VBG Revision Wanted

Hello All,

In April 2009, I had a sleeve done. I lost about 80 lbs. I am happy with the sleeve except I suffer daily from GERD. I take Nexium everyday and I still have symptoms. I see my weight loss surgeon next month to talk about doing a revision to gastric bypass. I am so tired of heartburn. Have any of you found yourself in this situation and have any advice to share? I would also like to lose 35 more pounds. Thanks.

I had a revision 5 years ago and my sleeve was made into a RNY pouch.  Although the reason wasn't due to GERD it did cure it entirely, going from at least 2 PPIs a day to zero since 3 months post op.

That is one thing the RNY does have going for it, it usually cures or improves GERD.

Thanks, Ladytazz. I hope insurance will cover it due to the gerd but I'm not sure. 

What type of pre op testing did you do for your revision? Thanks, Janet 

Honestly none.  I was so sick from side effects from my first surgery and my surgeon had been dealing with a number of others who had the same surgery and were in the same boat.

I saw my surgeon on a Thursday and 8 days later, on a Friday, I had my revision.  Only normal pre-op testing.  But my revision wasn't due to my GERD, that was just a happy benefit of it.  I had other issues going on that made having a revision pretty urgent.  He even operated even though I was still smoking and my surgeon would never operate on a smoker unless it was important.

BTW I have since quit and having smoked in years.

I'm sorry to keep asking questions, Ladytazz. Were you happy with you weight loss after the revision? Was the RNY a big adjustment compared to the sleeve? Thanks a bunch.

sleeve to RNY pouch what does that mean ?? RNY pouch is it sleeve to rny(gastric)

My first surgery was in 2002 and it was a DS.  At that time my surgeon made the sleeve very large.  This was before bougies and such.  I think he just eyeballed it.  He said he reduced it by about 50% but honestly I never felt any restriction from day one and it wasn't too long before I was eating nearly as much as I used to.

Now that I have restriction I can tell the difference.  He said that he kept the intestines in the DS configuration but made the common channel longer, from 100 cc to 200 cc.  

Since than I have never had a problem with GERD and I no longer have to take anything for it.

I suffered from GERD for 25 years. I didnt know that revisions could be done, nor did my family doctor. Yes Nexium for 25 years and it kept getting worse and worse. Until Jan 2014 I could no longer eat any solid foods. Lived on liquids for a year and half. After many barrium tests, h-pylori and upper GI testing...finally a surgeon that could help me. You must insist on help immediately, dont be silent like me. My stomach was twisted so bad and the scar tissue had attached to both pancreas and liver...took the surgeon extra 3 1/2 hrs to scrape my stomach away from these organs. I lived with excruciating pain for 25 years, but I had RNY in July, with no more acid reflux and related issues to GERD. I do vomit more than the average revision, but has to do with dealing with food sensitivities. I dealt with my issues for 25 years, almost silent. Those close to me always gave me negativities like, "I knew you shouldnt have had the VSG". Speak up to the doctors, until you get this cleared. I can only tell you that RNY worked miraculously for me. Hound your doctors....get tested for anything and everything. Start with a CT scan, then gastroscopy, even a breath test for H-pylori. Thank God for this message board.

My heart goes out to you for everything you went thru! I'm so glad you found someone that could help you although I wi**** had happened sooner for you. My GERD is not as severe as yours but it is hard to deal daily with this. I've taken Nexium daily since 09 and Tums multiple times a day. I see the surgeon on 1/13 and I hope he can help with out making me jump through too many hoops but I will do what is necessary. I hope you are doing well and you are my inspirations to not give up. Thank you.