SLEEVE TO BYPASS REVISION

[MissLaLa05 7]

I had the sleeve done in 2009 and I lost about 70lbs but in the past year I have regained most of the weight back. I am now in the process of doing all the pre testing to do the bypass but i have so many concerns that I'm just confused as to weather I should have the surgery. I keep hearing that having revision surgery puts you at a higher risk for complications and gastric leak. I keep telling myself that its just like having any other surgery and there will always be a risk but I'm still scared to death. Has anyone here had sleeve to gastric bypass revision? I hope to here from someone just to hear from someone that had gone through the experience and maybe can share some pointers.

[babysteps 48]

I had the sleeve done in 2009 and I lost about 70lbs but in the past year I have regained most of the weight back. I am now in the process of doing all the pre testing to do the bypass but i have so many concerns that I'm just confused as to weather I should have the surgery. I keep hearing that having revision surgery puts you at a higher risk for complications and gastric leak. I keep telling myself that its just like having any other surgery and there will always be a risk but I'm still scared to death. Has anyone here had sleeve to gastric bypass revision? I hope to here from someone just to hear from someone that had gone through the experience and maybe can share some pointers.

I will have mine in June and not worried at all we had the hardest one already and the most painful. I'm having mine coz I only have lost 35 lbs in 6 1/2 months . The risk is so low it's less then what the sleeve was So when will you be with me as a sleeve to Rny so very few of us. The sleeve is such a fad thing right now I'm sure there will be more of us down the road.

[abbybeep 53]

I am a revision.... However, not by choice I must say!

I can't speak as to what's different from the sleeve experience because my sleeve was so messed up that the 4.5 months I had it I couldn't eat or drink anything.

It kind of stinks that you have to go through it all over again (surgery...adding foods back...) I don't have dumping but I do think I became lactose intolerant (many are after RNY). I haven't had much dairy to check it out. According to my surgeon revisions need to be extremely cautious of anything that could cause ulcers because we are extra prone to getting them. We also have a much higher rate of stricture (I had a pretty severe one). Also, if something were to happen to our pouches, we don't have any stomach left to help fix the problem.

I don't want to be a wet towel by any means! I'll answer any questions you have that I can.

[MissLaLa05 7]

Thank you both for replying. I'm waiting on insurance approval so I don't have a date yet. I was happy when I made the decision to have the gastric bypass because I felt like I was given a second chance but last week when I went to see my surgeon for the final visit before the surgery he told that my risk for gastric leak is higher because I had surgery before and that just killed my spirit. He didn't say that it will happen but he wanted me to know of the possibility that it could happen. I know with ever surgery comes a number of possible complications but I keep asking myself if i should put myself at risk, @abbybeep ...after all you have went through do you regret anything? I'm worried that if I don't go through with it I will the surgery I will regret it because I will continue to be over weight.

[abbybeep 53]

Hmm that's a really tough question (would I do it again).

It's pretty amazing that I'm about 147 pounds now (I was 252 around the time of surgery). But I went through an awful lot of terrible stuff for a long time. Even after the bypass it was tough. I missed out on a lot in life for about 6 months. Also, I am worried about the long term effects of what happened, (i mean not getting in more than 100 cals per day for 4 months had to have hurt my body...) and I'm a bit worried about having no functioning stomach to work with if something terrible happens.

But- for you it's different because your sleeve functioned ok- and the possibility of complications is there but it's not too terribly high of a rate, I'm sure. So this could be an awesome thing for you! Before my bypass surgery my surgeon did warn me of the increased possibility of leaks too. He did mention that if your long-term Protein levels are good (determined through blood tests) that your chances for leak are smaller. I don't know if that helps you at all.

Ultimately, some days I'm amazed with the weight loss and I'm happy. Other days I feel like I made the complete wrong decision... I guess only time will tell!

[MissLaLa05 7]

Thank you so much for sharing your story with me Abby and I'm happy to hear that after a long journey you have lost all the weight and are happy. Although there may be some ups and downs you have reached your goal it was all for a great cause. I have been so scared ever since I spoke to my doctor last week and I have even reconsidered the whole thing but I worry if I don't I will continue to struggle with my weight. Chatting with everyone online has helped me and hearing everyone's personal stories has given me the strength to go through with it.

[mandela210 11]

I am a revision I have had two bands a sleeve and now bypass. I just wish I had gone with the bypass first! I am 6 weeks post op lost 20 kilograms and doing great so good luck

[GG'sArtsMom 42]

I am shocked, I thought the sleeve was going to become the new "gold standard". I am so sorry for people going through sleeve fails. I went through it with a band and know it is a hard, and in my opinion, embarrassing, road. I didn't realize sleeve patients were requiring revisions due to low weight loss.

