UPDATE: THE PLOT THICKENS!!!  So my surgeons office insurance coordinator called me on 3/4/16 and stated to me that my insurance company would not cover both surgeries only the lap band removal and then I would have to go through the six months period like I did for the lap band to get the sleeve. I was very upset and couldn't understand why they wouldn't cover it.

So I called my insurance company and spoke to a rep and explained my situation and she checked and didn't see a pre authorization submitted but she said she could have missed it however it didn't matter. She explained to me that yes they have been an increase in lap band patients that had some problems with the band in one way or another and they did make exceptions in some cases to do both surgeries at one time. She reviewed my case and said she was unable to make a decision but she would submit it to the review panel and a decision would be made in 48 hours. This was 3/7.

I got a call back from the rep on 3/10 and she said since this was a pre-existing condition and the band had to be removed my insurance would cover them both at the same time. I was so excited about getting rid of the lap band and getting the sleeve. I called my surgeons office and left messages all day and no one called me back. I expected them to be just as excited as I was. Boy was I wrong!! I got a call today that my surgeon didn't want to do them both but would remove the band and have me do the six month process and then do the sleeve. I was blown away. I've already gained 59 pounds back and gaining! Not to mention the stress on my family with me having to have 2 surgeries in a 7 month period. When I got the lap band we got together as a family and made the decision together for me to have it, with the understanding that this would be it. IT WASN'T! I just don't feel I can take them or myself through this twice, 3 times if I count my initial surgery. Do we suffer from a serious condition? If I had cancer would I be going through this? The most upsetting thing is I felt I built a strong relationship with my surgeon and on the surface it looks like MONEY may be the reason both surgeries are not being done. I really HOPE not. I'm just lost right now. I'm going to seek a 2nd opinion. PLEASE KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS as I walk through this!! THX TO ALL!!

  Depends on the damage. I ve had so much damage with the band  I couldn't revise for a min of six weeks if I wanted to  Band was out last week after 8 years and 130 lb weight loss

After six years, the problems became more and more severe until life threatening. So it had to go. Problems were dialated esophagus. Multiple ulcers and sever gastritis. Huge hiatus hernia requiring mesh to repair, gerd reflux thickened esophagus   Regurgitation and aspirational pnomonia.  Even without any fluid in it, stoma swelled where I couldn't drink fluids.  I had a good eight year run. Best  of luck to you

This article seems to disagree. It says the sleeve should be as effective as the lap band.

http://www.doctormarvin.com/obesity-treatment/how-does-a-gas tric-sleeve-operation-work/

Good luck. I was so sick with my band. All stopped when I had it removed. Have been on an eating mission ever since, which amazed me, it was like a switch was flipped and I was back to what I was like before the band. Hardly surprising I guess snice they had removed it, but it had been there for 8 years, maybe I was lulled into thinking I could eat normally, band or no band. Huge mistake! Rny next Tuesday, happy days. :)

Still just waiting to see what insurance says.