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When you have an unusual situation such as you have, I have found it useful to get second and even third opinions. A general or general GI surgeon may not have that much experience with bariatric patients, and a strict bariatric surgeon may not have run into this type of problem before (though is more likely to be familiar with such complications. Is this a problem with something that's odd about you, or was there something odd about the way the bypass revision was done - good to get a fresh set of bariatric eyes on that to check. Is it a hiatal hernia - some bariatric surgeons have a hard time dealing with them, (and some don't...) and likewise some general surgeons may have a hard time dealing with that in a bariatric patient. A regional cancer center with a GI department can be a good place to consult, as they tend to have experience with a broader set of unusual cases, and they also usually have an associated bariatric department. I ran into an odd cancer situation a few years ago (thankfully fairly minor and early), such that even a major center might see one or two per year, and was a subject of one of the department's monthly meeting where the doctors all get together and discuss their "interesting" patients and brainstorm different approaches to the problem. You may need that level of "interest" to solve your problem hopefully not,) but it's good to be able to tap into that level of resource if it's needed. Good luck in finding a solution...

I have the same issue over 2 years after my revision to RNY. The GERD has never left and i am still on the strongest PPI twice a day and I still Burn at times ! Please let me know if you are able to get help. The Dexilant is over $2500 every 3 months !!! My saving grace is that my insurance covers it!

My surgeon tells you the risks and benefits of all 3, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Then makes you decide. After you've given him your response, if you ask, he'll tell you what he thinks is the best option but he wants the decision and therefore ultimately the responsibility to be made by the patient. But ultimately it is a very personal decision. How much do you need to lose? What are your health problems? How old are you? What are YOU comfortable with long term? I am a band that revised to RNY. If I knew then what I know now I would have started with RNY, but that's me. You can have success with any of the 3 surgeries if you are committed to making the lifestyle changes required....you can also fail with all 3, in fact it's reasonably easy to do so. Keep doing your research, ask questions. Talk to people that have had all 3 surgeries, if you can, talk to people that have had problems with the surgeries so you can see the good as well as the bad. Good luck!!!

So we should let the sick and poor die according to some people, not very "Christian" of you. Jesus said to take care of the less fortunate didn't he?????? I don't want hand outs but a hand "up" for people having problems is a good thing. As far as the redistribution of wreath, that has been going on since income tax, except now the rich pay less than they did under GWB's revised tax code, all Obama wants is to go back to the Clinton tax code for the wealthy. I dont' think that's socialism. It's paying a fair share, how many times have we heard about rich corporations and people paying NO TAXES because of loopholes, and brag about it. That is NOT FAIR to any of us middle income folks who pay the majority of taxes. The right wing has bamboozled us all over the years and we let them get away with it while they laugh at us. From my dealing with wealthy people some good some bad, they seem to have contempt for everyone who is not rich. Sure they may give to charity but mainly because it's a tax write off. Oh there are a few good ones.. like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, but there are way too may bad ones. We don't' hear about them often, they are silent in their contempt. I hope we as a nation can support Obama and give him a fair chance to undo the total mess GWB got us into over the past 8 years. It will take time.

The bottom line is that this is a life long journey with a very short window of "quick" weight loss. And you only have one golden shot at it. Because revisions are not usually as "easy-ish" as the first time. So you do you, Boo. But I think for you to be so categoricaly mis-aligned with your doc/RD that it's going to make your journey difficult and the sad thing is you will likely give up going to your check-ups etc. Which could spell disaster for you long term and regain in your future. So like, why have it at all? Or why have it with them. There are docs/centers who espouse a WFPD for all their surgical patients. Look one of them up and make the transition now. I will also tell you that I DO have a bias. I am pro-low carb and pro-lower healthy fat for the quickest losses and maintenance is done by adding healthy fats rather than adding protein or more fast acting carbs. I would have never gotten to my goal nor been maintaining had I been eating the grains and lots of fruit. I wouldn't. I have too many metabolic strikes against me. And not that it can't be done, but I think the life of a vegan or vegetarian WLS patient is very hard. The ones I know of in real life have either not gotten to goal ever or they have suffered big time regain. But I do know of a couple of women here who are very successful following a WFPD. But, they are also endurance athletes and as such, they're as much outliers as I am... I encourage you to look at other bariatric teams who are more closely aligned with your belief system. Studies show that long term success is directly linked to after care by a team of bari pros.

