Gastric Bypass While on Dialysis?

[mallory]

I'm sure the answer to this question is a resounding NO, but, I have to ask.  Can you have gastric bypass surgery while you're on dialysis?  I don't see how you could while you're on PD, but I thought maybe you could if you were on HD. 

Just wondering.  Since word is getting around that I'm starting dialysis, I've had three people offer to be tested to give me a kidney.  I would still have to lose quite a bit of weight before I'd be eligible, and I'd still have to get off the immunosuppressants.  But, I'm just checking everything out.  A couple of my friends recently had gastric bypass surgery and they've lost a lot of weight. 

Anybody know about this?

[Fox_nc]

Thought this was a great question, so I looked around and this is what I found ...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15316378&dopt=Abstract

"CONCLUSIONS: GBP is a safe and effective means for achieving significant long-term weight loss and relief of comorbid conditions in patients with renal failure on dialysis, in preparation for transplantation, or after transplantation."

Now I'm sure it will always come down to what your doc says ...

Good Luck!

[mallory]

Thanks, Fox_nc!  Great information.  I'm going to look into all my options, and this will give me another one.  Thanks again!

[Russ]

I'm sure the answer to this question is a resounding NO, but, I have to ask.  Can you have gastric bypass surgery while you're on dialysis?  I don't see how you could while you're on PD, but I thought maybe you could if you were on HD. 

Just wondering.  Since word is getting around that I'm starting dialysis, I've had three people offer to be tested to give me a kidney.  I would still have to lose quite a bit of weight before I'd be eligible, and I'd still have to get off the immunosuppressants.  But, I'm just checking everything out.  A couple of my friends recently had gastric bypass surgery and they've lost a lot of weight. 

Anybody know about this?

I also need WLS (Weight Loss Surgery) in order to qualify for a transplant.  My problem is our primary insurance through my spouse's job has an exclusion for WLS.  I also have Medicare but it will not become primary for about another 1.5 years.  Once Medicare becomes primary, it should pay for WLS.  Then it will take at least a year for me to lose enough weight to qualify for a transplant.  Even if I don't get a transplant, WLS should greatly improve my co-morbidities and quality of life.  My nephrologist, endocrinologist and PCP are all pushing for me to get WLS.

[mallory]

Russ, Wow, do I understand where you're coming from!  My insurance won't pay for a gastric bypass, either.  The cost they quoted if I want to self-pay is $19,000.00.  Now, where the heck am I going to get $19,000.00?!

We have another insurance choice, and I heard they will pay for the surgery.  I may look into that.  I'm a little worried, though.  My catheter surgery for PD is healing so slowly, and they think it's because of all the Prednisone I've been on.  I worry about having more extensive surgery that I may have trouble.

I sure hope everything works out for you.  I know how hard it is to lose weight.  I wish I'd had the surgery years ago, I would still have had vasculitis, but I think I'd have been better off if I hadn't been overweight to begin with.

[livecam]

Just a thought here Mallory.  If bariatric surgery is required as a prerequisite to a life saving transplant which has been deemed medically necessary then don't they have an obligation to pay?  I would think about presenting it that way and consider going to state regulators if they still refuse.

[Russ]

Russ, Wow, do I understand where you're coming from!  My insurance won't pay for a gastric bypass, either.  The cost they quoted if I want to self-pay is $19,000.00.  Now, where the heck am I going to get $19,000.00?!

We have another insurance choice, and I heard they will pay for the surgery.  I may look into that.  I'm a little worried, though.  My catheter surgery for PD is healing so slowly, and they think it's because of all the Prednisone I've been on.  I worry about having more extensive surgery that I may have trouble.

I sure hope everything works out for you.  I know how hard it is to lose weight.  I wish I'd had the surgery years ago, I would still have had vasculitis, but I think I'd have been better off if I hadn't been overweight to begin with.

Mallory, depending on how much weight you need to lose to qualify for a transplant, lap band surgery may be an option for you and is less expensive.  On the down side, the lap band is more easily defeated than GBS and the possibility of regain is more likely.  On the upside, lap band is a much less intrusive procedure and is easily reversible in the event of complications. 

I've also heard of people getting their state Vocational Rehabilitation agency to pay for WLS.  A great web site for WLS info is obesityhelp.com.  They have a chatroom of people with all types of WLS surgery.