Search the Community

I'm going to back @GreenTealael on this one, if you've got even the slightest GERD now... the sleeve will more than likely make it worse. Side note that people seem to get wrong (not that you stated this either way, just some information that most folks don't have correct) is that the sleeve is non-reversible under ANY circumstances, You can be revised from Sleeve to RNY, but you cannot be reversed from the sleeve. The bypass... is reversible, it is risky, and it doesn't happen too often, but it DOES happen. Something to think about. Sleeve, 90% of your stomach ends up in the medical waste bin... Bypass, everything is still in there, the stomach is split but just the connections have been adjusted, nothing is actually removed.

My sister-in-law had RNY over 10 years ago and she is still doing really well. Of the two surgeries, RNY is the gold standard and has the best results long term. You never hear of someone going in for a revision from RNY to sleeve, just saying.

I took 2 months with my Band... and with my Revision to Bypass. Post op was easy for each surgery, but my reasoning wasn't just for the potential movement or energy issues, it was more for taking the time to relearn what I can and can't eat. And I'm super glad I did, I had issues with some foods early on that, if I wasn't home... would have been very uncomfortable to deal with at work/in public.

Good thing you are in Georgia instead of Fall River Mass. That would bring us a whole new set of problems Hope your insides smooth down and recover, then if you want to revise, your body will be healed enough to let you..

I see my surgeon in 3 weeks at which point I am hoping he will give me the go ahead for a revision from band to RNY. I am hoping I can still get a date this year as my 25th anniversary is mid Feb and hubby and I are wanting to go on a short trip, preferably somewhere warm with sea and sand. I want to be far enough out from surgery that I can eat "regular" food ( as opposed to still being in the soft or puree stages and also don't want to have any other issues. What are the general recommendations for international travel after bariatric surgery?

I have a band looking to revise to bypass. I know that bandsters don't generally get dumping but I occasionally have a very strange set of symptoms. I will get a pain in my one shoulder blade and a severe headache, feel horribly nauseous and as though I am about to pass out. It is generally caused by drinking some form of white spirits e.g gin or vodka, sweet drinks such as flavoured cider and once it happened when I drank a slushie. Anyone have any idea what this is?

I was sleeved May 17th. I’ve been stalled forever but I’m under goal so no biggie. I’ve lost 70 pounds since the start of the process, 40 of it since the morning of surgery. Since the initial revision consultation in very late Jan 2018, i’ve gone from 209 to 139. My highest weight (8 years ago) was 260. Natch, my husb thinks I’m way too skinny.

I had sleeve 1 year ago and Friday my dr found a large stricture in there and it’s too far down to balloon open and I am now being rushed to have a full RNY... has anyone here had this done??? Or even heard of it

And how are you guys doing now?Have your weight losses been what you hoped they would be? Have any of you since then had to goon and have a further revision to RnY or. DS?

I had my Mgb revision from vsg on 2nd October 2018 does dairy products case flauntence and dihareia after Mgb? Do these symptoms last long or they go away with time?

I took the risk of band to sleeve revision with pre-band history of GERD and it played out well. I’m very thankful. I knew it could have gone either way but I also knew there were options if it didn’t work out. I’m not on a PPI and I have no issues. Its an individual choice that requires a lot of thought. I felt very calm and confident in doing so. My surgeon advised me to have a bypass but left the final decision in my hands.

If you have GERD it is important to have the bypass because in many cases the sleeve will only make this condition worse. Several sleeve patients had to undergo revisions because Gerd became a significant issue. I had high blood pressure prior to surgery and I was taking two types of prescription medicine to control the condition. Within a couple weeks after my gastric bypass surgery, I was off all my high blood pressure meds and I haven't taken any since. I had surgery over 5 years ago. I also had severe acid reflux (GERD). That condition also went into remission after surgery.

Thats what I hear its the gold standard. Just want to clarify I take medication and daily vitamins so it won't be hard for me to continue vitamins. My kids are now 3 years old and all they want to eat are all the bad foods including mac and cheese ,cookies, hotdogs, so I'd actually would love to have some kind of dumping so I could stay away from those foods. I don't drink alcohol I don't even drink soda I drink seltzers, water and coffee but I eat my kids food. My blood pressure has been out of control and Im nervous going down the wrong path thats why I'm taking care of it now. I have read some sleeve people, the ones who didn't stick to the diet, and GERD needed revision to bypass so in my mind let me tackle the most effective in my lifestyle and mind. I don't want to mess around with my health. Thank you all for being there to guide us support each other. I whole heartedly appreciate it.

My revision surgery is October 25

Thanks but my signature wasn’t a mistake calling a revision a decision. I wasn’t referring to ‘revision to bypass’. I was saying ‘I made a decision to bypass’. I have tidied to clarify. As for RNY means bypass - well, I am ok with it. If you look around this site, even the ‘official’ descriptors of the various forum boards regularly say RNY bapass’ - I reckon you’re on a losing campaign fighting that one!

