EllieV

Hello! I am looking to introduce myself and possibly get some advice or insight from others! I had a VSG in October of 2016. Weight DOS was 288, lowest weight I reached was 198 within about 6 months of the procedure. I developed terrible reflux that I managed with OTC medications, and maintained this weight loss almost effortlessly (I did go to the gym 4-5x weekly and ate small portions - stuck to the rules as best as I could) until the end of 2019. But to backtrack a little - I was diagnosed with breast cancer in May of 2018, so by the time I was through with chemo, steroids, horrible lethargy...you get the picture... the weight piled back on within a year of finishing treatment, and by the end of 2019, I had gained 60lbs back. I am in no way trying to play the "cancer card" or blame it on that, I know I am fully responsible for the way my weight journey has turned out, but if I had to pinpoint when it started to go downhill, I'm pretty sure it aligned with that. Presently, I am at 261 and am seeking a revision due to the reflux, a severely dilated fundus that was seen on both a CT and an endoscopy, and the weight regain. I guess I am just looking for others who are also seeking a revision, or others who have recently had one who may have any words of wisdom! Lastly, I have Harvard Pilgrim and my authorization has been submitted by my surgeon and is now in the "pending medical review" stage. Anyone else with HP, roughly how long did it take to hear back? My program coordinator said anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks, but I was just wondering if anyone had any personal experience. Thank you for reading and I'm looking forward to "meeting" more people on here!

Anyone else having a revision done in December? I'm having a revision from a sleeve (2016) to RNY due to reflux that is resistant to medication. I would love to connect with anyone else going through this around the same time!

I haven’t had mine yet, but my surgeon told me to refill my omeprazole for at least a month post op. He said by then, I shouldn’t have any residual effects/ shouldn’t need it. Sorry, I know I’m not super helpful as I haven’t had surgery yet but that’s what he advised me! So it sounds normal.

I had a VSG done back in October 2016. Since, I have developed unbearable reflux to the point where I'm waking up in the middle of the night with my throat on fire and a mouth full of bile. I had a swallow study done in August of 2020, which I was told was normal (recently found out it was FAR from normal...). Fast forward to this past Spring, I saw a new surgeon who said that this anatomy is absolutely not normal for post-sleeve, and that I have an extremely dilated fundus and the beginnings of a hiatal hernia. Has anything like this happened to anyone else? (the part in pink is circled because I wanted to point it out to a friend I sent it to, but obviously, that whole dark bubble should NOT be there)

Thank you for your reply! I wish you luck and I hope you are able to get this done in December as well.

I am wondering the same thing myself... excellent question. I just wanted to say that I am in the EXACT SAME boat. I had a sleeve in 2016, lost just shy of 100lbs and my lowest recorded weight was 199. I then went through a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment including many surgeries, and this past summer I was back up to the exact weight as you - 267. I have been working closely with my doctor and am now down to 243. I am scheduled for a revision this December mainly for GERD, but hoping that it will help me with losing some extra weight, too. I just wanted to remind you that you are not alone!

Update! I appealed the denial, appeal was denied again, took the next step which was an external review from a 3rd party company, and they deemed the revision medically necessary so now my insurance is legally bound to uphold that decision and cover it 100%. It took a while, but I won! More excited about winning the insurance battle than I even am about the surgery, but I know it will sink in soon.

Has anyone had any experience with having a revision done in Mexico? My insurance denied my revision AND denied my appeal against their decision. I don't have the time to continue fighting them (we want to have kids in the future and I know I will have to wait 18-24 months after the surgery to do so). And, if anyone has any experience at Oasis of Hope in Tijuana, Mexico, please do let me know even if it wasn't for a revision! Thank you so much!

Has anyone had any experience with phentermine to try to kick start weight loss again after regain? I’ve read a lot about it online (Reddit, where else!) but I’m specially looking for opinions from people who have had WLS. My doctor told me that the key takeaway is that it is an appetite suppressant, and that is how it works. I questioned how effective it would be for me, given that I’ve had a sleeve and essentially have no hunger hormone left in my body — I really haven’t felt “hunger pangs” since my sleeve. She said it should still work for me as it works on the metabolism, etc, in additional to being a suppressant. Had anyone tried this medication AFTER having a sleeve (along with diet + exercise)? If so, how did it work for you? Thanks! For reference — SW 292, LW post-op 199, CW 261.

Thank you for your response and the info!

How many times did you guys and girls have to appeal an insurance denial before it went through (if it went through?) I have Harvard Pilgrim, and they have determined that my revision is not medically necessary despite reflux that wakes me up every night with imaging and an upper endo to prove this. I plan to call my surgeon's office and find the best way to appeal it, but I was just curious if anyone had successfully appealed before - particularly with Harvard Pilgrim. Thanks!

Oh, ok. My question was for people who got denials - I was wondering how the appeal process went.

The first time you appealed it? Or the first time you submitted it? I'm wondering about people's experiences with appeals.

Follow up: I actually just got the denial from my insurance company about an hour ago. Even seeing this, they’ve deemed a revision “not medically necessary.” I’m gonna have a fight on my hands 😩

Hi! No, they didn't do a baseline swallow study, so I don't have anything to compare it to, unfortunately. Fingers crossed that insurance approves my revision and we can get that corrected intraoperatively, too. Thank you, and I hope you feel better soon too!

I am going on a year now trying to have a revision done due to GERD. Last August, I saw my old surgeon's nurse practitioner who told me that omeprazole daily was my only option. She ordered a swallow test which she reported looked "normal" and she could see no reason why I had GERD - so, again, continue with omeprazole. This past April, I finally had had enough and decided to advocate for myself a little more and saw a surgeon in another facility. He took one look at my swallow study and said it was far from normal - I have a huge dilated fundus and a hiatal hernia. He, too, tried to push the meds vs. a surgical intervention but I told him that I could not go on like this nor did I want to take yet another medication daily for the rest of my life for an issue that could be fixed with a revision. Fast forward to THIS August, I'm waiting on insurance approval with my fingers crossed. I'm frustrated that I was misdiagnosed, as this could've been taken care of almost a year ago... bottom line, push, advocate for yourself. You know your body best. The only trick is getting insurance to deem the revision medically necessary. Good luck!

Not sure if this has been said, BUT being able to shave - you know where - without turning into some type of gymnast/contortionist is the best feeling!