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Last night I woke up choking from acid back up and even threw up a little. Throat on fire and still have nasty taste in my mouth no matter how many times I brush and swish around listerine. I also am wheezing and go no sleep after fear of it happening again. I had revision from vsg to DS (9.17.20)and never suffered from this before but since the revision, this has been an issue(not as scary as last night).I have chewable antacids that helped little but boy was this scary. Sent from my SM-N950U using BariatricPal mobile app

How can you speak about the reality of somebody elses situation being "so much easier to manage those things" rather than the complications the surgery "might" cause? Clearly you have had issues with your own revision based on your numerous negative comments all over this forum - and I am truly sorry that this is the case for you. But surely you realise that the complications you are experiencing are felt by a small minority of patients and is not the norm? Everybody I know, and from all feedback Ive read regarding patients who have had revision - they wish that they did it years ago rather than putting up with food blockages etc with the band.

I was reluctant to respond because I don't think my experience is typical or common, but since I just went through this whole thing I figure I might as well share. I had sleeve surgery three years ago and developed really bad acid reflux afterwards (didn't have it before). Many people's stomachs adjust after surgery and start producing less acid, but mine didn't and it led to lots of unpleasant symptoms including vomiting. I ended up revising my sleeve to gastric bypass two weeks ago, and besides the usual recovery woes I am much happier now. I don't think such drastic measures are usually necessary, but I tried everything for a couple of years before finally deciding it was the right choice for me. There are lots of medications, diet changes, etc. that can help, so hang in there and see what happens as you move further away from surgery. Almost everyone has it in the early stages! Good luck!

Well, no news yet on insurance coverage for my revision. The nurse anticipates it will be covered but don't know for sure. I am on the surgery schedule for next Friday, 2-11-05. By that time we should know about coverage or not. Thanks for all your prayers...

Not sure if this was meant for me or someone else but the way my surgeon explained it is that yes, he could fix my hiatal hernia with the sleeve but most sleeve patients experience a recurring hernia within a few years. The way RNY anchors your pouch apparently prevents it from slipping back through your diaphragm. Plus, often times GERD issues come back too. There are many people on here who are getting revised from sleeve to RNY, mostly because their GERD wasn't resolved or it came back. Sent from my SM-G920T using BariatricPal mobile app

Wow! What a crazy situation. Your band doc wants to do a sleeve revision, and your sleeve doc wants mini bypass.... makes my head spin, lol. I really don't know anyone that has had a revision to their sleeve, but I know that it can be done. Did your Sleeve doc give you a reason for making the sleeve so large? I'm not sure I would want to go back to him if I were already dissatisfied with the prior surgery he did. I wonder if you might get some better answers in the Revision section here. I wish I could help you out, Maybe someone will have some solid advice for you.

Nearly the same as with my VSG, but every case will be different because specific revision techniques will vary surgeon to surgeon.

I had revision surgery Feb 3rd (6 days ago) from mgb to full bypass due to acid reflux. I have felt from the beginning I could probably drink as much as I want and don't have to take tiny sips like I did with the mgb. I even had a protein shake and some cream soup today, a day early, with no problems. The doctor said he didn't do anything to my pouch other than fix the hiatal hernia. I'm guessing that's why I'm having such an easy time drinking whatever I want. I'm not complaining but just wondering if anyone else with the same revision has had this experience.

I think that it is just like having your surgery again. I had a revision back 2 years ago come this October, and I had to go through the whole healing all over again. Best wishes, Karen

Try an app called "1 Second Everyday: Video Diary" — You can do photos too. It does exactly what you want. Sends you reminders. You'll find some samples on YouTube for inspiration — haven't found any that are weight loss related though. I am planning to do the same as well. Scheduled for revision on 9/9/19. Can't wait to see yours and share mine!

I think the i actually stand for imbrication (or plication as it's known around here). It's where they stitch the stomach up (kind of folded) so u have 1/2 of a stomach. I'm having sleeve revision soon as my insurance won't pay for the band with plication (still investigational). Wish it had been offered to me in 2009. Maybe then I wouldn't be dealing with a slip now. Good luck to you! CG has the plication. Maybe she'll chime in Marci