Hi. I am a lap band revision and also 4 days post op for gastric sleeve as well. I also worry about this. I wish you the best! Sent from my SM-G935V using BariatricPal mobile app

6 Week Post Op Doctor visit Results All, I went to visit my doc yesterday. Here are my Stats Prep Op 271 Op day 257 (lost 14lb on my own) 6 weeks out: 238 (33lb lost overall and 19lb since surgery) Here are some high level notes from what I remember: - He was super happy with my results, especially as a revision (10lb in the last month since I last saw him) - I told him I went Vegan, he said GREAT!!! And that that was the healthiest thing I could do (I was expecting him to scold me for not doing an Egg for breakfast, but he loved that I was doing a Green Smoothie instead, and said that I will be able to avoid many deficiencies this way. He said he wished more of his patients will follow this plan but the thought of it would be too off putting for most. - I asked if I needed to see a nutritionist and he said no...you're doing all the right things (woa?) - I asked him if there was a Macro Nutrient limit he wanted me to work with: Calories, Protein, Carb, Fat etc? His answer was NO! Keep doing what you are doing, and live life. Don't worry about tracking each macronutrient or even what you eat, listen to your body, continue eating healthy and don't stress about the numbers. In his words "you're not on a diet, this is just your new eating plan" So essentially he absorbed me of food tracking (so...I ditched my app for now anyways). If I stall for long or have issues, I may track again, but gosh, I've got so much time back in my day from not tracking. To his point too, it's no way to live. I'm about to head out to England for work (in 2 weeks), I would not easily be able to calculate stuff there, I'll have to eyeball and learn to manage it. which brings me to my next point. - I've been cleared to travel, so I'm super SUPER nervous, what if I'm sick trans-atlantic, what if I take ill there and they don't know what to do with me...what if I get sick our naucious in front of clients (today I over did Edamame Pods, and out they came)... To mitigate my fears, I got a Portable Scale on Amazon, and I will travel with it so I can stay honest. - He stressed that a daily dose of 50g B1 was vital (My Bari multi has only 20, so I need to supplement that). - He cleared me for all forms of workouts so yesterday I hit the weights, and I finally did some serious Stomach crunches. Felt good to exercise those muscles nicely! - He patted me on the back and assured me I was doing awesome. And that's about it. Not at ALL how I expected my visit to go! I expected to be scolded on Vegan choice, schooled to do more animal flesh protein, a visit with Nutritionist, him ordering a bunch of tests to check my levels of stuff etc etc. Nothing like that...go figure... Anywho, hopefully this was helpful to you. I love to read about other peoples accounts of their doctors visits.

Everyone is going to have a different experience. But looking at the "averages", it seems a decent number of people develop GERD from the sleeve. And quite a few people don't get any dumping at all. I've had exactly 1 incident of dumping, in over 6 months. And that was with tomato soup. I can eat pretty much anything I want at this point with zero dumping. I do get crampy here and there if I eat something I know I shouldn't, but I don't have any issues with any sweeteners. I went with the band back in 2011... and was revised to RNY this past March. Honestly the best thing I've done. I have a friend that was sleeved and he also had to get revised to the bypass due to complication with the sleeve. Also, the sleeve is 100% non-reversible. The Bypass is reversible under certain conditions, it's a risky reversal, but it does happen, you cannot undo the sleeve since 90% of your stomach ends up in the trash. Also, long term research keeps showing that the bypass out performs the sleeve in all metrics. Patients lose more, keep it off longer, have lower rebounding weight gain. It is 100% your decision, but my 2 cents, go with the bypass.

Hello I have been doing a ton of research on Dr IIIan and have view so many glowing reviews of him and Bariatric Pal Mx. I was wondering if anyone could provide me with any links pertaining to his certifications or affiliates? I would really like to use them for my band revision surgery, but I am having trouble finding anything that states his qualifications from a non biased source. I also researched the ASMBS website search for Doctors in his area of Mexico and could not find him? Maybe I am doing the search wrong. Thanks

If I were you and had to lose 150 lbs I would go with bypass. I have bypass and do not dump. Not everyone with bypass experiences dumping. I actually had a revision of sleeve to bypass due to not losing weight and having GERD. Trust me, GERD is not in any way fun. I was miserable with anything I ate. If you experience dumping, it could be a blessing; it’s your body’s way of letting you know “oh no, don’t put that in your mouth again.” Some people experience different food likes/dislikes post op; it may last forever, it may be temporary. Dairy may not agree with you a few months post op, but you may eventually tolerate it. These surgeries aren’t cookie cutter by any means so to say that you WILL or WILL NOT experience a certain thing isn’t always the case. good luck with whatever you choose

I've read probably 100 posts...which have all been amazingly helpful here. Every time I tell myself I'm going with the sleeve, I read the next post and believe full heartedly I should go with the bypass??? I know this is an ever-popular question but I am feeling so confused. I don't currently have GERD but is sounds horrible. I also don't like the idea of "dumping". I want to lose 150 pounds. I am 100% committed and ready for surgery which will probably be this November or early December. I want to make the best, most informed decision for myself. I don't want a revision down the line...not that anyone does. One question I have is does artificial sugar/sweeteners cause dumping with the bypass? I'm 45, 298.6 pounds today. Just got approved yesterday and am super excited---------just confused LOL. Wishing all the PALS here the best!

