Looking for Revision advice

Hi everyone!

I am looking to have a possible revision on my VSG. I was sleeved in August 2011 and lost 85 lbs. i never got to my goal weight, and slowly started gaining back after. I had a baby in 2016 and gained 60 lbs. I am only 15 lbs from my highest weight. I have been trying to lose weight for the last year and a half. I've done weigh****chers, low carb/Keto, counting calories, etc. I try to use my pouch as a tool, but I have no restriction anymore. I just keep losing and gaining the same 15 lbs. I'm so frustrated and disappointed in myself. I didn't realize revisions were a thing until I just started doing some research and cake across this forum.

What is the best way to get the process started? I loved my surgeon and am scheduled to see him next week, but I'm worried about what he's going to say. How should I approach the topic with him..I don't want to just go in and say I want a different procedure. I am interested in either a GB or DS (i already had my gallbladder out 2 years ago). Do I have to go through all of the pre-op stuff again?? Did your surgeons make you try XYZ before they would agree to do another procedure? I'm in the Philadelphia area and would love some surgeon recommendations as a back up in case my Dr doesn't want to help me.

Thanks in in advance for any advice you can offer!!

Many insurance companies have a one per lifetime clause in their plans for WLS. You would have to have some sort of mechanical failure of your original surgery or a severe case of GERD to qualify for a revision. Simple weight gain attributed to "user error" is usually not going to get you to a revision.

You will have to go through an endoscopy to see if there is a mechanical problem or signs of GERD damage in your esophagus. If there is damage then your doctor will likely not make you jump through the newbie hoops for revision surgery. If there is no damage to your original surgery he will refer you to a dietitian to get your diet back on track.

I don't mean this to sound harsh but there is no revision in this world that will help you if you don't figure out why you over eat. I know it's hard. I've been there. The surgery only works on the stomach. Getting the head stuff straight is up to us. As a food addict, I can tell you that it's a daily battle to make the right food choices.

You can lose the weight again if you are told you don't qualify for a revision. It will take a lot longer than when you first had surgery, but there are many people on this site who have done it. Some were decades out from their original surgery when they finally reached their goal weight.

Best of luck to you!

I am definitely an emotional eater and have been working on that in therapy for the last 6 mos. You are right in that the stomach is only one part. Some of my weight gain is definitely due to user error, but I also felt like after a year, i had no restriction. I followed the rules and didn't drink while eating, ate protein first, measured my food, etc. I had ulcers and very bad GERD before surgery. I don't have extreme GERD like many of this site, but I definitely have silent reflux and U.K. era again..my stomach burns after eating, churns if it's empty, i feel breathless after eating, etc. I've literally been working my tail off to lose this weight and it's just not budging.

what does a days menu look like for you?

If if you are eating carbs you will have little to no restriction.

Mid you are eating mostly meat, chicken, eggs etc only you might find you still have excellent restriction.

I usually eat eggs for breakfast with either fruit or Canadian bacon.

Lunch is usually a salad with protein or leftovers from dinner (protein and veggie)

Dinner is usually protein and veggie

snacks might be a string cheese or an apple

i am eating at least 70 g of protein a day. I measure 4 oz pieces..eat and am hungry 30 minutes later. I don't stay full.

I have recently had a revision and to answer your question will be hard. Every doctor and center has their own criteria then you have to add in your insurance as well. I have tried to get a revision since 2000 but my insurance never had the bariatric rider. About three years ago it was added to our policy but they verbally told me no since I had already had one in a lifetime. I decided to go through the process and make them formally turn me down so I could get a lawyer. Yup I had one in a lifetime but not from them. I had to go through everything a new surgery would but more. I had to first have an endoscopy to see if there was a failure. I had a complication two years after my original and a general surgeon saved my life but while doing so changed my bypass. So for thirty years I had been dealing with that change. However my weight gain was still on me. My eating habits and what I ate was an issue. So during the endoscopy they found GERDS. All these years I thought I had bad sinuses that caused me to throw up every single morning till I could clear my stomach out. I even had sinus surgery trying to fix it. After a six month diet which I took full advantage of and changed every bad habit I had losing on my own 143 pounds that insurance company approved me. I was in shock. I had the original gastric bypass and revised to the same RNY procedure with long limb but a revision has a very low weight loss success. So that changing of every bad habit I have maintained during this surgery. I figured the success of the honey moon period was not so great for revisions I was going to have to buckle down. I am six months out and have surpassed statistics for revisions and even surpassed weight loss for a original RNY. I can say it is because I made the changes not all the surgery. So what the others have said is right.

Some insurance will fight you over already having it.

Most insurance will expect there to be a reason.

Some doctors do not believe in revisions unless life saving.

Some doctors are experienced and others are not. Never choose a doctor lightly I went out of town to ensure someone knew what they were doing.

You will need to work harder this time then last. So find a place for yourself mentally or you will go through this for nothing.

I am not familiar with the sleeve other than what it is as a surgery so I don't know much about it. I do know some people have had success in resetting a RNY pouch. My surgeon gives you free lifetime dietitian consultations for this very thing. If you have trouble losing the weight or start gaining it back you can return to the dietitians for free support. I have a friend that is struggling over gaining some back after having one long ago. She is going to bariatric support groups with me but she is doing the food changes on her own instead of seeking a revision. There are many ways to approach this. You first need to find out if your surgery is in tact or something has changed to fight against the weight loss.

Good luck!