Band and sleeve for 15 years and now a RNY due to GERD

Hi Everyone,

Hopefully, three times a charm! First I had a lapband starting in the early 2000's. My band prolapsed in 2007 and I was sleeved. My first surgery I went from 340 to 180. After my band slipped, I slowly creeped back up to the low 200's. Then I got the sleeve and back on track to a new low of 165. Now I am back up in the low 200's, I suffer chronic GERD and have been on as many as three PPI's.at a time. Nothing really helps. So I met with a bariatric surgeon who informed me the only way to get rid of the GERD and lose some weight again would be the RNY. Also, she mentioned that my sleeve size was larger than they make them now. They used a larger bougie size so I now have a medium sized stomach. :(

I have been fighting this decision for a while, however quality of life with GERD and weight gain is not acceptable to me. At least this time, I am at a much lower BMI. Wish me luck. My surgery is scheduled on July 11th.

Babs

Banded 2003/sleeved 2007 and now RNY

Over 215 lbs lost and 45 gained over 10 years!

Hi Barbara, Our stories are very similar. Barbara which health insurance do you have? I have BCBS Federal.

In 2008 I had the Lap Band surgery. BCBS Federal approved the surgery. The doctor also repaired a hiatal hernia that I had. The heartburn that I used have got worse with the LB. I lost 17 lbs. and gained 13 lbs.

In 2009 I decided I wanted to get a revision surgery from the LB to the VSG. I found a surgeon and went to see him for my initial appointment. He asked me what type of food I ate. I told him what I ate. He asked me if I cheated I said sometimes I would eat white carbs and ice cream. BCBS Federal did not cover the VSG at that time because it was still considered experimental. So, I did the self-pay. I had the surgery, he removed the LB did the VSG he told me he repaired the hiatal hernia too. I had some very stressful things going on in my life which led to more depression and I turned to back to the wrong food for comfort. So I began to gain the weight I lost which was 30 lbs. My acid reflux became worse. This surgeon never told me that a VSG would make my acid reflux worse.

In 2014, I went to see another surgeon about getting a revision from the VSG to RNY. When the office turned in the request to BCBS Federal they denied it. There reason was because I was non-compliant with 2 prior surgeries and my medical records indicating that I ate the wrong foods. (VSG surgeon notes on my record, patient ate white carbs and ice cream).

Now in 2017, I am trying it again with BCBS Federal to be revised from the VSG to the ?Gold Standard? RNY.

Is there anyone out there insured with BCBS Federal that was non-compliant with their weight loss surgery and got approved for their revision because of GERD?

This will be my 3^rd surgery, but it would be the 2^nd as far as BCBS Federal would cover, since I did self-pay for the VSG in 2009.

Hi Virgie,

Sorry you are going through this. I was lucky with the band. Lost 154 pounds which was almost half my body weight! So I really loved the band. I felt normal and got full quickly. My band slipped and when it did, I started eating more and more and regained 56 pounds. My insurance paid for the band and the revision to the sleeve due to medical necessity. Now 9 years later, I have new insurance and they have a bariatric exclusion. Since the procedure is being done because of chronic GERD they are approving it as medical necessity.. My history is a little different because I have had success with both procedures, however they should have never done a sleeve on me in the first place due to chronic GERD pre surgery.

I went through band to RNY revision February 2017. Best decision I've made. I'm down 86 lbs and 14 from my goal. Living and working with the band helped with dietary stuff getting ready and learning my RNY.

Trust your doctor and team.

Ann