Search the Community

Hello crystal556655, at 5'6 and 230 lbs, I went to Mexico and had the revisional Gastric Bypass (a revision from Vertical Sleeve done in 2011 by another Dr.) surgery with Dr. Zavalza Oct 13, 2017 at Florence Hospital. On that Friday morning, I flew in/traveled alone by choice - was TERRIFIED and said a lot of prayers but it was a great experience. The driver that picked me up was very nice and calming. No issues, no problems, the hospital staff was very nice (despite the language barrier), everything flowed as easy as could be and I don't regret a THING! Just wish I had done it sooner. The hotel was nice and they gave me plenty of broth soup - which I did not even want. I flew back home that Tuesday with x-rays, paperwork and a post op diet guide and am VERY happy with my steady weight loss. Takes time to realize you can't eat as much as you used to but other than that, I don't do anything differently and continue to lose. I highly recommend Dr. Zavalza and his staff. Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help you in any way. I know what you are going through - believe me.

Hello everyone, So I had my surgery on 2/21/2019 which is almost 3 months ago. I lost 7 pounds on pre op diet and after surgery, I lost exactly 30 pounds since then. today I weigh 225 pounds. My surgery was revision from lap band to gastric sleeve so my surgeon told me to expect weight loss at a slower rate than patients who only had the gastric sleeve. Yet following everyone here I feel that I am way behind on the weight loss. I think it is because I feel hungry all the time and that is why I am not able to eat as healthy as I should. I am going to see my surgeon tomorrow. What is the deal with this hunger and how do I get over it?

Hey, So glad you are doing great!!! Keep me posted on your progress and have a great day . I am having the last test today before my surgeon submits all the tests to the insurance companies for approval for the RNY revision surgery. Allie

Glad you posted this! My doctor suggested RNY for that reason because so many "sleevers" have regrets and get revisions and don't have good results. But on this board i hear of many sleevers that have good results. I don't know if doctors are pushing the sleeve but consumers want the sleeve. I think it's an "easy" surgery. I'm still on the fence about the sleeve or RNY. My surgeon says I can think about it and will do either surgery.

thank you so much for your help and kindness I am really felling awful about myself I believe that I chose the inconvenient surgery for me I really hope I can find solution like revision surgery or counseling therapy that can help.

Hi! My name is Tiffany. I am a 50 year old mom of 3 adult kids. I had the lap band from 2005-2012. Never lost weight. Followed the program to the letter. My doc used to guilt me and tell me I was his only “failure”. He didn’t even offer me the choice of revision when I had the band removed. Unfortunately I’ve been misinformed for the past 7 years. People told me I couldn’t have another bariatric surgery after failing one. My PCP moved and I mentioned it to my new doc and she told me I could indeed have another bariatric surgery. I’m an oncology RN that has been disabled since 2012. All of my visits are done, I’m waiting for the surgeons office to call with a date, but he thinks the end of June. Not, by the way the same surgeon!!

There is absolutely nothing wrong. Stalls are normal and discouraging! Hang in there! I'm 52 and had a RNY revision from a sleeve. My loss is definitely slower than when I had the sleeve. My doc says that age and being a revision definitely plays a part in seeing slower weight loss. It WILL come off if you follow your plan. I'm 52 years RNY revision on March 12 nearly 8 weeks out I stalled for a full 2.5 weeks starting on week 2! I cried daily after the first week! Doc said that it was because I was starving at only 300 calories per day and that the loss would start when I was able to add more foods. It did...my loss is slow and steady and I only weigh once per week. Surgery weight: 235 Current weight: 210

I understand how weight gain can mess with your head. You are not alone. Many are here working a weight gain off on their own or having revisions. Surgery is only a tool. I think @round2wi explained things better than I ever could. Counseling is a good option to address your overeating issues. As for stretching, get it diagnosed by a surgeon to see if its due to complications, a botched surgery or overeating. If its overeating, get counseling so that you don’t stretch a second surgery. What I wish sleeve patients would know before surgery. (this might not be your situation) The sleeve might not be the right choice for some people. Your restriction will become less over time. It’s not back to full size but, you can hold more food volume. This is common experience with the sleeve. Just because you we hold more food does not mean we have to eat over our calories and macros and gain weight. It’s easy to graze/ eat around any type of bariatric surgery. Eating several smaller meals of healthy and non-healthy foods that total over your daily calories/macros. You don’t feel any surgery restriction with small meals. It’s as if you never had surgery. You will gain weight.

