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What testing did you have that showed your stomach was dilated and the opening was too large?
You are not alone. So I'm 48 and i had VSG in 2012. My highest weight was 335, 5'2". I did great initially, and about 1.5 yrs. later I was down to 220. Also never made it to onderland, but I was happy with how I felt and looked. The weight has creeped up gradually to 270 now, and you sound so much like me. I often find myself taking care of everyone else first, then me. A difficult habit to break, as I sit here typing this, I've put 2 kiddos through college with my husband, taking care of my mother with her ailing health as she lives with us now after my father and nephews death in 2013, and been trying to slowly get back to taking care of me, addressing depression, anxiety, grief, etc. About 3 months ago, I began having crazy symptoms of tightness in esophagus, throat, spasms, etc. This week, I finally found out I have a hiatal hernia and polyp. I have an appointment on Monday with my original surgeon, which I'm dreading a little, because I'm so disappointed in myself and the weight gain. I'm also embarrassed that I dropped all those great habits I had at the beginning a little at a time and allowed things to get this way, but there's nothing we can do about what we did wrong, I've got to get back in the game. Depression and anxiety doesn't help to make you feel overwhelmed and just give up. I'm not trying to make excuses for myself, but what's done is done. I will face the music on Monday. I don't know what the plan will be for me, but know that you are not alone.
Hi Lamarie, I responded to your message online but I don't see it. I'm going to give you my email address. I'm on my way to the doctors but I'd like to tell you about my journey. I had gastric bypass in 2015. I have Gerd very bad I have irritable bowel with diarrhea/constipation. I think my stomach has stretched I will see the doctor on February 14, 2020. How embarrassing is this to go back after his hard work and I stretched out my stomach. I find it hard to eat and not drink anything since my esophagus has spasms and processing food going down. I'm hoping for the revision surgery where they put stitches in to make your stamina smaller however I am on Seroquel which is a mood stabilizer. Sarah quell makes you extremely hungry especially in the middle of the night actually makes you ravenous for food. I don't know what I'm going to do after the surgery and hope that this does not take me back into where I am today. I am from Pennsylvania and here is my email. I'm wondering how you're doing and what you have done I'm wondering about people that have revision surgeries and how they've turned out with also being on medication that slows down your metabolism and makes you hungry. This is not an easy journey for any of us and it never was Quickfix just a tool. There is my email: [email protected]. I hope to hear from you and see how you're doing any advice would be appreciated thank you
Im sorry if my msg was misleading, I am most definitely going to be honest on my log. I think my post was misunderstood. Thank you for your response.
on 1/10/20 4:46 am - WI
Don't lie to the doctors!!!! Write down what you actually eat and measure your food so it is accurate. Your doctors can not make the proper assessment of what you need without your complete honesty.
Many insurance policies have a once in a life time clause for weight loss surgery. The only way those policies will cover a revision is if you have some sort of mechanical malfunction of your original surgery. Have you had testing to see if everything is still functioning as it should? If everything is still working then you CAN lose the weight without revision. Many on this site have lost significant regain. If there is a malfunction then you will likely be approved for a revision. I don't know which surgery you had but if you had VSG, and you have developed GERD, they will revise you to RNY to cure the GERD.
If you had RNY there are very few revisions that are successful. They can tighten the stoma if you have stretched it out but if you want that to work you must then become a strict rule follower for the rest of your life.
If you are eating a lot of carbs, that will make you feel extreme hunger. After WLS you can eat a boatload of carby food an never feel full. I could eat an entire box of crackers and go back for more. Eating dense protein(chicken breast, or steak) will tell you if you still have restriction. Eating like a rabbit is not how we are supposed to eat after WLS. We are supposed to eat dense protein first then veggies if there is room, and take our vitamins. No bread, rice, pasta, cereal, sugar, etc.
If you are drinking with your meals....STOP! Drinking with meals will allow you to eat way more food than you need and can effect your restriction. It can also contribute to stretching your stoma by forcing food that was not adequately chewed through that small hole. If you get a revision where they tighten your stoma, this rule will be important to follow for the rest of your life.
The reality is...you might not be a good candidate for revision. Only your doctor can decide that based on your honesty. Either way, you can still be committed to eating right and exercising and get great results.
HW 270 SW 236 GW 160 CW 145 (15 pounds below goal!)
VBG Aug. 7, 1986, Revised to RNY Nov. 18, 2010
I revised from the sleeve to RNY due to severe GERD. More and more people are having GERD following sleeve surgery. Did you have GERD problems before you had your sleeve surgery? I didn't, it was all strictly sleeve related.