When my surgeon mentioned my options, sleeve or bypass, she mentioned that it wouldn't make sense to do a sleeve as I would be going from one restrictive surgery to another, and that made my decision easy.

Make sure you trust this surgeon who is warning you of a higher chance of a leak, if you have any doubt, look around. Mine mentioned it was a higher risk, but didn't harp on it, and I trusted her skill by the way she presented herself. She knew what she was doing and I could tell I was in good hands.

As Mandela said, I wish I had done the bypass in the first place.

[vicki s 146]

Im glad I found this thread..I hope some still come here...I am being revised on aug 1st, had the band then the sleeve, now bypass....I too am so very scared...It looks like not too many revisions on here and not alot of chat...Misslala05 did you have your surgery yet? Anyone? any information appreciated!!

[vicki s 146]

I am a revision I have had two bands a sleeve and now bypass. I just wish I had gone with the bypass first! I am 6 weeks post op lost 20 kilograms and doing great so good luck

Wow, you are my inspiration! congrats to you and I will look to you for advice after surgery...

[cathy143 6]

I am having problems with my sleeve. It has twisted some and the food does not go down for a long time. The tummy above the twist has formed a pouch so I fee like I have the band that I had before the sleeve that I had problems with. I also have such awful acid reflux. I take 40 mg prilosec 2 times a day. The doc said the only solution was a RNY. He is not pushing me to it. He said when I get tired of the symptoms and problems he will do the surgery. In the meantime he is going ahead and submitting a letter for approval. he obviously feels like I will want the surgery soon and he is right. When they do the RNY you still have the little tube of stomach you had before left. So there is still stomach there should you have to go back. Just not much. I would like to also hear from others that went from sleeve to RNY. Vicki, I see you had the surgery on 8/1. I would love to hear from you. I read your posts prior to surgery and you and I have the same fears. I look forward to hearing from others. BTW, I am 58, had the band for 3 years and had it revised to sleeve in 3/2011. I have only lost 39 lbs with the sleeve. I think it is because the food that goes down easily is the food I should not be eating.

[vicki s 146]

Hi Cathy, I did have the GB done on thurs. the 1st, cant tell much right now because I am only on liquids...the surg was not bad, no worse than the sleeve and maybe less because there was no port to remove....I only lost 20lbs with the sleeve, and regained it back so I am so scare of "what if it doesnt work"...I know everyone tells me it will, but after the sleeve, I will not take anything for granted...I am almost 57, and I didnt want to wait any longer, want to start having a healthy life before I am tooooo old...LOL......Honestly I could not longer take the reflux....

another person I know in her 50's is having it done sept.19th...she sounds more like you, her stomach was bent in half and they removed scar tissue but she still has a stricture in the middle, so all her food sits on the top of her stomach...

I wish you the best of luck and when you decide it will be because you know you cant handle it anymore....PM me anytime...xoxox

[val28 10]

cathy

im the person vicki is talkin about. i was banded in 2008 and was revised to the sleeve in 2010 and i could never really eat more than soft foods and the reflux was horrible. in october they found that for some reason my sleeve was folded in half. in january i had a huge hiatal hernia repaired and they found i had scar tissue causing my sleeve to fold in half. they removed the scar tissue and my eating got a bit better but the reflux was still horrible. i jst had another scope done and they found i have a stricture in the middle of my sleeve. im having rny done in septemeber. i never really wanted rny but i want this all to end...enough is enough

[cathy143 6]

Val and Vicki,

Thank you so much for the response. Val, are you sure you are not me. I had the band in 2008 and was revised to a sleeve in 2011 after very little weight loss and food getting stuck all the time. I started having problems with severe reflux and aspirating food at night. they did a scope and thought I had a narrowing in the sleeve. In the surgery they found a huge hiatal hernia, fixed it and for a while eating was easier. Then my reflux started to get worse and it feels like the food is just sitting there. I mainly eat soft foods and foods that go down easily, which is not always the healthiest. A few weeks ago I had another scope and an upper GI. Although everything looked ok with the scope, the upper GI showed a fold in the sleeve. My option now is the RNY. He is submitting the letter for approval and giving me time to make up my mind He obviously thinks I will go for the RNY....andI will because, like you, I think enough is enough. Just researching it now. It just scares me because, I mean, what's left if I have problems with this. I know I should be positive. He says it will fix the problem and the good news is, it will get rid of the darn reflux.

Vicki, please continue to let me know how you are doing. I was so thankful to find someone else going through what I am...and I found 2. How are you doing post-op. Is the pain managable? Did you have a drain? Which is not a problem because I had one after the sleeve. I am in GA. Where are y'all located? Thank you again for your supportive comments.

[cathy143 6]

Another question, how do you PM.