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I had my revision on 1/11. My post op this time was much easier than my sleeve. I had hardly any pain and I was able to sleep on my side the first night. My only issue was bad nausea in the recovery room. I had problems with shortness of breath my first week. I didn't use my incentive spirometer enough. Now that I'm 3 weeks out I'm on soft diet. I'm struggling to get enough water in so of course I'm constipated. Other than that I feel good. I've been eating mostly chicken salad, egg salad, ricotta bake and bean puree. I still do a premier shake in the morning, only way I can get in enough protein but I don't like them as much anymore. They are too sweet now.

I want to delete the before and after pics I had previously uploaded to my profile but I can't find an option to delete them. They are from my sleeve which I just had revised. Thanks!

I live in Texas but this is the insurance that I have I had my surgery December 1st 2017 it took eight days for me to get my approval after everything was submitted to the insurance. I had a revision surgery converted from Lap-Band to gastric sleeve.

I have the sleeve so I can't speak to the type of surgery you have. Anyone of us can gain if you don't make lifestyle changes. The restriction only does part of the work. With a small pouch you can eat small meals all day long that have high calories. No exercise adds to the mix. On very rare occasions people may have a revision surgery.

I’m contemplating revision surgery from vsg to rny. After 6yrs I’ve regained all but 15lbs of my original weight loss from vsg due to bad eating habits over the past 2.5yrs. What if any has your weight loss experience been for revision to rny please? Thanks

Oh cbf, I know how disappointing that is. My hubby went thru some terrible stuff. He had the Lap Band for 13years. It malfunctioned and he went in to have it removed along with his gallbladder. Then he was going to be revised to the RNY. (his age was 63) The Lap Band had eroded into his liver so they took out the Band and gallbladder then closed him up. The Surgeon told him that in 3 months they would do the RNY. Well, he became deathly sick and he really almost died. He had 5 infections in his stomach 2 of which we all have in our bodies at all times and 3 that he contacted from surgery. He was sick for 10 months and we thought he wasn't going to make it. He still after 5 years has not got all his strength back. So fast forward on June 2, 2016 we go to Juarez, Mexico because we finally fired the Surgeon that did both of our WLS. We paid cash out of pocket over $11,000.00 And still he didn't get what he wanted, The RNY he ended up getting the Sleeve. His weight loss hasn't been over the moon but as we all know it is a tool and we have to put in the work to make it happen. he does great for some and not so good at times. I didn't want to go so much but just wanted to welcome you also. I had a RNY and I have done much better with it than my hubby's SLeeve. I am so grateful for my RNY. It was very dishearting as I am sure you know 1st hand. , I had my RNY at the age of 56. And he had his Sleeve at 63. Take care of you!! I hope everything works out for you!! Did your DR tell u how long it would be before they do your surgery? Hang Tight

With my sleeve surgery in 10/2012 and my gastric bypass revision in 6/2017, all my vitamin intake is the same. I also use the chewable Optisource 4/day and add Vitamin D and B12. That is exactly the same vitamins that I was prescribed and took for 4+ years after the sleeve. MY blood work ups have always been fine. I too was scared about the malabsorption risks. I am very careful to get nutrients daily through good food choices. I usually can’t get enough food to meet my needs, so still do one meal replacement protein drink a day just to make sure I’m getting everything I need. I lost 75 lbs with the sleeve and had a hard time keeping it off. My revision to bypass was for acid reflux problems, not for additional weight loss, but have lost another 45 lbs. since the revision in June. I mentioned in an earlier reply that I did have to have a balloon procedure a couple weeks ago to open up the area between my stomach and small intestine where scar tissue had built up from multiple surgeries. This was so that food would go down easier. That procedure was really easy and worst case scenario is I’ll need to do it one more time as they only open it a little at a time to ensure they don’t tear the stomach where it was stapled. I’d still do the revision in a heartbeat and I’m not young (62).

