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I'm getting revision surgery along with repair of my hiatal hernia withFlagstaff Surgery Associates. Dr. Berger and another surgeon there are weight loss surgery specialists. I have Medicare and a supplement, and I expect to be approved even though I have a low BMI because of my Barrett's esophagus and GERD issues.

BMI is important for revision too?? I’m so discouraged. I calculated my BMI and I am in the “overweight “ category. is that good enough? BTW , thank You for your responses. I appreciate them. does anyone know docs in Pittsburgh willing to do revisions in case mine won’t agree?

When I had the sleeve I couldn't tolerate carbonation. I found a way around it, as I learned to pour the beer rapidly into a large mug or cup which released the carbonation into foam and allowed me to drink the beer when the foam settled. Unfortunately this little discovery was the single biggest reason I didn't hit my goal weight. I had a revision to bypass a year ago, and strangely now even though my pouch is supposedly smaller than my sleeve I can tolerate carbonation better. I still don't drink a lot of carbonated drinks, but on the occasion I try it seems to be better now.

I had my sleeve revised to RNY 11/10/22 due to GERD. I stayed on fluids/purées/soft foods advancing very slowly. I didn’t start solid foods until end of December (about 6 weeks). Since then I feel like I’m playing Russian Roulette every time I eat. Sometimes I eat and feel fine without pain or restriction. Other times I will eat the same exact thing, same amount and be doubled over in pain until 4-8 hours later when I finally throw up and the food comes up not even partially digested. Every time I freak that I have an obstruction. Nutritionists say it’s too much fiber or too much fat, but it’s not necessarily associated with diarrhea and why, then, can I tolerate it sometimes and others not? Surgeon is sending me in for an upper GI barium study next week. I’m so stressed that I have stretched my pouch somehow but I can sometimes eat far more volume without issue compared to some of these episodes. Has anyone else experienced this? TMI, I’m also noticing pale colored stools but the pain is on the left, not on the right with my gallbladder. He said my gallbladder looked fine during surgery. I just need this to work so I feel better and can get on with my life.

Revision from band to bypass 2/21. Started my pre-op liqiuds today!

Gosh we’re so much alike. I read your other post about the fear. I’m going in this morning for my revision VSG to bypass. I was fearless for my sleeve but wide awake worrying right now. I too am worried that I’ll only lose 10-20 pounds.

I have an appointment next week to discuss revision of RNY. What do I have to say or do to convince the surgeon I need this revision??! I had my original surgery in 2014. I lost 100lb in about 8 mo. Since the pandemic I have regained about 50 lb. I am so miserable. My BP is elevated again, sleep apnea returned , osteoarthritis acting up. Help me please, someone.

Did your doctor say you should expect to feel less hungry? If there was no alteration of your stomach it’s unsurprising you have same hunger level. Removal of gherlin producing section is what is the biggest impact on hunger (likely done during your first surgery) and your pouch restriction would change. Unless your doctor told you to expect otherwise it seems like weight loss associated with a revision to the intestine & focusing on malabsoptive effects would result from the malabsorption itself and any reduction in intake would be a secondary result from behavioral conditioning associated with the malabsorptive effect and changes in dumping.

Feb 1st 2023 had Gastric bypass revision surgery. The Dr could not make my pouch smaller due to scar tissue around area. So he bypassed much more of my intestines. He said this would be greater malabsorption of foods. I'm still on first phase clear liquids and broth. I have been so hungry, though. Is this normal? Anyone else have this surgery?

Sorry to re-open an old thread but wanted to add some info for those who might search on this topic. I started experiencing this about 5-6 months after a sleeve-to-bypass revision. It's bad enough that my PCP put me on a continuous glucose monitor (Freestyle Libre 3) so I can monitor it and learn my patterns. I'm now 12 months post surgery and the issue is a daily concern. For breakfast I usually only have something light with very low carbs. If I eat any carbs at all at lunch, even a slice of bread, I have a crash about 90 minutes to 2 hours after eating. I've found that if I eat carbs at lunch I can solve the issue if I have a protein bar about 90 minutes after eating. I like the Pure Protein bars with 20g protein and about 180-200 calories, as they work well. I just try to account for these calories in my daily eating plan. I've also used glucose tablets, fruit juice or a piece of candy, but anything high in sugar it just starts a cycle of my glucose bouncing high and low in kind of a ping pong effect. Eating the protein bar settles my glucose and I'm good until dinner. I rarely experience issues after having an evening meal even if it has carbs. This has turned out to be quite challenging to deal with, and is really the only side effect of the surgery that I've experienced. I'm still better off than before the surgery but wish I could find a way to eliminate this issue.

