Newbie questions: Band to RNY

Has anyone had any experience with Blue Cross of MA (HMO) paying for a band to rny revision? Laproscopic? Band out and bypass in the same surgery?

Any recommendations for specific hospitals or surgeons that could help me get it approved? What's the average wait time between first appointment/approval and surgery date?

Does the bypass make more of a difference than the band? I felt like the band did nothing for me (except make me throw up).

Soooo many questions... thanks in advance for any answers!

You will need to contact your insurance about that part and your surgeon about what may be the best surgery. Lots of people have revised from band to other surgeries and been successful.

I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield of CA but they approved me right away to have band to bypass. Unfortunatley, during surgery, the dr found he could not perform the bypass. So within a week of having my band out, I was approved for the sleeve and and am having surgery on Nov.5th.  And just FYI, my BMI is 36 with no co-morbidities.

I just revised from band to bypass but not in one surgery.  Many do it that way but not my surgeon.  I had to heal for a minimum of 3 months.

i had bypass surgery on Monday and am doing great so far!

lisa O.

I am having my band out and revising to bypass in one surgery. I did not want to go under twice and my surgeon agrees. I asked how much longer the taking the band out would add to the rmy surgery, and he said about 30 minutes. He said that he has taken out almost all of the bands that he has placed. It felt good to know that he understood what I have been going through, I have Tufts MA. I am having it done at the same weight center, by the same surgeon, and have to go through all of the same hoops and education. Since i have Tufts, I have to do the 6 months, "I Can Change" program. I will be finished with that in February and hope to be finished with everything else by then, too. I actually look forward to my Tufts calls. My diet coach is a sweetheart and has such great ideas, especially for family times. I love my surgeon, he is a dear man and the best surgeon around. I love doing to the nutritionist. Yup, I'm the one that butts heads with the psychologist. (I took my post down incase she reads the boards.) We were not fond of each other during my band appointments, and nothing has changed. I see her on 10/31 for the 2nd time. My problem is that most of my poor food choices have to do with the device that I hate so much. OK, I know I'm no skinnie minnie, that's what landed me in the weight center in the first place. She really should take a liking to me, I mean I am a gold mine of behavior issues (perfectionist, germophobe, too clean...), but darn it, i won't take the blame for the band. The band and I are NOT friends, and I owe it no favors. That being said, I am going to HAVE to go and suck it up and yes her to death so that I can get promoted to the education classes. 

Best of luck, neighbor.

I revised 3 months ago from Lapband to RNY. For me there is considerable difference in the surgeries. I did have good restriction and lost a good amount of weight and kept it off. RNY is less restrictive in terms of limiting the type of food I can et. It is more restrictive in keeping me from eating sugars. It very much limits the amount of food I can eat. I fill very quickly. The malabsorbtive nature is something that will be new to you. It is the bonus we did not have with the band. I remain very sugar intolerant and mus****ch the hidden sugars in food. I am very happy with my choice to revise. 

Thank you all so much for your insight!

I went to an info session 2 wks ago at Newton Wellesley Hospital and have my initial consultation with their team on 11/12. Looks like they do it in 2 separate surgeries with 1-3 months between to heal. Here's to hoping everything goes smoothly!