The amount of revisions due to stretching on this forum seem to be a rare occurrence. US national library of medicine link https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4485844/ Conclusion Long-term weight loss in patients following bariatric surgery requires regular and supportive management by qualified health professionals. Based on the literature reviewed, our principal recommendations to optimize long-term weight loss include: ensuring that the patient understands how the procedure works; offering pre- and postoperative education sessions; ensuring the patient utilizes self-monitoring strategies; tailoring nutritional supplements; restraining liquid calories, pureed foods, grazing, and eating out of home; engaging in an average of 60 minutes of physical activity per day; and conducting lifelong annual medical, psychological, and dietary assessments. Stomach stretching? there is a paucity of long-term clinical evidence to describe the rates of occurrence.

Wow, I am impressed with your loss! I'm 3 weeks out from revision and have been stuck at 6.5lbs since the first week. Can you explain more about portion control? Is it snacking, etc or eating more at one sitting? Curious as I'm sure I'll be facing similar challenges down the road.

Hi there I had my band revised to RNY 6 weeks ago. I do wonder if the band has made me not so good at portion control - I seem to be lousy at recognising when I am full. So I take my lunch every day. A can of tuna or salmon or pack of shredded chicken, and a bit of fruit or veggie. I think lunch is my easiest “go off the rails” meal, so I prepare each evening - hope that helps. 40lbs! What a fantastic thing, you must be so pleased! Inspirational...

Hello all! On 11/29 I had my lap band removed and had the sleeve done...9 weeks and 40 lbs lost so far! I’m struggling with portion control and making healthy lunch choices while at work. Anyone have any tips?

A few years back, I was 1 of 6 people featured in a photo shoot of real people who have defeated their diabetes. And what an incredible day it was! I got to choose the location of my shoot -- the beach -- and was driven there by limousine. The photographer took shots of me doing planks, sprints, and meditation on the beach, as well as hanging out on the boardwalk. That experience was the closest I've come to being a model (a teenage dream of mine). Across the decades I have been every size, from a junior size 7 to a women’s size 24. Getting a diagnosis of diabetes was a critical turning point in my life. It was a wake-up call that I answered, the impetus for me to have my gastric bypass surgery. Had I not gotten diabetes, then I likely would not have had the surgery and turned my health and my life around. My diabetes earned me a 3-night staycation in the hospital. I went home with 5 prescriptions for diabetes and hypertension. Within a year I had bariatric surgery and I credit it with saving my life. But getting the surgery isn't a guarantee of success. It is vital, too, that we become skilled in Using Your Gastric Pouch for Weight Loss. Over the years I must have slipped back into old dysfunctional patterns of relating to food because I began to gain weight at 5-years post-op. And I ended up having a revision surgery. Fast forward to 2013 after my plastic surgery, I became set upon living life larger than ever -- doing all the things that I wanted to do. One might say I am making up for lost time. I came to love planks and squats and HIIT and lifting weights and sprints with my dog Blue and BodyCombat class. I ran with my granddaughter in her first 3k, and we hiked for hours in the mountains of northern California. I learned to row, meditate, belly dance, and tai chi. I completed a strenuous all-day ropes course and overcame my fear of heights. I traveled the USA in an RV and lived in Belize and Mexico for 4-months. And so much more, more, more. I feel that the plastic surgery saved my soul. I am so grateful for how my life has changed, now having defeated my obesity and diabetes for nearly 15 years. I lead a life well-lived. But when I was morbidly obese, I led a life half-lived. The biotech company behind the photo shoot shares my story with patients and healthcare professionals and with employees to encourage people that they can defeat diabetes, too. It is an honor to inspire people to better health. Be thankful for who you are now, but keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow. Strive for Daily Success.