Anytime that I see someone contemplating a revision, I would advise getting a second (and even third) opinion, both from the perspective that revisions are typically more complicated than a virgin surgery, and also the reasons for the revisions are more varied, and this is where the perspectives of different surgeons with different experiences is most valuable. Strictures and twists like you are describing are an indicator of technique problems (which isn't to say that there is something particularly quirky with your individual anatomy that would have caused problems with any surgeon, just that they are frequently associated) so it is quite possible that another surgeon who is more experienced specifically with the sleeve and sleeve related surgeries may have some other ideas of how to tackle your problem. There are some surgeons out there who routinely perform some very complex revisions (such as converting a problematic RNY to a DS) and this is the type of doc that you would like to consult with, as they would be best able to straighten out your sleeve (and if they concur that an RNY is the best approach for your particular problem, that provides a lot of confidence in deciding to go that route.) I tend to like DS surgeons for sleeve problems as they typically have a lot more experience with the sleeve and correcting sleeve problems (as the sleeve is a part of the DS, most of them have been doing sleeves for over twenty years, while most bariatric surgeons have been doing them part time for 5-10 years, and some less. https://www.dsfacts.com/duodenal-switch-surgeons.php gives a very incomplete listing of DS surgeons, and unfortunately, there aren't any very close to you - NY/NJ/PA area is the closest, but probably worth the effort; most can do initial consults over phone and email. Dr. Roslin in NYC and Dr. Greenbaum in NJ both have good reputations in the DS world for complex revisions. As a side note, the mini bypass isn't often done in the States as US insurance rarely approves it, and it has never been accepted by the ASMBS.

I had gastric sleeve August 18th 2015. Currently I have already gained weight back and I wanted to know if a revision this early as possible.? I'm very upset with the weight gain I lost very slowly since August 18th. I had only lost about 48 pounds and then I started to gain. I'm considering making an emergency appointment with my nurse practitioner of my Weight Loss Center to discuss other options or to ask what could be wrong I know I'm doing everything right I'm eating great portions and great meals I have snuck a few sweet drinks in every now and then and honey bumn, yes don't reply with any bad messages please cuz I know I've done wrong but every time I had one of those sweets... I worked my ass off to get the calories worked off. I have accomplished over a mile of walking, I do Weight and I do spinning but no more weight is coming off its just gaining what do i do, what do you think?.

I journal everything except fulids cause Dr just want a to see food. I reach my goals I guess for fulid and protien. I don't have a NUT I just have the NP at my weight loss center. I keep every appt and I tell them everything. I take my meds/vitamins. I was discouraged and I gave up. But I also knew what I put in my mouth was wrong and I worked out harder to work those things off. And I know if I had a revision I would have to follow the rules cause I'd get dumping syndrome and get sick. Its just a thought. I haven't had a sweet in 2 days and before my scale broke I was still gaining. I exercise 5x a week. I hate it but I do it. 30-40 minutes. I journal my exercise as well. I don't know if its a stall or I just put on a lil weight for a lil while. Its been on for a week. I don't k ow how to get it off. And people may thing 48lbs is good but I do t think so. I have a friend d who had surgery the same day as me she does the same as me and she is down over 100lbs since pre op. That's what I expected but I got a dumb 48 pounds. I'm just not happy with that.

At the time I donated I was on lapbandtalk.com (revision) and gave mine to people who needed them on there. Sent 3 big boxes to 3 different people just for shipping prices. And my sister in law made out like a bandit. Lots of J Jill, Eddie Bauer, and Old Navy stuff with tags still on em. U might want to try the clthing exchange on this site. Good luck

I had my revision surgery from band to sleeve on Nov 27th 2013 and my doc has had me on a lot of medication since surgery. However today I have noticed when I go pee it hurts and I feel like I have to urinate all the time but when I go it's very little and it burns and hurts like crazy. I'm calling the doctor first thing in the morning to see if I can be seen. Do you think it might be a bladder infection from all the medication and maybe not getting in enough water?

Hi Lena, thanks for sharing. I hope you have a speedy recovery and that you find something that works for you. Try and not let this get you down, this is what people like LilMissDiva and Tiffykins over on VST must've felt like when their bands failed and just look at them now since their revisions.

Im having revision December 1st due to small intestine damaged during original surgery (2013) , its a must, but gaining a fee pounds isnt reason for revision kust start back from beginning with liquids if needed.

