Looks like my screen name is coming true.

I had my first appointment with my new surgeon yesterday. Since it had been two and a half years since I'd seen my original one, he did a fluoroscopy on me. We saw that my band was extremely tight and that my pouch was extremely dilated/stretched. The tight band was news to me, since I hadn't felt much restriction in a long time and could eat close to a full meal. The band was so tight that we couldn't see the barium emptying out of the pouch at all. He said that my opening between pouches was probably about the size of a pencil eraser, and that he was amazed that I'd lived with it for as long as I did. He did an immediate complete unfill, since he said that keeping it that tight was pretty dangerous. He said that eventually it could migrate and close off my stomach entirely and I'd have to have emergency surgery to remove it.

He gave me three options, all of which are surgery. Remove the band and leave my stomach alone, go in and reposition the band, or do a revision to a sleeve. Right now, I don't meet the BMI requirements for my insurance to approve a revision, but he thinks we may be able to make an argument that it's a medically necessary surgery anyway. Ideally, we'll revise, if that isn't possible, I'd rather have the band repositioned than removed.

I admit that I was kind of hoping to have something wrong with the band in order to justify revising to a sleeve, but actually KNOWING that something is wrong bothers me more than I thought it would. I almost started crying at the surgeon's office.

Now it's time to hurry up and wait while we get everything together and submitted to insurance. It's going to be at least a wee****il anything gets done, since the insurance coordinator is on vacation this week.

Personally I would go for the sleeve in your position. I surely wouldn't want a repositioned band because you would still have all the problems that the band itself brings to the esophagus. Whatever you decide I wish you the best and hope they give you a speedy OK.

I would definetly revise to the sleeve.  Most insurances don't look at BMI when revising if there is a technical difficulty like slipped band.  Most insurance companies will approve the revision.

Tamara

I really want to revise to a sleeve, but I don't think I'd be able to swing it financially if insurance decides to deny it.  My insurance policy states that a second bariatric surgery requires a 2-year history of morbid obesity, and I don't have that because I was initially successful with the band.  I don't know if that requirement holds for revision due to a technical difficulty with the band, though.  Guess we'll find out.

I am in the same situation as you. Band has slipped a couple times now and I a hoping to revise to the sleeve. I know all insurance is different, but I think my insurance company says as long as their is a problem with the band and you have been compliant, they should cover it. I will hold my breath until (hopefully) I get an approval... I think that is all we can do if try to submit the paperwork and hope/pray for the best! Good luck to you!