Getting a diagnosis of diabetes nearly two decades ago was a critical turning point in my life. Had I not gotten diabetes, then I likely would not have gotten the surgery in 2003 and turned my health and my life around. A few years back, I was 1 of 6 people featured in a photo shoot of real people who have defeated their diabetes. And what an incredible day it was! I got to choose the location of my shoot -- the beach -- and was driven there by limousine. The photographer took shots of me doing planks, sprints, and meditation on the beach, as well as hanging out on the boardwalk. That experience was the closest I've come to being a model (a teenage dream of mine). Across the decades I have been every size, from a junior size 7 to a women’s size 24. Getting a diagnosis of diabetes was a critical turning point in my life. It was a wake-up call that I answered, the impetus for me to have my gastric bypass surgery. Had I not gotten diabetes, then I likely would not have had the surgery and turned my health and my life around. My diabetes earned me a 3-night staycation in the hospital. I went home with 5 prescriptions for diabetes and hypertension. Within a year I had bariatric surgery and I credit it with saving my life. But getting the surgery isn't a guarantee of success. It is vital, too, that we become skilled in Using Your Gastric Pouch for Weight Loss. Over the years I must have slipped back into old dysfunctional patterns of relating to food because I began to gain weight at 5-years post-op. And I ended up having a revision surgery. Fast forward to 2013 after my plastic surgery, I became set upon living life larger than ever -- doing all the things that I wanted to do. One might say I am making up for lost time. I came to love planks and squats and HIIT and lifting weights and sprints with my dog Blue and BodyCombat class. I ran with my granddaughter in her first 3k, and we hiked for hours in the mountains of northern California. I learned to row, meditate, belly dance, and tai chi. I completed a strenuous all-day ropes course and overcame my fear of heights. I traveled the USA in an RV and lived in Belize and Mexico for 4-months. And so much more, more, more. I feel that the plastic surgery saved my soul. I am so grateful for how my life has changed, now having defeated my obesity and diabetes for nearly 15 years. I lead a life well-lived. But when I was morbidly obese, I led a life half-lived. The biotech company behind the photo shoot shares my story with patients and healthcare professionals and with employees to encourage people that they can defeat diabetes, too. It is an honor to inspire people to better health. Be thankful for who you are now, but keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow. Strive for Daily Success.

Hi Crystal- How are you doing? I am considering the same revision with Dr. Illan.

I had the traditional duodenal switch surgery. It was done in a one-step revision from a lapband. My surgeon said he might have to do it in two stages if there was too much scar tissue from the lapband, but that didn't happen and I was relieved. I didn't have my gallbladder removed, and I've been fine. I love my DS. My feet feel a whole lot better carrying less weight around.

I just had a sleeve to bypass revision on 1/23. I will be posting results as they come. Best of luck!

The amount of revisions due to stretching on this forum seem to be a rare occurrence. US national library of medicine link https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4485844/ Conclusion Long-term weight loss in patients following bariatric surgery requires regular and supportive management by qualified health professionals. Based on the literature reviewed, our principal recommendations to optimize long-term weight loss include: ensuring that the patient understands how the procedure works; offering pre- and postoperative education sessions; ensuring the patient utilizes self-monitoring strategies; tailoring nutritional supplements; restraining liquid calories, pureed foods, grazing, and eating out of home; engaging in an average of 60 minutes of physical activity per day; and conducting lifelong annual medical, psychological, and dietary assessments. Stomach stretching? there is a paucity of long-term clinical evidence to describe the rates of occurrence.

