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Hello, I guess this is my introduction to the forum. I'm a 46 Y/O guy, about to go in for a revision to my RNY that was done a while back (exact date when I remember...) My new date is this coming Tuesday, May 30th, 2017. My first surgery was somewhat successful, but I guess I got tired of the restrictions and requirements after a while, and I started cheating more and more in my diet. I dropped down to around 300 lbs after starting at 618, my heaviest. A few years ago I had an accident, where I was left in a lot of pain, and since I didn't have insurance I left it go untreated, and that was the beginning of my weight gain, to where I'm now, 504 lbs as of last Monday. Well, here I am, not as excited as the first time, and not scared either, more of a feeling of "whatever". Now, don't get me wrong, I will make it work, it's not as fun being fat and 46, like it was being fat and 30. Anyway, I'm an open book, ask away if you have any Q's, and I'm looking fwd to learning from ya'lls successes and mistakes, especially now that I found a forum dedicated to guy's issues, because my first time around, it was mostly ladies, with very few guys, and most of those guys were young. Best Regards.

I had a revision from LAP Band to RNY. Only one dr in town would do it in one surgery. I wanted one surgery and my insurance would only pay for one surgery.

I'm in the Seattle area too! I go to Northwest Weight Loss Surgery in Everett, Wa! They are absolutely amazing! I had the band about 3 years ago and not to much success, however I went in on Thursday and will be getting revision to sleeve with the same doctor! They have support groups that are amazing and fun! All the patients and staff are very supportive and understanding, my favorite is almost every person that works for them has personally had WLS! So they can relate and it's real. I am very nervous about the revision. I do have to wait 3 months as my insurance has requirements, and one of them is meeting with a nutritionist 4 times in 90 days, and then request approval for the surgery. I am hoping I will be getting the surgery in February!

1. Dr. Michael Michel, he is a Major in the USAF, and stationed at and operates out of Eglin AFB. I've sent 2 of my close friends to him within the last month (he just returned from 7.5 month long deployment) and an "ex" friend of mine had her surgery performed by Dr. M last September. My secondary surgeon Dr. Riley, out of the same military facility, is amazing as well. Dr. R took over my care when Dr. M deployed. He's performed surgery on 2 of my friends within the last 4 months. 2. Insurance company first, PCP next, supporting letter from PCP and any other specialty physicians you may see. 3. I would imagine natural childbirth would be worse. I had a c-section (was awake for it), and the VSG was nowhere near as painful. I had a completely different recovery, and I'm not the norm therefore I can't comment on this one. I was a revision patient. Had the band first, then VSG. 4. Same as above 5. I've dropped 155lbs as of today in around a year. I started at 270 today I'm weighing in around 118lbs. My skin is wrinkly, but not sagging or flapping over. It's recovering nicely. Saw my surgeon last week, he looked at my skin, and said " considering how much you've lost, your age, and how fast you've dropped it, your skin looks amazing, I've had patients lose less, that are younger that have to have plastics. Don't do any other surgery for a minimum of 12-18 months". I moisturize like crazy. I exfoliate with a homemade sugar/salt scrub, I massage my skin. I do not wear shapers, girdles, or anything of the sort. I live in Florida, it's 99% humidity, and wearing spandex under clothes is self-induced torture. 6. Take Biotin or another hair/nail/skin supplement now, and continue taking it once you're released for meds/supplements post-op. It'll help with the regrowth. Nothing stops the shedding. I'm vain, I lost half of my hair, I chopped it off, and it's grown 4 inches in length since January. We measured the other day to find out how much growth I was actually seeing. I have new growth that is about 7" long that started coming in before the shedding stopped. For me, it last 3.5 months. It's temporary, it'll grow back. I used Folicure shampoo every other day when I started losing, and never took Biotin or other supplements on a regular basis. Interesting article: Telogen Effluvium: eMedicine Dermatology 7. I was released for alcohol at 3.5 months out. Was told to avoid wine. My surgeon doesn't forbid soda. He doesn't believe it causes sleeve stretching. It is empty calories/carbs, and if it's caffeinated, it doesn't count as a clear Fluid. I drink soda. No harm, no foul, no regain,no sleeve stretching. I'm not a beer drinker, but I drink rum/cokes and various shots on a fairly social basis. 8. Perfectly normal. Today, my 12 yr old son and I shared an order of beef fajitas with black Beans and rice at Chili's. Sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, 8-10 tortilla chips, 3oz of fajita skirt steak cooked medium, and a huge amount of sauteed onions. I ate about 6 small bites of the rice, I skipped the beans, they put stupid pico de gallo in them, no flour tortillas. I ate about 2ounces of shredded cheese mixed with the beef, sour cream and salsa. I drank strawberry lemonade before my meal. We were in and out of the restaurant within 1 hour. We talked, laughed, and just hung out. I waited about 15 minutes after eating to take a few swigs of my lemonade because Mexican food tends to be salty. I needed to wet my whistle. I felt normal, and have for months. 9. Only puked a couple times and that was super early out. Nauseated only happened when on heavy antibiotics. Slightly dehydrated only once, but didn't require hospitalization/iv fluids. 10. Stick to your surgeon/nutritionist's post-op diet, don't reinvent the wheel, don't cheat, it's just not worth it regardless of other people's experiences, if you absolutely need to progress your diet call the medical professional that you trusted to staple off and excise 80% of your stomach and ask if there is a safe option that may get you through a horrible day, don't be negative nelly, your body needs you to be positive and encouraging it will have just took a major blow for you, be nice to it. Realize that some days might suck, you might be sore, you might not feel like doing much of anything, but the good ends up outweighing the bad 100 fold. Remember they operate on our stomachs not our heads. Our minds will beat us up if we allow it. Emotions will run high, you might be mad, angry, or feel like you're on a permanent PMS trip from hell, prepare your husband/family for this, it does get better, but it doesn't make it suck any less. Other than that, know that you are embarking on an amazing journey. You'll experience so much that it's hard to really wrap your head around all of it. Look for support when you need it, and know that whatever hurdle you may find in your path, there is probably someone else out here that's gone through or going through the same thing, don't be afraid to ask questions, have faith in yourself, your surgeon. Sorry for the ramble, run on and fragment sentences. Best wishes and keep us updated.

