Failed VBG what revision surgery does anyone recommend?

I had my surgery Dec 31, 2001.  I had a great weight loss for 4 months.. I think I was down 78lbs. total. Then I went back to work. I didn't notice what I was doing but I was a receptionist and I was closest to the vending machines. I had candy bars at my disposal as well as sodas. I started drinking and eating all my calories and to this day I have a nasty sweet tooth. But I still am able to eat way more than I should be able to.  In fact, I started my journey at 5'8" 356lbs. and got down to 278lbs. But over time I have gained back to my current weight of 325lbs. I am so sad to admit my failure. I felt for a long time that I was so pityful that I couldn't even make this surgery work. But I now feel like I was set up for failure because of the surgery. I feel like my doctor should have steered me towards the RNY to start. Because of course I don't have good will power.. that is how I got to 356 to begin with. Now begins the journey to find a new surgeon and surgery type. I have had my mom and sister-in-law have the MGB (mini-gastric bypass) and a friend have the DS and a friend have the RNY. I don't have a preference... I just want something to work. So, now i am asking great people  who have been and are still going thru what I am going thru to give me their opinions on what surgery to have mine revised to. I know this is super long. But I really appreciate any help you can give. Thanks tons, Mandi

I had a failed RNY and had a revision to DS, but they left my RNY pouch the same. My daughter had the DS 10 months ago and lost 130lb. She is thrilled. She is a meat eater, but loves sweets. She just isn't interested much in food anymore. She takes 2 hours after work to eat a steak and says that just helps take away the urge to snack. I have lost 65lbs in the same time. I just couldn't recommend an RNY to someone who loves sweets, like I do and like my daughter. I lost 70lbs post RNY and gained back 80. Now if I eat a little sweets I am OK but if I eat alot I get abdominal pain, bloating, gas and diarrhea. Now, I am giving it to you in the most honest way I can. It takes actual pain to get me to stop eating sweets. PAIN! The only time I had "dumping syndrome" with the RNY was if I ate straight sugar, like jelly beans and only then if I didn't eat some protein or fat with it, so it dumped really fast into my intestines. If I ate chocolate, WHICH I LOVE, nothing happened. Now, since chocolate has a lot of fat, I am able to eat it, but if I eat too much my weight loss slows. (That is part of the reason I have only lost 65lbs.) I have 35lbs to go and am eating way more fruit than sweets this summer and my weight loss has started to pick back up. No doubt you will get other responses. I believe you should chose a surgery based on what eating problems you have, what you are willing to put up with in the way of side effects....dumping, ulcers, strictures for the RNY, diarrhea, smelly stools, gas and bloating with the DS--but able to eat larger volumes. A lap band has heartburn, eroded esophagus, slippage, etc. They also have different percentages of exessive weight loss. At your weight, a more malabsoptive procedure might be right, but it is what life you want to live afterward. There are many more things to decide. I could not recommend an RNY to my daughter after my experience and she is thrilled. Look at our profile for pictures. Good luck, it took me 1.5 years of research to come to a decision for myself.

Mandi,

It looks like we had the same surgery from good ole "VBG Weber"!!!  I had the VBG in April of 2005 and I lost about 68 lbs in the first 6 months but stopped losing and by a year and a half post op was not able to eat much of anything very healthy... I could eat junk food just fine but due to the complications of that surgery was unable to keep any healthy foods down... my band was way too tight and caused me to get sick if I tried to eat anything besides chips or junk... I recently had a revision from the VBG to RNY... so far so good althogh it has been difficult transitioning to solid food... I pesonally have to abide by the rules of the pouch (such as not drinking 1/2 hour before I eat or an hour after... if I even so much as take a sip I get sick... I also have to eat VERY slowly and CHEW... CHEW... CHEW) I don't mind and have lost about 48 lbs since May 1st. I also liked the fact that my revision was done laproscopicaly and not open as my first surgery was in 2005! Hope this helps you in your decision! Take care! Tina.

Mandi,

It looks like we had the same surgery from good ole "VBG Weber"!!!  I had the VBG in April of 2005 and I lost about 68 lbs in the first 6 months but stopped losing and by a year and a half post op was not able to eat much of anything very healthy... I could eat junk food just fine but due to the complications of that surgery was unable to keep any healthy foods down... my band was way too tight and caused me to get sick if I tried to eat anything besides chips or junk... I recently had a revision from the VBG to RNY... so far so good althogh it has been difficult transitioning to solid food... I pesonally have to abide by the rules of the pouch (such as not drinking 1/2 hour before I eat or an hour after... if I even so much as take a sip I get sick... I also have to eat VERY slowly and CHEW... CHEW... CHEW) I don't mind and have lost about 48 lbs since May 1st. I also liked the fact that my revision was done laproscopicaly and not open as my first surgery was in 2005! Hope this helps you in your decision! Take care! Tina.

Mandi,  I am sure you will get all kinds of opinions about the different surgeries out there.  I can tell you that back in 1987, when I was 15, I had the VBG.  It has been a nightmare for me.  I gained all my weight back, plus lots more, yet I still throw up, can't eat much meat, etc.  It's been terrible for me.  Anyway, I'm working on a revision for myself.  I personally am going to have the DS done.  I didn't know bariatric revision surgery was even an option until we started checking into WLS for my DH.  We did lots and lots of research, talked w/ people he works with that have had the DS, etc.  He had it on June 26th (3 1/2 weeks ago).  He's doing very well so far.  He's feeling pretty good now, and he's already down close to 40 lbs.  We spent months researching, and all I can honestly tell you is the DS is the best surgery for keeping weight off.  If you go over to the DS forum and post questions, you'll get lots of encouraging information.  Again, everyone has their own opinion, but my opinion is, GO WITH THE DS!  You won't regret it! Best of luck,  Stephanie

Dear Mandi: I had an rny in 2002 and lost 80 pounds but then gained 50 lbs back. The reason stated was that my pouch had expanded over time. On July 4th, I had a lapband inserted to control my pouch size and I hope this will allow me to lose again. It has been 18 days and I am down 22 lbs, mostly as a result of a liquid diet during the healing phase. I have been told that this is the best procedure for those that have had poor results from weight loss surgery. Regards Phil