Revision surgery Deja Vu all over again

[Aviator 28]

So now, I'm 4-1/2 years post op and have lived with my sleeve a long time now. . What I've written below may not be something you want to hear, but it's a story that need to be told.

I lost 85 lbs with my VSG surgery in 2008, and for several years was very happy. I always thought my sleeve was a bit bigger than the doc told me it would be, but it did drastically reduce the volume of food I could put in my stomach. So I kept the weight off pretty well, even tho I never really reached my goal weight of 210. 220- 225 seemed to be my "floor", but staying there - or within striking distance was pretty easy. I'm 6-1 so that's not a bad spot for me. If it my weight began creeping up, it was easy for me to cut back a little and the weight would fall off.

But about a year ago my weight started creeping up 230, 240, 250... now 258. And some of my old co-morbidities began to return. Knee pain, cholesterol etc. And it was weight I could no longer seem to lose. And a developed a chronic cough. So a month ago, I visited my surgeon who had me do an upper GI. Uh-oh. Apparently the upper portion of my sleeve near my esophagus developed a big bulge where food can be trapped. And a visit to my PCP, confirmed that I have laryngopharyngeal reflux - the reason for my cough. The food trapped in a cul-de-sac in my sleeve was coming to see me in the night.

The fix is pretty easy. A revision. Trim it off, staple it up, pull out the excess. Basically the same procedure as before - just less stomach tissue to remove. So here we go again.... this time insurance will pay for it. I will be starting from a lower high weight this time. And hopefully after the revision the tissue won't be as stretchy. Also the bougie size he used before was a 40. He's dropping down to a 36 this time.

What I have learned over several years of intense interest in bariatric surgery is this: your sleeve or pouch WILL stretch. It's just a fact. Most people do rebound a bit. That being said, I would and will do it again in a heartbeat. I love being thinner.

Approved and date is set for July 25th

[Chelenka 827]

Thanks for posting you story. I hope very much this doesn't happen to me but it's good to know it's a possibility to be aware of and that it can fixed with a revision surgery. I have had problems with reflux for several years and it has been somewhat worse since my surgery. It's manageable though so far. I would get the surgery again despite the reflux. I knew it might be a problem for me but the wright loss has been worth it, most definitely!

pre-surgery weight 325; surgery date 2/28/2013; surgery weight 307; 8 weeks past-op weight 281.4; 12 weeks post-op 274

[Toddy 758]

I am new to researching the sleeve. Is there anything in particular that caused the bulge? It seems if you gradually increase the amount of food you eat over time, that it could stretch out just like we all stretched our stomachs before wls. Please let me know if that's a possibility or if there could be other factors. Thanks!

[Kelsan 117]

Thanks for your story! Please check back in with us to say how things are going.

[Aviator 28]

Not sure why. My surgeon told me this happens in a small number of cases. Everything I have read says this should not happen. But it did. I guess I will get tightened up on Jul 25th.

[Aviator 28]

I am new to researching the sleeve. Is there anything in particular that caused the bulge? It seems if you gradually increase the amount of food you eat over time, that it could stretch out just like we all stretched our stomachs before wls. Please let me know if that's a possibility or if there could be other factors. Thanks!

Toddy - this is worth doing regardless of the small risk. I had to ask myself back in 2008, "Do you really want to go on like this?" Heavier and heavier. The real risk of a debilitating stroke? Knee surgery for arthritis? Bypass surgery? Diabetes? Lack of mobility? Embarrassment of seatbelt extensions on airplanes?

I mean "status quo" isn't really a choice, is it? You get to pick from two potential options: "get worse" or "get better". The risks are there either way. My advice is that if you are a candidate for this surgery, Do it. Just do it and change you life.

[vicki s 146]

So now, I'm 4-1/2 years post op and have lived with my sleeve a long time now. . What I've written below may not be something you want to hear, but it's a story that need to be told.

