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This is me EXACTLY!!!!!!! I have gone year after year to get denied. I am NOT giving up this time and taking it as far as I have to.
Thank you for giving me hope!
I would work with your surgeon's office and getting them to make the case that the revision is medically necessary. They really need to know all of the side effects and complications you're experiencing ****pt a list on my phone since it was easy to forget about all the little things I have just learned to live with over the years that were not normal). Make sure they understand how miserable you are, how it's affecting your life, emphasize how your current tool isn't working as designed and that you need a solution to the issues and complications you are experiencing. They should be your advocate and help with your insurance company.
I had the same insurance requirement and I had similar issues with frequent stuck, vomiting and GERD. Year after year I would go in and they would run tests, confirm I didn't have a slip or any mechanical issues so I figured there was no chance to revise. I finally gave up and had just had them empty my band, even though that did not resolve my issues. I went back after 3 years since I was still having issues stuck issues daily and really pushed for them to help me. I made it clear I wasn't going anywhere and that I wasn't going to just deal with these issues for the rest of my life. They helped me pursue a revision and when my insurance initially denied it they did a "peer to peer" with my insurance company and it got approved.
Good Luck!
Band to RNY 8/16/18
Age: 33, Height: 5'4"
HW: 299 (Pre-LB), RNY Consult: 260, SW: 248, GW: 145 (reached 3/31), New Goal: 130, CW: 133.0
Pre-op: -13, M1: -20, M2: -15, M3: -15, M4: -15, M5: -13, M6: -13, M7: -9, M8: -9, M9: -3, M10:
Thank you very much for your feedback this is what I was looking for!
I've elected not to move forward until I research a little bit more.
Again, thank you so much for your valuable feedback!
Felecia
on 6/10/19 3:42 pm - WI
The procedure you are describing is a Distal RNY. There are lots of studies about this revision online.
You may lose weight with this revision, but many people have issues with chronic diarrhea and vitamin deficiency from malabsorption.
If you go through with this surgery you will need to be hyper-vigilant with taking your vitamins and having frequent blood work.
HW 270 SW 236 GW 160 CW 145 (15 pounds below goal!)
VBG Aug. 7, 1986, Revised to RNY Nov. 18, 2010
If you don't know if this is "OK," you need to have a conversation with your surgeon ASAP, or get a second opinion.
They should be able to talk to you about potential side effects as well.
Sparklekitty / Julie / Nerdy Little Secret (#42)
Roller derby - cycling - triathlon
VSG 2013, RNY conversion 2019 due to GERD. Trendweight here!
Several people on here had good experiences with Lindstrom.
https://wlsappeals.com/
This might give you a start if you are trying to do it on your own
Real life begins where your comfort zone ends
I'm having a laparoscopic revision of the gastrojejunostomy with lengthening the intestine from 5 feet to 15 feet.
Just curious if this is ok and if anyone share there progress if you had this procedure done.
My concern is lengthening the intestinal to 15 feet and what side affects this could present.
Hi Everyone,
I had my lap band placed 12 years ago. I've been trying to get it removed for the last five for various reasons such as frequent vomiting, GERD etc. My insurance DOES have a once in a lifetime clause HOWEVER it will revise if medically necessary.
Until now, I have never appealed the denials. I am currently fed up and can't go on much long. I never gained all of my weight back but my BMI is 37 with these co morbidities:
Morbid obesity
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Multiple joint pain
Depressive disorder
Benign essential hypertension
Anybody have a similar experience. I could use some advice with the appeal process too because I'm not giving up this time. I have BC/Bs Personal Choice (PA)
Hello,
I am looking for any information about post-gastric bypass revision surgery.
I had a gastric bypass and have gained back 60 lbs.
Anybody have post gastric bypass surgery for weight loss.
If so I want to hear your story.
What kind of surgery did you have and where did you get it?
I am looking for a good surgeon and a good surgery.
I hope you will take the time to answer Sparkle's and Rocky's questions. If you can keep an open mind and engage in a fact based discussion I think you may find yourself learning something new.
I'm an RnY and I too gained 60 pounds. I was 4 or 5 years out and it was my first regain. The only thing "wrong" was what I was eating. Pretty determined not to go back under the knife again, I purposed to lose the regain with no more surgeries. It took a while (just as long as it took to put it on), but I did lose it and I went on to lose two smaller regains as the years past. (I'm a slow learner).
Last year, I decided to lose regain number 3. It was 20 pounds. I started really paying attention to what I was eating and why I was eating it. Snacks made their way out of my life as did most easy carbs. Not only did I lose the 20 pounds, I went on to lose over 35 more. At 10 years out I now weigh 142 pounds. That is my lowest post op weight ever.
I share this only to show that even if we regain, we still have everything we need to drop the excess weight again without surgery. No matter how far out we are. There's another amazing lady on here who is I believe 15 or 16 years out who also lost a huge regain this year. She was my inspiration.
Good luck to you. We all do what works for us, but please really consider everything involved in a revision. The good and the bad and yes there are both. And always keep in mind that sooner or later, all of us will face the regain beast. There are only so many revisions available and only so much you can do to alter your insides. Take care of yourself.
on 6/6/19 3:21 pm - WI
Most insurance companies have a one WLS per lifetime clause in their policy. They will sometimes approve a revision if there is a mechanical failure of the original surgery. Just gaining weight is not a mechanical failure and considered "user error" from not being compliant with the post-op rules.
Have you had any testing done to make sure that your RNY is still intact and functioning properly? Revisions to an RNY surgery are complicated since there is not much they can revise that surgery to. There are procedures to tighten the stoma, but the success rate of those surgeries is pretty dismal. Most people only lose about 20 pounds after a stoma tightening. There are surgeries that lengthen the channel (Distal RNY) but many people have serious complications with vitamin deficiency and diarrhea after that surgery. Any other revision surgery should be done by a VERY experienced surgeon. Real RNY revisions (not stoma tightening) are extremely difficult and there are very few surgeons who can do them.
Before considering a revision you really need to examine why you are gaining weight. Any WLS can be eaten around and the patient can gain every pound back if they do not follow the rules. Many of us consult a therapist to work through the reasons why we choose to over eat. Try going back to basics for a few months. I know people who have lost 60 pounds 15 years after they had their surgeries just by going back to the way we were instructed to eat right after surgery...low carb, high protein.
You can do this!!
HW 270 SW 236 GW 160 CW 145 (15 pounds below goal!)
VBG Aug. 7, 1986, Revised to RNY Nov. 18, 2010
