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Did you have the lap band before revisions? Did you gain any weight before you got the sleeve after 2.5 yrs? I didn't make it to my goal of 135 but that was because I didn't exercise while I was losing the 108 lb. loss. I wasn't unhappy with the weight I lost. Just am having problems with food getting stuck and coming back up. Not all the time just 2 or 3 times a week. But it would start to choke me and I couldn't get a breath. The last time I thought I was going to die. I broke my back 3 times and lost 13 lbs. Not a way to lose the weight. I have stayed down around my loss weight and now under it. I don't want to gain back any of the weight I have lost and have kept off for 13 yrs.

Removed and revised? or just removed?........... my revision was 2.5 years after the removal. Down 53#

Im from VA but in WA. Had my sleeve in 2015, and insurance approved revision to DS. I didn't have to do the 6 months etc., because of reflux and other comorbidities. My dr suggested the DS because of the success rate as a revision. Plus I saw how the bypass did my mom, my surgery is scheduled 10/22

October 22 - DS- i had the sleeve in2015, this is a revision

I've had two surgeries--a sleeve, and then a revision to RNY because I developed GERD after my sleeve. Nine years ago, I lost 100 lbs with the sleeve from a starting BMI of 36 and kept it off, so that was a big big plus. I don't recall much pain after the first two days or so, and my recovery was uneventful. The cons were that my sleeve was very picky about the foods it would tolerate. I could not eat scrambled or hard-boiled eggs. I could not eat dense protein like tuna, salmon, or chicken breast. I could not eat pasta, bread, or bready things because they balled up inside my stomach, absorbed stomach fluid, and then hurt. I lived on seafood, steak, dairy products, and vegetables. I did not dump. I developed GERD a couple of years after my surgery but I loved my sleeve so much I did not want to consider a bypass, but after a year on 3x the regular prescribed dosage of PPIs plus OTC antacids that still did not control my reflux and regurgitating everything I swallowed multiple times I decided on RNY. I had my RNY on June 29 of this year, and maybe because I'm ten years older than when I had my sleeve my recovery was a little bit harder and more painful. I definitely felt like my insides had been rearranged. RNY is way different from the sleeve to me. I don't have that tight feeling anymore that I have eaten enough so I have to measure my food, but I am used to eating a small amount so it's not a big deal. I can eat eggs and pasta again. I don't dump, but I became lactose-intolerant. I lost 10 additional pounds following the RNY surgery when I was on a liquid/puree diet, but I haven't lost anymore and my BMI has leveled off at 20.

Deep Incisions tend feel like this for me too. Congratulations on a successful Revision ♥️

Be careful with bread after bypass is what I have heard. I have eaten a half cheeseburger with the bun and had no issues since my revision to bypass.