The healing process is going to be different from person to person. For me, it was easier because I knew what to expect. I was very tired though. Some people have breezed through recovery, others have had a hard time.
I did not have any weight to lose, but from what I've read, it does come off slower. Get back in to the good habits, protein first and low carb. Drink lots and lots of water! Another excellent tool is the "what's on your menu today " thread on the RNY board.
I am coming up on my 11 year anniversary from my sleeve and 4 years out from my revision to RNY. In November of 2018 I developed a jejunal intususseption. Ow, ow, ow! As you said, it comes and goes but I'm getting to the point of thinking about repair. Time will tell!
Having the revision to RNY is the best thing I've ever done. It's been totally life changing...no more GERD! One or two here on the board have still had some GERD post revision to RNY. Hopefully one of them will be able to give some advice.
Best wishes to you and keep coming back!
Original surgery: VSG Feb. 2009
REVISED TO RNY FEBRUARY 2016
Height: 5'7"
Start weight: 252. Current weight: 120
I'm going to see the surgeon who originally did my gastric bypass back in in 2008, this coming February 14th, 2020. They want me to keep a food log, but I'm not sure what to put on it.... Obviously, I know what the right things are to eat and how much to eat, but I no longer have the sensation of being full after a small portion has been eaten... I take small bites, use a bariatric app timer to chew my food, don't drink with meals and I walk away when my plate is empty, BUT I always go back for more bc I'm still hungry!! I'm committed to doing the work and exercising and eating right, I just really miss my tool!! I miss the sensation of being full, which told my head stop eating!! As of now, without being full, I want to continue to eat just as I did before I had the surgery... Did anyone who has been approved for a revision have to keep a food log? If so, what did you document? ALSO, for insurance to approve, did you have to wait 6months as you did before the original surgery?
Hello OH Community!
I have finally made the decision to get a revision surgery, sleeve to bypass. A little bit of background... was sleeved in 2012. Now I have regained weight, I have severe GERD with esophageal spasms, I have a really bad migrated hiatal hernia, and apparently my original sleeve was about 3xs larger than what a sleeve is today. I have an intussescetion in my stomach where surgery was performed (Intussusception is a medical condition in which a part of the intestine folds into the section next to i*****pically involves the small bowel and less commonly the large bowel. Symptoms include abdominal pain, which may come and go, vomiting, abdominal bloating, and bloody stool). He also stated that this could affect my appetite (his exact words were "there is no way that you could regulate your appetite. It's like your stomach has healed on top of itself). He described my stomach to me as healing in the shape of an "S" instead of healing in the shape of a banana. My heartburn is so bad that the only relief is to vomit, which makes it worse. If I do too much physical activity, I get heartburn really bad that I can't sleep unless I am sleeping sitting up straight with a prevacid and some milk of magnesia. I really want relief! I also want to get pregnant but the first time my heartburn was so bad, and that was before I was sleeved. I can't imagine how bad it would be if I was pregnant. I also want to be able to work out without having the ailments of heartburn.
I want to know how the healing process was for others with a similar surgery. Did it take long to heal? Did you lose weight? (I ask because from what I have researched, you lose the weight very slow when it's a revision compared to being the first WLS) What were your reasons for having surgery? Did you have GERD as well? What was your beginning weight at revision? I know that I would have to re-learn all of the eating habits that I have picked back up along the way, which is why I am in treatment for this. I do understand that it is not a magic bullet that will just make me drop weight. I do understand that the weight gain is just as much physiological just as much as it is physical. However, I am ready for a better quality of life! I am currently in a program kinda like a medically supervised weight loss program. Surgery wouldn't be for a few months from now, but I am excited to take this next step! Please, I would prefer individuals who had a revision from sleeve to bypass to comment your experience.....
Rocky,
Thanks for your detailed explanation it's appreciated. I can understand what you are say from an anatomical standpoint and from a user standpoint as well. I have many things to consider along with doing my due diligence with research.
Thanks for suggesting some anatomical testing as well, I had not thought of this and it's a great place to begin.
Heather
This. Is. Amazing.
Thank you for being so honest about your journey. I am a pre-op and this helps me understand that there will always be a struggle, but things get better with time, education and knowing your body. I have a friend of mine in a similar situation as you were (she was open incision & stomach stapled) and has experienced a lot of issues. I would love to go to her for things, but since they no longer perform that surgery and it's considered outdated, I can't go to her for some things but I will absolutely provide her with this information so she can hopefully see the light with your story.
I love everything you have to look forward to. I have 2 small children and their pregnancies were difficult for me. Hoping to be on the end to experience life with grandbabies (but not for a long time) lol.
"I know that each pound I lose is something to be grateful for and will add to the quality and god willing length of my life."