7lbs gained. How much of that might just be water due to weather or sodium intake or time of the month. Too soon to give up. Lots of other people here have hit stalls and been so upset. Plenty to read here that will help you through this. Revision is no guarantee of dumping syndrome, some people don't get that. As said before you can't compare your loss to another person's we are all different. My friend and I had it done the same day and both our losses are different but we eat together a lot and the rest of the time eat pretty much the same. Hang in there you can get back on track and keep losing.

Airwayman.. here is the policy that my bcbs goes by.... Sorry for its length. and here is the linkhttp://67.32.116.245/Internet/cmpd/cmp/mdclplcy.nsf/DispContent/F326B0F4EB49705E8525717700528079?opendocument CAM 70147 Surgery for Morbid Obesity Category:Surgery Last Reviewed:November 2006Department(s):Medical Affairs Next Review:November 2007Original Date:July 1996 Description: Morbid obesity is defined as an increase in weight over optimal weight that results in significant complications and a shortened life span. For example, morbid obesity has a significant impact on cardiac risk factors, incidence of diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea and various types of cancers (for men: colon, rectum and prostate; for women: breast, uterus and ovaries). The first treatment of morbid obesity is obviously dietary and lifestyle changes. Although this strategy may be effective in some patients, frequently the weight loss is not durable, with only five to ten percent of patients maintaining the weight loss for more than a few years. When conservative measures fail, some patients may consider surgical approaches. A 1991 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Conference defined surgical candidates as those patients with a body mass index (BMI)* of greater than 40 kg/m-2, or greater than 35 kg/m-2 in conjunction with severe comorbidities such as cardiopulmonary complications or severe diabetes. Super obesity has been described as a BMI greater than 50 kg/m-2. Surgery for morbid obesity, termed bariatric surgery, falls into two general categories: Gastric restrictive procedures that create a small gastric pouch, resulting in weight loss by producing early satiety and thus decreasing dietary intake. Malabsorptive procedures, which produce weight loss due to malabsorption without necessarily requiring dietary modification. The following summarizes the different restrictive and malabsorptive procedures. Gastric Restrictive Procedures: Vertical-Banded Gastroplasty Vertical-banded gastroplasty is probably the most common kind of gastric restrictive procedure performed in this country. The stomach is segmented along its vertical axis. To create a durable reinforced and rate-limiting stoma at the distal end of the pouch a plug of stomach is removed and a propylene collar is placed through this hole and then stapled to itself. Because the normal flow of food is preserved, metabolic complications are rare. Complications include esophageal reflux, dilation or obstruction of the stoma, with the latter two requiring reoperation. Dilation of the stoma is a common reason for weight regain. Vertical-banded gastroplasty may be performed using an open or laparoscopic approach. Adjustable Gastric Banding – (gastric restrictive procedure without gastric bypass, for morbid obesity; other than vertical-banded gastroplasty) Adjustable gastric banding involves placing a gastric band around the exterior of the stomach. The band is attached to a reservoir that is implanted subcutaneously in the rectus sheath. Injecting the reservoir with saline will alter the diameter of the gastric band; therefore, the rate-limiting stoma in the stomach can be progressively narrowed to induce greater weight loss, or expanded if complications develop. Because the stomach is not entered, the surgery and any revisions, if necessary, are relatively simple. Complications include slippage of the external band or band erosion through the gastric wall. Adjustable gastric banding has been widely used in Europe. Currently, one such device is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for marketing in the United States, Lap-Band (BioEnterics, Carpentiera, Ca.). The labeled indications for this device are as follows: "The Lap-Band system is indicated for use in weight reduction for severely obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40 and a maximum BMI of less than 50 with one or more severe co-morbid conditions, or those who are 100 lbs. or more over their estimated ideal weight. It is indicated for use only in severely obese adult patients who have failed more conservative weight-reduction alternatives, such as supervised diet, exercise and behavior modification programs. Patients who elect to have this surgery must make the commitment to accept significant changes in their eating habits for the rest of their lives." OpenGastric Bypass – (gastric restrictive procedure, with gastric bypass for morbid obesity; with short limb [less than 100 cm] Roux-en-Y gastroenterostomy) The original gastric bypass surgeries were based on the observation that post-gastrectomy patients tended to lose weight. The current procedure involves a horizontal or vertical partition of the stomach in association with a Roux-en-Y procedure (i.e., a gastrojejunal anastomosis). Thus, the