Hi all - I was revised from a band to VSG Monday 12/18. I came home from the hospital Wednesday night - things are going ok, but I've been sticking mostly to more clear liquid type stuff. I thought I was doing myself a favor by drinking the Isopure Zero Carb pre-made drinks, which give me 40 grams of protein each. I've had four of them since Wednesday. Unfortunately, I've spent an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom, with some fairly explosive issues. Also, have had some pretty bad lower right side abdominal cramping/gas/pressure. Anyone else have problems with sucralose?

Hi! I was originally denied through my insurance for a revision. However I think I have found the best way to do RNY. I will have to be self pay to remove my band, then start the consultation for RNY! My policy states that a repeat surgery will be paid for if patient was compliant with first surgery! Has anyone had a similar situation to this?

I am doing essentially all of that. The problem is that once the swelling from the the suturing went down (3months out) it had caused the unsutured portion to be stretched, so I have no restriction. I really do eat well. I contacted my surgeon, and he suggested tightening the sutures, however I had an awful experience healing, my stomach was swelled so that I could not eat. I was sick so often that I could not finish my 4th quarter at college, and I was not even able to ride my horse until July because I was too weak. We decided that since my body did not adjust well to the plication, that a revision to either banded plication or bypass would be best for me

Ana, It is funny that you mentioned internet rumors. You do not have your facts straight, and are spreading rumors. The Doctor in Ohio had done nearly 50 plications when his patient had the necrosis. At that time Dr Ortiz claimed that that had done nearly 200. Any Doctor can have complications and patients with weight loss failure. The difference that I see is that the Doctor in Ohio actually came on here and posted about his complication. The OCC sweeps any complications they might have under the rug. I know for a fact that they delete negative posts off of their forum. Josette Best of luck in whatever revision you decide to do. I felt very discouraged many times with my progess, or lack of. I am 18 months post op and weight loss has been very slow. I have lost about 95 pounds since my pre-op diet, and I have about 20 more to go. I have finally made peace with my my choice for plication. The weight loss has been so slow, that not many people would ever assume I had WLS. So what if it takes me almost 2 years to reach my goal? As long as I can keep the weight off, I will consider it a success. I paid $9000. plus another $2000. in travel expences. Then I had some complications that I had to have fixed, and that cost me another $8000. That is a lot of money for me, but my husband said it is the best money he ever spent. Even if I never reach my goal. I feel and look so much better then I did 95 pounds ago.