Hi there! Fingers crossed for you that your referral goes smoothly and you can have a good meeting with your doctor about bariatric surgery options. I've had two bariatric procedures. The first was in 2011 when I got Lapbanded. At that time, the only real options for me were Lapband or Bypass as insurance carriers in my area viewed Sleeve Gastrectomy as "too new" (never really got that as it was part of Duodenal Switch, but also my insurance didn't cover that outside of extreme circumstances). I chose Lapband because frankly, RNY scared the hell out of me, despite the fact that my Mom underwent it and was and remains wildly successful with it. I was younger and the thought of rerouting everything was too much for me, plus I'd seen my mom go through dumping and that also freaked me out. So I went with what felt like a good choice for me. And it was good until it wasn't. I did lose weight! Until it started coming back. And then my band slipped and I apparently developed a minor hiatal hernia from it that I likely lived with for a long while without knowing it was there. When I found out about it as part of my revision process, it suddenly made all of the regurgitation I'd suffered from for years make sense. The Lapband is really the best option for people who are in the 30-35 BMI scale and need that extra help to get closer to what is considered healthy. It is rare that Lapband weight loss is equivalent to that of RNY, VSG, or DS. The Lapband requires a lot of upkeep because it's effectiveness is based on how filled the band is. So you will have a lot of appointments in the first year or two where your doctor adds more saline to the band to give greater restriction...takes some out to lessen the restriction...then adds more...removes some. It's all a game of finding the elusive "sweet spot" where the band is filled the right amount to allow for continued and consistent weight loss. It is fairly common for a Lapband to slip, which present all kinds of difficulties. When it slips, it is no longer in the position is it supposed to be. Thus your pouch ends up no longer being the right size. It can also lead to hernias when it slips. Slippage CAN be fixed, but you're looking at another laparoscopic procedure so that they can put it back to the right position. Which requires removing all of the fluid from the band, doing the procedure, and essentially starting at square one again. That said, it is STILL a useful weight loss tool for those that it is appropriate for and who achieve success with it. There are plenty of Lapband success stories! In July, I had revision surgery to remove my Lapband and to have a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy done instead. I am older than I was in 2011 and realized that making major adjustments to my insides was not actually a horrible thing in light of dealing with bad knees, a bad back, sleep apnea, CPAP dependence, and the risk of onset of any number of other comorbidities that I have been fortunate to avoid. I'm only 12 weeks out as of today, so I don't have the breadth of post-op experience that others here have when it comes to VSG, but I can't say that I regret the decision. I have continued to lose weight since surgery, adding to my pre-surgery weight loss. None of my clothes fit me anymore, yet I am still wearing them because I can't see the point of shopping for new clothes when I am still losing weight. Seems like a waste of money to do that! The cons for VSG? Strangely, I'm not encountering too many yet. I actually found I was in more pain post-op from my Lapband surgery than I was recovering from VSG. Any of the others cons I've experienced are not exclusive to VSG surgery. Almost every bariatric patient complains about dealing with constipation at some point. Discomfort from eating too much in the immediate post-op phase as I learn my body's signals and how to read them to know when to stop? We all go through that too. The biggest con that I can think of is that if I'd chosen RNY over VSG, my post-op weight loss would likely have been quicker, so I might have been down another 10-20 pounds by now, though that is not guaranteed. It is just very likely as RNY statistically has a greater percentage for weight lost than VSG. As for what you've heard about bariatric surgery patients only being able to eat small portions, that is generally true across the board. That is one of the key features of ANY of the weight loss surgeries. It's a GOOD thing, though. Many people get to the point where they consider these surgeries because of eating too much. It's an unfortunate aspect of how many world cultures have evolved when it comes to food. The US is probably the worst about it. Think about when you go out to eat at a restaurant, especially a chain restaurant. You open the menu and you get a list of appetizers in your face to tempt you. So we order an appetizer or two. Then we order our entree which comes to the table is a massive sized portion that is, realistically, enough food for at least 2 people. Yet we're trained to believe that this is an appropriate portion of food. Let alone the fact that it's frequently overloaded with carbs and fat. So between appetizers and your entree, you've probably eaten 3 meals worth in one sitting. On top of everything else you ate that day. So by getting a surgery that provides you with a tool that limits how much you can eat at a given time, you're able to retrain your body and brain to realize exactly what and how much the human body needs to survive and thrive. A good bariatric team will be there to help you change your relationship with food so that every meal and snack you eat during the day, provides you with the good nutrients that the body needs, while limiting the intake of the "bad" ones that the body still needs, but only in the quantities that it needs. Carbs and fats are not actually bad. The body needs them to survive. It just doesn't need them in the quantities that we frequently take in. It is NOT an easy journey, but it is a deeply rewarding and fulfilling one that will, quite literally, change your life. Welcome aboard and I look forward to seeing your journey and offering support every step of the way!

My sleeve was 12/17/2019. My RNY revision was 8/11/2020 due to severe GERD and hiatal hernia that caused intractable hiccups. Seeing as I was only about 8 months out from my original surgery, I’m still losing weight.

I regret having sleeve as my first surgery. I woke up with severe GERD that never went away. I just had revision to bypass and am so happy I went through with it!

