Where to even start looking into Revision

Good morning all,

I've been poking around, now I'm ready to ask for help as to where I should be starting.

I live in VA, am 49, and I had a VGS 9 years ago - start weight was 282, lowest point of weight loss was 185.

I've had a lot of family trauma (my father was murdered and then my mother passed dramatically 1 year later, followed by MUCH drama from step father ongoing). I know the death and legal stuff from my father was stressing and I started eating poorly again, but I think that I HONESTLY didn't put the work in pre-surgery as far as figuring out the WHY...I'm not committed to revision surgery right now -- just thinking about it, researching, and trying to PUT IN WORK on the WHY part!

So, the help I'm looking for:

1) what type of revisions are available for VGS?

2) any recommendations for doctors in VA (northern VA specifically but willing to travel for better surgeon/results)? My original doctor was Denis Halmi from BluePoint (who now works 75 miles away at another practice, not interesting in going back to him but have looked into another doctor from his old practice, Dr. Amir Moazzez who now works at Inova Bariatric).

3) how do I now get to the WHY -- therapist?

4) i also know I need to figure out my untreated ADD (diagnosed after weight loss surgery, but I'm considering that the weight gain is related to some "typical" women ADD seeking stimulation from food --which I'm finding is more common in women and I had no idea it was even an issue or I would have attempted to address sooner.

5) I've read some posts about revision only offering 20lbs of losses...is that procedure specific, or just a general statement? Any input you have on this is appreciated.

6) anything else you think I need to be looking into, thinking about, researching, etc. websites, links, doctor info, etc. etc. etc. is GRATELY appreciated!!!

Your old stomach before the VSG could hold somewhere between 32 and 48 ounces of food at a time. Your sleeve could hold a few ounces. When I taught classes for pre-surgery patients, I did this demonstration.

I had an empty 2-liter bottle of soda. Next to the empty bottle I placed the cap from the bottle. The bottle represented the old stomach, the cap the new stomach. There is a dramatic difference in capacity.

With the new tiny stomach, weight falls off effortlessly. But after a few years, we learn how to eat as much as before the surgery. We learn to eat more servings of smaller amounts, usually eating a little bit at a time during most of the day.

This happens whether we have trauma in our lives or if we are perfectly happy and content. Most gain back twenty pounds in third year after surgery. By the fifth year at least half of patients have gained back 50 pounds. Many have gained back all of their lost weight before ten years.

You still have your sleeve. It may have stretched out from the overeating, but it never can get back to the size of your old stomach. A revision might make it an ounce or two smaller, but we have learned how to eat plenty of food with a small stomach.

The 20 pound loss is because of the diet to prepare for the surgery and the liquid diet a few weeks after while it heals. After that people go right back to eating as they always did and that is the end of the weight loss.

The only way to lose weight again is by eating less calories and burning more calories. A revision will not make that happen. What will make it happen is getting on a diet and exercise program and sticking with it.

I had RNY in 2007. Yesterday I was 12 pounds over my weight goal. I am working on losing those 12 pounds, but will be thrilled if I lose 6 of them in the next few months.

I have gained weight and taken it off again several times since surgery. I follow Weigh****chers and attend a virtual meeting every day. I love WW because I can have any food I want as long as I track it. I get great support from their team. I also exercise for 30 minutes at least 4 times a week.

I never again will have quick weight loss like I did after surgery. I accept the fact that I must be on a diet for life if I want to avoid weight gain. The revision that I had was in my brain.

Thanks so much for your reply - I know I've got some BRAIN REVISION to do before anything can happen for me (regardless of diet and/or surgical revision).

I was successful on WW many times before...I'm focusing this upcoming week or getting my water back up to what it needs to be...then maybe it's time to check out WW again. They do have a great tracking program!

Since the pandemic, their virtual meetings have really improved too.

I have been researching a revision to a duodenal switch from an RNY. It's extremely hard to find a doctor who will do a traditional DS most are doing a similar procedure called a Sadi. Some have great success since this has malabsorption of calories. However I'm new at researching this. It's complicaticated.

I had some issues like this, but don't need surgery, but your suggestion is really great. Thank you so much.