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I was sleeved in Match 2018. I started losing hair at 6 months out and am still losing it. It is so bad that my scalp would sunburn over this past summer. My dietician said that hair loss is due to the very low calorie diet we are on i the beginning. I had to revise to a bypass 3 weeks ago and am nervous about having even more hair loss. Protein is very important but I have hit protein goals since first surgery. I have been taking a good biotin supplement from the start. This time I am using a shampoo that is said to stop the production of dht. I have my fingers crossed that it will at least help. I also get cold easier than I did pre op. I have heard the same from many bariatric surgery patients.

Progress since my revision for reflux and a hiatal hernia repair. Surgery day: 230lbs Weight today: 192lbs

I could be you , I had a band in 2009 lost all my excess weight, kept it off for ages and then it stopped working. I had a band to bypass revision in Jan and haven’t looked back. All my excess weight has come off - I now sit around 49kg and my diet is so much healthier. I can eat steak and chops and salads and there are no stuck episodes. I no longer waste nights out in restaurant loos because my first bite of food got stuck. To me my RNY does what the band was marketed to do. I know when i’ve had enough, I don’t get stuck, full is in my stomach not my throat and I can eat small amounts of healthy food and be satisfied. Sugar causes me issues if I’m not careful but that is a good thing. Good luck with whatever you decide to do but when deciding don’t write off the RNY, it is so much better than the band.

I don't think they called it a lift in anyway, on the procedure listing is was just plain old "breast reduction". It was covered by provincial insurance so I didn't really have a choice. Though looking back I probably should have asked for a different technique. They used the lollipop incision which results in a higher nipple placement yes, but has a bulbous look at the lower part of the boob. Now that I lost a lot of weight, that bulbous look is gone (they just look deflated) but my nipples are still nice and high. So they don't look like regular droopy boobs, but still not the greatest. Next week I am getting my arm lift and what is listed on the procedure listing as a "breast reduction revision", basically its to remove the excess skin on my side boob, but will also address the under nipple boob sag in the process.

The Lap Band was a great tool, until it wasn't. About 50% of the people that have had them for over 10 years are now having problems with them and getting them removed. Many WLS docs wont even do them now. I also was one of those statistics--it worked great for about 6 years and then the problems started...slow weight gain, constant vomiting, reflux, etc. I just got it out three weeks ago--it had slipped--and got a RNY revision and I have already lost 20 pounds. The band should be working for you, not you working for it. Whatever what you decide to do, good luck! We are here for you!

I always see posts without an update, so I wanted to be sure to come back & five one! we were all correct. The daily regurgitation was not normal. I went to a new surgeon in October. He was skeptical & wanted to blame it on too big of bites or overeating. I kept insisting I would have a feeling of being overly full eating less than one chicken finger, and I would still regurgitate it even an hour later. He decided to run some tests while giving me some food counseling. He was not a fan of the fact that I had little to no aftercare post surgery with my old surgeon. I went back on purées. Basically every time you vomit, it causes swelling & takes about 3 days for the swelling to go down. We needed to get the swelling down for many reasons. Getting it under control helped me move back onto solid foods with small bites & portions. We did the barium swallow test which showed liquids were going through fine, but I have a twist in my esophagus. Going in for my EGD scope, my surgeon was still claiming it was all bite size. He walked in after my scope & said, “yeah. So your anatomy is screwed up!” Along with the twist in my esophagus (which basically means if I need to be tubed, it could be “more difficult”), I have a major kink in my stomach from scar tissue on the outside of it. Instead of being sleeve shaped, as it should be, it is like a capital N or S. In the middle there is a kink that he had a hard time even finding the opening of. Basically if it’s not liquid, it has to sit to digest to go down. This explains why I resorted to drinking my calories & eating easy carbs. He said it could have happened when I threw up right after surgery (a staple could have caught on something) or anytime in the initial healing. So where does that leave me? I’m going in for a laparoscopic surgery to remove scar tissue January 13th. He can see the shape of my stomach from the scope, but he can’t know what the scar tissue is attached to or how bad it is til he gets in there. It could be attached to my liver. Yikes. So surgery could be half an hour, it could be 3. He may have to revise my sleeve to a bypass. I don’t want that because I have ulcerative colitis, so that’s very much so not recommended. However, I want to have the ability to eat without losing it. I’ll be on a 2 week pre-surgery liquid diet, and then after surgery, it will be the post sleeve progression. I have about 30 lbs of regain. He expects I’ll lose that fairly easily by the time I’m on solid foods again. That’s good news. Knowing I actually have something wrong with me, and I’m not crazy has been HUGE for me. I knew something was wrong, but I kept being told “bite size bite size bite size.” I have multiple friends with sleeves, and what I was experiencing was nothing like them. The eye opener was looking online & finding no one like me. So if you’re here because you’re searching, go for answers! :)

I just had to do this exact same revision for exact same reason 3 weeks ago. The first week was rough but I think that it was not as painful as my sleeve was. At 3 weeks out things are getting much better. My restriction is much tighter since revision than it was with sleeve. My surgery was scheduled for 4 hours but ended up taking 5.5 hours. Once my surgeon took a look from the inside my hernia ended up being huge. He did a repair with mesh. I had robotic surgery. I do hope that helped and good luck!

