Lapband to Sleeve to RNY :-(

I had a lapband in 2004 and revised to sleeve in 2009.  I had a lot of problems with my band the last couple of years and gained some weight back (not that I ever hit goal) and I threw up ALL of the time and had constant acid reflux.  The sleeve surgery went great and I have loved it but about a year ago, I started getting sick a lot and the GERD got horrible.  I wake up in the middle of the night throwing up and either coughing it up where it has gone into my lungs or it comes out my nose.  So.... 3 doctors later, it appears my only choice to regain my quality of life is to convert to bypass which I am doing Oct 21. My tummy is a really freaky shape now; it looks like the dog in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas".  It doesn't have the banana shape it should have, not even close.  I am happy with my weight; I regained around 20 lbs when the reflux reared its ugly head but losing 20 lbs to someone who doesn't normally think of food isn't a big deal; a little work and I could do it.  I wouldn't qualify for WLS today.  Anyway, I'm pretty bummed about it. Anyone else convert to rny for GERD? and has ANYONE had 3 different types of WLS?

Upper GI pic of my tummy....

Hmm I got nothing for you because I didn't think you could revise a sleeve to an RNY, I've never read about it and I've been around here for over 6 yrs. I'd really get more than one opinion and I'd definately check way farther down on this forum for a list of the only revision surgeons I'd trust. There are only a handful of surgeons that are that good at revisions.

Our center does it.  They take the sleeve and take the top for the pouch and than re-rout just like a RNY.  It is really the bad from both.  They do this as they are comfortable with RNY and don't do the DS.  I was really shocked/upset when I heard them say they did this at the info seminary I attended for the sleeve.  Yep, if your sleeve doesn't work we can switch you over to the RNY.

I've been on here for 10 and  have heard of people having to be revised for GERD.  Unfortunately it is currently the only known way to help severe GERD with sleeve :-(  As far as more than 1 opinion, I've had 3 and all said the same thing and my surgeon has done over 1000 revisions and is listed as a revision dr.  Thanks for taking time to comment though.

I actually have to have the revision from the sleeve to the RNY.  It is the only hope and the last resort for the acid and bile reflux that you get with the sleeve.  I have the best doctors in Orlando, Florida and this is our last resort.  If you research RNY to cure acid reflux you will get all of the research and trials that have been done over the last 60 to 70 years.  The RNY was has actually been around for 100 years.  It was for people that had ulcers, growth and cancer of the stomach.  And this was done long before it has been used weight loss.  So this is the only procedure that will help with severe acid and bile reflux.  

Thank you Cindyj578... I appreciate you sharing about your experience on here.  I am trying to conduct research prior to my visit tomorrow.  I was hoping there would be something else, however, I am not seeing any other way.  The GERD is really bad.....

So glad to see someone else also heard about it and I trust Piney's view so hopefully that will help you out. Best of luck to you!

oh you poor thing....this can be an issue with the vsg, have you looked into alternatives, like ppis?  before my revision i was waking up throwing up, that is one scary ****for me vsg (ds) fixed that since it was the band causing those issues.  yes you can get a rny....but do you want to do that?  have you exhuasted all your pharmacology roads first?  like ppis?  could it be that your sleeve requires revision, and not a vsg to rny revision?  what do they tell you about your stomach shape?    i would hate for you to have your pyloric valve bypassed.  yes there is a member on here that has had a band, then rny, then finally a ds....hope you find your answers soon, that choking is very scary....

I have been on PPIs 2x a day for almost a year plus chewable antacids.  The throwing up in my sleep is not just acid, but often caused because food just can't go down my funnel shaped stomach.  The issue is that my tummy is now like an egg timer/hour glass and the band has been gone for almost 4 years (removed in 12/09 and revised to gastric sleeve) but where the band was is almost closed off (the tiny funnel).  Because I no longer have a banana shaped sleeve stomach, DS is not option and re-sleeving is not an option as all 3 doctors believed it would go back to the very odd shape that it is today if they tried and therefore a temporary solution.  I'm not sure if you can see the pic I posted in my original post but that is truly my stomach now.

Have they already tried dilation of the stricture?  It takes several dilation procedures sometimes.  This tends to happen in people that have the band to sleeve in one surgery and why Many surgeons make you wait 2-6 months between surgeries for the stomach to heal where the band did damage.