So if there are any of you who are further along in the process of trying to get approved for a sleeve, following an unsuccessful band, do tell: do they make you go through EVERYTHING all over again? Psych eval? EKG? Bloods? Seminar? Nutritionist, etc? If so, was it quicker or slower than the last time? It took me 3 months from 1st seminar to surgery date, but that was with a different insurance. ALso, there are very few sleeve surgeons in my region. WHat types of hoops did you jump through to proove that you would be a better candidate for the sleeve than the band? Any info helps. Thanks, SUnflower

I am one of these people and I did go through every thing again with insurance except the 6 month diet. Be patient. Then Insurance denied me the first time and when I appealed they finally approved it. My reasons for the sleeve over the band were that the band was irritating my stomach and causing undue gastritis and was noticebly irritated around the oppening.

My insurance, Anthem, did not make me do anything again. They approved me within a month and I plan to have the sleeve surgery at Christmas break(I am a teacher). I only have about 30 pounds to lose...lost 40 with the band but then it slipped...and it was always too tight, too loose...too tight, too loose.

I am having my sleeve done on Nov.22,2011 and I was banded on Nov.19,2009 and just had my band taken out on Oct.8,2011 due to a staph infection. My doctor told me insurance should cover my surgery since i did so well in the beginning with my band and i wasnt my fault that i am high risk now for staph infections.

I changed to a different obesity center and the center I am with now has a proxy from the insurance company so as soon as the new obesity center approved me, my insurance would automatically approve.
At my new obesity center I did have to go through an intake interview and a multi disciplinairy screening (dietician, fysical therapist, surgean and psychologist all in 1 evening). After my approval I had to get new bloodtest and a heartfilm. All in all took about 6 months from first contact to surgery.

I had to got through all the same procedures and requirements plus I has a sleep apnea study. My insurance com was the same but they got more demanding. They are being stickers for the 40 BMI . Mine slightly below. I went in for my preop today and am now waiting for final approval. I am scheduled for March 27 right before Easter. But that was the soonest he had. I started this back in Sept. I had the band 7 years ago before the sleeve was available.

Hi, I had my band in 8 years ago and initially lost heaps of weight but about 3 years after started having severe reflux and had to have all the fluid out and since then of course i have gained more weight. My band is still stopping me from eating healthy stuff like salads, fish, rice, apples and so on. I just end up throwing it up and i now also amgetting a lot of irritaion and discomfort from it. I am just waiting till i have enough $$$ to get it removed and then hopefully i can have the sleeve operation.
Is it a big op to have the band removed??
I have been told the surgeoun who will do the sleeve operation will only do it if he removes the band so he can see the condition of the stomache which i guess makes sense. Praying that before the end of the year i will at least have the band out so i can then go thru the process of organising for the sleve op. My diabetes is not good so i need my weight under control.
Thanks eveyone on here it is so comforting to know other people have been thru the same thing. Current weight is 110kg and i should be minimum that i would be very happy with 80kg.
Like most people done all the weight loss crap including all the "magic " stuff and the only thing that worked in the begining anyway was the band.