PLEASE HELP! WLS Nightmare!

[jamiep5 13]

My name is Jamie and I started my weight loss journey many years ago but my surgery journey started in February 2010. I was 330 pounds at 27 years old. I was always a healthy person but after 4 knee surgeries I gained over 100 pounds and tried EVERYTHING to try to loose the weight. When I hit 330 I knew it would end up being life or death so I attended a barbaric surgery meeting at my mothers suggestion. After meeting with my surgeon and discussing all options with my husband we decided on the lap band. (Man was that a mistake) I had the lap band surgery in May 2010 and it only took me 3 weeks to recover!! I thought I had done enough research to prepare my self but I was very wrong. Eating was hard and I was seeing the Dr almost every 4 to 6 weeks for 3 years trying to figure out where the perfect fill was. After 3 frustrating years of throwing up and learning how to cheat with the band we decided it was time to revise the band. I decided to do the a use it seemed like a safer and less invasive surgery. I was very excited to start this new journey after seeing co workers have great success with it. I had my revision to the sleeve May 2013. The recovery was much harder then the recovery from the band and I think it was due to doing the band removal and the sleeve revision at the same time. After 6 weeks I was as good as new and dropping weight at a nice pace. I was very excited to eat right and exercise because I was actually loosing weight!!! After the first 3 months I began to get really painful chest pains. Being a person that never delta with acid reflux, herd or heartburn I didn't know what the pain was from. I went back to my Dr and he began seeing me every 2 - 4 weeks and we tried every acid reflux, hernia, heartburn and GERD medication we could. By the time I was 10 months out I was in such bad pain and no medication would help my Dr decided we needed to revise my sleeve to the full bypass to eliminate the acid from being created in my stomach. I am very unhappy with this decision so I went to 3 other doctors that specialize in acid reflux and weight loss surgery and sadly they all agreed with my surgeons prognosis. We began the insurance approval process and it was a little harder tot get the bypass surgery approved this time since I am 178 pounds and they didn't see a reason for the surgery. Last Tuesday the pain got so bad I ended up in the ER for 6 hours as they tried to figure out how to make the pain stop. The prognosis was esophagus spasms so I had to be put on a liquid diet since eating hurt. Finally my insurance approved the surgery and my doctor is rushing the surgery date due to the severity of this issue. My revision to bypass is scheduled for May 13 2014 and I am completely freaking out!!!! This is not a surgery I want and I am concerned that I am going to have all the bypass side effects I really never wanted to have!

I am telling my story because I really need help from others out there that may gave went thru the same issues I am and what did you do to resolve it?

What should I expect to be different from the sleeve to the bypass?

Please help! I am really scared and really don't want to have to go thru this again!!!

[pinkbarbie 101]

Maybe you should post this question in the gastric bypass revision forum. There should be more people there that can answer you

[jamiep5 13]

Thanks, I'll try that!!

[elfnow 277]

You can always say no - but would your pain be resolved ANY other way? You've been to four doctors with PLENTY of experience.... What could we tell you?

[mickally 95]

I'm sorry to hear that you are having such a bad time. I do not have a bypass so I can't offer any advice but my thoughts are with you that all goes well and that you can get this pain under control.

[jtickle 295]

I have the same heartburn issues and nothing helps it. I originally wanted the sleeve but the surgeon refused to do the sleeve on me because of my heartburn issues. I was upset at first but now I am on board. I am so tired of the pain. Sometimes it is so bad I just want to go to the ER, but they can't fix it. I already take six pills a day for it. I know that having another surgery isn't any fun but do some research on the gastric bypass. Don't give up on it yet. Go to the bypass section on the forum and ask questions. Good luck!!!

[jamiep5 13]

Thank you all, I did post this on the gastric bypass area and hope I can get some other stories like mine. I never had issues before the sleeve surgery so I was very surprised to get them after.

You can always say no - but would your pain be resolved ANY other way? You've been to four doctors with PLENTY of experience.... What could we tell you?

Elfnow - I know there is a small probability that someone on here would have another way that gets rid of this pain but it's worth a try! I accept that I am going to have this surgery because I can't live with the pain any longer. I am hopeful that there might be that one person out there that was able to find a non surgery solution!

[jamiep5 13]

I have the same heartburn issues and nothing helps it. I originally wanted the sleeve but the surgeon refused to do the sleeve on me because of my heartburn issues. I was upset at first but now I am on board. I am so tired of the pain. Sometimes it is so bad I just want to go to the ER, but they can't fix it. I already take six pills a day for it. I know that having another surgery isn't any fun but do some research on the gastric bypass. Don't give up on it yet. Go to the bypass section on the forum and ask questions. Good luck!!!

That's a god thing your Dr. was able to provide that information!! Since I was so healthy my surgeon had no doubts that the sleeve would be successful and he was completely dumbfounded when these issues continued and now have gotten worse!! Oh well, good luck on your surgery!!

[Mississippi Girl 124]

it never hurts to ask. praying you get some relief.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Mississippi Girl

[jamiep5 13]

Thanks Mississippi girl!!

[Mississippi Girl 124]

Welcome, Jamie

Welcome, Jamie

[MizzouFan1 88]

Hi Jamie,

I am so sorry to hear about your troubles. I know this is a long shot and probably already been brought up but have you changed the quality and type of food you are eating? Like trying a whole foods, organic diet? Getting rid of processed foods and chemicals has been shown to help relieve if not alleviate stomach issues all together. I imagine it is quite difficult to focus on that when you are having so much pain but since you were doing fine for 3 months without issues if it were me I would try everything before I submitted to a surgery I don't want. That is just my two cents....I am sending good vibes your way and hoping for the best.

Take care!

[MizzouFan1 88]

http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/07/17/3-simple-steps-to-eliminate-heartburn-and-acid-reflux/#close

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/28/acid-reflux-ulcer-treatment.aspx

Just a few articles to help.I sure hope it is something this simple. Good luck!

Edited May 14, 2014 by Sarahmizzou

[woo woo 872]

There are a couple of people on here that have shared similar situations. Hopefully some will chime in here.

Good luck to you, I am sorry you are having to deal with this.

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

So sorry and good luck to you for some resolution. We researched WLS 10 years. It could have gone wrong even after all that. That is why everyone should think long and hard on all these surgeries. I feel so sorry for what you have endured. Praying for you.