Yours was revision so maybe requirements are different than initial surgery. I would hate to end up with $10k bill if I have to pay if not preapproved. So I still need Medicare required screening (3-month medically supervised diet with FAILURE to lose weight, psych eval, nutrition visits, etc.

I just got a revision from a failed lap band to a RNY bypass with Medicare insurance and a supplement like you. The doctor's office assured me that I had met the criteria (BMI of 35 with co-morbidity and a three month diet). However, Medicare doesn't do a pre-approval process--you just get the surgery and the office submits the bill and you hope they are going to pay for it! I just got it three weeks ago and the office said no one had been denied as long as they met the criteria, but I'm sweating bullets here..,

I've posted this before but am hoping to hear back from some others. I am having a sleeve to bypass revision due to severe GERD. I am currently at my goal weight. I weigh 180 and am 5'11". Has anyone else had a revision due to GERD while at goal weight? I can only imagine I'm going to lose significant weight during my liquid and puree phases of the past-op diet. How much more weight did you lose? Thanks in advance for your answers. J

I definitely know the pain. I was banded in 2009 and was at my goal weight for over 9 years and feeling great. My band slipped and the Dr. removed all of the fill. I had gained over 40 pounds in about 4 months...just like you. Same thing, I could NOT get the weight off. I ended up getting approved for a lap band to gastric sleeve revision. I had that done last week. Have you spoken to your surgeon/insurance about getting the sleeve or something else? Its so horrible to not have to worry about your weight for almost a decade and then feel like, in a matter of months, you're getting back to the person you thought was gone forever. I sure hope you can find some answers. Please keep me posted.

I had my band to sleeve revision on 12/5....a week ago today. Did you have yours done?

I was cleared for everything at 6 weeks (but I was walking since post-op day 1). I didn't actually do more than walking until about 8 weeks though...hot yoga, zumba, rock climbing, upgraded my walking to alternate jogging laps. I also did minimal strength training (and still do), but only because I hate it, not because I can't. These days I run 5km a day and do 15 mins of strength training on some body part or another every day. (Full disclosure, I was off my running routine for about 2 weeks to due illness and laziness, but am back on the wagon as of this morning!) I have loose skin. Agree with @catwoman7 as well: loose skin after massive weight loss is pretty much unavoidable except for the lucky few. Also agree with @Healthy_life2: strength training/lifting helps to tone and fill in a bit, but will not eradicate the loose skin completely. I will say this from my experience though: I really, really, really hated the look of my loose skin about 15-20 lbs ago, I guess because there was still some fat under there and gave it a rolling look. Now, that I'm leaner, the look is not as bad, to me at least (still hate it, but I'd remove the 3 "really's" now, lol). In my "problem areas", the skin looks more like wrinkled fabric now and is much more easily hidden...so this is less annoying to me. With that said, I am scheduled for an arm lift and breast lift revision (to address side boob) next week, which was scheduled 6 months ago. I was thinking I wanted a tummy tuck too, but I have since decided that I can live with it as the loose skin is limited to above my belly button (you can see a pic of how I hide this in the "Albums" section in my profile) ...my butt is another story. I have been doing lots of butt exercises but there doesn't seem to be much improvement there. Mr. says it may be because my ratio of running to weight training is too long-distance-running-centric: Weight training plumps the butt, endurance running flattens it. He suggested I add in some short distance sprinting in my runs, which I tried this morning, but I'm not sure I like doing it in and around the neighbourhood, lol...I will try it on the treadmill tomorrow. Wow, I just re-read this post. Sorry it's so long!

Who wants to have one? Unfortunately there isn't a procedure that guarantees that there won't be no revisions. (That said, what about patients with a DS who develop serious acid reflux similar to the sleeve?) There also isn't a procedure that guarantees reaching and maintaining a svelte physique of BMI 20 for life either. I know BPD/DS often seems to be marketed as the procedure to go for permanent weight loss but the desired 100% EWL seems to be more or less of an exception as well, at least in prospective studies? Yes, I know... it's statistics. However, I wonder if these study patients are that different from the general surgery population. I highly doubt it.

My BMI is 36.2, I had a Sleeve Nov 2013 and significant regain since. I am scheduled for a revision to DS in January. Like you, I also want this to be my last surgery. The way I see it was is I don't have reflux so all options are open. The bypass is the most restrictive surgery, the DS has the most malabsorption and an increased metabolic effect. I don't think adding more restriction will help me long term personally, I think increased malabsorption and metabolic surgery will be best for my lifestyle and eating habits so that is why I chose the DS. Either surgery a lifetime of supplements is required, there is no one way to go about this so just look into it for yourself. Here's a link to something I think summarised my thinking re revision. https://www.tugruldemirel.com/en/content.asp?d=sleeve-gastrectomy-revisions&id=6134 All the best.