flow of food bypasses the duodenum and proximal small bowel. The procedure may also be associated with an unpleasant "dumping syndrome," in which a large osmotic load delivered directly to the jejunum from the stomach produces abdominal pain and/or vomiting. The dumping syndrome may further reduce intake, particularly in "sweets eaters." Operative complications include leakage and marginal ulceration at the anastomotic site. Because the normal flow of food is disrupted, there are more metabolic complications compared to other gastric restrictive procedures, including Iron deficiency anemia, Vitamin B-12 deficiency and hypocalcemia, all of which can be corrected by oral supplementation. Another concern is the ability to evaluate the "blind" bypassed portion of the stomach. Gastric bypass may be performed with either an open or laparoscopic technique. Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass (laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; with gastric bypass and Roux-en-Y gastroenterostomy [roux limb 150 cm or less]) Essentially described the same procedure as above (see No. 3 above), but performed laparoscopically. Mini-Gastric Bypass Recently, a variant of the gastric bypass, called the mini-gastric bypass, has been popularized. Using a laparoscopic approach, the stomach is segmented, similar to a traditional gastric bypass, but instead of creating a Roux-en-Y anastomosis, the jejunum is anastomosed directly to the stomach, similar to a Billroth II procedure. This unique aspect of this procedure is not based on its laparoscopic approach but rather the type of anastomosis used. Malabsorptive Procedures: There are multiple variants of malabsorptive procedures, which differ in the lengths of the alimentary limb, the biliopancreatic limb and the common limb, where the alimentary and biliopancreatic limbs are anastomosed. The degree of malabsorption is related to the length of the alimentary and common limbs. For example, a shorter alimentary limb (i.e., the greater the amount of intestine that is excluded from the nutrient flow) will be associated with malabsorption of a variety of nutrients, while a short common limb (i.e., the biliopancreatic juices are allowed to mix with nutrients for only a short segment) will primarily limit absorption of fat. Biliopancreatic Bypass Procedure (also known as the Scopinaro procedure) gastric restrictive procedure, with gastric bypass for morbid obesity; with small intestine reconstruction to limit absorption Biliopancreatic bypass (BPB) procedure, developed and used extensively in Italy, was designed to address some of the drawbacks of the original intestinal bypass procedures that have been abandoned due to unacceptable metabolic complications. Many of the complications were thought to be related to bacterial overgrowth and toxin production in the blind, bypassed segment. In contrast, BPB consists of a subtotal gastrectomy and diversion of the biliopancreatic juices into the distal ileum by a long Roux-en-Y procedure. The procedure consists of the following components: A distal gastrectomy functions to induce a temporary early satiety and/or the dumping syndrome in the early postoperative period, both of which limit food intake. A 200-cm long "alimentary tract" consists of 200 cm of ileum connecting the stomach to a common distal segment. A 300- to 400-cm "biliary tract," which connects the duodenum, jejunum and remaining ileum to the common distal segment. A 50- to 100-cm "common tract," where food from the alimentary tract mixes with biliopancreatic juices from the biliary tract. Food digestion and absorption, particularly of fats and starches, are therefore limited to this small segment of bowel, i.e., creating a selective malabsorption. The length of the common segment will influence the degree of malabsorption. Because of the high incidence of cholelithiasis associated with the procedure, patients typically undergo an associated cholecystectomy. Many potential metabolic complications are related to biliopancreatic bypass, including most prominently iron deficiency anemia, Protein malnutrition, hypocalcemia and bone demineralization. Protein malnutrition may require treatment with total parenteral nutrition. In addition, there have been several case reports of liver failure resulting in death or liver transplant. Biliopancreatic Bypass with Duodenal Switch (Gastric restrictive procedure with partial gastrectomy, pylorus-preserving duodenoileostomy and ileoileosteomy [50 to 100 cm common channel] to limit absorption [biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch]) Specifically identifies the duodenal switch procedure introduced in 2005. The duodenal switch procedure is essentially a variant of the biliopancreatic bypass described here. However, instead of performing a distal gastrectomy, a "sleeve" gastrectomy is performed along the vertical axis of the stomach, preserving the pylorus and initial segment of the duodenum, which is then anastomosed to a segment of the ileum, similar to the above procedure, to create the alimentary limb. Preservation of the pyloric sphincter is designed to be more physiologic. The sleeve gastrectomy decreases the volume of the stomach and also decreases the parietal cell mass, with the intent of decreasing the incidence of ulcers at the duodenoileal anastomosis. However, the basic principle of the procedure is similar to that