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oh - forgot to mention: for those who do end up getting GERD, often it can be controlled medically (i.e., by PPI's or another type of antacid). It seems to be people with the more severe cases who opt for revision. I honestly don't know what percentage of people get it severely enough that revision is recommended.

I am once again considering how to fix my health without surgery. I am self pay and was planning to go to Mexico to Endobariatric. I’ve decided that the potential need for revision due to GERD is going to hold me back. I would not be able to afford a revision and my health insurance would not cover any part of it. Part of me feels let down by this, but I know GERD is no fun. I have it from medication and a handful of times before not medication related. I did notice that Dr. Alvarez mentions the sleeve surgery can potentially heal GERD in those that have it. I do find that interesting since so many end up with revisions. It makes me wonder if I would get lucky and not end up with it. That’s a big roll of the dice though as I would be stuck if I did. This forum has been incredibly helpful to me. Most people here are really kind, which is so nice to see these days. Perhaps if my insurance changes I will reconsider this option. I just wanted to share where I am with it and thank you all for sharing your stories and hopes and struggles and successes.

This is what is holding me back from surgery. I am self pay and would have the surgery in Mexico. If I ended up needing a revision, I wouldn’t be able to afford it.

I have to admit I have seen many people mention it on here but had never tried it till today. I failed with the sleeve and I’m trying other things before I go the revision route. The NP said to try tea, especially when I know it hasn’t been long since I have eaten and surprisingly I think it worked.

Like I mentioned before since hanging around here post sleeve I have seen a lot of people with bipolar who had bypass and they were just fine but now that I am possibly facing a revision to bypass I am looking to hear even more peoples experience. Especially if anyone has experience with vraylar post bypass.

I had sleeve 3/9/2021 and have regained almost all the weight. I met with the NP at the surgeons office yesterday to inquire about revision and she suggested phentermine. I have to admit I’m not even in a hurry to pick it up from pharmacy cause I don’t have too much faith it’s gonna work for me. I am glad to see some success stories here and hope that I am one of them.

She didn’t really say how long she wants me to try the phentermine but she does want to see me back in a month. She said there are a couple more meds to try so maybe she was speaking of those you mentioned if this one doesn’t work. I am just a little worried I will lose just enough to disqualify me weight wise for revision and not be able to lose anymore. BUT, I am on a few meds that are pretty important and she said because of that she would like to see me try everything before I decided on revision and that made sense to me. I’m just a little curious why they didn’t have me try all this before the first surgery to be honest other than they know it won’t work. Lol

Yes, I'm the same as you!! I didn't lose all my weight with the sleeve as well and I'm hoping I end up losing just as much, if not more. I agree that if it was an amazing loss, you'd remember. Haha! But man, I hope it works out for you. If you are in the States, you could also try Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro or something? Idk. This is what I'm seeing going around the revision fb groups and people are having crazy success. However, I think most regain once they're off of it. Hmmm, yeah.. It does seem like converting might be the better option but I'm no doctor. Everything else just seems like a quick fix, you know? How long does she want you on it?

Congratulations on your loss and thanks for sharing your experience this far. I met with the NP yesterday and she said she would really like to see me try weight managements before I commit to revision so she prescribed me phentermine. I know I have tried it in the past but honestly can’t remember how I did on it (seems like it if was an amazing loss I would remember though). I have a feeling I will end up converting as you did. Although I really hope it’s not true about losing less cause I never lost all my weight with the sleeve.

Really sorry to hear you're having issues with regain. Hopefully the surgeon gave you some helpful information! I just had my revision on the 10th of February, so I can't quite say too much on whether or not its more successful the second time around, but I can tell you the expectations that I received from my surgeon! I was told that it is in fact slower the second time around, but this is okay because that means the weight loss should be steady and you're more likely to keep it off. Additionally, he told me that you'll lose about 10-15 percent less than what you lost the first time around. If you're smaller, the weight loss will be slower since you're closer to a healthier BMI than someone who is way over. Another thing that plays a part is the length of the limbs of the bypass (assuming thats what you revise to and not a re-sleeve). I believe that the longer the limbs, the more weight you lose. As for me, I had the sleeve then revised to the gastric bypass and its a little different, ngl. Instead of feeling full from tightness like I got with my sleeve, I get the hiccups which is funny but annoying as well since they hurt since im so early out. I'm not hungry at. all. Like, its a little concerning. Hahaha! But I did not get this sensation with my sleeve. I was hungry right out of surgery. Recovering was an absolute breeze. Within a few days, I was walking around like nothing happened. So far, the weight loss is moving at the same pace as it was with my sleeve, so I'm happy about that. Since surgery, I've lost 7kg. Surgery day, I started at 116kg (255lbs) and am now at 109 (240). Hope this info was at least a little helpful!

They are hard to read! I remember during grad school thinking who the hell do they write these papers/journals/articles for? Them selves 🤣 You’re right so much is still unknown but A team of researcher actually looked at this and found that the division of the stomach causes ghrelin levels to drop (tested during surgery). What I’m still trying to find information on is what changes occur after revision surgery from VSG to RNY.

This. At least most likely. I can remember when I got my revision (MGB to RNY) I asked if there would be changes in weight, i. e. I wanted to know if it would be more difficult to maintain the weight after revision or not. I doubt that the surgeon would have mentioned the weight thing if I hadn't specifically asked about it. For them it was fixing the reflux and repairing the hiatal hernia.

Hey, March 7th. I'm having 2nd revision now going to a bypass due to severe reflux

Hey how long were you out from work. I m doing a revision, before I was out 6wks. Now I at different job. Maybe 2wks or 3 .