Best of luck with your revision surgery! I did the same thing for the same reasons a year ago. My biggest issue was a hiatal hernia that had caused great pain and difficulty eating. I also had pretty bad reflux. It seemed like recovery was about the same the second time around, although I was seven years older. I did not lose as much weight after the bypass, but probably because I didn't have nearly as much to lose. As has been said, be careful to chew thoroughly and you still might find some foods that cause you challenges for a while. Just go slowly and if something causes issues wait a while before trying it again. The pouch does react differently than the sleeve and it takes a while to learn how to deal with it. Two things that you may or may not experience after the bypass are dumping syndrome (your body reacting to sugars) or reactive hypoglycemia or late dumping (your body overproducing insulin in response to a meal). I was lucky not to experience dumping but do have issues with the reactive hypoglycemia. I noticed that I lost weight for about 3 months after the revision, then stopped. One difference for me this time is that if I gain weight it seems to stay around, where often times with the sleeve I would gain a couple pounds then lose them easily. Not sure whether this means that my metabolism wants to be at a higher set point weight. I didn't really do the revision to lose weight, and I'm still 15-20 pounds lower than when I had the revision, but it is something I've noticed. Also, my experience is that although the surgery helped tremendously with reflux, for me it's still not gone completely. I'm still taking omeprazole daily, and if I eat certain things in the evening I might still have a reflux issue late at night. I can completely control this by not snacking at night.

I had a lower body lift, arm lift and breast revision on January 25, 2023. My Surgeon implants a pain pump (a medical device he invented) in the abdominal area that lasts about 3 days after surgery so I really had much less pain than anticipated. I feel pretty good so I constantly have to remind myself not to do too much and jeopardize my recovery. My main area of soreness are my arms. The itching is the most difficult issue I'm having. My Plastic Surgeon, Dr. John LoMonaco in Houston, TX, co-wrote a book on plastic surgery specifically for bariatric patients. "Bariatric Plastic Surgery: A Guide to Cosmetic Surgery after Weight Loss". I found it on Amazon/Thrift Books and it's a great resource! If you're researching Surgeons, I highly suggest you check him out. He is a truly gifted Surgeon who specializes in Bariatric Patients, and in addition is an excellent human being! Best of Luck!

My advice is go with the flow and enjoy the benefits. Living with minor gerd or none at all upped my quality of life 100-fold. For me, the recovery was easier, maybe because I knew what to expect this time around. Or maybe because my body reacted more strongly to having a large part of an organ removed versus the rny. Before you know it, it'll be over. My revision took less than a hour. Afterwards, I was surprised at how I didn't feel any different physically than when I had the sleeve. But I definitely had a new learning curve on how to tell when I am at roughly 80% full, that is when I stop eating (lifetime rule for me). There are different cues for sure as well as well as different side effects if you go one bite too many, or don't chew enough, eat something that your stomach does not agree with... Etc. Hope it goes well for you too.

It does get better. It's normal to have regrets at your current stage. I am one of the very rare bariatric surgery patients to have serious complications. However, after a challenging year, I've lost a total of 115 lbs and my life is totally normal. I eat regular food and have resumed all of my prior activities. A year ago I was in hospital due to peritonitis and sepsis arising out of bariatric revision surgery. I rued my decision to have RNY>RNY revision surgery. I spent 7 weeks in hospital with 3 endoscopy procedures and two open surgeries, followed by 3 weeks in a rehab facility before returning home. I had an open surgical wound for another 3 months, requiring daily dressing changes. I'm lucky to have survived at all, with organs and limbs intact. Because of the endoscopy procedures my pouch and anastomosis were stretched so I now have minimal physical restriction and will have to watch my diet and record my intake for the rest of my life. I accept that and hope to lose more, but will be content if I don't continue to lose. If you read the many stories on this site you will see that regrets pass and the vast majority of us are ultimately happy with our decisions to have surgery. Life does return to normal. You will be able to eat normal food. If you follow an appropriate food plan and learn how to eat differently during this period of restriction you will lose weight and keep it off. Since you have had such meager support, it's up to you to read and learn more about how to make a successful return to normal life minus the excess poundage. There are many excellent books available. You may be able to get some on Amazon.de or have them sent to you by someone in the US (or on Kindle in English). Here are a few of the books I recommend. There are many other excellent books and cookbooks to support you. You may ultimately still need breast reduction surgery, but you will be in better shape before you proceed with it. In the meantime, make the most of the tool you have been provided. Hang in there. Day by day, it will get better.

