Question:
Anyone have insurance cover lap band after gastric bypass ?

Anyone have great west insurance cover lap band after failed rny? I had rny 11/03 went from 387 to 206 and I am now back up to 250. Stomache is not stretched and still small but the intestine is larger and now nothing sits on stomache it goes strait through so I am hungry all the time. Has anyone had great west insurance approve lap after rny?    — WENDY W. (posted on September 27, 2007)

September 27, 2007
what is RNY?
   — MSCDALEX

September 27, 2007
RNY is gastric bypass surgery..
   — Lori S.

September 27, 2007
I do not know about your insurance. I mean there isn't much to band after a rny. I've heard of people going to and rny after a failed band.
   — D. goza

September 27, 2007
I don't think nothing sitting in your stomach has anything to do with a larger intestine. Intestines don't stretch. If your surgery worked for a while and you lost 181 pounds that means that it was successful. If there had been a problem with the intestine it would have showed up in the beginning. For things to go straight through your stomach you would have to be drinking while eating or soon after to wash it through, or maybe you are eating higher carbohydrate foods or sugary foods which trigger hunger response?? If you only gained back 44 pounds I wouldn't call that a failed RNY. If I were you I would go back to the basics of RNY and ammend my eating habits. If there is a mechanical problem with your original surgery I would have it fixed, I would not do another surgery on top of it. I started out at 369 and got down to 152, and have maintained up until pregnancy. I am gaining now while pregnant because of what I eat (bad things). Hopefully I will lose the weight (38+ pounds and still a few weeks to go) after the baby comes, if not it will be because I keep the bad habits, not because of a problem with my surgery. I know you are worried about gaining--we all are, and I hope you find an answer to your problem. I just think it would be very hard on your body to do another WLS procedure!!
   — GAYLE CARMACK-LYONS

September 28, 2007
If your rny failed I would suggest having it revised to a grds instead of a lap band. I had a grds and while I was in the hospital there was 2 women who were having revisions from a failed rny, hey said they were hungry all the time and had regained all their weight and then some. I don't know if any insurance would cover revision from rny to lap band but I do know they cover revisions from rny to grds. I hope this helps and I wish you the best. Melody
   — purpleangel0909

September 29, 2007
As the previous poster said, GRDS, which is also called duodenal switch or DS is an option. I will be having DS some time soon. Check out duodenalswitch.com or the DS forum here on OH and read all about it. It is the way to go! You have to travel maybe to get an experienced surgeon and there may be some additional fees.
   — KRWaters