Hi Everybody - Sorry for "dropping off the face of the Earth" for two weeks, but I was on vacation with my Sweetie, and spent very little time on the computer. It was a wonderful 2 week vacation, and the icing on the cake was that I dropped 9 pounds while he was here. I'm positive it is almost all contributable to the extra physical activity that I never added on my own - lots of walking each day, and of course, the more pleasureable types of exercise performed between two people in love... ahem So, with the help of my Sweeitie, I am coming up on my one year bandiversary (1/23) at -80 pounds. This "year in review" is a little early, but I'm awake after dropping off my Sweetie at the airport, so what the hey? It's been a wonderful year, full of hope, promise and peace in regards to my weight. There have been a few rocks in the road (tearing of my port suture and subsequent flipping of my port in July, a concussion in October, a port revision in November, multiple plateaus of unrelenting length) but overall the experience has been fantastic. I have met so many fabulous people, both online and in real life (IRL), and I look and feel better than I have in years. Except for the port revision, I have had very few undesireable side effects from being banded. In the past year, I have PB'd approximately 10 times. I've been stuck without PBing only a handful or two more times than that. I have some slight discomfort off and on that I associate with the tubing near the port, and the last three weeks I ocassionally feel as though there is some pressure pushing down on my band - this feeling usually occurs when I am lying down. Don't know what that means, if anything, but I'll have an annual check-up with Dr Lopez in the near future. The good stuff - down 80 pounds virtually 'effortlessly.' I am mindful of what I eat, generally consuming good Proteins and vegetables, but nothing is off limits. The only thing I conscientiously avoid is carbonation, even though many people seem to do well with it. To me it is not important enough to risk any possible negative side effects. My restriction varies, but not as widely as before. It takes about 4 weeks for my fills to kick in. After 4 fills, I am at 2.6 cc's, and would not want to be any tighter. I still toy with the idea of going down to 2.5 cc's to see if that allows me to meet my Water goals with less work, but have been making do with 1 to 2 quarts a day, instead of my gallon goal. I can usually eat a whole spicy chicken sandwich (a specialty of a nearby deli on jalepeno bread - yum, yum) on a good day. Normally I have a Protein shake for bfast, a pick-me-up yoghurt a couple of hours later, a porkchop/burger patty/chicken breast and possibly some steamed broccoli for lunch, and then something similar for dinner 4 to 5 hours later. Some days I'm hungrier than others, and on those days I usually add less nutritious choices like a candy bar, chips, even the ocassional donut. I'd say my choices are about 70% nutritious/30% not so nutritious. My activity level as a general rule is deplorable. My constant goal is to add consistent activity that I enjoy. I have very few troublesome foods. I eat some bread, but generally just the middles. No sub sandwich type of bread, maybe one bite of a hamburger bun. Spinach is a struggle. Nuts get stuck quickly. I am leery of Pasta and rice, but have had both carefully. No problems with any meats unless they are very dry. I eat even less seafood than before (never a favorite of mine anyway) because I don't like the taste of chewing fish for that long. Exception is fish and chips (minus the chips). Potatos are not my friend - I can handle no more than four or five fries at a time, so mostly don't do them at all. Hashbrowns are somewhat better, but even mashed potatos require thought. I eat very little fruit - almost none. I like blended bananas in a drink, but rarely have that. I am hit and miss with Vitamin supplements - I go through short phases of being conscientious, and then mostly forget. When I do take supplements I crush them to powder. I know - yuck. I am on no medications. It is such a joy to no longer be consumed by when I will eat, what I will eat, how much I will eat, and whether or not it will be enough and if not what else will I have in addition? I still love food, but I am no longer fearful that I will go hungry, as I have honored my commitment to myself to eat when I'm hungry, whenever that is, and stop when I'm full. I have very few cravings, since nothing is off limits. Would I do this again? In a hearbeat. Thank you to everyone for all of your caring and support. Looking forward to giving the two year update!!

If there's ANY way you can make yourself wait, I'd see if insurance will cover it. Why? 1. Follow-up care. American doctors often do not want to take patients from Mexico for whatever reason. If they DO take you, they charge you through the nose. 2. Emergency follow-up care. If you do have issues, you have to fly to Mexico. If it's a case of not being able to swallow... can you stand the time in a plane? Folks have found nice people in ER's that will call Mexico & allow themselves to be talked through an un-fill. It just all sounds scary & iffy to me. 3. Paying for follow-up long term. If the surgery wasn't covered, any follow-up most likely won't be covered. Issues probably will be pre-existing or not covered. So you're not just looking at 10k now, but 10k per revision & 100 per fill, etc. Yeah, I painted a worse case scenario. I'm self-pay as well & terrified that we may someday need a 2nd surgery. We've started saving for that "just in case". But if it does happen, I already know my surgeon... and my hospital. They're just down the road. :welldone2: We're self-employed & that's unlikely to change. If I'd had any possibility of having better insurance soon, I'd have waited (screaming, groaning & complaining... but waiting). Sorry to be a downer & remember it's just my opinion. :scared: Go with your gut!!

thanks for responding. My dr. is trying to get the insurance to agree to a revision using the same band. He thinks it will help to stitch the band in on a different area of the stomach. Have you had a band repaired?