of the biliopancreatic bypass (i.e., producing selective malabsorption by limiting the food digestion and absorption to a short common ileal segment). Long Limb Gastric Bypass (i.e., > 150 cm) (Gastric restrictive procedure with gastric bypass for morbid obesity; with small intestine reconstruction to limit absorption) Recently, variations of gastric bypass procedures have been described, consisting primarily of long limb Roux-en-Y procedures, which vary in the length of the alimentary and common limbs. For example, the stomach may be divided with a long segment of the jejunum (instead of ileum) anastomosed to the proximal gastric stump, creating the alimentary limb. The remaining pancreaticobiliary limb, consisting of stomach remnant, duodenum and length of proximal jejunum is then anastomosed to the ileum, creating a common limb of variable length in which the ingested food mixes with the pancreaticobiliary juices. While the long alimentary limb permits absorption of most nutrients, the short common limb primarily limits absorption of fats. The stomach may be bypassed in a variety of ways (i.e., either by resection or stapling along the horizontal or vertical axis). Unlike the traditional gastric bypass, which is essentially a gastric restrictive procedure, these very long limb Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses combine gastric restriction with some element of malabsorptive procedure, depending on the location of the anastomoses. Note that CPT code for gastric bypass explicitly describes a short limb (<150 cm) Roux-en-Y gastroenterostomy, and thus would not apply to long limb gastric bypass. Laparoscopic Malabsorptive procedure (Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; with gastric bypass and small intestine reconstruction to limit absorption) Introduced in 2005 to specifically describe a laparoscopic malabsorptive procedure. Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy is a procedure that induces weight loss by restricting food intake. Approximately 60 percent of the stomach is removed and takes the shape of a tube or "sleeve". Policy: Gastric Restrictive Procedures Open gastric bypass using a Roux-en-Y anastomosis or vertical-banded gastroplasty with an alimentary or "Roux" limb of 150 cm or less may be considered MEDICALLY NECESSARY in the following: Treatment of morbid obesity that has not responded to conservative measures. BMI (Body Mass Index) exceeding 40. BMI greater than 35 in conjunction with severe co-morbidities (CAD, Type 2 Diabetes, medically refractory hypertension, etc.). Laparoscopic gastric bypass using a Roux-en-Y anastomosis, or vertical-banded gastroplasty, is considered MEDICALLY NECESSARY in the following: Treatment of morbid obesity that has not responded to conservative measures. At increased risk of adverse consequences of a RYGB due to the presence of any of the following: Hepatic cirrhosis with elevated liver function tests. Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcertative colitis). Radiation enteritis. Demonstrated abdominal surgery, multiple minor surgeries, or major trauma. Poorly controlled system disease. Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (Lap-Band) is considered MEDICALLY NECESSARY in the following: Treatment of morbid obesity that has not responded to conservative measures. At increased risk of adverse consequences of a RYGB due to the presence of any of the following: Hepatic cirrhosis with elevated liver function tests. Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcertative colitis). Radiation enteritis. Demonstrated abdominal surgery, multiple minor surgeries or major trauma. Poorly controlled system disease. Above minimum BMI requirement and, in addition, have a maximum BMI of less than 50. Gastric banding, consisting of an external band placed around the stomach, is considered INVESTIGATIONAL as a treatment of morbid obesity. Gastric bypass using a Billroth II type of anastomosis, popularized as the mini-gastric bypass, is considered INVESTIGATIONAL as a treatment of morbid obesity. Malabsorptive Procedures Biliopancreatic bypass (i.e., the Scopinaro procedure), biliopancreatic bypass with duodenal switch, or long limb gastric bypass procedures (i.e., >150 cm) is considered INVESTIGATIONAL as a treatment of morbid obesity. Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy is considered INVESTIGATIONAL. Policy Guidelines: Patient Selection Criteria: Morbid obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40kg/m-2 or a BMI greater than 35 kg/m-2 with associated complications including, but not limited to diabetes, hypertension or obstructive sleep apnea. *BMI is calculated by dividing a patient’s weight (in kilograms) by height (in meters) squared. To convert pounds to kilograms, multiply pounds by 0.45 To convert inches to meters, multiply inches by .0254 It should be noted that all bariatric surgeries require a high degree of patient compliance. For gastric restrictive procedures the weight loss is primarily due to reduced caloric intake, and thus the patient must be committed to eating small meals, reinforced by early satiety. For example, gastric restrictive surgery will not be successful in patients who consume high volumes of calorie rich liquids. In patients undergoing biliopancreatic bypass, reduced intake may not be as much of an issue, but patients must adhere to a balanced diet to avoid metabolic complications. In addition, the high potential for metabolic complications requires life-long follow-up. Therefore patient selection is a critical process, requiring psychiatric evaluation and a multidisciplinary team approach. Given these factors, bariatric surgery should be approached very cautiously in adolescents. References: National Institutes of Health. Consensus Development Conference Panel. Gastrointestinal surgery for severe obesity. Ann Intern Med 1991;115(12):956-61. MacLean LD, Rhode BM, Forse RA. Late results of vertical banded gastroplasty for morbid and super obesity. Surgery 1990; 107(1):20-7. Brolin RE. Results of obesity surgery. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 1987; 16(2):317-38. Kolanowski J. Gastroplasty for morbid obesity: the internist’s view. Int J Obes Metab Disord 1995; 19(suppl 3):S61-5. Melissas J, Christodoulakis M, Spyridakis M et al. Disorders associated with clinically severe obesity: significant improvement after surgical weight reduction. South Med J 1998; 91(12):1143-8. Hall JC, Watts JM, O’Brien PE et al. Gastric surgery for morbid obesity. The Adelaide Study. Ann Surg 1990; 211(4):419-27. Griffen WO. Gastric bypass. In: Surgical Management of Morbid Obesity. Griffen WO, Printen KJ (eds.). New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc; 1987. Pages 27-45. Pories WJ, Swanson MS, MacDonald KG et al. Who would have thought it? An operation proves to be the most effective therapy for adult-onset diabetes mellitus. Ann Surg 1995; 222(3):339-52. Flickinger EG, Sinar DR, Swanson M. Gastric bypass. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 1987;16(2):283-92. Cowan GS, Buffington CK. Significant changes in blood pressure, glucose and lipids with gastric bypass surgery. World J Surg 1998; 22(9):987-92. Rutledge R. The mini-gastric bypass: experience with the first 1,274 cases. Obes Surg 2001; 11(3):276-80. Doherty C, Maher JW, Heitshusen DS. Prospective investigation of complications, reoperations and sustained weight loss with an adjustable gastric banding device for treatment of morbid obesity. J Gastrointest Surg 1998; 2(1):102-8. Doherty C, Maher JW, Heitshusen DS. An interval report on prospective investigation of adjustable silicone gastric banding devices for the treatment of severe obesity. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1999; 11(2):115-9. Miller K, Hell E. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: a prospective four-year follow-up study. Obes Surg 1999; 9(2):183-7. Suter M, Giusti V, Heraief E et al. Early results of laparoscopic gastric banding compared with open vertical banded gastroplasty. Obes Surg 1999; 9(4):374-80. Hell E, Miller KA, Moorehead MK et al. Evaluation of health status and quality of life after bariatric surgery: comparison of standard Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, vertical banded gastroplasty and laparoscopic adjustable silicone gastric banding. Obes Surg 2000; 10(3):214-9. Scopinaro N, Gianetta E, Adami GF et al. Biliopancreatic diversion for obesity at eighteen years. Surgery 1996; 119(3):261-8. Totte E, Hendrickx L, van Hee R. Biliopancreatic diversion for treatment of morbid obesity: experience in 180 consecutive cases. Obes Surg 1999; 9(2):161-5. Nanni G, Balduzzi GF, Capoluongo R et al. Biliopancreatic diversion: clinical experience. Obes Surg 1997; 7(1):26-9. Murr MM, Balsiger BM, Kennedy FP et al. Malabsorptive procedures for severe obesity: comparison of pancreaticobiliary bypass and very very long limb Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. J Gastrointest Surg 1999; 3(6):607-12. Sugerman HJ, Kellum JM, DeMaria EJ. Conversion of proximal to distal gastric bypass for failed gastric bypass for superobesity. J Gastrointest Surg 1997; 1(6):517-25. Marceau P, Hould FS, Simard S et al. Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. World J Surg 1998; 22(9):947-54. Hess DS, Hess DW. Biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch. Obes Surg 1998; 8(3):267-82. Baltasar A, del Rio J, Escriva C et al. Preliminary results of the duodenal switch. Obes Surg 1997; 7(6):500-4. Brolin RE, LaMarca LB, Kenler HA et al. Malabsorptive gastric bypass in patients with superobesity. J Gastrointest Surg 2002; 6(2):195-205. Mason EE, Tang S, Renquist KE et al. A decade of change in obesity surgery. National Bariatric Surgery Registry (NBSR) Contributors. Obes Surg 1997; 7(3):189-97. Mason EE, Doherty C, Maher JW et al. Super obesity and gastric reduction procedures. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 1987; 16(3):495-502. Brolin RE. Results of obesity surgery. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 1987; 16(2):317-38. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Medical Advisory Secretariat. Bariatric surgery. Health Technology Literature Review. Toronto, ON: Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; January 2005. Tice JA. Laparoscopic gastric banding for the treatment of morbid obesity. Technology Assessment. San Francisco, CA: California Technology Assessment Forum; June 9, 2004. Tice JA. Duodenal switch procedure for the treatment of morbid obesity. Technology Assessment. San Francisco, CA: California Technology Assessment Forum; February 11, 2004. Obesity Surgery Specialists Website for the LAP-BAND® System: LAP-BAND: Laparoscopic Obesity Surgery: A Renaissance in Surgical Procedures for Clinically Severe Obesity.

