting to RN Y bypass- they are denying it saying I should have been seeing my surgeon all alone (she denies saying that it was up to me).
so, they will approve the removal of the band and nothing else.
So, I am thinking about doing that and then going to Mexico and having the surgery done and paying out of pocket.
Has anyone experienced this before? If so, do you have to follow up in Mexico. Is it safe?
Has anyone successfully appealed to insurance before?

At least consider revising to DS instead of RNY.  Do yourself the favor of checking out DSFACTS.com before you make the final decision.  You don't want to have to revise yet again, right?

Best of luck to all of you!

Thank you every one for all of the advice and support.  Since I posted this i have had to basically start the bariatric surgery process all over again.   i have had another psych eval -- the pshychologist was very sweet and is actually a 10 year successful lapband patient .  She wants me to seek a second opinion with a more experienced surgeon in Pensacola. But my battle doesn't end there.  My primary care physician became involved and decided to run a test for billiary dyskenisia. There has been alot of back and forth between me and the hospital about the results of the test and how my situation is affected by the results.  Sadly after a week of trying to get answers i am sitting in the dark.  Thankfully i have an appointment with another bariatric surgeon in my clinic and will hopefully get some answers to my questions as well as get a referral for a second opinion.  i am still vomiting on a regular and am at the point where it's become business as usual.  I am hopong to get back on track with my with loss soon.  Once again thanks so much.  i would love to hear from anyone in the same boat i am in.  AS well as anyone who has any experience with billiary dyskenisia and it connection with and how it affects barriatric surgery.

thank you all so very much
Debbie

Hi all... as some of you know I had the lapband in 2006 very successful well over a hundred pounds. I kept a too tight fill for too long and next thing you know blah blah blah...couldn't keep a fill without vomitting had to get almost completely unfilled and then over time ****pt putting it off cause I knew I needed another surgery but was in nursing school and din't want to risk my spot)
So I waited WAY TOO LONG to have the revision and gained and gained and gained!
I had the revision to RNY March 30th and have never been happier with my decision. I went all the way back up to 293 and this morning weigh 250, I can eat EVERYTHING that I couldn't with the band meat, vegetables, eggs. I really only have one regret..... and that is that I waited so long!
Cheer up! You do not have to live in pain and if you keep waiting and getting unfills and refills and pain.... it is a sad hard thing to have two surgeries... I get it.... but there is an upside.
GOOD LUCK!