The band is so totally different for food restrictions it's pretty crazy. You don't have to worry about content really as there is no dumping or any other food related reactions other than quantity and "texture". From what I recall, I was on liquids for all of a day. Then it was purees for like... A day. Then soft solids, then normal foods. Chew until puree before swallowing and the same no drinking while eating. It was a long time ago for me... but I do recall it was so totally different than when I was revised to the bypass. Same surgeon did both, same team. So many differences!

If you have ANY lactose intolerance, stay away from any protein that contains Protein Concentrate. Find yourself a protein that ONLY has Protein Isolate. Like Isopure for instance. Whey Protein concentrate is exactly what it sounds like, it's a concentrated milk protein, but concentrates do not filter out lactose. Isolates remove most, if not all, lactose. You are looking at things the wrong way. Saying you'll NEVER be able to do something is wrong... very wrong. Quite a high number of Bypass patients, myself included, have almost no issues with almost all foods. I can eat pretty much what I want at this point, just over 6 months post op. I drink beer, eat sweets, etc. No issues. I had 2 donuts the other day and that made me feel like crap, but no dumping or other issues other than feeling super run down and icky for a few. If you focus on ways you plan to fail, you will fail. Focus on the things you can switch out. I'm a huge ice cream guy. I could eat a whole pint and want more. I found Halo Top ice creams, protein, no added sugar, low fat, super low calories and they taste good. I don't eat white flour anymore, I choose to eat the high grain count stuff or fiberone has an 80 calorie wrap. Look for the things that you can swap out, and that will satisfy the cravings while still falling inside of your diet restrictions. It's not hard, you just have to do a little bit of work at first. Revision from Band to Bypass was legit the best thing I've ever done. I'm still dealing with some odd body dysmorphia, I still "feel" fat. Like when I'm not paying attention, my spacial awareness is that of my fat body... but I'm not "fat" anymore, so that's an odd thing to deal with. But it's getting better day by day. I don't have any issues with feeling like I'm missing out on food or anything, we still go out to eat, I just pick better items. Your taste buds will change, some folks they change only for a little while, some, forever. I've lost my craving for super sweet things, for the most part. With sagging skin, my max weight was 370 and I don't have much sagging skin at all... I've got some, but it's totally hidden with clothing. The bypass is reversible. It's risky, but it happens. The **ONLY** weight loss surgery that isn't reversible is the sleeve, because the sleeve 90% of your stomach is removed, with the bypass, it's all still there, just shifted around. The other side is to realize that, food addictions are real, even if you don't believe you are addicted to something, doesn't mean you aren't. Some of it is habit, habits take a minimum of 2 weeks to break. Why do you want the surgery? You don't have to answer here, but keep that in mind whenever you start to get frustrated or sad at things that... more than likely won't bother you later down the road. I knew that if I didn't do something to lose the weight, I would be cutting my life MUCH shorter... I don't want to do that to my wife and kids. I'll tell you this. over 90 lbs dropped since March and I feel fantastic. Food does not drive my life, I still enjoy lots of food items, I can hike without issue, I take several flights of stairs without breaking a sweat, I actually did 8 floors of a Federal Hospital in 1 go, just because I wanted to see if I could do it, and my heart rate got to a whopping 121 bpm. I'm prepping now to climb a mountain.... I wouldn't even have been able to entertain the idea 6 months ago. It's ok and totally understandable to be afraid, scared and unsure of the future and all the changes that WILL be required with this surgery. But one thing is certain, if someone stays overweight, they are guaranteeing they will have medical issues down the road.

Ok, so what you describe is very reasonable and logical--especially in people who are skinny and have that skill set. But what about people who NEVER learned good food "hygiene/habits" in the first place? Ever. In their life? What about the people who come to the party MO and think that the surgery is gonna do all the work so therefore they never learn new skills, never even re-learn skills. They just depend on the restriction and "only being able to choke down 2 tbsp of food," and so eat all their old crappy foods. And they eat them 3squares x 7 x 365? What happens in 2-5 years when they suddenly can eat a 1/2plate of food as Dr. Weiner hypothesizes and now they've also added back the daily desserts and booze too? My point in all of this is absolutely it's about trust. It's about trusting yourself to be responsible and to have a reasonable relationship with food and that takes time to grow. But...not everyone is choosing to also learn these new habits and build trust. What then? What do you say to those people who come back with the same dang problem and are seeking a revision to a stronger surgery because they've had a 20-150lb weight regain? They still have the same eating habits, say they are eating "in moderation," etc? Just curious. Not-honestly NOT-trying to be argumentative or derail this great question by OP.

Thing is, quite a few people change gears after a couple of years. If they happen to hang around for a time span of several years (I'm talking 5 or more years, even more than 10 years) you can notice how people might change their point of view on several things. Even if they were gone in between for a year or two, some hang around for quite a long time but they're very, very rare. Some gained, some gained significant, some had revisions out of various reasons, some maintained, some struggle with a change of eating disorder... Typical life changers seem to be new partners, having kids, transitioning from university to working, changing over from the working force into retirement. These "big things", you know.