My surgeon said that if old age nursing care was a concern that she recommended rny over sleeve. Because its easier to just throw a feeding tube in the blind stomach. My main concerns about surgery is how it will impact me in 40 yrs. I feel confident in my decision after talking with her. She said she does a LOT of sleeve to rny revisions. I only want ONE surgery.

I like to believe that if I got to goal, and then lost my band, I'd be able to maintain. I've always believed that maintaining is easier than losing, and that's why I never go to goal before deciding on surgery; it was just too overwhelming to try and do it by myself. But the reality is, I'm pretty sure that if I lost my band, while I've learned alot and probably would not eat alot of the crap I used to eat preband, I would probably go up and up on my amounts and end up gaining. I suppose if I was at goal, and had been there for a little bit I MIGHT be able to hang on to it... I think there are people who are strong enough to keep going with the 'head start' that the band gives them, even if they lost it, but I'm probably not one of them. I did not consider other surgery types before being banded, but I think if I lost my band and was told I couldn't be rebanded for whatever reason, I would probably revise to something else. I just can't do it alone.

Hi Hopeful16! Totally agree with all above! Take a deep breath and exhale! I'm 1 week, 1 day post op...round two...band to sleeve revision. I think everyone has those same fear/thoughts. As a healthcare professional myself, I did that constant battle with myself literally all the way up until I was looking up at the anesthesiologist, with tears falling down the sides of my face knowing what was about to happen. This time around, I told nobody except my husband (obviously), my mother, my adult children, my very best friend since childhood (who had the bypass 10 yrs ago) and 1 co-worker who is a close friend. I just didn't want the negativity or questions. Since my Lapband in 2013, if I had a nickel for every time I've heard "surgery is the easy way out", I would be a millionaire! People that don't understand the struggles of weight loss will never understand a surgical option! This is FAR from the "easy way out"! I used to tell people how offensive it was to hear that...then I realized, only people that walk in similar shoes completely understand! You have made an amazing decision! Stay strong, be proud of yourself and know this...this journey is 10% psychical and 90% mental. From recovery to approximately 72hrs out, I was wondering why I put my self thru this again...my husband (not my adult children's father) and my mother kept telling me "you've given birth, you've got this, this is much easier"...I'm not going to lie...I think once or twice my drug induced response was "I'd rather give birth again"...but then I remembered that giving birth comes with an entirely different set of fears and emotions, and then they start walking and talking and grow up (don't let that scare you lol)! Know that you will not only have the support of your immediate family, but also the support of your bariatric surgery family! Go into tomorrow and your new journey ahead with peace of mind knowing that you are doing what's best for you! Best Wishes! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm going for my band to sleeve revision on the 16th too! Hope yours goes well!!

sorry to hear the news about your port..... hope goes well with the revision....

