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I never had any regrets when I had my lap band put in 11+ years ago, despite getting horrible GERD and that the band likely causing my hiatal hernia. And I really don't think I will regret my revision to a VSG two weeks ago either. Not to go to "a dark place" in this thread but honestly, the point that my bariatric surgeon brought up in the seminar when I was considering the lap band years ago was "Why is it that you never see anyone who is old and obese? Because if you're obese you generally don't make it to old age." That has just stayed with me ever since. Wishing you all the best on your journey!!

Hi! About 12 years ago I had the lap band. I started at about 280 lbs and got down to 200 lbs but now I’m back to about 240 lbs (I should be around 140 lbs). I have terrible reflux, morning bile in my throat, and vomiting multiple times a week. I found a great revision doctor and he has approved me for revision to gastric bypass. I’m going in on 4/23 to make sure my band has slipped so that insurance pays. But regardless (I will self pay at this point- even if I have to sell plasma), I’m having the bypass and I’m so excited. Any one out there that can give me some good advice? What to expect? I appreciate any guidance!! Thank you so much! 💜

Are you limited to the McLaren network? If not, I recommend Dr. Stalin- he is part of the Ascension network. He used to split his time between Genesys and St. Mary's (Saginaw), but since COVID, he has consolidated down to just one office- in Saginaw. When I went to a group informational appointment (pre-COVID), I met people who were getting a revision with him- from both Hurley and McLaren. From what I gathered, the program his office has set up is the best in the area.

How severe is your GERD and what is involved with a revision? I am having horrifying reflux almost every evening and throw up probably 3 days a week. I am over 4 years post surgery and didn't anticipate any of this happening!

2 months shy of 2 years. Happy with my weight loss but struggling with GERD and may need a revision. Currently undergoing testing.

Nodule came back as benign but they want to remove it with an endoscopic ultrasound. My gastroenterologist says their recommendation would be revision to RNY. I had a virtual appointment with my surgeon and my surgeon is sending me for upper GI xrays in case a hernia or stricture was missed in the endoscopy,

I'm scheduled for bypass on 4/13. Started the liquid diet today. This is a revision for me. Got the band in 2009, and did really well, but it slipped about 5 years ago and had to be removed. Of course, the weight is all coming back. Was hoping for the sleeve, but I have a hernia, so my surgeon says bypass is the way to go. So, this is what I need to do to be healthy. Good luck to everyone!

I'm scheduled for bypass on 4/13. Started the liquid diet today. So far so good, although I have a headache due to no caffeine. But that will subside, I'm sure. This is a revision for me. Got the band in 2009, and did really well, but it slipped about 5 years ago and had to be removed. Of course, the weight is all coming back. Was hoping for the sleeve, but I have a hernia, so my surgeon says bypass is the way to go. So, this is what I need to do to be healthy.

I had my lap-band removed a little over a year ago due to complications. Since then I have gained 30 pounds and growing, and now have a BMI of 35. I met with my surgeon today in hopes of getting a revision to gastric bypass. He does not believe I would qualify due to my BMI not being 40 or above, although my band was removed due to complications. He is still willing to play out the process and see what happens (dietician visits, etc.). He has also ordered a bunch of tests to see if anything shows up that may be obesity related that may help the process. Has anyone else been in the the same or similar situation? What was your outcome? I appreciate any feedback.

I'm an RNY patient (gastric bypass), but I've been hanging around on this and other boards for a few years now, so I can address some of these. complications like you described are pretty rare. The most common complication with the sleeve is GERD, which happens to about 30% of sleeve patients. Most cases of GERD can be managed medically, but some people end up getting revised to gastric bypass, as that often improves (or can even cure) GERD. re: diarrhea - actually, constipation is much more common. It's due to the high protein diet plus some of the supplements (that is, if you have to take iron and calcium - not all sleeve patients do). nausea/vomiting/etc - that's not uncommon in the early weeks after surgery, but after that, no - not very common. Blockages, etc - none of that common. Seriously, the GERD issue is the one that's the most common. Food intolerance - you'll most likely be on a fairly restrictive diet the first few months (and very restrictive the first few weeks), but after that, there's nothing that's prohibited. Some people do develop some intolerances and just can't stomach certain foods anymore, but there's nothing that's restricted after you're a ways out.