My surgery is scheduled for the 22nd! I am having a revision from the band. I dont know until after the surgery if they are able to remove the band and sleeve me in the same surgery. SO hoping he is able to do it at the same time, but am honestly just more excited about getting this damn band out!

Get it diagnosed if your surgery is stretched. I am hearing it can be from the procedure performed wrong, complications or overeating. If it’s overeating, get counseling so you don’t stretch a second surgery. (I'm hoping @JamesL73 is opening a revision thread. I would like to understand more about this topic) I'm five years out. My situation may be different than yours. I had weight gain in my third year and worked it back off. Did your Dr's let you know that you would feel less restriction as you progress out from sleeve surgery? This is a common experience. Mine is not back to full size but it is larger. Just because I have extra stomach compacity does not mean I have to eat over my weight loss/maintenance calories/macros. Some things that help me satisfy the extra room: I eat dense protein and foods allowed on my plan. I eat as much veggies until the sensation of full. (ditch shakes, bars and soft foods. They won’t keep you full years out) I eat five to six small meals. It helps to keep my blood sugars level. I log to make sure I’m staying within my calories/macros Keep healthy sweet and salty options on hand to satisfy cravings. Once you add extra carbs and sugar you crave them more and they cause hunger. Detox off them. know you will feel crappy for a while. It will pass. The main killer of weight loss is grazing. Eating several small meals healthy and unhealthy options that total over your daily calories and macros. When you eat small meals, you don’t feel any surgery restriction. The sensation as if you never had surgery. You will gain weight.

Ultimately. Choose the type of surgery you want. Research take your Drs suggestion into consideration. Ask your insurance what types of surgery they cover. Have your friend go to an information seminar. I know what the statistics say on each surgery. There are no absolute stats/results with any type of bariatric procedure. Some of lose slow and others lose fast. Sex, age, hormones, complications, medical issues, medications, genetics are factors on the rate you lose and how much you lose. The only part of Weight loss surgery that is in our control is how you work your plan. We are all more than the statistics. I guess you can say I don’t fit the statistics/norm of a sleeve procedure. I lost fast. starting 254 to 140 in six months. I had no complications. I bounced back from surgery quickly. Five years out I maintain in the 130’s. Most people that are maintaining and doing well don’t stay on this site. Not many vets hang around. I’m not sure if people are getting a balanced look at WLS outcomes. Revisions are done on all types of surgery for many reasons. I’m hoping to see an official revision thread. I would like to know why we are seeing so many revisions. I’m now talking to people that have had three surgeries. For me absolutely no regret.

I did not read most of the replies, but I previously had a band in 2010. I chose it because it was “least invasive”, or so I thought. I lost allllllllllll of my weigh with it beautifully, followed all the rules etc. After two back to back deaths I couldn’t eat anything & was put on liquids a week. Following that, I began throwing up from eating + ultimately ended with a slip. It was VERY hard finding a revision surgeon. Even my original surgeon (a top bariatric surgeon in ATL) no longer performs the band surgery. I finally found a surgeon I loved, but he also refused and equated it to “ walking around with an iPhone 3 in 2019 when technology has surpassed it”. All of my fave 7 banders, besides 2 , have also said goodbye to the band. I, for one, LOVED my band and am in no way trying to discourage anyone. I am simply speaking my truth and sharing the opinions of other surgeons. I believe that complications and advances in medicine may contribute to the decline in banders..... I successfully revised to the MGB.

Good suggestion. I had a revision from Lap-Band to RNY. We had a revision forum a while back but it wasn't very active and was removed when we did a big cleanup a few years ago. We decided to stop adding new forums and sub-forums since most users are on mobile devices and find it hard to navigate.

Cottage cheese and peaches and greek yogurt are my rescue foods also. There are days when I eat food, but there are days that every time I think about food I get nauseous. Dont be afraid to stay on a lighter diet when this happens. Sometimes you have to go back to lighter diet and slowly add things back to your diet. I'm on my 3rd year after having the sleeve and I've learned to pay attention to my stomach more. I was 238, surgery at 209, The smallest I got was 142, I gained back about 25 pounds but when I'm strict with my snacking I can now easily lose weight like when I was 40 but I'm 57 and the sleeve is a good surgery but I have to revise to bypass surgery due to acid reflux. Sent from my SM-J337P using BariatricPal mobile app

