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they don't really bypass much of the intestine with RNY (not like they do with the DS), but then, I don't really know whether or not - or how much - of the intestine that they re-route is related to bile acids. I'd ask your bariatric surgeon, too. I've been hanging out on this and other boards for the last six or seven years, and this is the first time this has come up, believe it or not... P.S. if it would be an issue, then sleeve would probably still be an option, since that surgery is all on your stomach - they don't touch your intestines.

Hi y’all! I’m Shelly. I’m in Arkansas and I’m in the process of going through my 6 month of diet and exercise counseling that my insurance is requiring. I still have 4 months to go. I have a question though. I’m signed up to get the RnY but I have had pretty bad bile acid diarrhea for Years. So much so that I had developed rectal fissures that required surgery! I was talking to my gastroenterologist surgeon today at my last appointment and told him I was going to get the gastric bypass and would it Help with my bile acid problem. He is very Leary about me having the surgery since it is taking a part of my intestine that helps with the acid. He’s afraid it’ll make my problems a lot worse since there would be less intestines for the bile to travel and it would cause more diarrhea. Has anyone had any experience with bile acid diarrhea Before surgery!? Thanks

I’m 3 1/2 weeks out from my revision. I’m jealous that you cannot eat chicken for nine months. I hate chicken and that’s all I’ve been eating. 🙂

I had the revision surgery on May 19 and I have had no issues. With a sleeve I had issues swallowing and had to stay in the hospital another night. Basically I had no pain except a headache a couple days later. I’ve tolerated everything just fine. Frankly it was just much easier than the sleeve.

My wife was a twenty year diabetic, just short of being insulin dependent on about the strongest drug cocktail of the day when she had her DS, and it took her the better part of a year to be fully off of all meds for it, and 16 years later is still in solid remission. The doc told us that this is fairly typical, that the longer one has been diagnosed/under treatment, the longer it takes to fully go into remission. This is just a gross generalization, as we see many in these forums who walk out of the hospital free of meds and insulin with only a VSG or an RNY, so there can be a wide variety of responses. Your DS, particularly the "traditional" BPD/DS, is indeed the strongest tool against diabetes - our doc's experience is in the 98-99% remission rate area, which should not be too surprising as it started as a surgical treatment specifically for diabetes, to which the sleeve was added to make it a weight loss procedure. It also seems to be the most enduring procedure for it, as it seems to usually stay in remission even with a fair bit of regain, which happens sometimes, though less with the DS than with other WLS. A few years ago we had a gal come through our support group who had been a successful RNY patient for 20+ years, (the practice was not yet doing the DS at her time of surgery) but whose diabetes had come out of remission with only some moderate weight gain, so she was back to get her RNY revised to the DS to knock it out for good. So, it is an excellent first choice for a diabetic WLS patient. Good luck in your adventure!

yea - that would be pretty rare - bypass usually improves if not cures GERD. Sorry you're dealing with this...that is awful!

Yeah I actually had a successful fundoplication 21 years ago and as bad as my reflux was then I never had ulcers. The bypass is usually the next step after a fundoplication if it’s just for GERD so I shouldn’t be having issues. I guess it’s really rare. I am on a PPI and also carafate which we just switched to the liquid today because I’m getting worse and not better. If this doesn’t work I’m not sure what they will do as far as the actual ulcers go.

Oh I am so sorry you are dealing with that now! I am pre-surgery and have problems with GERD and ulcers, so my hope is the bypass. The liquid meds that coat your esophagus helped me, and the Prilosec. I easily gave up tomatoes, citrus, and severely cut down coffee. I’m already lactose intolerant so avoid milk and hidden milk like the plague. That can make you vomit/GERD too. I wish you the best.

So I know people can have reflux problems after a sleeve, but I apparently am one of the rare cases of having severe issues after bypass. I currently have 2 large ulcers. They are talking revision surgery. Has anyone had this issue? I am only 5.5 months post bypass.

I’m so sorry you are going through this. I would talk to the doctor. This week I will be at three weeks post op. I stopped the omperazole less than a week after because I found I didn’t need it. I only had two bouts vomiting and I think one was because I hated what I was eating and the other one was because I wasn’t paying attention and probably did not chew well enough. My biggest issue is that I am picky and don’t like ground chicken or ground turkey and I miss vegetables more than I could ever imagine. My experience could be a bit different because I had a revision for my sleeve because I screwed it up and gained on my weight back. Good luck and I hope things get better for you soon

Hello everyone. So I had gastric bypass 6 weeks ago today and I am still miserable! I get sick every time I eat. I can’t keep my vitamins down. I have tried two different vitamins and both have made me sick. I do take omperazole everyday. I’m not sure what to do now, or if this is normal to still feel so bad after 6 weeks. At this point I’m regretting getting this done. If someone has some suggestions please let me know. Thanks!

