Hey hey! Tryin to be persistent in Vegas

[ChantsP]

hey hey!!

As I've been told and as I've been researching I will be rejected! Rejected! Rejected! And MAN DOES IT DO A NUMBER ON YA!!!
I have Amerigroup (I know, I know! Uphill battle) ESPECIALLY IN NEVADA!!
There aren't any surgeons that offer the LapBand in town and I've called every one TWICE Just in case.. Lol
But I found ONE and he was NOT OPTIMISTIC at ALL!!! He says Amerigroup doesn't pay.. ... So not
Only is it hard to get approved but he does his part and doesn't get compensation...... As much as this process is tough on me.. I can't imagine getting "stiffed"..
But cash pay isn't an option and paying a car note to switch insurances isn't an option either!
What's a gal to do!

 

[DSRIGGS]

Please don't even consider a crapband. They don't work and have many, many people very miserable. Numerous people on this board are crapband to DS anyone revision patients and can share their horror stories with you.

Personal questions but what is your BMI and do you have diabetes, hypertension, or sleep apnea? I ask because the ds gets rid of those for most. I can tell that my only Bariatric surgical options were the VSG, band or rny gbp that I would choose to have no Bariatric surgery because none of those have good long term results and all have potentially serious side effects that are not pleasant.

Good luck with your search

 

[ChantsP]

Thanks for replying!
I'm closer to wanting the rny.. But getting the logistics out of the way is the first hurdle! Lol

 

[CaraOC]

Oh god no avoid the crapband. I got one 8 years ago. It was miserable. This past February I had the crapband to DS revision. Never felt better and I'm down 60 lbs. seriously, do your research before you even consider putting yourself through that pitiful experience.

 

[ChantsP]

Oh god no avoid the crapband. I got one 8 years ago. It was miserable. This past February I had the crapband to DS revision. Never felt better and I'm down 60 lbs. seriously, do your research before you even consider putting yourself through that pitiful experience.

I definitely will!! What made it most miserable for you? If you don't mind me asking

 

[CaraOC]

A lot of discomfort no matter what I ate. A lot of throwing up no matter what, even my own saliva. Reflux was awful and my hair fell out. By the time I got the crapband ripped out I'd gained 70 lbs!!! Do your research. You'll see how worthless the crapband is.

 

[DSRIGGS]

BTW, welcome to the board where you will find excellent support and advice from a group of knowledgeable and caring people. We are quite straight forward and sometimes blunt. You will also find that the majority us had a DS, either virgin like in my case or band to DS revision like Cara, or any RnY to DS revisions,.

I will sound like a broken record but the RnY is also not the best choice because weight regain, significant regain, is quite common with that procedure.

This is a great site that explains a lot and fair disclocame, I just came back from a surgery with Dr K last week (hernia repaired).

Dssurgery,com

 

[ChantsP]

BTW, welcome to the board where you will find excellent support and advice from a group of knowledgeable and caring people. We are quite straight forward and sometimes blunt. You will also find that the majority us had a DS, either virgin like in my case or band to DS revision like Cara, or any RnY to DS revisions,.

I will sound like a broken record but the RnY is also not the best choice because weight regain, significant regain, is quite common with that procedure.

This is a great site that explains a lot and fair disclocame, I just came back from a surgery with Dr K last week (hernia repaired).

Dssurgery,com

How are you feeling?

 

[DSRIGGS]

How are you feeling?

Well I am sore, but getting better. He had to put in a 10 x 8 inch piece of mesh that was attached with plastic screws so tha pain is expected.

Thanks


EDITED: Because old guys who can't see shouldn't by typing on phone at 2AM.

 

[southernlady]

Welcome @ChantsP
1) Do NOT get a crap band, DO NOT!!!
2) Is Amerigroup an ACA plan? http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/aca-and-health-mandates-for-obesity.aspx Nevada is in the group that covers it. Or is it an employer based plan? If so, the employer may have decided to not offer it as part of the package.
3) GET A COPY of your EOC (about 80-100 pages long).

And tagging @DianaCox and @Larra cause if anyone knows how to work this, they do.

I had a virgin DS. Back when I had mine, Medicare didn't cover the VSG (that changed 18 months later). I went in knowing my only three options were LapBand, RNY, and DS. I KNEW the Lap band was not no but HELL NO! After reading more info, I would have rather stayed fat than get the RNY so that left the DS...best choice for me.

 

[hilary1617]

Hi and welcome @ChantsP ! Wishing you all the best on your journey whatever procedure you select.

I selected the Duodenal Switch (DS) because I didn't want:

(1) Foreign object in my body that could slip or twist and cause damage and that had a poor record with regard to weight loss results (Lapband)
(2) A procedure that would result in a lifetime of very, very limited food and hunger; a "blind" stomach, where problems could occur but doctors could not see with a scope and which would still be there being hungry and gurgly, but never filled; loss of use of the pyloric valve which controls the rate at which food enters the intestines. (RnY)

The DS had the best long term success rates, highest resolution rates for comorbidities like diabetes and insulin resistance, and allows normal meals with normal portions. The sacrifice is that it requires daily for life special vitamin supplementation, periodic blood tests to check nutrition status, and eating lots and lots of protein (and sometimes fat).