I revised primarily for severe GERD, though there was also a lack of weight loss due to maladaptive eating to avoid GERD symptoms. I woke up from sleeve with severe GERD that never really went away. I woke up from bypass with zero GERD and have not had any symptoms since surgery on 9/18.

Theres a revision forum that you can try asking in might have people over there that can help

Me! I only lost about 30 lbs with sleeve and gained half of it back due to maladaptive eating to avoid the symptoms of severe GERD. I just had revision to bypass on the 18th and am down 20 lbs from the start of my liquid diet 10 days prior to surgery. My doc said he expects me to lose about 60-65% of my excess weight, so a little less than I’d bypass was my first surgery.

Same! 280, then sleeved 2012! 5 years later gained 50lbs now I saw my surgeon n he said the revision will get me back down but I’m reading others say they didn’t lose after or just 20. How are you doing

I had my RNY revision for severe GERD (was causing intractable hiccups) on 8/11 and eat a pretty normal diet now. My portion sizes are definitely small but my sleeve was made into a pouch so I expected that. Very early on I did dump on some weird things though- whey protein blends that aren’t 100% isolate or collagen (not sure of plant-based ones), a couple broth based soups can’t remember which ones, and jimmy dean egg white scramble cups which has made me leery of trying real eggs. All the pain I had post-op is pretty much resolved aside from some random shoulder pain if I skip meals. (Surgeon was super confused! 🤷‍♀️) As to the alcohol, I don’t drink so no clue what that’s like or when would be ok.

I had my revision for GERD on 6/29 with a BMI of 22. I did not have much pain and resumed walking (starting at a half-mile) as soon as I got home. I walk about 3 miles a day at a quick pace and I'll go back to the gym when it's safe. I never had any problems drinking or eating while in the hospital and my surgeon said that I could have whatever I could swallow, so I did a couple of days of shakes and then moved to purees for a week, then regular food. I lost ten pounds during the liquid/puree days. I became lactose-intolerant, which was a surprise, but I can eat fat and sugar without dumping. I can eat scrambled eggs again, too, my sleeve hated them. I have not had any alcohol, I'm not much of a drinker. I think you'll be fine by Thanksgiving.

I think those stories are more than the exception than the rule. I have a virgin RNY, not a revision, but I've been hanging out on this and other bariatric sites for several years. Most people's revisions, from what I can tell, have been very successful. not everyone with RNY surgery dumps - I never have. The usual stat that is thrown around is that about 30% of us do, although Tek checked some peer-reviewed articles recently and estimates in those were anywhere from 20-50%. So...still not everyone. Even if you're one of the ones who dumps, you can control it through limiting sugar (even most of those who dump can tolerate SOME sugar - just not a lot of it). I can drink wine and champagne, but it hits me really quickly. I've never been much of a drinker, even before surgery. I used to have many five or six glasses of wine a year. Now I probably have two or three. No problems with it other than, like I said, it hits me a lot quicker than it did pre-surgery.