Here's news released today by the FDA: FDA approves first-of-kind device to treat obesity The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the Maestro Rechargeable System for certain obese adults, the first weight loss treatment device that targets the nerve pathway between the brain and the stomach that controls feelings of hunger and fullness. The Maestro Rechargeable System, the first FDA-approved obesity device since 2007, is approved to treat patients aged 18 and older who have not been able to lose weight with a weight loss program, and who have a body mass index of 35 to 45 with at least one other obesity-related condition, such as type 2 diabetes. BMI, which measures body fat based on an individual’s weight and height, is used to define the obesity categories. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of all U.S. adults are obese, and people with obesity are at increased risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain kinds of cancer. “Obesity and its related medical conditions are major public health problems,” said William Maisel, M.D., M.P.H., deputy director for science and chief scientist in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “Medical devices can help physicians and patients to develop comprehensive obesity treatment plans.” The Maestro Rechargeable System consists of a rechargeable electrical pulse generator, wire leads and electrodes implanted surgically into the abdomen. It works by sending intermittent electrical pulses to the trunks in the abdominal vagus nerve, which is involved in regulating stomach emptying and signaling to the brain that the stomach feels empty or full. Although it is known that the electric stimulation blocks nerve activity between the brain and the stomach, the specific mechanisms for weight loss due to use of the device are unknown. External controllers allow the patient to charge the device and allow health care professionals to adjust the device’s settings in order to provide optimal therapy with minimal side effects. The safety and effectiveness of the Maestro Rechargeable System were evaluated in a clinical trial that included 233 patients with a BMI of 35 or greater. The weight loss and adverse events of 157 patients who received the active Maestro device (the experimental group) were compared to 76 patients in the control group who received a Maestro electrical pulse generator that was not activated. The study found that after 12 months, the experimental group lost 8.5 percent more of its excess weight than the control group. About half (52.5 percent) of the patients in the experimental group lost at least 20 percent of their excess weight, and 38.3 percent of patients in the experimental group lost at least 25 percent of their excess weight. The clinical study did not meet its original endpoint, which was that the experimental group lose at least 10 percent more excess weight than the control group. However, an FDA Advisory Committee (the Gastroenterology and Urology Devices Panel) found the 18-month data supportive of sustained weight loss, and agreed that the benefits of the device outweighed the risks for use in patients who met the criteria in the device’s proposed indication. In considering the benefits and risks of the device in its review of the Maestro Rechargeable System, the FDA considered the clinical study and the Panel’s recommendations. Additionally, the Agency looked at an FDA-sponsored survey relating to patient preferences of obesity devices that showed a group of patients would accept risks associated with this surgically implanted device for the amounts of weight loss expected to be provided by the device. As part of the approval, the manufacturer must conduct a five year post approval study that will follow at least 100 patients and collect additional safety and effectiveness data including weight loss, adverse events, surgical revisions and explants and changes in obesity-related conditions. Serious adverse events reported in the clinical study included nausea, pain at the neuroregulator site, vomiting, as well as surgical complications. Other adverse events included pain, heartburn, problems swallowing, belching, mild nausea and chest pain. The Maestro Rechargeable System is manufactured by EnteroMedics of St. Paul, Minnesota. The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products. ###

Im having revision from Lap Band to Gastric Bypass. Im having second thoughts as to if I should even go through a third surgery. ( Had a revision lap band for flipped port). Im very afraid GP will fail. Lost 70 lbs with Lapband, but gained 30 back with pregnancy. I dont want to do the fills any more, and want something that will help me loose faster. But, not so sure of wanting to go through it all over again.

My opinion DS, just going by the Numbers and long term weight loss maintenance. Full disclosure I am considering a sleeve to DS revision myself.

You need to get back on the wagon. I honestly don't see how a revision could help anyone lose weight if they aren't following a program to begin with. You can do this please try and go back to clean eating. Have you tried the 5 day reset ?

LOL, I wasn't sure what type of "drainage" you had heard about. I didn't have any drains until I had the leak repair surgery 2 days after my original band to sleeve revision.

Good evening everyone, I can't believe it. I have been sleeved with no pain or discomfort. I will be going home tomorrow morning (6 hour drive). Let me start off by saying that Dr. Alvarez in Piedras Negras is wonderful and cares so much about his patients. I had surgery first and then the lady who was a revision had hers done. He only does 2-3 surgeries a day. I stayed at the holiday inn in eagle pass the night before and didn't even sleep for five minutes. By the time my alarm went off at 6 am I was ready to go. I came in, did my bloodworm, and had surgery. When I woke up I asked my mom if I was done because I was so shocked that I didn't feel anything at all. I mean literally guys, I kept wondering if it was real or not. I did my walking and they had me on nausea meds, pain killers, and something for gases. I got my IV this morning and will released about 8 am tomorrow. I'm still in shock and can't wait to head home, I already feel lighter and better and can not complain about one thing. They switched my mom and I to another room because people who had a bigger room got released today, and our room was very tiny. We got taken care of and Jessica (his nurse assistant) is great and truly cares about ur well being. I'm here to help anyone out, but as for now I'm going to take my laps around the hospital and get some rest before I leave tomorrow. This is the best decision I've ever made and I'm so happy I did. Remember , the better u do in ur liquid diet, the better you results u will get once sleeved, trust me when I say Dr. Alvarez said I feel so great because of my 10 pound lost on my liquid diet, I cheated once and that was with a hard boiled egg, then again I did an extra week of liquids some can't each myself how to control myself and I knew I can do it. If I can, anyone certainly can. Take care everyone! Susie