I've been having issues and at times I have little to no restriction, and then sometimes I have food get stuck after just a few bites. It's a bit frustrating. My band can hold 11 cc's, and right now it has 9 cc's of saline. Even though I'm most likely revising to the VSG, I'm thankful for having had the band put in. Without it I would never have been able to lose and maintain a loss of 90+ pounds over the past 4 years. I no longer have high blood pressure and I no longer have to take any medications. I just have reached a point where I know that I'm not getting any younger and I know that I need to do something else, as I still have over 100 more pounds to lose. Thus why I'm looking into revision surgery.

I am scheduled for June 26th, 2008. I will be having the traditional surgery but with the special consideration for my gallbladder scar. The first consult made it clear that they couldn't do much about my bulge right above the belly button. I have an extra bit of fat on the opposite side from the scar due to the revision I had on the scar a few years ago. They took out some of the fat under and around the scar but it left a bulge of fat on the other side from the scar. I want it to be more symetrical by removing that bit of fat. They have decided to go ahead and incise above the belly button which was not in their original plan. In my second consult I made it clear that I want that fat gone or reduced somehow. So they will do the above the Belly button incision and then if needed will do liposuction later as is deemed necessary. I am 60 and so want this to make me look as good as possible for my remaining years. I didn't get the lapband just to look almost good. I don't expect to be gorgeous but at least look and feel as good as I can. Since I am paying for this I want it to be much improved.

I took my drains out last night-what a relief! I’ll be putting on my faja today for the first time-excited to see how my waist looks in it. Will post an update pic after my shower today. My TT, breast, and right arm incisions are looking good. I had a little complication during surgery. When my surgeon started to suture up my left arm my hand started turning dusky-meaning it wasn’t getting good circulation. He ended up leaving about a 3 inch open wound to allow for swelling. It will heal, but will need a scar revision at some point. I’m dressing it each day and it seems to be doing ok so far.

Here's my concern with what you just said. If it says 25 carbs, you will drink it. But what about carbs in other things? Are you staying below your allotted carb count for the entire day, or are you counting the carbs based on each individual item and not the entire day as a whole? Your allotted carbs for the entire day are much lower than they were pre-surgery, so make sure you're paying attention to that and staying at or below your carb amount for the whole day. For me, I can't go above 50 carbs for the whole day, but I tend to stay at around 30 for the day. You have to watch the protein, fat, carb, and calorie intake now. My nutritionist said my allowable numbers are: Calories - no more than 500 calories per day (based on being where you're at in the process)m carbs: 50 or less, fat: 50 or less, and protein: 60-90g. I just had my revision, so I'll have to start my process over once I'm done with all liquids, but given the guidelines, there's no way I would ever drink anything that was 15, 20, or 25 carbs per serving.

I had the band to sleeve revision. It was the best thing I had ever done. I was miserable with the band as I would eat and throw up with the healthy food but could easily eat the crap food. I'm blessed with my federal employee insurance and paid 300 dollars for everything. But average price is about 4500 dollars in Mexico, some very reputable doctors I personally had Dr. Salas for a full body lift and removal of thigh skin which was done when I had lost weight on my own prior to the band ( which was worthless) or sleeve. It has been the best thing I have ever done. I'm a little over a month out and down almost 60 lbs ( if I'm not mistaken). After surgery I was really weak for about 2 weeks but could have managed working at home.. good luck

With your acid reflux, has the surgeon considered revising you to a Gastric Bypass instead of a VSG?

I'm scheduled for a revision from lap band to gastric bypass on Dec. 12th. Would love to stay connected, but I'm also new on here and need to know how to go about staying connected.

Wow...that's awesome! Pretty cool that we are getting revisions as well. I love the support we get here. My family is great, but it is hard for them to identify with the issues I encounter as a wls patient (as hard as they try[emoji4]). Sent from my SM-T818T using BariatricPal mobile app

My date is Dec. 14th. I'm having a revision from lap band to bypass.