I lost a lot of hair after my lap band surgery...now that I am trying to get the sleeve revision I am a little scared of losing more hair!! Anesthesia also sometimes causes hair loss. I am beginning to use natural oils for hair growth...such as argan oil, almond oil, castor oil, coconut oil, rosemary oil and lavender oil, it seems to be helping. Look it up online there are several different mixtures u can make.

March 30, band to sleeve revision

My surgery was on Wednesday the 2nd. I had a revision from band to sleeve. I woke up in some pain but the anesthesiologist gave me a block in one of my nerves in my tummy and that was great. I had a revision from a band so I think that's where a lot of my pain came from, having to remove the port, band and scar tissue. I slept a lot day 1, first night would have been ok if the nurses didn't keep coming into the room. I got up and walked every couple of hours because the gas pains were pretty bad, it feels like someone sitting on your chest and back, very uncomfortable. I don't even really feel like I was in too much pain, maybe a 4/5, it was mostly discomfort. I didn't get nauseous until I was about to leave the hospital, I did throw up a tiny bit of mucus but I felt better after I got some meds for the nausea. My rid home sucked because there were a bunch of bumps but once I was laying on the couch I felt better. Picked up some chicken Soup from a local Mexican restaurant and strained it so could get something in me besides water and ice. It was delicious! I slept on on night 2, I have an adjustable bed so I slept at an angle with pillows all around me. I was scared I was going to roll over onto my tummy. Days 3 and 4 were good, minimal pain, got up and shower and that felt good. My diaphragm was definitely swollen pretty bad, still is a little bloated. Last night was a little rough for me, I didn't sleep good and I woke up in some pain, I might have pushed it too much yesterday. Today has been ok, took another shower and got really tired. I wanted to go back to work tomorrow but I think I'm just going to work from home, my drive it pretty far and I don't think I'm ready for that. It has been hard getting in liquids, today I've had a Protein drink, water, chicken noodle soup broth, and a Popsicle. I need to get out of the house so I'm going to go to the store for my full liquid diet this evening. Good luck!!!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had a Lapband gone wrong and had it revised to gastric bypass on July 5. I had the Lapband removal, hiatal hernia repair and gastric all in the same surgery. No complications and very little pain. I didn't go with the sleeve because I have GERD and the doc said that it would get worse with the sleeve. The amount of food I get is just fine. I couldn't hold much with the band either but it doesn't hurt to eat anymore! No GERD at all anymore and I feel great. I still get some fatigue from the surgery but it gets better every day! I was 170, 5'3.5, and a 29.6 BMI. I am very happy I made the decision to do this. If your doc recommended bypass, I'd believe him. He knows what's best for you. At first, I asked for the sleeve. He told me why it was best for my situation to have bypass. Best of luck to you whatever you decide!

This is so frustrating for me right now. I am 3 weeks post op and have only lost 12lbs. And most of that was my first week after surgery. I lost 38 before surgery. I am following my diet and now exercising daily. At what point should I be concerned or consult my nutrition team? Should note, this was a revision RNY which my doctor said I might not have a great weight loss from.