@MysteryJess Hi Jess, I had the same experience you are having with no limits to the amount of liquids I could take in, and I was afraid my stomach was not made small enough. My guess is that the doctor is somewhat right in that you never know how a person's body is going to react to the procedure, Maybe it will help to go back to the materials you received before the surgery. I will say I just had a revision gastric sleeve to gastric sleeve on December 2 and my ability to tolerate or desire for liquid is not there. In fact, sometimes it feels like something is blocking the opening from my esophagus to my stomach if I drink too fast and for a few brief seconds I cannot breathe with the pain. I am sipping water all day and I mix it up between water and clear protein water. I think mentally there is times where I know I can fit more, but I stick with those little cups and realize just because I can does not mean I have to take in more. I feel a little out of sorts and frustrated, especially with still being on stage 1. I meet with the surgeon tomorrow ad we shall see. I really wanted to answer you because I was in that same place 6 years ago. My sleeve back then was the size of a banana and depending on the banana - a lot fits in there. I eventually grew my sleeve back to 2.5 times the size. The surgery was not a waste of time, you have to go back to all of those reasons you chose it in the first place and find your happy medium. Definitely talking your doctor, nutritionist, support group, and anyone who can help you feel strong in those moments you doubt yourself. Kind regards, Mya

LOL, not sure if you are talking to me? But you did quote me, so I'm going to assume "yes". Sorry if you weren't! I definitely have excess skin in my upper arms and my side boob area, which I am actually getting addressed next week with an arm lift and boob lift revision! (so excited). They aren't so very bad and I can hide them pretty well, but I hate them so they have to go! My butt is also very deflated and I've got a bit of wrinkly skin above my belly button, but i can live with them .

If it a revision, mr dr will do if it's cash pay. I had the band placed in 2009 (232lbs) lost and maintained at 143 for 7+ years, band slipped an had to be removed in 2017. Went 2.5+ years looking for a dr to do a revision. Was headed to mx when i found my dr here in Mississippi. Before no one would do it because i "didn't weigh enough". So i understand. But after the years of going without i gained 30lbs... not on purpose. He did the sleeve for me at a 30-31 Bmi. I"m 5'2" and i weighted 173.5 at my first visit. Today, 3 months 2 weeks PO i'm sitting at 139.8 My cash pay (because insurance won't cover ) 14K. No co morbids

I assume you are not looking for a revision from a prior weight loss procedure? I wouldn't have thought there would be too many if any surgeons that would operate on someone with a BMI of 29, if they did they would require a number of comorbities I imagine. I know for most weight loss surgeries as an initial procedure that a BMI of 40 is required or BMI 35 with a specified numbers of comorbities. Some of the non surgery options like the balloon or endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty may go lower to about BMI 30 if there are comorbities. Not sure of the lapband though this procedure seems not be to as popular in the USA.

Has my revision from banded bypass to DS in last Tuesday. Anybody else??

I haven't had a revision either, but a lot of people have - hopefully some will chime in!

I can't help you with your questions, but I just wanted to let you know I'm on the same journey. I was sleeved in 2017, lost 100lbs and have since gained back more than half of that. After reading the forums and consulting with some surgeons, I'll be having a revision to bypass in early March. I'm hoping that that, plus following some version of a low-carb/keto/paleo type diet, that I'll be able to keep the weight permanently off.

I was sleeved in December of 2013. I lost a total of 50lbs before i ended up getting pregnant and regaining the weight. I currently am more than i weighed pre surgery and my doctors have recommended that i be revised to a bypass. I am a bit scared and want to know of anyone else’s experience with a sleeve to a bypass after a regain. Was your weight loss after your bypass successful? Do you have more issues now than before? Can you tolerate less foods? It will be very helpful in my decision making. Thank you all♥️

Damn!!!! I have been practicing the separation of food and beverage. My friend who had a revision from Vsg to rny, can eat & drink simultaneously. I'm jealous and still pre-op. Lol!

I was just approved through insurance to revise from band to sleeve and have a low BMI of 32, I weigh 182 and I’m 5’1. My doctor wrote a letter to insurance so I could get approved without having to go through all the nutrition classes. I do have type 2 diabetes but my doctor didn’t include this in the letter. I was approved last year to have the band removed but decided to wait. I have had a lot of issues with the band, like food is always getting stuck and throwing up about 3 times a week and that is with all the fluid being released last December. I also get pain at the port site and a burning sensation. My surgery date is on 12/31 and my pre-op is in 10 days. With the band it was great the first year but these last two years have been horrible. Wishing you the best of luck on your journey.