In 2015, I was at my highest weight ever of 420 pounds. I had high BP, High Cholesterol, Acid Reflux, Sleep Apnea, and had just been told I was diabetic with a BS of 7.5. I didn't have insurance so I searched around and finally found Dr Dirk Rodriguez in Dallas, TX who would do my VSG for 10,000 cash. I had my VSG on 6/23/2015. After a few weeks recovery, I began walking then fast paced walking, I introduced intermittent jogging, then jogging with intermittent sprints, inclines, stairs. I started bicycling. I got to where I was jogging/running 5 miles a day and cycling another 5-10 miles a day, every day. I was going to a gym and doing some strength training, hitting the rowing machine, doing some kickboxing classes, etc. A little over a year later, I was down to my GW of 190 pounds. Every single one of those comorbidities....GONE!! No more medicines!! I swore that I would never regain that weight, I felt better than I had my entire life. But then reality set in, you see, that whole year that I was doing this extreme cardio and other exercising, I was living off of my savings, not working, so I had all the free time in the world to focus fully on losing the weight. But, then I had to get back to work, my savings was pretty much gone. I am a career crane operator, over 20 years, it's all I know and it pays very well. It is also a very sedentary job, just sitting in a crane all day for 12- 14 hours, 7 days a week. Needless to say, it gets boring. I began to snack (graze) throughout the day. I mostly still eat healthy, just too much, that coupled with the fact that I have no time for all of the intense exercise I was doing....I have regained about half of what I lost. I am now back up to 320 pounds. So, since I have no intentions, at 45 years old, of trying to change careers, I have decided to try a revision to the Mini Gastric Bypass. I am hoping that the restriction of the sleeve, coupled with the malabsorption of the bypass, as long as I keep eating healthy, even if it's a bit too much, it will even things out. I know that I need to work on the grazing habits. I also know that I need to try and make some time somehow to get in some kind of exercise, even if only 15 minutes a day. I am scheduled for my revision on June 15, 2019, almost exactly 4 years since my VSG. I will be going to Mexico this time simply because it is so much cheaper, but also because I know the standard of care down there, especially at Bariatricpal MX, is just as good, if not better, than most in the US. Also because the Mini Gastric Bypass is very common there, but not so much in the US. I will be using the very well known and highly recommended, Dr Jalil Illan. I can only hope that I will have as much success this second time as the first. I do consider my VSG a success, I just don't think it was the right procedure for my specific circumstances. Hopefully, with the MGB, I will be able to lose the weight again and keep it off long term this time. For anyone considering weight loss surgery....If fear is holding you back, find a way to get past it. It truly is a great tool. But it is just that, a TOOL, it is not a miracle cure for obesity, you must put in the work, make lifestyle changes, dietary changes, a lot of times it means social changes. A lot of people can be negative or become jealous because you are getting healthy and better looking and they are not. I say this, if those people are unwilling to support you in your efforts to do whatever it takes to be a healthier you, then they are not worthy of being in your life. I know that is a harsh reality but in the end, you need to do this for YOU. It is your life, not theirs. You are the one suffering from Obesity and all the myriad of illnesses and complications that come with it. Do you want to be able to play with your kids, your grandkids? To see them grow up? To see yourself live longer, healthier, happier? To be able to do all the things you have been dreaming of your whole life? Do you want to finally, truly LIVE?? Then do it. Don't let anyone stop you, don't let fear stop you, don't let insurance stop you. Definitely don't let YOU stop you. Get up! Take back your life! Fight for it! Good Luck. YOU'VE GOT THIS.

Is there a possibility of adding a Forum for revisions like VSG to MGB, since there are so many people getting revisions done??

4 years post VSG. Lost 230 pounds and have regained 120. I am going to Dr Jalil Illan at Bariatricpal MX on June 15 for a revision to the Mini Gastric Bypass. I have a very sedentary job and I think (HOPE) that this will help me start losing again and be able to maintain it much easier. We'll see. You can read my full story in my profile if interested.

Not having had a revision from VSG to MGB, I’m honestly not sure if there’s any lack of acid. I know when they make the pouch, they don’t remove the remaining stomach, so that you still get the acids needed for the food. It just gets to the food further down the way, therefore making the malabsorption. I would say that keeping an eye on your vitamins and nutritional supplements. 😃

The process is different depending on the reasons for revision. If it is for reflux, then it is not considered weight-loss surgery and the process is much more streamlined (even if you do plan to lose more weight.)

VSRG Revision to RNY 11 weeks ago. -35 pounds. Feels like it is slow, but I’m satisfied.