I have read that since gas does not go into the stomach after bypass or stay in the pouch it travels directly to the small intestine which is below the ribs on the left side, try to avoid gassy foods and take digestive enzymes with meals (chewables) and see how you feel. It tends to get trapped in the blind portion of small intestine as well (at least from some reading I have done) if it persists then you investigate further.

So I am 1 month post op and am down 28 lbs. my starting weight was 245 lbs, My surgery day weight was 235 lbs and I’m now 217 lbs. I have no regrets. I had the gastric bypass on 5/6. My heartburn that I’ve experienced for years is GONE. It’s like magic. My sleep apnea is already better and I’m fitting into clothes that have been excruciatingly tight. I have more energy and can climb stairs at work without wanting to die. I have zero regrets. However, this decision was a risk benefit analysis. In my mind the risks of serious health complications secondary to my obesity were way higher than me getting the surgery. That’s not to say that this has been easy. I have a complicated relationship with food. I eat too much, I vomit. I eat something like candy (even the smart low sugar candy) I get dumping. Mashed potatoes, one of my favorite foods makes me dump. But I’m now craving healthy food like salad, fruits and veggies instead of Taco Bell and soda. If you feel like you’re ready and truly understand the risks than go for it. So far the best thing I’ve ever done.

I am two years post op (Gastric Bypass > Route En Y) and I do not regret my decision. I have lost almost 100 pounds and went from a size 16 to a size 4/6. It definitely has been a journey overall, but having the surgery for me put me back in control over my life. It forced me to identify the root/cause of why I was overweight and as I result I sought help mentally/and physically which has changed me forever. Granted, I still have moments where I do ask myself the same question just because I haven’t reached my target/goal weight and I have struggled with remaining consistent with exercise, getting enough fluids in (water) and having excess sagging skin. The ideal image after weight loss surgery that you may see on social media is not applicable for everyone’s situation because each person is different. I have found that theses images that are portrayed are sometimes helpful, but also can be hurtful because the content shared may not be 100% truthful. I am not sure if this is something that you have found to be challenging but for me it has been, because sometimes people on social media portray that sagging skin was completely tightened by exercise when it reality they had skin surgery to remove excess skin; for example. I have also found that after making such a great change, the people who said they supported me, have now began to ostracize me because they are envious, spiteful and refuse to acknowledge that change is necessary to be able to live a fulfilling life. Had I had known, that having weight loss surgery would reveal true intent of others as well, I would have had the weight loss surgery sooner! Regardless, I had the surgery for me, so that I can live freely! Being 2 years post op, I know only take vitamins and 1 maintenance drug to assist with some mental issues that I am still struggling with but besides that all of the health issues/conditions that I faced before have subsided. I also have identified specific food intolerances which I try to stay away from and I’m constantly reminding myself to slow down when eating to prevent indigestion and reflux. I do not eat or use dairy products because I have an dairy allergy/intolerance which existed before the surgery. I also do not have a galbladder, so I there are some foods my body doesn’t digest well. I primarily foods that are dairy free, gluten free, Non-GMO and have either low sugar content/low sodium content. I had a stomach ulcer last year; as a result of having the surgery and as a result I was hospitalized for a week. From my understanding it is common for weight loss surgery patients to have this issue post op. I also had kidney stones last year as well, which was a extremely painful ordeal, but I made it through. Even with all of the challenges that I have faced, I am still grateful that I had the surgery! Sharing my story with others has been liberating, freeing, and inspiring experience and has influenced multiple people to make decisions towards their own weight loss and one person even had weight loss surgery, as well. Overall, I hope that you don’t regret your weight loss surgery decision, because it’s your life and you live it the way you want to live it! I hope that reflecting on how far you have came will increase your inspiration and motivation, because having weight loss surgery is only half the battle. I start over almost everyday, but I refuse to go back to where I came from. I wish you nothing but the best in life and congratulations on your successful journey!

by revision, I bet she met gastric bypass (RNY). About 30% of sleevers develop GERD, and a minority of those get it bad enough that they revise to bypass (bypass often improves if not cures GERD). Although if it's mostly due to the hiatal hernia, she may be able to fix that when she gets in there.

My 5 year surgery date is September 2021. I had an unremarkable recovery from my sleeve surgery. I lost 110 pounds but have put about 15 back on (or had... I have lost 9 of those). The biggest "issue" I had post-surgery was either hiccuping or sneezing when I was full. About a year ago, I started having acid issues. They've progressed to the point of significant GERD. I had been taking a PPI but it stopped working at all... seriously, I wake up at night coughing and gagging because there is stomach acid pretty much in my back teeth! Anyhow, for the last year I've been taking the PPI until it stops working, go off of it for about a month, take it again and it helps a bit but then stops working... wash, rinse, repeat. Four or five months ago I started having horrible pain with eating on occasion and would sometimes throw up. The vomiting has become almost a daily occurrence although not with every meal, and with no predictability. SO I called my surgeon, she listened to my complaints, and sent me for an upper GI swallow. The films show that I have a hiatal hernia and a narrowing of my esophagus. They could tell this because the 12mm barium coated sizing-pill that they had me swallow, to track it through my system, wouldn't go through the esophageal opening into my stomach. There is also narrowing of the pylorus, at the bottom of my pouch, but they can't tell how narrow because the stupid sizing pill was stuck in my esophagus! When I talked to my surgeon after she saw the films, she had me scheduled for an endoscopy (on 6/18) and surgery (on 6/22) to put my pouch back where it belongs, close the enlarged opening in my diaphragm, and to open up my esophagus. She also said- rather offhand- that depending on what she sees in the endoscopy/surgery that I might need a revision. I believe this was in referral to the pyloric narrowing, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure I really know what a revision is. My surgeon is a leader in robotic bariatric surgery, but she's not much for communication and "bedside manner." Anyhow... I don't know what to expect from all of this, what post-op requirements would be, etc. Surgeon scheduled the surgery as she said it clearly needs to be done, just wants the endoscopy done so there are "no surprises" once she gets in there. She also said to expect to be in the hospital for a couple of nights. I really don't know what to expect and have called her office for clarification but so far, no response. I guess I am sharing here to see if anyone has had anything like this happen this far out from surgery, has any advice or guesses, experience with this to share, etc.

I transitioned from a stapling to bypass and I’ve lost 100 pounds since January 20. Still losing.

I had band done 8 years ago and lost 50 pounds. Slowly went back up to starting weight of 332. Had bypass done on May 19. Lost 10 pounds during liquid pre-op and another 14 pounds since bypass. I had no complications from surgery, no pain after and feel great! I am supposed to be on puréed food until Wednesday, but the site of puréed food makes me gag. I’ve been eating mushy turkey and chicken breast and have handled it well. I had reflux from the band and major swallowing problems but that seemed to have disappeared. I do take omeprezole and something so I don’t get gallstones along with multivitamins. Keep us posted on what you decide.

My surgeon explained it to me that the issue is that if the liver is still too fatty after the pre-op diet it's just impossible to lift up the liver to do the bypass. My bloods b4 the pre-op diet showed that my liver was very fatty and so I had to do the pre-op diet for 18 days beforehand rather than 14. The nutritionist's diet sheet included carbs, so I didn't go into ketosis as some people do. So, I'll be honest, I was hungry most of the time, but I did what all the other posters here did and drank plenty & filled up on veggies. I managed to stick to it simply because it was so time limited. I knew it was only for 18 days and the surgeon had told me of one patient who he'd opened up but whose liver was still too fatty to move, so he'd had to sew him back up again without doing it and I was determined not to let that happen if I could help it. Just focus on the fact that it's only for a very short period of time. The hunger is good - you're losing weight and visceral fat. You can do it!

I also had the bypass 9 months ago. Did you figure out why you were having the cramps? Mine was eating Maltitol, a fake sweetener found in a lot of foods. I stopped eating it and feel a lot better now.

Right before my revision surgery, I questioned why I had to adhere so strictly to the preop diet (especially since I was at my goal weight) I was told that not only does the pre-op diet reduce the fat in the abdominal cavity making it easier to navigate during surgery, but it also reduces any fat remaining inside the liver. They took preventative measure for better surgical outcomes. The liver is one of the organs that must be lifted in order to reach the digestive track. If it has too much fat, it is not pliable and becomes prone to injuries like tears, scaring and even breaking. My surgeon asked me to imagine a marbled steak as opposed to a leaner steak. The fat filled areas of the steak will tear easier that the purely muscular areas. After that conversation I (begrudgingly) complied with the pre-op diet.

Gastric bypass Sent from my U693CL using BariatricPal mobile app

Oddly enough, when we discussed VSG vs bypass in my initial consult, he said the usual for VSG patients is around 60% of excess weight lost long term, so that would make even less sense for his goal weight. I’ve had a lot of issues and complaints with the facility where I had my surgery in the first place, so this just adds to the list of frustrating advice I’ve been given. My surgeon can’t even get my starting weight before surgery right to track my progress correctly despite me showing him on my paperwork what I weighed the day of surgery.

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I am having a revision from sleeve to bypass June 14th. I started my pre-op diet Sunday and it's not too bad. I'm starting to get nervous though. Not looking forward to having to do this all over AGAIN.. I had my sleeve done in Oct 2017, and it hasn't been a fun ride since. I hope this time it turns out better. I am ready to get it over with 🤨😬.. . Wish everyone luck and a speedy recovery..