I am going back and forth because I used to work out and eat right. I lost my way and now am a mess. Really looking to hearing about the experience from start to where you are now specific to the sleeve. Did you have a hard time getting back up and moving after surgery. Were you having vomiting issues, any leaks or a need to have additional surgeries? My doctor wants me on a pure liquid diet for 5 weeks. Nothing but protein drinks and pureed soups at most. That part I can deal with I am just worried about some of the negatives I have read about on other sites such as chronic nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Any one had to deal with Gallstone issues following surgeries? Scarring that caused blockage and needed a revision? Sounds like these things could pop up over the long term including ulcers so wondering if anyone has had these experiences. What about food intolerance? Big Italian family who drink wine and do Sunday dinners at least twice a month. I am good with the moderation completely just concerned that I wont be able to tolerate anything normal in the future. I am second guessing my decision but know I should probably not be. I have lost 12lbs on the pre-op diet and have been optimistic until now. Think I am allowing paranoia to take me over:( Words of wisdom and any stories you wish to share on what you experienced over a period of time would be most welcome. Thanks for listening

I'm not sure about the mechanism. I was revised to bypass last month from gastric sleeve and I also have no restriction. I also have not lost any weight in over a month. Not sure it was worth it.

I’m scheduled for bypass in a week. It’s a revision from a sleeve. I’m having bile reflux and that’s the primary reason I’m doing the surgery. I’ve had some pretty mixed feelings about it, but logically it is the best choice.

Only one person knows about my first WL procedure (assuming she hasn't told anyone), she'd had a lapband many years ago, so knows of weight loss struggles. I didn't tell anyone of my revision procedure, some people may suspect something but haven't directly asked. I chose to go the privacy route because essentially it isn't any one's else business, I didn't tell all and sundry when I went through very early menopause, why is WLS any different. For these reasons no one ignores my WLS or any struggles I may experience or may have experienced, put simply they don't know. I can't say I've ever felt ignored on bariatricpal, I may have had a post or two where nobody responsed, but that's fine if the post didn't or doesn't prompt someone to reply, it obviously doesn't/didn't gel with anyone, it is what it is. I do think profile status updates are more frequently not responded to vs forum posts, so if they are going unanswered better to post on the forums. Status updates aren't out in the public sphere in the same way our posts are, so generally quite a few probably go unanswered.

@Creekimp13 I guess nothing has changed on this site. People judge food choices, goal weight, current weight, weight regain or revision. They judge how you work your own plan. I've been judged here because I enjoy sports (running, biking and hiking) If I never had surgery and enjoyed sports would I still get the same negative judgment? It's weird how judgmental some people can be.

unfortunately, GERD does happen to about 30% of VSG patients - and revisions for severe GERD aren't uncommon. RNY usually (but not always...) will improve it if not cure it. I would certainly do the bypass vs risk getting esophageal cancer, but then, I'm not you. Hopefully you'll get a lot of responses here from people who've revised for that reason - there are several folks out there..

I didnt want to have revision either. I still miss the restriction of the sleeve and I still have GERD and am on the same PPI I was on with VSG. I will be a year out from revision in May. I will say though the reflux is better and it appears the revision helped in the fact I went from esophagitis D to A, no barrets and cancer for me !!! I also lost more weight and have gotten to my lowest and its much easier so far to maintain then the sleeve. Good luck to you!!

My group was actually involved in a study focused on upping calories sooner. I was encouraged to reach 1200 calories per day as soon as possible, and did so around week 3 after surgery. I have not seen the study, but I was told by my doctor that people who eat more calories sooner will lose weight slower, BUT....statistically have much less regain later....the hypothosis being....this is because the metabolic set point is being re-estabilshed at a more robust livable caloric level. I cannot speak for anyone's experience but my own, and can report observations of a family member who has also had bariatric surgery. My cousin is a few years younger, also had sleeve, and was on an extended restricted calorie plan. She ate 600-800 calories for months after surgery. She lost rapidly. She was appalled by the calories I was being encouraged to eat as soon as week 3. Gave me crap constantly that I would not lose the weight she had. And at first...I was concerned she was right. She lost more weight than I did MUCH MUCH faster. Eating 1200 calories a day, I lost slowly, but consistently. But I eventually reached goal. I'm three years out, she's four years out. I've maintained everything I lost and I eat around 1600 calories a day. If I go up five pounds, I don't have any problem taking it off by dropping my calories down to 1200-1400. She's regained half of what she lost, and says she struggles to lose weight eating 1000-1200 calories a day. She blames the sleeve, and is planning to do revision surgery to RnY bypass. My personal feeling...is that there could be something to this concern about metabolic reset at too low a calorie threshold. Do I know that? Nope. People are extremely individual. This is a new science and there's a LOT we don't know, and even more that will vary by person, diet, and a dozen other variables. But I do know that attitudes among bariatric surgeons regarding diet are changing at the major research universities....to favor higher calories sooner. I'm guessing we'll know a lot more about how this all works out in the data.....in about ten years. LOL