Welcome aboard! The fact that you've already started to make steps to lose weight and change your relationship with food is big and is one of the cornerstones of most surgical weight loss programs. I would recommend doing some research into what surgical programs there are in your area. Your profile says that you're in Hawaii, so maybe @tarotcardreader can give you some recommendations. Speaking with a weight loss program is always one of the first steps and they'll be able to talk with you about what your goals are and give you their best recommendations for how to achieve them. As for your questions, pain levels vary greatly from individual to individual. There will always be some pain, but there are a lot of factors involved in how little or great that pain ends up being. I had VSG surgery (revision from Lapband) 3 months ago and found that I was able to control my pain with liquid Tylenol. Considering I needed to use Oxy when I had my Lapband done in 2011, I wasvery surprised. Most of my pain and discomfort came from changing position from sitting to standing and sneezing (oh god, sneezes were the worst). Working out, it all depends on what kind of exercises you do. Your doctor will recommend walking as soon as possible after surgery as it helps the healing process and also helps to work out the gases that are pumped into the abdomen after surgery. You are not supposed to do any heavy lifting for at least 6-8 weeks (programs tend to vary, but the minimum always seems to be 6 weeks). This insures that your insides and incisions are completely healed up and you won't risk of accidentally opening something up. Aerobic exercises will be easier to accomplish and encouraged sooner after surgery, but it's important to listen to your body first and foremost. The most important piece of information I can offer while you explore the possibility of WLS is to always be aware that WLS is only a tool. It is not a magic pill. It will not fix everything for you. It won't fix everything overnight. Success requires that you put in the work to make proper use of that tool. It requires completely adjusting your relationship with food. WLS does make it somewhat easier to change that relationship, but it still requires a lot of work. A good surgical weight loss program will help you with this with education and support, but they will still expect that you participate and make the changes needed for WLS to be successful. It's a lifelong change and journey, but it is one that can greatly improve your quality of life. Congratulations on taking the first step to even consider WLS as an option and I hope that you'll find a great program near you if you do pursue surgery!

Hi all! Is there anyone here who got a revision from sleeve to bypass and lost more weight? If you did, did you gain wait after sleeve? My HW 280, Lowest sleeve weight was (2013)171, (2017)180 after 5 years, (2019) 190 on my wedding day and now w GERD and quarantine I’m 230 I get my surgery date this week for bypass. Are there any success stories of going back down to your lowest sleeve weight? I’m excited to no longer have to take omperozole but do want to lose and get back down to 170. Please let me know, looking for someone who achieved that lol

Hey! So can anyone who experienced dumping with a sleeve and revised to bypass and also experienced dumping with that tell me if it felt different? I’m currently sleeved and just found out the IBS I was diagnosed with after my surgery isn’t IBS after all and it’s actually dumping syndrome! I didn’t think sleevers dump so I was shocked but it totally makes sense now... anyway due to my other issue with GERD, I may need revision surgery.... sooo I’m curious, I hear a lot about bypass and dumping and know that it’s personal and not all patients dump and if they do it may be different triggers for everyone but if you experienced dumping while sleeved then after bypass, is it the same? Was it worse?

Thank you very much for posting this info! I found COVID definitely had a major impact on my weight loss program. I was supposed to attend 10 education classes. Only got to do 2 of them before the classes were canceled for the foreseeable future. Fortunately, being in the revision boat, I still had a lot of the knowledge from the first go-round. And my dietician visit was a 20 minute phone call where I pretty much just confirmed I was still on the original diet plan they dictated for me and that it was working as I was losing weight every week. So no changes were really needed. There's been a lot of other COVID related changes to my post-op plan that I'm finding annoying, but ultimately it is what it is and I'm making the best of it.

I am having revision to DS from sleeve soon. On you tube check out shrinking violet she has tons of videos about her experience with DS

I had the Sleeve in 2009 and revision to Bypass in May 2020, after regaining all the initial weight I had lost and having medical issues including severe GERD. I lost 40 pounds in the first four months since the revision. It also helped me get off of multiple medications and improved health issues I had begun having. It was a hard decision to make, but I'm very happy and so much healthier than before. I ride a stationary bike 30-60 minutes a day now, and before the revision I would not have been able to do this. Great decision for me

Good luck to you!! Maybe you can do revision to sleeve or RNY??? Like previously said, no need to be embarrassed!

There is also a LOT of pre-op diets out there that vary from surgeon to surgeon. When I had my lapband done in 2011, my diet was protein shakes for breakfast and lunch and then for dinner I could have broth with veggies and a very small amount of noodles (I used buckwheat soba noodles). I did that for 2 weeks and it wasn't the worst thing in the world. Dinner almost felt like a normal meal! For my revision to sleeve in July, it was all liquids for 1 week. It was a bit rough, but again, after the first few days, it got easier and the time breezed by. Some people here didn't even have to do a pre-op diet! So, depending on your surgeon, you might end up with a less strenuous pre-op diet! Fingers crossed for you!