Hey everyone! Going from the sleeve, to bypass Monday 2/6. I'm scared and excited. Due to GERD which is super common with the sleeve I am getting the revision. Also I am getting hernia repair as well. Tomorrow starts the liquids only. Nervous since I have has no luck finding vitamins in store and have to order them all. Anyone with advice with a revision from sleeve to bypass? Sleeve in 2/28/19 Bypass on 2/6/23 Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

I had serious doubts about getting the gastric sleeve a few days before my surgery. I expressed them to my husband but he thought I was just nervous and wanted to support me, so he urged me to go through with it. I hate it though. I hate my life now and I'm not sure if I will ever not hate it. I have a couple close friends and they did not feel this way 4 weeks post-op like I do. I cry all the time. I'm worried something is wrong and terrified of having to go through any kind of revision surgery. I'm an American living in Germany and it is so difficult to contact my surgeons office and get anyone who speaks enough english to help me. I started my WL journey about 4 years ago when we were stationed in Italy. I was denied a medically necessary breast reduction because my BMI was too high. So I was referred for weight loss guidance.First, I was sent to the base nutritionist (a perfectly in shape airman) who told me I needed to work out more and eat more whole vegetables. I had to work with him for 1+ years before being able to try any WL medications. Unfortunately that was in early 2019, and we all know how the next few years went. We PCS'd to a new base in Germany in 2020 and when I asked about the WL medications I was told that was not an option here. They recommended I carry on with my (now virtual) nutritionist. I wasn't losing any weight and working out would send my back into spasms from my H cups breasts. I was taking a combination of Flexural, Motrin, and Valium for my back spasms, only using the Valium when they were at a level 8 or above pain level (so less than 1 valium a month). Turns out not only could I not get WL meds here, I also could not get a refill on my Valium. I had used too much (less than 1 pill a month for a year). So any weight training was immediately phased out of my working out, which now consisted of only walking. This past summer I went back and told them I really need a breast reduction and if I had to go the WLS route then I was open to that. The provider (who has had WLS themself) was very on board with WLS. I told them that I had already done the nutrition part at my previous base, so he put in the surgical consult referral right away. After I met with the surgeon, who surprise, surprise wanted to operate (surgeons always gonna surgeon), my provider put in the referral for my surgery and stated that all prerequisites had been completed at prior base. Then boom... endoscopy and surgery scheduled. Now all I had said was that I went to nutrition at my previous base and continued it virtually. So I had no idea what other preqs there could be. I had a few meeting with the nutritionist here about the gastric pre/post op diet. That's it. I learned about the full liquid to clear liquid pre-op and clear liquid to full liquid to purees to soft foods diet post op. I was completely unprepared mentally and emotionally for this surgery. Not to mention I had done all my pre-op nutrition with the American on base nutritionist and post-op was with the German hospital nutritionist. They had completely different guidelines (like the Germans wanted me to start soft solids on DAY 5 post op and stop protein shakes immediately). I was in the hospital for 4 days with nurses who spoke very little English, so they would give me shots and pills but never tell me what they were giving me. I know a small amount of German, enough to get by with running errands and what not, so I understood one nurse when after I told her my German was minimal and asked if she could speak English, she got annoyed with me and told me I was never going to be allowed to go home. The patient liaison from base sorted it out and the issue was the hospital nutritionist would not do my consult without an in person translator that I needed to provide and I could not be discharged without that consultation. I felt like I was drowning; I still feel like I'm barely able to tread water now at 4 weeks post-op. My end goal wasn't WL to be skinny. I just wanted a breast reduction. Before surgery I didn't have high blood pressure, diabetes, GERD, sleep apnea, high cholesterol...zero comorbidities. For all intents and purposes I was a healthy fat lady with giant boobs. So post surgery I was/am overwhelmed with regret. There's all these things I feel like I didn't know and wasn't prepared for. Like I knew I was going to be eating smaller portions, but didn't know about the tiny bites and chewing things until its mush in your mouth for the rest of your life. I didn't know that my stomach would be almost too swollen to drink water after surgery and that the german hospital only provided water and broth, no popsicles or jello. So I spent my days in the hospital feeling nauseous all the time because drinking water made me taste blood in my mouth and that made me gag, all while my nurse tisked me and told me I was never going home. No one asked if I had a history of eating disorders (which I do) and how this surgery and diet are going to bring up old thoughts and feelings of self harm and negative self talking. No one weighed out if the possible negative side effects of the surgery were stronger than the positives. Pre surgery I took ZERO daily meds other than a daily vitamin. Now I need an antacid and stool softener to be able to ingest anything other than water and not tear myself in half in the bathroom. I also need daily tylenol because eating anything gives me a massive headache. I don't even want to eat anymore. I spend 30 minutes forcing myself to take tiny bites of some high protein food and then I spend the next hour actively trying not to barf it back up. Without tylenol I am running at 99F, but when I eat it goes up to 100-101. The doctor said its not an emergency unless its 101.5, which is hasn't gotten to yet. And even if it did, what would I do?! The hospital was horrible. My hand still hurts from where the nurse wouldn't flush my IV, so the port go blocked and all he fluid and medicine soaked into the flesh of my hand, making it swell up like Wreck It Ralph. I had an allergic reaction that made me sneeze for days after surgery. No one would offer any help or advice about my sneezing. They told me to eat less, but I wasn't eating anything at all. I just hate this. I hate food. I hate eating. I hate the thought of chewing until something is a mushy paste. I hate life. I just wanted a breast reduction and now I feel like I've had a life reduction.