Quite a few people have asked me about my experience at Mexico Bariatric Center in Tijuana and I want to share the entire experience as it was extremely hard for me to get a full review from the last year or so. I also wish I would’ve written this on day 3 and not day 7 as the farther away from your surgery date you get the more romanticized the process is. That being said, here is everything that I know. It is a bit long, but for those of you who want all the facts, here is my experience. I reached out to MBC on the 3rd of January and by the 5th of January I was already e-mailing back and forth with Kristi. I completed the patient questionnaire online and was approved within 12 hours. From then on, I was on a text string with Kristi asking questions about the process, getting my personal loan approved (I went through Discover as I’m paying mine off of in 8 months), and scanning in photos of my passport and flight itinerary. Scheduling was SO EASY and I was scheduled to fly in on Wednesday, January 17th and fly out on Sunday, January 22nd. I was 260, 5'4'' and had a BMI of 45, and my pre-op diet started on January 11th-14th, and my 2 days of liquids were the 15th and 16th. I was not perfect, but I did do pretty well for those 6 days. As for choosing a surgeon everyone has different opinions on their process. They have 4 different surgeons who operate out of Mi Doctor hospital in Tijuana and to me, I wasn’t tied to any specific person. The most experienced surgeon of course will have a higher coast, but when dealing with your life few people care about an extra 500 dollars. I was set with Dr. Rodriguez who is the newest of the group, but I am always of the opinion that the newer the team member the harder they work and the newer their techniques are. In all, with my flight, 2 extra nights at the hotel for my companion, 2 nights in the hospital, surgery, all follow up, all medicine, and ride to and from the airport/through the border my surgery cost me about 5,500. Being that my research in Dallas, Texas was going to be at least 12,500 + unforeseen costs (thank you anesthesia) *I also had a 650 revision charge as I had the lapband in and out in 2014 and 2017. I flew in early on the 17th and landed in San Diego Int’l around 10:30. Victor was already waiting for me and another person, so the 4 of us were driven through the border check point. It was about a 30 minute process and he had lots of great advice for us as we went. We were dropped off at the hospital which looks like a typical hospital. No, it’s not the multi-million dollar facility you see in big cities, but let’s be real—do you pay for good care or do you pay for the look of a building? Don’t let that influence a decision. When I arrived there were about 4 people outside in gowns and about 30 cars that lined the street. The hospital is older but well kept, and they have a small café downstairs for your companion. Once there, we were pulled all over the place. They ran an EKG to make sure your heart is healthy, pulled about 4 vials of blood, and had you sign a few pages making you aware of the risks/possible outcomes. Then you meet briefly with someone to zero your balance and tell you when you are scheduled to come in (typically the following day, typically between 7 and 10 in the morning). Then they shuttle you to the hotel. All in all that took me about an hour in total. The hotel is very nice, clean, and a place I would choose to stay again if in Mexico. I splurged for the 2 nights for my boyfriend so he could work from the hotel room and it was wonderful to have that as homebase. The hotel offers you as many cups of broth and cups of jello as you want—as that’s all you can eat at that point!—and then they take your luggage to your room and you are left to your own devices. The beds are okay—I have a temperpedic so nothing so the same J but the hotel has a full kitchen, all utensils, a TV with English channels (find Cinecinal), and great wi-fi. I woke up the next day and took my suitcase with me. They shuttled me and 2 other people and took us up to our room by about 8:30 with a surgery time of 10-11. I will say one thing MBC gets things done. It’s a business, so don’t forget that—and there are what seems to be dozens of people coming in and out of different stages as the days go on. That being said, you get incredible care and there are always people to help, support, or answer questions. You are taken to your room, which is something I’ve never had in an American hospital (it had always been a bed and a curtain), that has a bed, maybe a 2nd one for your companion, a table, shower, bathroom, sink, and mirror. They take your vitals and have you change into a gown and put on those awful compression socks. Then you wait. I spoke with the internal medicine doctor, my surgeon, and multiple nurses. They put in my IV which sucks but hey, it’s part of the process! By 9:30 they were wheeling me back to the operating room. I didn’t have my glasses on so I could see very little, but it was a small operating room down the hall with about 5-7 people. They have you step up onto the operating table and ask you a few questions. If you don’t speak Spanish expect to be lost—I speak a little so I could kind of follow along but remember, you are in MX not the US. There was no countdown, no reminders, just I was listening and then I was out. Next thing I knew I was waking up next to 3 people in the recovery room. Personally, I HATE waking up from anesthesia. I hate it. I always panic because I don’t have my glasses, and everything is fuzzy. This was even harder because I couldn’t see and couldn’t understand anything. I remember very little during this time, but was back in my room/my bed by noon. From then on it was extremely fuzzy. I was tethered to an IV rod, and while I wasn’t in pain because of the medications, I wasn’t feeling that great. I had to sleep on my back which I hate, the pillows are not comfortable at all, and I felt really alone. Again, this is my extreme hate for anesthesia manifesting, not a reflection on the hospital. The nurses were wonderful and came in every hour, kept a monitor on, brought me ice chips when I needed them, and kept the lights off/door shut so I could rest. I let my boyfriend come over at 4 o’clock and they tell you to use your spirometer