LapBand Revision to Sleeve, finally rescheduled!!

My new surgery date is MONDAY!!!! Dec 1st!   After almost 12 years of having this band, it's finally coming out and my sleeve is being done.

My issues with my band / esophagus is finally coming to an end!

Got both my insurance companies to approve after having:

1 approval for sleeve, then 1 denial for band removal (wtf?) then 1 denial for secondary coverage, and finally 2 successful Peer to Peer approvals...pheww! I am covered 100% from both! Hallelujah!!!

What a damn nightmare!

Congrats and best wishes on your new WLS journey!!!

Congratulations and Good Luck! I had my band placed 8/2006 with similar medical issues as you. I go in on December 2 and for my revision to a sleeve. Did your surgeon suggest that there is a possibility that only the band removal may be able to be performed? My surgeon said I have about a 75% chance of having both procedures done at once. I' m just curious how other practices handle revisions.

Hi Laurie,

My surgeon is performing both at same time  :)

Got lap band surgery in 2010. First year was ok. lost 55lbs. after the first year started having major complications couldn't tolerate the fills and when let out would gain more weight. Got to where I was vomiting bld. going to ER constantly for dehydration and Pneumonia due to bad acid reflux which I would aspirate on in my sleep. I am being treated for diabetes and extremely high blood pressure it even gets to where I cant take my meds then again I end up in ER because blood pressure out the roof. I am on Medicaid and medicare. My dr. has tried to get them to let him do a revision but they keep denying it. Im only getting sicker and this thing is doing me no good. They told me to sign a ABN form and I said I would however now the hospital is telling me they wont do that because they know medicare wont pay it. Medicare has told me I would die with this device in me because they willnot pay to take it out or do a revision because im only allowed 1 bariatric surgery per lifetime. This really sucks. Its costing them more to pay the ER and drs. everytime I have to go. It would be cheaper on them to go ahead and pay for revision, but they wont budge. Im so frustrated I don't know what to do. I have tried everything. Im disabled and do not have the means to pay for it out of pocket like they want. Duh im on medicare and Medicaid for a reason. Its not like I have 12,000.00 just sitting in my closet. SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP!!!!WHAT CAN I DO???

My surgeon called both insurance companies after the denials and did a peer to peer and both were approved..

Good Luck!

Goodluck with your surgery and keep me posted when you feel up to it...mine is the 12th...

Im here...just hadn't felt all that well, My surgeon also did a hiatal hernia repair, and my goodness, that hurts the worst...

So my band is gone (He actually saved it for me) my new tummy looks like a sleeve, and Im walking baby steps to get my exercise in. 

My eating is very minimal...4-5 tsp of sf pudding, creamy soups, sf jello ect.  and wow that's all I want. my hunger is completely satisfied.

I have reduced my pain med to just before I go to sleep, that stuff makes me loopy!

Hope everyone is coming along nicely with theire recovery, mine is taking longer than I had hoped  :(

I'm glad to hear that your docotr was able to do both procedures.  I am so scared that I will wake up and only the band will be  gone. I really don"t want to go through two surgeries.

I'm glad you are doing well.

My band was in for 12 years, so I can't imagine why yours wouldn't be removed and sleeve done at same time.  Keep me posted on how you're doing!!!