All the best,
Hilary

 

[Larra]

Hi!
The reason you can't find a surgeon locally who does lap band is that less and less surgeons are doing them these days. This is a GOOD thing, as the results are so pathetic. IMHO some of the ones still doing it are more interested in doing the quickest and easiest bariatric surgery to make the most money and not interested in the results of their patients. There is also money to be made with the necessary fills and unfills and of course with the repeat operations, since so many lap bands end up being removed due to either complications, or the patient being miserable (see @CaraOC post above, and she is far from alone) or because they didn't work. The lap band has the highest reoperation rate of any bariatric surgery.

As you've already seen, most of us feel very strongly about the DS, and there is good reason for this. The DS has the best statistics of any bariatric surgery not just for percentage excess weight loss, but also for maintenance of that weight loss. Weight regain is a big problem with gastric bypass - more so than most patients realize going into it. The DS also has the best statistics for permanent resolution of almost all comorbidities. And we can safely take NSAIDs, which are contraindicated for the rest of your life with gastric bypass, and dumping occurs rarely, if ever. And don't think dumping is a weight loss tool, it isn't. It's a very nasty side effect that some (not all) people with gastric bypass experience, but it has not been shown to contribute to weight loss.

I understand about insurance issues, and Nevada is a problem because there are no DS surgeons in your state. So as @southernlady said, you need to get your EOC to determine what coverage you have, and whether or not your coverage lets you go out of state, and what appeals rights you have, if any. We can go from there.

 

[Clematis]

Welcome!

Do not get a lapband. When I met with bariatric centers near me they still had lapland on their websites because people THINK that is what they want. Once they get the person to their office they tell them they do not do this surgery and haven;t in 2-3 years -- half their practice is now devoted to removing the bands that have bisected livers and damaged other organs.

Do not get RNY aka gastric bypass. It's butchery to have your pylorus removed. You need it. Besides, you can eat around your RNY and are most likely to regain any weight lost. Revision to a DS from RNY is so specialized, only a few surgeons do it safely.

A sleeve VSG will require you to diet the rest of your life. There are no 15 year studies showing people with a VSG keep off the weight.

A Duodenal Switch is the best surgery for weight loss, keeping the weight off and resolution of comorbidities. (I am SHOCKED that my lifetime cholesterol level of 300+ which could not be budged with major weight loss nor statins, dropped over night to 153 after the DS. Truly miraculous.)

Think twice. Cut once.

 

[JuliaDS]

Hi and welcome @ChantsP. You'll find wealth of quality information and genuine support here. Looking forward to following your journey.

BTW - Hillary recently posted an excellent summary of the various procedures to help others make the right decision. I didn't bookmark it but as soon as I find it I'll post it to you.

 

[JuliaDS]

OK. Found it @ChantsP.

Hi and welcome @Mojave blue !

I had the Duodenal Switch in 2012 and consider it one of the best decisions of my life. I have successfully maintained a desirable weight for four years.

I recommend Full, two anastomoses Duodenal Switch (DS) to friends and family members who:

• Commit to the nutritional supplementation (maintaining high protein diet and taking multiple special vitamins daily for life) and routine (at least semiannual) blood testing to confirm nutritional status, AND

• • Are chronically overweight / obese and:
    • Are diabetic, prediabetic, or insulin-resistant, and/or
    • Do not do well on restrictive diets. OR

• • Are morbidly obese / supermorbidly obese.

I recommend Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) to friends and family members who:

• Are chronically overweight / obese and:
  • Don't have a lot of weight to lose (say, under 50 lbs),
  • Are not diabetic, prediabetic, or insulin-resistant and
  • Have a history of doing well on restrictive diets. OR

• Are morbidly obese / supermorbidly obese, but are not qualified to have the Duodenal Switch because they:
  • Cannot commit to the nutritional supplementation (maintaining high protein diet and taking multiple special vitamins daily for life) and routine (at least semiannual) blood testing to confirm nutritional status, and/or
  • Are physically unable to tolerate the Duodenal Switch procedure for medical reasons.

I recommend SADI, SIPS / Loop DS to persons who:

• Fully understand the risks of being a pioneer patient undergoing an experimental procedure for which long term weight loss maintenance results and complications rates are not yet known AND

• Are chronically overweight / obese, but who:

• • Don't have a lot of weight to lose (say, under 50 lbs),
    • Are not diabetic, prediabetic, or insulin-resistant and
    • Have a history of doing well on restrictive diets. OR

• • Are morbidly obese, but are interested in a procedure with less fat malabsorption than the traditional DS

I do not recommend Roux-N-Y or Lapband for anyone.

Wishing you the best on your journey!
Hilary