to work on breathing – AND USE IT! Every hour for about 5-10 minutes I would be sucking into that thing. It hurts. A lot, but it infinitely helps your recovery process. I used it every hour from 4 o’clock on the 18th until I left on Sunday the 22nd and by then nothing in my body hurt. Worth it. Do it. In addition, they tell you to walk as much as possible because it helps the process AND IT DOES. Walk, often. I set up my IV rod in the middle of my room and walked around the bed, bathroom, wall, etc. every hour or two for about ten minutes. I would sit in the chair and use the spirometer. I’d walk up and down the hall a few times a day. Yes, you should recover and sleep as much as you need, at the same time the more ambulatory you are the better off you will be. The nurses checked on my every hour on day one. I was NOT happy. It hurts to breathe, it hurts to move, and it hurt to sleep on my side which I’m so used to doing. Because I slept away the day I was up every hour or so during the night. I threw up twice because of the pain medication and doing that after having your stomach cut is never fun. I cried, quite a few times, but slept away most of the day. The nurses brought pain medication every 6 hours and nausea meds every 8. Antibiotics were given at different intervals—all of this made my IV and my arm very cold which was uncomfortable, but I left healthy and pain free so I can’t complain too much. They changed my bandages once at the hospital and I changed them one at the hotel. After having the lap-band in and out, I already had a handful of scars on my stomach so I wasn’t much worried about scaring. That being said, the incisions they made were TINY and so perfect. I had 4 small incisions, none larger than ¾ of an inch, and one small vertical incision where the port/drain tube was stitched in. I am 7 nights out and tonight I took off my bandages as all of the incisions have scabbed over and are healing perfectly. I am IMPRESSED and so happy that I chose Dr. Rodriguez. Friday the 20th, the day after my surgery, was better, a million times better, but it was also hard in its own right. They changed the bandages, my IV was ruined so they had to use my other hand and my veins were tiny and easy to miss, and they removed the drain which was a blessing and a curse. After surgery you have a long tube (I think 1-2 feet?) inserted into your body to drain excess fluid. They tape it to your side, stitch it in, and connect it to a plastic draining cup that they dump every few hours. It is a big source of discomfort on day one and two, and is SO WERID when they remove it. It really didn’t hurt to remove it and it happens so fast. Don’t watch it. It’s gross. At the end of the 2nd night they gave me liquid medication to help me sleep and it was GLORIOUS. Between having the drain tube out, being on day two of recovery, and getting a full night’s sleep I felt ready to leave the hospital. On day two they also give you small bottles of Gatorade, water, and apple juice. Try to drink 1 oz every hour as you need to feel what your stomach feels like with such small pieces at a time. I thought I would be hungry after not eating anything for 5 days, but my hunger hormone was pretty much nonexistent. It was amazing. The doctor discharged me that morning after checking on me and answering all of my questions, and I was shuttled to the hospital with about 5 other people. Again, this is a business so expect to have multiple people/companions with you any time you are outside of your hotel or hospital room. By Sunday at 9 a.m. I was back in the hotel and ready to relax. I felt good. I was drinking 6 oz of fluid every hour, I had to pee every hour, and was excited to sleep on my side in my ‘own’ bed for the day. My boyfriend and I walked down to the pharmacy (which is located in the hotel) and picked up cleaning soap and medical tape, and then walked to the Wasabi restaurant. They have amazing miso broth and amazing shitake mushroom broth. I was excited to feel normal after 48 hours of the hospital. He had seafood soup, lol. I wasn’t hungry, but the shrimp looked good! I slept and read for most of Saturday and was in bed with the lights out by 8 o’clock. I felt fine, took a shower that day, and was still using my spirometer while walking around the hotel room/hotel floor. I cannot state enough how kind and helpful the hotel staff was—it is like they are an extension of the hospital as they have lots of the information you need. At 11 o’clock on Sunday we were packed and ready to go. The driver came to pick 7 of us up and drove us through the medical lane across the border. All in all it took about 45 minutes to go from the hotel through the check point. We passed with no issues. From there, it was another 15 minutes to the airport and we were off! My plane left about 3:30 so I sat and watched a football game while drinking water and cranberry juice. I still wasn’t hungry, but I was missing the act of eating/drinking. That part so far is the hardest. I flew back with a little nausea and a slight headache though I hate flying almost as much as I hate anesthesia—so that could be chalked up to me and not the surgery. I took Monday off not because I felt I needed to but because I needed to do all the life things I didn’t do while in Mexico. By Tuesday I was back at work without any issues and my coworkers/family have no idea where I spent my long weekend J I was drinking 65 oz of fluids by day 5, and was drinking creamy fluids by day 6. I have also easily tolerated soft foods (soups w noodles, yogurt, etc.) as well as a few tough foods (granola, protein cookie). My incisions are healed completely without any issues, and I have lost 17 pounds since in 3 weeks. The coolest (and weirdest) thing is that I feel full. I chew/swallow slowly and am full after a small portion. I don’t feel hungry often, and when my stomach does ache it is typically because I haven’t drank my 8 oz of water for that hour. After 20 years of over eating and storing food and buying fast food to eat it quickly I am weirded out by this new process and it has only been a week. I’m excited for what is to come J I hope this (incredibly long) 2500 word essay was helpful and clear. I would absolutely without a doubt recommend MBC and will gladly answer any questions you may have!

