Question:
Surgery not done right. Can it be redone?

On 6/03/02 I had gastric bypass surgery. Because of complications not related to the surgery (gallbladder attached to liver) I was in and out of the hospitals because it abcessed twice. My weight loss has been next to nil. I'm beginning to wonder if it was even done right. Does insurance companies redo this type of surgery? Yes, I have followed the program to the letter. This is very frustrating. Please advise me.    — Carolyn P. (posted on May 7, 2004)

May 7, 2004
You seriously have not lost any weight in the two years since your WLS! I can't believe you'd wait for two years before thinking there might be a problem. What does your surgeon say? Have you been to him at all post op since your original surgery? If your surgeon isn't supporting you and investigating as to why you aren't losing weight then I think its time that you see a second surgery. You'd probably want a surgeon who specializes in revisions. You definitely need to run some tests and find out if your surgery is still intact (or ever done). From there it would be up to you and the new surgeon how you will handle this situation. Personally if the surgery really wasn't done properly and your new surgeon has evidence of this from the tests he ran you may have some type of recourse against the original surgeon. As for insurance issues with something like this, I don't honestly know. I hope you get things figured out for yourself soon.
   — Shelly S.

May 7, 2004
If insurance will pay, they will pay for revision. I have hosted many here who had INTACT but not working surgeries, as well as many of us who were not intact, but had broken surgeries. Depends on your insurance, of course, and who/how the letter is sent. But don't rule it out without trying, at the very least.
   — vitalady

May 8, 2004
I read your profile and you said that in Jan you had lost 85 lbs. Now that is not nil. Have you gained?
   — Mona R.