I lost 85 lbs with my VSG surgery in 2008, and for several years was very happy. I always thought my sleeve was a bit bigger than the doc told me it would be, but it did drastically reduce the volume of food I could put in my stomach. So I kept the weight off pretty well, even tho I never really reached my goal weight of 210. 220- 225 seemed to be my "floor", but staying there - or within striking distance was pretty easy. I'm 6-1 so that's not a bad spot for me. If it my weight began creeping up, it was easy for me to cut back a little and the weight would fall off.

But about a year ago my weight started creeping up 230, 240, 250... now 258. And some of my old co-morbidities began to return. Knee pain, cholesterol etc. And it was weight I could no longer seem to lose. And a developed a chronic cough. So a month ago, I visited my surgeon who had me do an upper GI. Uh-oh. Apparently the upper portion of my sleeve near my esophagus developed a big bulge where food can be trapped. And a visit to my PCP, confirmed that I have laryngopharyngeal reflux - the reason for my cough. The food trapped in a cul-de-sac in my sleeve was coming to see me in the night.

The fix is pretty easy. A revision. Trim it off, staple it up, pull out the excess. Basically the same procedure as before - just less stomach tissue to remove. So here we go again.... this time insurance will pay for it. I will be starting from a lower high weight this time. And hopefully after the revision the tissue won't be as stretchy. Also the bougie size he used before was a 40. He's dropping down to a 36 this time.

What I have learned over several years of intense interest in bariatric surgery is this: your sleeve or pouch WILL stretch. It's just a fact. Most people do rebound a bit. That being said, I would and will do it again in a heartbeat. I love being thinner.

Approved and date is set for July 25th

Im right here with you, being revised on aug 1st, same issue exactly...good luck to you, im sure you will do fine

[kw2walker 211]

This was great information. I knew the pouch let with the sleeve would stretch. But developing a bulge is interesting. I think this exchange is helpful.

Continued success to everyone. I will be joining the rank of bringing sleeved on 7/22/13 so excited to take this journey.

[Im14fun 125]

Best of luck to you! You mentioned insurance will pay this time. Are you seeing the same surgeon this time around? Was it tough to get your insurance to cover this time?

[awifeinmichigan 233]

Thanks you for posting. I am Pre-op so it is wonderful knowing all the possibilities beforehand.

[Aviator 28]

This was great information. I knew the pouch let with the sleeve would stretch. But developing a bulge is interesting. I think this exchange is helpful.

Continued success to everyone. I will be joining the rank of bringing sleeved on 7/22/13 so excited to take this journey.

This is what my weight loss looked like Post-op. I actually have a 4-1/2 year old blog on the ThinnerTimes forum. I only recently discovered Vertical Sleeve Talk.

To put this rebound in perspective, on my surgery date in 2008, I was wearing xxx shirts and had a 52 inch waist. Right now I'm only 35 lbs above my lowest weight and still wear a 42. I'm just catching this before it gets out of hand.

[Aviator 28]

Here it is

[Aviator 28]

Best of luck to you! You mentioned insurance will pay this time. Are you seeing the same surgeon this time around? Was it tough to get your insurance to cover this time?

Yes same surgeon. He is wonderful. Jason Balette in The Woodlands, TX. I was self pay the first time around. Blue Cross is paying for this one.

[Aviator 28]

To those of you researching VSG, I'm posting this link:

http://m.obesityhelp.com/member/carmelita/blog/2011/03/31/-2/

Really, this is very definitive.

Also, this is the link to my personal blog on Thinner Times. I am also Aviator over there:

http://tinyurl.com/AviatorsLogBook

Lots of content, advice, experiences and photos that begin a few hours Pre-op and will continue. Truly, my log spans four years and five continents. It reads like an adventure novel. Except it's real life. It gives you an idea as to what to expect, and weaves maybe some of your personal fantasies in there.

However, I will likely be migrating a lot of it over here in the future. It. Just takes time to do it.

[happy1957 138]

Do you think the stretching happened to you because you were one of the first sleeve recipients and that things may be a little different now surgically? I can see how you could gain weight by grazing, by drinking calories etc. I to worry about 4 years down the road. Right now at 18 months out, I am a HAPPY camper.