Greetings Mae7365, I certainly don’t feel like a “virgin” RYGB individual. As you said in your post, “We’ve been there, done that”. We’ve gone from our VSG into a RYGB revision to tackle difficult health issues. Ever since the RYGB and hiatal hernia surgeries, I haven’t had any amount of GERD. My lower belly abdominal pains are gone. My erosive esophagitis is now healing. This amazing RYGB surgery has done wonders for tackling any medical conditions I had going into the RYGB revision surgery. I just figured out that I will be on full liquid diet for another 10 days. I bought on Amazon a good book on getting the most from the full liquid diet BEGINNERS GUIDE TO FULL LIQUID DIET FOR WEIGHT LOSS: BEGINNERS FRIENDLY GUIDE TO FULL LIQUID DIET FOR WEIGHT LOSS & HEALTHY LIFESTYLE . It’s a very good guide.

I had my gallbladder removed today I’m in so much pain today I found out I have esophagitis and I have bail my surgeon found I have wait a year too make sure is clear if not I’m going have get revision from gastric sleeve to gastric bypass

As a recent sleeve to bypass patient - specifically to resolve the terrible GERD, Gastritis and Esophagitis caused by chronic acid reflux - I can so relate to your comments. I had acid reflux disease before I even had the sleeve, and my surgeon never told me that GERD could be a complication following sleeve surgery. In all fairness, I think that this has really only come to the surface over the past 5 years. Now surgeons, and GI doctors, seem to be more versed in GERD following sleeve surgery and more prone to advise patients to choose the bypass. On a positive note, I've had ZERO acid reflux since my bypass surgery October 2020. I stopped taking any PPI, and my primary care doctor is thrilled. Long term use of PPI's can also lead to bone loss in women. Best decision I made was choosing the revision surgery.

