Please help-pleading with surgeon to revise band to bypass

  I was banded in April 2009 and lost 30 lbs. I went to see my surgeon for several fills over the next year. My weight went back up. I saw him in March 2010 and he said the band was filled to capacity and that I should consider bypass. That wasn't an option for me since my insurance at that time didn't cover it. I asked him if he thought I could turn things around and make it work. He said that was unlikely. I let him take away all my hope. I lived the next year as if I didn't have a band until I learned my new insurance covered weight loss surgery.   I scheduled an appointment with a different surgeon who came highly recommended to me. I was so excited to have hope again. I went to my consult fully intent on talking about getting the band removed and having gastric bypass. He talked to me about my history with the band and then said he wanted to check what fluid was actually in there. I was shocked to learn that there were only 7.5 cc in my 10 cc band! He said it was too early for him to declare that surgery a failure and I would need to get more fills to see if I can get back on track. He added 1 cc at that time.   I lost 8 lbs the first week after seeing him and nothing since. This is the same nightmare all over again. I know the band isn't going to work for me. I've had it 3 yrs and I know mentally I can't go through this again.    How can I convince him to revise to RNY? If I was self pay on first surgery, doesn't that make a difference? It isn't like the insurance is going to pay for second surgery. I see him today and I'm really going to try to explain myself clearly.    If you have any suggestions on how to approach this with him, I would appreciate hearing them.    Thank you.

You are the one HE is working for. If he refuses what you want and need now, then find another surgeon.
The surgeon isn't God, and the decision should be yours. And I would be asking for a DS.

Thank you for your response. I had a good talk with him and he agreed to work with me on it. Now I have to deal with taking the chance of removing band in one procedure and then later hoping the insurance approves bypass. I meet all the criteria so I hope it works. My insurance won't cover the DS so I have to go the bypass route. 
Again thank you for your response. 

Your insurance SAYS they don't cover the DS.  You can appeal, and you will probably win.  Almost everyone does.

Hi . My insurance states 1 WLS per lifetime. Do u think if they denied my revision I can win an appeal. I still have same insurance I used for my band 4 years ago want the DS

The answer is - it depends.  If your insurance plan is fully funded (you'll have to ask your HR dept), the answer is almost certainly no.  If your plan is self-funded, it is POSSIBLE your employer can overrule the plan, since the employer pays for the medical bills.

Or you could change jobs to get better insurance coverage, because your employer's benefits are (literally) penny wise and pound foolish - and they SUCK.  And tell them that as you walk out the door.

Thank you

Why, if you don't mind me asking, are you having to do it in two different surgeries? I had my band removed, my gall ballder removed, and my RNY all in one surgery just this past Mon. and I am ding wonderful? The min. I came to myself good, I knew that band was gone for good!

I had the lapband in 2001 and had great success at maintaining weight for 7+ years, but due to medical conditions, my weight has slowly gone up 30 pounds.  I just got approval to have the band removed and the RNY the same day.  I'm so excited!!!

What was the reason for your revision?  Are you more happy with the results you're seeing with the RNY?  

I'll be interested in hearing more about your RNY journey...

You need to print off this ASMBS report that I have on here:

ASMBS Band Gets LOW Marks

Take it with you to your apt. and show it to him. Kind of hard for him to argue with the ASMBS.