I have a 9cc Realize Band, and I had to have filled past the point of 9cc to get good restriction. I was a grazer, not an emotional eater, and I am able to distinguish between head hunger and actual hunger pretty well. Not saying that I don't have head hunger, but I recognize it for what it is. I'm not sure how often it happens with the Lap Band, but there are several Realize Band patients that need more than the 9cc to get good restriction, so I wouldn't necessarily chalk up your hunger to head hunger (or emotional eating) so fast. My doctor does a pressure fill measurement to Realize Band patients who are having trouble finding good restriction, rather than only relying on the saline measurement. Once I had good restriction, I was able to eliminate the grazing, because I was no longer hungry between meals. I eat 1/2 cup solid meals three times/day, one healthy snack, a Protein shake in the early a.m. on the morning I'm heading to the gym before the sun comes up, and lots of liquids in between meals. My weight is coming off at a snail's pace now that I'm getting close to goal, but my clothes are still getting loser and I'm able to move my belts down a notch ever so often, so I know I'm still losing fat. If you're still able to eat good healthy meals, and aren't pb'ing, having reflux, or other signs of being too filled, I'd go in for more adjustments before contemplating revision surgery.

Rny 1999 Bowel resection 2001 While 3 months pregnant 2008 plastics 2016 regain 10/25/18 revision Don't meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with catchup!

I had my visit Friday with my Dr. It looks as if all is a go for the revision. :cool0: I have to go back on the 23rd of October for another visit. He said that he would talk to the insurance for approval on a revision, which may be a better choice for me. I am really excited. I forgot to ask if he will remove the band and do the sleeve at the same time? I sure hope so. Some of my friends think I am crazy for going through it again,:eek: but I don't think so. Most of them are slim and don't know what it is like to be over weight. We that are, have to do everything we can to become healthy for our selves and our familys. If you have had a revision from band to sleeve please share any important info. to make sure I don't over look anything. I am a little scared.

JG- you have had other people email you about the OCC? Wow! I'm glad you posted that. This is really something other plicaters should know about. I really hope the revision gives you the results you want and that your recovery goes better than the last. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

Why was you revised if you don't mind me asking. How, if you've had the stomach reducing part is the DS going to hel you lose weight? This could be the answer im looking for LOL

In my experience, that has not been the case. I have had the sleeve, and was later revised to DS. There is no food that puts me on the toilet immediately. I do get gas more frequently but that’s about it. Sometimes these surgeons oversell.

Hi I have had DS REVISION surgery. I had a SADI which failed and i found i could literally eat whatever i want without any symptoms and weight rocketed. I visited my surgeon who understands that if all it took was a change of diet nobody would need WLS. I explained to him that I need something which, if i ate the wrong foods (either accidentally or by being gutty), something would give me a kick up the jacksy and remind me not to do it again. So he recommended the DS and advised, should I "test the waters" i will be on the loo within 30 mins and this will happen every time i do. Obviously im not planning to be naughty, but I was told the same thing with the SADI and that failed and before long I was back on the Mars Bars and KFC. I don't want that with the DS but i also need to know it's worked. I had the DS on Monday. As the operation didn't physically touch or reduce the size of the stomach, i am only on a weeks puree food before being allowed normal stuff slowly introduced, but don't have to follow the 6 stage plan. However nothing i have tried so far has given even the slightest twinge and bowel movements have been been exactly the same as before the op (although the chalky green stuff is coming out now), but it's no more frequent and is actually more solid than before. I am aware it's only ben a few days and it's probably much too early for this post, but just wondering if anyone else has had revision surgery and has had no effects from the DS. C.

Yeah, everybody is different. I was able to sleep in any position after both the vsg and rny revision. Although I have seen many posts talking about sleeping in a recliner. Not sure about the dry mouth problem... I experienced that before surgery but I have asthma and sleep with my mouth open often. I remember whenever I went on any strict diet, especially if there was fasting involved. I would get funky breath due to not eating but because I had to drink Water all the time after WLS, and I eat every 2 hours, I didn't have the dry mouth problem either.