My insurance also needed a health complication like diabetes, high blood pressure etc to be approved along with 6 months of weight loss. Due to needing the surgery as a revision to correct major complications from the previous surgery a disingenuous hack did to me, my insurance can wave the 6months requirements with medical proof of those complications. My new surgeon's office informed me that the insurance can backtrack my doctors visits for those 6months. My PCP and Gi are willing to send the necessary paperwork to my insurance telling them that the revision surgery is medically necessary due to the continued deterioration of my health. What helped me a lot was a case worker from my insurance. Request one to assist you. They will collect all the necessary medical information that your appeal needs, a long with being an advocate for your well being.

I had vsg in 2020 but I’m getting a revision to RNY. I had no troubles my first surgery actuall surgery went great. but TikTok has me panicking and getting scared that something bad will happen to me.

Hi everyone! I am on my way to the hospital this morning February 2, 2023 to have a revision done. My doctor will remove my band and revise it to a sleeve. I am really excited about this journey and cannot wait to move forward in my weight loss journey!

I’m 21 days post op and have lost 16-18 lbs (depends on the day) but I’ve been kinda hanging at that weight for about 5 days. My doc said they was normal but I’m wondering as this is a revision if I’ll keep losing or is that it? I’m down 36-38 lbs from before I started the 2 week pre-op Optifast diet. Never intended this for more weight loss just to stop the GERD but now that I’ve had some I want more. I’m at about 750 calories a day now on the purée phase. Just short walks around the neighborhood. I get pretty tired during the day and nap at least once a day. Water and protein are on target. Thanks for any insight?

Hi Lindsey, I have lupus and fibromyalgia. I just did a revision from Lapband to gastric bypass a few weeks ago. I actually am doing a lot better with my pain control. I take 50mg of amitriptyline at bedtime for it. I actually get more sleep now since I did the revision and it helps my symptoms.

Bypass was once the gold standard of weight loss surgeries up until a few years ago, when sleeve took over. It's easier for surgeons to perform, it's cheaper, and a lot of people are afraid of the bypass. Thus, sleeve is currently the most popular weight loss surgery. I went with bypass because I had GERD prior to surgery. Bypass usually improves if not outright cures GERD, whereas sleeve can make it worse (doesn't happen to everyone - and some people say their GERD even improved after getting sleeved, but the risk of having it get worse was too high for my comfort, so I chose bypass). bypass is the stronger of the two surgeries, but sleeve is close. And yes, you have more options for revision after sleeve, but then, very few people who have bypass get theirs revised. honestly, they both have their pros and cons. There are some health conditions (like GERD) that would make one surgery more appropriate for you than the other, but barring that, it really comes down to personal preference. They're both good surgeries and you'll find many examples on here of people who've been very successful with both. I love my bypass and would choose it again if I had to make the choice today.

My doctor also said that if you go with Sleeve, if you need a revision, you have more options.

Thank you, everyone! My doctor's take was I could go either way, but Bypass is the ultimate when it comes to many patients that have sleeves and need a revision due to heartburn. In my mind, If I could do one surgery and not a possible two, I thought that was the wise decision for me. She and the NP there also mention so many people really do have bypass but realize that social channels its is full of sleeve advocates, which does isolate a whole large group. So I stuck with bypass, but I have to say mentally I struggle with "why" still. Am I missing info? I am not sure!?! I am not questioning the want and need for surgery just that I am choosing the right one I do have a hiatal hernia so back to leaning to the bypass more for that reason as well..