I just had a revision from band to sleeve. My worry was that small risk that it would be a 2 part surgery. However, it went well but the doc said it was an 8 out 10 on the difficulty scale because the band was stuck to everything and was encased in fat. Really scary but recovering fine. Insurance covered 100% thank god. I can’t imagine leaving the country for this.

Has anyone had a revision after having roux n y? I’m seven years out and gaining weight...I’m ravenous and have gained 40 pounds...cannot make myself get back on track...need help badly! I can eat normal amounts now and don’t feel full...things that used to bother me no longer bother me like pasta.

Same to you!! My cousin had a revision from lap band to sleeve, and she feels so much better. She was sick for so long. Good luck to you!

When I revised I had about 2.5 months between removal of the band and the sleeve. i didn't need to do the medically supervised diet, but obviously I didn't want to gain! I had felt that the band was not working, but after removal, I was incredibly hungry 24/7. I don't know if that is a common occurance, but I would be prepared to meet with your NUT or some other knowledgable person if that happens. I wound up going low carb and did manage to maintain...

Moving forward in the revision process. I will have my Lap-band removed Feb 5th. Unfortunately my surgeon will not do revision at the same time. I have to wait 3 months for my stomach to completely heal (according to their office). During that time I'll be on my 3 month medically monitored diet. Yesterday I met with the dr, the nutritionist, and had my psych evaluation done....and all was good. Now I have to get cleared from a cardiologist which they're scheduling, and have a pulmonary function test. Then once the medically supervised diet is 3 months in, they will submit it all to insurance and hopefully (fingers crossed), I'll be having my revision in June or July. At least I'm hopeful. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. For those who have done the 3 month monitored diet.....what helped you? What were your go to foods? I need all the help I can get right now!

Good idea! Thank you, I think I will! [emoji175] my surgery is Monday and I cannot wait! I am having my gastric band revised to a sleeve. I just got these adorable pillows in today just in time for my surgery! I’m going to be using them as stomach pillows for when I need to cough or sneeze or laugh.

Thanks for the reply and good luck with your revision!