In defense of the surgeons, I think one of the reasons doctors either don't tell you (some warn you of minimal weightloss) that a revision due to gerd often results in minimal weightloss is because to them, it isn't about the weight to them, it is to fix your gerd. You can't live a quality life suffering from severe gerd day in and day out. I couldn't sleep at night and during the day towards the end, I had to have food constantly in my stomach or the knawing feeling in my stomach would never go away, and my throat literally burned all day no matter what. It was miserable.

The long term success of either surgery depends upon you. Many of the initial benefits of bariatric surgery fade over time. Your hunger comes back, your restriction can soften, it is possible to eat around your smaller tummy & your body’s new set point, etc. What the surgery does do is give you time. Time to make changes to your relationship with food: the why you eat, what you eat, when you eat, how you eat. Time to understand your cravings & develop strategies to better manage them. Time to establish new habits about eating & exercise. Time to work out how you want to eat in the future & what works for you & your body. Regain occurs for many reasons: psychological, physiological, behavioural. Bounce back regain (usually 20%+/- of the weight lost) around the third year is common. It can be because your body settles into the weight it is happiest at (your set point). Medication changes. The crap life can throw at you (employment, relationships, health, pandemics). Complacency. A too restrictive way of eating or too demanding exercise regime. Not dealing with your relationship with food. And for some it can be a deliberate choice as they themselves feel happier at a higher weight or they make adjustments to their food choices to better suit their life. Not failure of the surgery but the impact of outside factors. The average weight loss for both sleeve or bypass at the three year mark is about 65% of the weight to be lost. Of course as with all statistics there are some who lose more & some who lose less. If you are considering revision surgery of sleeve to bypass as a sign of the failure of the sleeve, remember many who have revision surgery do so because they developed GERD not necessarily weight gain. I have a sleeve & lost more than my goal and have pretty much maintained though at only almost 4 years post surgery I’m still somewhat of a bariatric baby. I settled at 49kg (48.5-49.5). I unexpectedly gained about 2kgs about 18months ago (50.5-51) but recently we discovered I wasn’t absorbing my HRT meds. Changed to a patch & my weight is slowly decreasing (49.2-50). Small numbers I know. Has it been difficult? No, not really. It was very obvious what I had been doing wasn’t working for me & I needed to make changes. I put myself & my health first. I changed my relationship with food. Made a decision to change what, when & how I ate. It became a new mindset. The changes have been sustainable & haven’t restricted my life. I still enjoy food & eating but my desire is for healthier, more nutritious foods. And no I’m not running marathons or spending hours in the gym just some at home stretching & resistance bands. Sorry long post.

Okay I had a sleeve 3/9/2021 and lose a pretty good chunk of weight but since I have gained it all back. My doctors have tested me for many things hoping to find answers to why I am so hungry and I am still waiting on a couple more results but it is looking more and more like I just failed. I am meeting with the bariatric doctor again tomorrow to see if they think revision is an option for me (assuming the rest of those tests come back fine as well). My question is, for those of you who revised because of weigh gain, did it work the second time around and if so what changed? What did you do different?!

Hi all. I am almost a year out from band to bypass revision. I set my goal weight before getting banded in 2012 at 185 because I wanted to say I’d lost 100 lb from my surgery weight. I hit that goal but am not satisfied at how I look so I have a new goal of 175. I think the numbers mcipanda quoted at the beginning are unrealistic numbers in the first place. Better to be flexible about the goal and when it feels right then you’re there, imo. Congrats to all of you on ryes chat to have made the decision to improve your health!

Hey guys, I am thinking about having an endoscopic gastric bypass revision. Has anyone completed this? Wondering about weight loss and if there was any complications? Would you recommend for others? I want a revision but the down time for surgical is tricky, so hoping this could be a good options.

Yes. A revision to bypass is what usually occurs if your reflux worsens. In most situations your surgeon will advise against a sleeve if you have existing reflux/gerd. I had reflux but I’d managed it for many years with dietary choices. I usually only needed to take meds maybe <5 times a year. This was why my surgeon decided a sleeve would be ok. I still have reflux but it manifests differently & I do have to take a PPI every day. PS - I think those whose reflux improves after a sleeve is because of dietary changes & the weight loss. It’s not common though.

But if it gets worse I would need a revision to bypass correct? I don't want to have 2 surgeries. Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgery is March 7th. Liquid diet first week not maintaining but am during better. This is not my first time . I am getting a revision. Doctor called me yesterday to say I need a colonoscopy before surgery. I did do the home one this summer hopefully that will do. No sure yet. Han an endoscopy in 22 so he didn’t discuss that. good luck

I'm 8 yrs post op on a gastric bypass and have now started regaining weight. I'm considering the bypass revision or what appears to be another name duodenal switch. Curious if anyone has done this and what are their results...Also this would be a self-paid surgery and I was looking for an estimated cost.

For me, it was the decision due to certain medication I was taking and continue to need that was the deciding factor for a sleeve. Interesting enough, I recently have had major vitamin and mineral deficiencies and major anemia. I am past menopause, so that wasn't it. I had a hiatial hernia bleed. Was it associated with my sleeve that I have had for 12 years ? Surgeon who went in and did an endoscopy said "no". but I recalled my mom and grandmother and a maternal aunt all had the same issue. guess what ? Me too. at 66 years old. Genetics. So NOW I am on Protonix and lots of medications to heal it up. I do not want surgery if I can avoid it. My sleeve still works. Dr said I have a normal sleeve structure ! I have lost 150 something pounds. I am happy with my sleeve. If I was told I needed to have a revision.... I guess I would but all is well.

I’m 7 weeks post op on a revision and on soft foods. Having a hard time figuring out what to eat, especially as I return to the office and work. What are your go to foods/meals in this phase?