Hello all, I may be wrong but after reading all of the comments, I believe I am the first Male in here. My name is James. I am 45, happily single with two kids grown and on their own, one with two girls of his own. Yep, I'm a grandpa. I will be going to Dr Illan at Bariatricpal MX, in Tijuana Mexico, on June 15. This will actually be my second surgery, I am doing a revision from VSG to the Mini Gastric Bypass. If any of you are interested I just FINALLY wrote my story in my profile if you're wondering why the revision. So most, if any, questions can be answered there. If anyone has any other questions, feel free to ask. Good luck to all on your upcoming surgeries and in your current battles with insurance. I refuse to deal with all the insurance bureaucracy so I am paying cash for the second time. i know most aren't able to do that, in fact I'm really not this time either, it is going on a credit card and I will deal with it later. haha My health is way more important than my credit score. Anyway, see you all around.

I will be going for VSG to MGB on June 15 with Dr Illan. I'm glad to hear yours is going so well. I had really bad reflux before my VSG but immediately after, it went away, I suppose I was one of the lucky ones in that regard, I hope it does not return. I am curious about the salads...I have tried every kind of lettuce there is, even shredded, and every time it causes severe pain and I throw it right back up. Did you not have this issue with the VSG or is it something that you can now handle since the revision? I would LOVE to be able to eat salads again.

Hello everyone.. I’m new to this group... I had a upper GI the end of April and my EGD this past Thursday.. I’m going back to the doctor on 5/22/19to discuss my next options. I had a sleeve done 8/2013 and of course like I have read there has been weight gain and reflux and sleep apnea. I am still on blood pressure meds and my CW is 227... wondering if this process will be the same as before? Is it a harder recovery? Will I loose a significant amount of weight? I do have BCBS insurance..Just wondering what to expect...Any feed back is welcomed.

So true; the surgeon that now runs our support group does a good business revising RNYs to the DS (as does the surgeon who did my VSG). They all have a place in the world, and different procedures work better for different patients. And, the surgeons tend to gravitate toward what they find works best for most of their patients. The VSG, while a straightforward procedure in concept, has lots of subtleties and nuances when you get into them in detail, and these take time and practice to master, so I can see some surgeons giving up on them if they are already well skilled with the RNY. OTH, several of the docs I have worked prefer the DS as they have developed those skills, and reserve the RNY for only specific cases where the DS or VSG isn't appropriate. It's all a big YMMV thing.

Some stretch, or growth or adaptation is to be expected - we don't stay at eating only 3 tablespoons forever. This doc gives a good idea of the progression of meal volume that can be expected, and is consistent with my experience - You may or may not get along with his prescription for countering this effect, but it is a viable one. In short, we need to learn to accommodate some increase in eating volume without allowing the calories to get out of hand - taking up that added volume with high bulk, low calorie veg is a good way to do it. As to which procedure to go for a revision, the first thing I would want to know is whether the stretch that your doc sees is unusual - sleeves done by docs early in the learning curve of doing sleeves (and 2012 is consistent with that for many surgeons) may have undue stretch if it wasn't formed well to begin with. Sometimes excess fundus (the stretchy part of the stomach that is largely removed with the VSG) is left behind at the top or bottom of the stomach, or other shaping issues may lead to the problem. If the sleeve is nominally well done, there is probably little to gain be resleeving it - you will lose some at the outset from low capacity due to surgical inflammation and the very restricted diet that we have early on, but overall you shouldn't expect great things from it. Likewise, a bypass is similar in its overall power to the sleeve, but does have some temporary caloric malabsorption that can help get a little extra weight off, but doesn't do any better when it comes to resisting regain; in some patients it is worse in that regard due to reactive hypoglycemia inducing more inter meal hunger. Overall, when I think in terms of revisions, I see a procedure that is more complicated than the original virgin WLS, and usually less effective overall (think in terms of your stomach originally having a capacity of 32-64 oz, and now a few years post op it may have a capacity around 6 oz, so there is less difference to play with. Being more complicated both in implementation and in the reason for doing it in the first place, I like to get a second, or even third, opinion on the matter - different surgeons have different experiences and perspectives on these things. There is also the aspect that while doing a virgin sleeve is a fairly straightforward procedure, and most surgeons are now fairly well up the learning curve in doing them, repairing or revising a faulty sleeve is another matter, so I would look to a surgeon who has done lots of them. In NJ, I would suggest Dr. David Greenbaum as a good guy to consult with. A final thought - what is the capacity of your sleeve now? How much chicken or steak (and nothing else) can you comfortably eat? We usually remain fairly restricted on firm meats for a long time, but can eat an almost unlimited amount of "sliders" - things that just slide on through with limited restriction, which are frequently also pretty junky.