So many people prefer not to be bothered with evidence to the contrary of what they believe and hold dear. Like any diet the Atkins will not work if you don't do it. There are loads of people on my Low Carb lists through Yahoo that are maintaining for years after loosing 50 plus pounds with Atkins without a lap band. I personally am not one who can maintain, but lets see, I didn't maintain with weight watchers, nutri system or diet pills either. I even gained wt on the mediteranian diet as much as I loved it! I have the band to minimize the damage that I do when I am not making good choices whether they be bandster reccomendations, OA food plan, Low Carb food plan or Weight Watchers. I find that the Atkins way of eating which is very similiar to the OA grey sheet to be really effective for wt loss. I think all of us who are in need of a band, just muddle through this the best that we can, but many would like to see ourselves as successful dieters and hold our own diets as better than someone elses, where the truth is the band is the key! Very few here would be successful in keeping it off if not for our tool. I know of only one person on all the boards I am on who has successfully kept her wt. off after band removal, without some revision to another surgery. She is the exception. I personally have experienced a band loss and I am in touch with dozens of others who have and we all experienced wt gain with that one happy exception. Atkins can do wonders for dropping a significant amount quickly and I am all for using it if it works for you. If not, why whine and get nasty about it....if you don't want to do it then for goodness sake, don't do it, but stop the yaya! Corliss

What an awesome doc. I am glad you listened. Seven years ago and endocrinologist told me had i ever considered weight loss surgery. I was taken back a bit cause i wasn't 100 pounds over weight. But he wanted me to do it for my type 2 diabetes. Well being all stubborn and thinking I knew so much more, I got the lap band, he told me I needed the gastric bypass, but nope not me, I didn't need anything so drastic, so I fought for the band. I have gained and lost the same 35 pounds many times over in the past seven years. Never did the lap band help my diabetes. The doc was right. NOW i know what he meant. I am having my band removed and revised to RNY this coming Wednesday. I have about 60 pounds to lose now, I have lost 20 since May. Doesn't sound Like a lot, but hopefully this surgery will reduce or eliminate my need for insulin, and help me lose the weight my very short under five foot body is carrying and give me some healthy years. I never had any horror stories with the band. And I think if I had not had anything done, I would weight a lot more now then if I had no band at all. But I think how much healthier I would have been these past seven years if I had listened to the doc.

Hi again Lizalee, What do you mean "kinked tube'" and "port revision?" How does that happen and what procedures are involved in fixing these problems?

I’m getting a revision from sleeve to bypass next month. I’m a self pay. I went for pre op at Crestwood Hospital in Huntsville. I wanted to get the final price for my Hospital stay before I made a certified check to the hospital. At first they quoted me 6000.00 when I called they said they made a mistake and that was for a bypass the correct price was 8000.00. I said ok. When i was at pre op I asked the registration person about it . I told her i was gettin a conversion to bypass. She called her supervisor and she said it was 8 grand. She wrote this down and put the supervisor name on a paper and gave this to me. I was at work and i got a call saying no that was incorrect it was 10,500. I was upset. The lowered the price down to 9500.00 after they saw I was so upset. Would you take that lower figure or try to go for anything lower. Actually the person on the phone said we don’t quote prices . When in fact the supervisor that the registration person called that gave the 8grand figure was the person that is trying to tell me now that it’s really 10,500.00

I have been thinking a great deal about my lap band and the struggles I've had for the last few years. I had my lap band surgery in 2013. I lost 60 lbs and everything was great until 2017, when I traveled to Hawaii. The flight messed with my lap band and since then I can't seem to get it right. I had another surgery to fix the placement of the lap band because it slipped but that still hadn't gotten me back to my original success. Since this time, I've had fills and defills and nothing seems to work. I travel allot (before Covid) and the flights always mess with my lap band. Right now, I am waiting for another fill but can't get it because of Covid. However, I'm having issues with the band. Some days I can't eat anything, not even coffee, the next day I'm starving and everything goes through, bread, pasta, chicken etc. I checked in with my Dr, and she says that stress and hormones are a factor in the band tightening. Well, I'm hitting menopause so my hormones fluctuate ALLOT. I have diligently tried everything. I have been following all the rules, eating protein; small bites, chewing etc. I'm getting tired of this constant back and forth. And to top it off, I'm gaining weight again. I am considering having the band removed. A friend suggested revision surgery to gastric bypass. She had it done and she doesn't have any problems anymore. I also heard that some have the gastric sleeve. What does this group suggest?

I'm assuming you live in the UK? I'm on the Tapatalk app so I can't see profile details. I'd go to your GP and explain the situation, it doesn't sound like an emergency, but it's worrying enough that I think it's worth you being checked for a stricture or other anomaly. I'm having a sleeve to bypass revision next week because my stomach twisted in the middle, making it hourglass shaped. I've lost a lot more weight than expected, I've had increasingly bad reflux, and also struggled to eat much and puked regularly. I had a barium swallow test and an endoscopy to figure out the issue. It's likely you'll only get one or the other on the NHS, but it's worth getting checked out. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk