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Revision from VSG to RNY with hernia repair
southernbanded replied to shriner37's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
This is very interesting and is a current issue that I have been battling for two years to have covered by my insurance company. I had lab-band done in 2013. Starting weight was 317 and got down to 222 pounds. However, I suffered from extreme acid reflux, causing me to sleep sitting up for three years. I was vomiting acid and sick every meal. When I spoke to my doctor about this, he immediately suggested conversion to VSG. While awaiting the approval for the VSG conversion, they made me do it in two parts. One surgery to remove the band, wait six months for the stomach to reshape itself, and then complete the VSG surgery. I gained 50 pounds back of my lost weight. I had the conversion done in December 2016. Everything went well. Acid was gone. However, I never felt restricted at all. I never really lost weight. Fast forward one year to 2017, and the acid returned. In 2019, after having severe complications from acid reflux and developing a nightly cough, I called my doctor only to find out that he had passed away. I decided to see an upper GI doctor who did an EGD and found me with Hernia, GERD, and Esophagus damage. He sent me to a surgeon specializing in throat cancer and bariatric issues. Submitted to have surgery was denied. We have been battling this for almost two years. I went this past week to another bariatric doctor familiar with my deceased doctor's work and also completed an EGD himself on me this past Monday. Same thing, Hernia, GERD, and now they believe I have Barretts Esophagus. They submitted to the insurance to repair and again denied. Insurance says these complications came from bariatric surgery and did not cover even if medically necessary; My new doctor is also a lawyer (go figure); he is completing a peer-to-peer next week to try to have them complete the repair one final time. If approved, I will only need to pay for the bypass conversion. So fingers crossed. I feel as if my insurance company would rather me die of esophagus cancer than keep me from dying from cancer. It is truly sad. -
February 2022 Surgery Buddies
MimmyMim replied to MeganMyers's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
My surgeon just delivered a bear in honor of my Bariatric surgery. I am hoping to be ready to leave the hospital by 2:30! -
Vomiting is so tough. I had vomiting for two months and was only recommended to return to liquid for one day in the first month. The pharmacist recommended a slow-release iron pill that I took separately from a multivitamin (I use Bariatric Pal capsules) that had no iron. This did the trick, maybe try it?
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I was drinking three protein shakes a day pre-op. Now they feel heavy, 8 oz is a lot to get down, and I need to get at least two down per day. I was throwing it up every time I'd drink a third of one. I tried two others without any change. I gave up. I am not taking the vitamins with food because when I take them it feels like I've eaten a meal. I have the Bariatric Advantage choc chews. I loved them after sleeve surgery, not now, and one fills me up! I am drinking two glasses of FairLife lactose free milk every day. The office is closed today and tomorrow because of the weather. I will call Monday. Thank you.
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Surgeon's advice after vomiting
ShoppGirl replied to lizonaplane's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Have you tried or considered the bariatric advantage chewable. It’s more expensive and I didn’t love the taste of it but I was able to take that one on an empty stomach and I was fine. My nutritionist had samples. -
What vitamins is everyone taking?
vikingbeast replied to Dcsjoc's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I also use the ProCare with 45mg iron. But I have to have it after there's something in my stomach or I get dizzy. I also take D3/K2, B12 (liquid), calcium citrate, and a few other things, but none of them are officially "bariatric" and yet my labs are fantastic. -
I lost 50 lbs before surgery and have lost 46 since surgery (4.5 months ago). I KNOW from everything I've read here, in my support groups, and in the information provided to me by my bariatric center that stalls are normal and inevitable. BUT THEY STILL SUCK DONKEY BALLS! I was losing about 9 lbs a month (rolling average) for the first 4 months, but since month 4, it's been just up and down the same two pounds. I'm TRYING to focus on the fact that I've gone from a 2x-3x to a large. I'm TRYING to focus on the fact that I can walk so much more quickly now. But I am so scared the weight loss has stopped. I am trying to do exercises, but I hurt my arm and my doc told me to rest it for a while. I was then doing more treadmill, but my hip started to hurt like it did when I did treadmill every day before surgery. My eating is decent but not perfect (I eat out a lot due to traveling for work, so I know my meals aren't low fat). I'm drinking so much I have to pee every hour. How long do stalls last and how do you know if you're in a stall or if your weight loss has STOPPED? (sorry for the CAPS 🤪)
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What vitamins is everyone taking?
Queen ApisM replied to Dcsjoc's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
The chewable multivitamins are terrible. Having said that, the Bariatric Advantage ones were way better than the Celebrate ones. I tried to switch to save money but it was bad and I just ate (no pun intended) the cost of getting more of the BA ones because the daily torture was not worth it. I switched to a one a day capsule for the multivitamin once I could do so (around month 4) and I have never looked back. I take the Bariatric Advantage Solo with Iron, as well as the BA Calcium (the same kind as you - I agree they taste like Starbursts but find them quite tolerable, esp the strawberry ones). -
What vitamins is everyone taking?
ShoppGirl replied to Dcsjoc's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I started with that brand but later searched for something more reasonable price wise. I now take the procare health multivitamin with 45 mg of iron and a normal calcium citrate pill that is not bariatric. So far my labs are great. I do not need the B12 so far either. I had the sleeve. -
Struggling DS Veteran. In need of support
GradyCat replied to Alostkey's topic in Duodenal Switch Surgery Forum
Find a counselor who deals with weight issues and/or bariatric patients. Both my counselor and my psychiatrist have heavy concentrations working with people who've had WLS, so they understand my issues. -
I am 4 years old and strict with getting in my protein first and foremost. Im having monthly period cravings. I can’t stop obsessing about weight and cravings and thoughts of food. Im not sure what’s going on with me but I have this instaiable hunger. I feel like my hunger is returning and its really terifying me. Im petrified of weight regain. I was in the hospital 4 times since my July tummy tuck with lower body lift. I went septic and required ICU blood transfusions. I was at my lowest weight of 190. I couldn’t eat when I was weak and sick. Now my body is healing a dehissed wound on my hip (from that surgery) its like my body is craving things it did pre surgery. Im terrified and get scared going up 2 pounds then down 3, im in a constant yoyo. Ive been talking to my counselor about it but I feel like they might not understand the disordered way of thinking about food. Thanks for letting me vent. Im hoping to see my bariatric surgeon soon and try to figure this out. However, I am out of state from him. Im honestly thinking that my hunger is stemming from a genetic condition. I was also born with mosaic turner syndrome (I did the testing and have the rare obesity gene) anyways 125 grams of protein daily and under 60 carbs should keep me full. I go to bed depressed and brush and floss so I don’t engage in eating. I can’t stop thinking about food and feeling constantly head hungry. This is miserable I just try to go to sleep and control my obsessing. This makes me feel like I’m just eventually going go regain it all. Thanks for listening. I hope my fears go away.
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February 2022 Surgery Buddies
MaryRN66 replied to MeganMyers's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
My RNY surgery is tomorrow morning (I have to be at hospital at 0530 for 0730 surgery date!). My Bariatric Surgeon was supposed to do the whole shabang - remove lap band and revise to RNY - in October, 2021 but he only took out the band. He said it was "safer" this way but I was super disappointed. Now I'm just hoping it all goes according to plan tomorrow. Please send prayers for those who pray. This is a game changer for me. -
February 2022 Surgery Buddies
Honey10604 replied to MeganMyers's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I bought Bariatric fusion. I haven’t started on them my surgery is this Monday but my nutritionist gave me samples. Not the best in taste but they will do for now. -
February 2022 Surgery Buddies
MimmyMim replied to MeganMyers's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I saw someone else responded with Bariatric Fusion Complete Chewable. You do have to take four a day but they have all that you need for the sleeve. It was also a very cost effective choice. -
February 2022 Surgery Buddies
freckledmegan replied to MeganMyers's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Bariatric Fusion chewable. If you are getting the sleeve, it's the only vitamin you have to take. They are only sold online. The berry flavor is pretty good! Sent from my SM-G970U using BariatricPal mobile app -
Revision from VSG to RNY with hernia repair
shriner37 replied to shriner37's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
I don't know. In 2015 I was self pay as my company insurance didn't cover bariatric surgery. I'm now retired and the ACA plan I have also doesn't cover anything related to bariatric surgery so if GERD was a side effect of the first surgery they wouldn't likely cover it. I think they will cover the hernia repair but not the bypass, so there might be some partial coverage. -
Welcome to our bariatric community. Take a tour around the forums and you'll find many helpful threads and answers to a lot of the questions you might have. We share our experiences here and learn a lot from one another. Wow, you two did it together, huh? That's pretty neat.
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Lizonaplane is exactly right. You are being asked to do something nearly impossible within that time frame. A1C lowers over a 2-3 month period. But very high A1C's (e.g., 10) will lower faster when treatment is provided. Postponing may seem very disappointing but it would give you a chance to drop to an acceptable A1C by being extremely strict with your diet, exercising, and taking any medication prescribed to you. The only other possible option (and maybe not a great one) is to consult with an endocrinologist about whether the endocrinologist believes you could safely undergo the procedure with your current A1C. But he or she would have to consult with and get the approval of your bariatric surgeon for this.
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Revision from VSG to RNY with hernia repair
shriner37 posted a topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
I was sleeved in September of 2015. Weight loss was moderately successful with some regain. High weight was 300, surgery weight 277, got down to 210 and I'm currently at 233. Goal was 185. I have had some issues with GERD like others. Recently though my hiatal hernia has worsened and I am only able to eat very small amounts of food at any given meal. It seems like I'm back to eating like I did 6-8 weeks after my initial surgery. I reached out to my bariatric surgeon and have scheduled an EGD for next week. From what his PA told me if they do a hernia repair they will want to do a revision to RNY at the same time. He said they do this in most all cases. I was also told that their practice (a high volume bariatric surgery facility) does 80-90% RNY these days with very few sleeves. I've noticed that my type 2 diabetes was initially resolved by the sleeve surgery but my A1C has crept back up to 6.0 and my fasting glucose teeters right around 100. I wonder if the revision will resolve the metabolic issues as well as perhaps helping me lose another 20 pounds or so. Does anyone have any insight into the reasoning behind doing the revision with the hernia repair? -
Determining Goal Weight
lizonaplane replied to suzannethemom's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I always thought 20 was the LOW end of healthy BMI, with 25 being the top end of "normal". But also, BMI is seriously flawed, because it doesn't take into account our muscle mass, which should be high for many/most bariatric patients because we needed more muscle in our legs to hold us up. Unless you lose a lot during weight loss. It was the psychologist who talked about expected weight loss with me, not the surgeon. She said, "here is what we think is what we predict you will weigh after this. Will you be okay with that?" I was not okay with that! But, it is just an average. Now that I am about 6 pounds from what she said, I realize that if my body tones up a bit, I would be okay - not thrilled - with it. Remember, if you have to struggle every day to keep your "perfect" weight, you will likely not be happy. This is going to be a life-long battle, and you can't spend all of your energy every minute focused on it -
This sounds a ton like COVID, but it could be a lot of other things, including symptoms of malnutrition, which is always a concern for those of us with highly malabsorptive procedures (MGB, DS etc.) I'd reach out for a doctor pretty much now, and do beware many doctors don't take bariatric patients' concerns seriously. Then try another or push as hard as you can. It's not normal to feel like this, and the literature on MGB doesn't describe adverse effects like this in general. Edit: COVID manifests in the GI tract for 21% of the infected (with delta, though). I am pretty sure we're more at risk for that due to the lack of a natural acidic environment that a normal stomach has.
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Determining Goal Weight
Guest replied to suzannethemom's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I don't think this point can be stated enough! My bariatric therapist said to me when I was talking about the idea of what 'perfect' looks like that the strive for perfect is the same mental prison as being a morbidly obese, socially isolated, overeater was. And that clicked with me. My journey to BMI 50 started by not listening to my body, ignoring hunger, and talking down to myself. -
Excited to be new to the group
ShoppGirl replied to Tazrn00's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Hello and welcome. I see you already have a bariatric therapist which would have been my advice. I struggle with boredom eating and I am still trying to find a good therapist in my area to help with this. I’m losing but it’s more of a struggle than it would be without disordered eating issues (I assume). I have found bariatric pal to be a wonderful source Of support and hope you will too. -
Excited to be new to the group
Tazrn00 replied to Tazrn00's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Yes I’m seeing a therapist who specializes in eating disorders and bariatric patients. I have been seeing her since before the surgery. She’s the one who recommended I join this group. Thanks for the welcome. -
Excited to be new to the group
Arabesque replied to Tazrn00's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Welcome & congratulations on your surgery. Never be afraid to ask for help. This process is not always easy. Many hiccups & roadblocks along the way as we work through the crap that lead us to being overweight. We don’t talk about the importance of doing the head work for nothing 🙂 Were you recommended a therapist as part or your pre surgery program? If not ask your team for a recommendation to someone who specialise in eating disorders & bariatric patients. You may find working with a therapist about your cravings & night eating very helpful. There are many people on this forum who have benefitted from working through their food obsessions etc. with therapy to understand what’s drinking them to eat & finding strategies to manage those drives. Good luck & congratulations on your weight loss so far. It’s just the beginning.