I wanted to preface this post with this optimistic fact. My husband had the surgery with amazing results and no problems whatsoever 15 years ago - it saved his life. He lost over 150 pounds and kept if off. He's gained and lost the same 25 pounds like your typical middle aged person, but it's been nothing but a blessing for him. We had different surgeons. My experience wasn't so awesome, and I feel it's so important to share a few facts so you choose the RIGHT surgeon and ask the RIGHT questions. I hope I can help people avoid the avoidable. I'm a big believer in the surgery - but I want you to not suffer. Let me help:) What's the problem? The sleeve has a common and serious side effect that I suffer with, and that many surgeons downplay. GERD. But this isn't the GERD you think you know - I'll jump into that later. GERD has up to a 30% rate of occurrence after VSG - that's a lot higher then what my doc told me. https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.14467. Not only did my doctor gloss over it, and convey that it was "really rare", but he didn't really explain what this type of GERD is. I'm going to explain what this type of GERD is, and then I'm going to arm you with the right questions and research to do before you pick a surgeon. Because once it goes bad, your surgeon will pawn you off on a GERD doctor and that's that. Let me help you get proactive and avoid a bad result! What is VSG GERD? Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or chronic acid reflux is when acid shoots into your esophagus and throat. VSG GERD is different - that's why I'm giving it its own name. I never had GERD before the surgery. Now I get VSG GERD after drinking 4 oz. of water. It's NOT triggered by food. This isn't occasional, it's constant without dangerous meds. I now weigh 115 pounds, so it's not triggered by overindulgence or weight gain brought on by binging. Now you might think you already know GERD. Who hasn't had to pop a tums here and there? Not a bad trade off for a morbid obesity cure, right? THIS IS NOT THAT!!!! VSG GERD is an unrelenting tidal wave of persistent, burning acid that causes chest pain (and emergency room visits) that can only be somewhat managed by daily, longterm use of a class of drugs called PPI's. These PPI's lead to malabsorption and a host of side effects. I sit in my local cancer center to have my bi-annual 4-hour iron infusion with chemo patients to name just one. https://journals.lww.com/ajg/Fulltext/2018/10001/Effect_of_Long_Term_Proton_Pump_Inhibitor_Use_on.1227.aspx PPI's are a class of drugs that are only intended for 2 weeks of use because of their fairly horrific side effects. PPI's are linked to depression, blindness, cancer, and early death, (and this is the short list). There are several law firms dedicated to compensation for PPI victims. PPI's makes me feel like I've just downed a bottle of Mayo. I've been nauseous for years. I alternate between taking a bottle of tums a day so that I can take breaks from the PPI - but I always revert back to them after a short break to alleviate the pain. I am seriously at risk for a ton of really serious diseases, and my liver tests are really bad. PPI's are deadly. I'm in the process of finding a surgeon who can help. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-53622-3 The amount of VSG patients converting to the bypass/Linx system/etc. to rid themself of GERD and get off PPI's is exploding. Common sense would tell you that this isn't a" tums" sort of reflux! Hope for post VSG GERD As someone with no energy, horrible anemia, and low final weight - the bypass conversion sounds like a disaster because of the increased risk of malabsorption, but one surgeon told me it might be my only option. Some surgeons are discovering that a revision surgery to treat a hiatal hernial (HH) is the key to relief. I've had several scopes over the years, and they can never find a HH, but according to my husband's VSG surgeon, that isn't uncommon. He feels there is a possibility that my past the doctors missing it. I'm waiting on my barium swallow results. This gives me hope - that's why I wanted to share it. Hope is everything. I'm also going to talk with the doctor who wrote this article. "Laparoscopic Ligamentum Teres cardiopexy to the rescue; an old procedure with a new use in managing reflux after sleeve gastrectomy". Follow me and I'll keep you updated. https://www.americanjournalofsurgery.com/article/S0002-9610(20)30814-X/fulltext#gr2 Future VSG patients - ASK QUESTIONS! A few surgeons are now doing the sleeve with hiatal hernia repair at the same time, and some understand how important it is to consider GERD while doing the surgery. Different surgeons have different techniques. Some doctors "get it", and are being proactive because they've seen the pain that GERD causes. Some downplay it. I would suggest that ALL sleeve pre op patients have this discussion with their surgeon before moving forward. If he downplays it, RUN. ASK!!!! Ask your surgeon how many patients has he had who've had GERD. How does/or will he address it if you are unlucky? Ask about his follow up - does he even know what's going on with his past patients? How does he keep track? Has he sent any patients to a GERD specialist? If he says, "oh, only a few of my patients had that" - ask him how he handled it. (My surgeon sent me to the GERD doc and then cut off ties. He was not curious about my results - he did not want to know. He probably still tells patients that it is rare. He has no idea I've been suffering for 14 years.) Bariatric surgeons who've done the surgery and are on the forefront of GERD repair are a good bet. These doctors are rare and you need to really hunt for them. If your doctor does the whole "very rare", etc. (my doctor did), he's either: not reading recent studies, not listening to his patients, not following up on them, minimizing this horrific side effect, or all of the above. Don't settle for a doctor who acts like it's "super rare" or "no big deal". THIS IS A BIG DEAL. Find one that is proactive and discusses HOW they avoid it. I'm rooting for all of you! Let's get the surgery, but let's get it from the right people. Don't pick the guy in Mexico just because he's cheap. Don't pick the guy because he takes your insurance. Spend the money for a few consults to discuss the surgery with different surgeons. Come here and reach out to people who've gone to him/her. I went with a blind recommendation and didn't ask enough questions - and the price is really expensive - I'm still paying.

I had an endoscopy yesterday as part of the pre-surgery process for me. I've had GERD issues for a while, and my nurse wanted to make sure there wasn't something more there going on before getting a sleeve (which was the surgeon's recommendation based on my weight). Turns out I have a medium-sized hiatal hernia of the paraoesophageal type. Based on this we're actually going to go with bypass. According to the nurse, while it's possible the GERD would go away with the sleeve if the hernia was fixed, it's also not entirely uncommon for sleeve users to get another hernia later on due to the reduced size of the stomach, and then we'd be back to square 1 with the GERD issues (with them possibly being worse due to the new stomach). Where I am self-pay and a revision would not be covered by insurance, we have decided to go with bypass instead as I essentially have one chance to get this right. That is just for me though, and everyone is so different with multiple other factors at play that it may not be the right choice for others. Either way, I'd say an endoscopy will likely be beneficial. Doesn't hurt to have more information going into such a big decision, and the results may help you decide what type of surgery would work best for you.

Hi! I had the lap-band 12 years ago. I lost 80 pounds, but have gained back 40. I have band issues (vomiting, liquid in my throat when I wake up, reflux, etc.). I’m meeting with Dr. Houston to consult about a revision. Any one on here use him? Any positives or negatives? I’m self-pay. Thanks!

I was just revised from the sleeve to the bypass on the 23rd and my pain is minimal. Doing my best to get fluids in. I gained 10 pounds during my hospital stay so hoping that will come off pretty fast. I haven't had any incidences of reflux so I'm super happy about that.