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I am 57 and had sleeve last year. Revision to bypass this year. Plenty of people here your age and much older that have done well. Good luck!

So, I was sleeved on 04/04/2011. The doc told my family that the surgery went awesome I was the easiest patient he had ever performed the sleeve on. Little did any of us know I was going to be the worst he had dealt with on the recovery end of things. In the hospital I had a hard time from the git-go they would bring me up my trays with all liquids on it and want me to sip I would attempt to sip on things but it never failed I would end up getting sick. The gas and the reflux and the nausea/vomiting was so overwhelming to my body. They tried to take the IV fluids out after a day but ended up having to put it back in because I became dehydrated. I ended up spending a total of 6 days in the hospital altogether and even on the 6th day they really didn't want to let me leave but they gave in. I went home to experience pure hell. I couldn't get anything down and I was still doing full liquids at this point. I once again got really dehydrated and ended up having to go to the Infusion Center for IV fluids this went on for awhile (a few appointments) let's just say they new me by face. After a couple attempts at I believe it was an upper GI which never worked do to the fact I couldn't get the barium yuk-yuk stuff down my doc decided to do a EGD where he went down into my tummy with the scope. His conclusion, I have a small stricture where my esophagus meets my stomach and he wants to just wait it out to see if it fixes itself.....so we wait and we wait and I'm not getting any better I go into see him on April 27th looking like death and end up going to the hospital to get a PICC line (TPN) inserted into my arm and pretty much from that day I have been having a lovely bag of I dunno every-night for dinner while I sleep. Still things aren't any better with trying to get liquids or soft foods down and I'm at a loss. Doc says something about stretching it out possibly or switching it to a Gastric Bypass which scares me to death. I just wanna feel somewhat normal again that's all I ask....I am scheduled for a second EGD on Monday the 16th (keep fingers crossed that they figure this out) So here's my questions.... 1. Besides it possibly being a stricture is there anything else it might be I could mention to my doc? 2. From what information I was able to give, has anyone ever experienced any of these issues or anything similar? If so what was it? 3. Does anyone know exactly what changing it to a Gastric Bypass is going to accomplish? Thanks so much for any help I'll take anything at this moment I am desperate begging down on my knees for answers. Diamond-n-the-rough

Hello! I'm about 2.5 months out from band to sleeve revision. I'm down 13 pounds since surgery. I'm very pleased!! I'm exercising daily - mainly walking/hiking outside with my dog or on the elliptical at the gym. I'm starting a "personal fitness quest" at the gym tomorrow (once a week butt kicking by a PT basically lol). Most days I have to remind myself to eat. I just went from liquids to puréed a couple weeks ago. I still drink at least one Protein shake per day most days - some days I just can't choke one down. This week I feel like I'm starving all day long. I just started my cycle. Wondering if that has something to do with my feeling so hungry. Nothing else is new or different really. Is my exercising catching up to me? I generally get up to 800 calories when I'm using my skim milk and fruit in my shakes and sometimes close to 900. Since I started puréed foods I've made puréed tuna (with spicy mustard) and chicken (buffalo chicken) and eat maybe half a cup of food in a meal. I like cream of whet but not really much protein there...if I have it I have it with the fairlife skim milk which has 13g of protein per cup. But sometimes diary makes me feel nauseous. So any advice? I think I'm eating the right amount of food. I'm eating my protein first. I'm constantly sipping Water. I just find it so strange to be feeling this hungry! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hey girl regain is actually common that far out on the sleeve statistically you are not alone. You could try to get revision to d switch or you could try to lose the lbs by following plan. Also maybe consider getting apetite suppressant to help if you feel hunger. This reads more like binge so maybe make appointment w counselor

Hi when I initially started this journey I was set up for a sleeve. After undergoing two endoscopies it was found that I have a small benign tumor in the lining of my stomach which will have to be removed during surgery but now I have to have a bypass. I am still going through with it but I am a little more nervous because bypass is more invasive or maybe it isn’t, any ideas about this ?

Thank you for responding...if you happen to find anything encouraging about revising from RNY to Distal RNY please let me know Sent from my SM-G920V using the BariatricPal App

I can't speak to specifics on the MGB, but when my wife and I first started looking seriously at WLS some fourteen years ago, it was an offbeat procedure looking to gain respect and legitmacy. Since then, both the DS and the VSG have gained general acceptance by the ASMBS, the insurance industry and Medicare as routine, mainstream bariatric procedures, while the MGB remains on the fringes. I would focus your research on understanding why this is. Usually the reason lies with some combination of effectiveness and complications. No one goes into this planning to need a revision (excepting the few cases where two step procedures are planned from the outset,), but having a viable "plan B" isn't a bad idea, and some procedures are more flexible in this regard than others.

**Sorry if this has already been asked, there are so many threads here!!!** Has anyone switched PCPs for the purpose of getting through surgery requirements? I haven't been seeing my doc very long (previous doc retired in Sept after being my doc for almost 10 years) but I don't think she's done many bariatric referrals. At my info seminar today they said some people choose to switch to a doc more knowledgeable with bariatrics for this process and either switch back after or stick with the new one because they know more about post-op stuff. Just curious if anyone has any experience with this. Oh, also - the surgeon I'm getting started with has done about 900 bariatric surgeries.~600 bypass, ~150 sleeves, the rest lap band. Are those good numbers experience-wise? It seems pretty good to me. Sent from my Nexus 5 using the BariatricPal App

no complications just sore I just had the revision done June 13 so far 11 pounds gone more than likely water weight buy I'll take it. I went back under in hopes of becoming a mother next year

Hello All, 16 years ago at the tender age of 19, I had the, now disgraced, Vertical Banded Gastroplasty procedure. Although I lost weight, I started throwing up 3-5 days a week for hours on end within two months of the surgery and have been that way ever since. 16 years later, I have all fake teeth (natural teeth can't stand that level of acid), am on huge doses of Nexium, and have serious esophageal problems, which could lead to cancer in the future. Also, it is REALLY terrible to throw up that often, and it really effects my quality of life. I also didn't maintain the weight loss, although I have been on Weight Watchers for a few months now, and have lost 45 pounds the old fashioned way. I got to the point where this started to make me mad! They say that often change doesn't happen until to actually get MAD! My parents and I started doing research and found out that the VBG can be revised into the gastric bypass. Does anyone have experience with this, especially with the insurance end? It took me 16 years to stop blaming myself and be willing to take action. Any help, hope, or encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Chelsea

Thank you so much for responding! I feel better already. If you don't mind me asking, were your complications similar to mine, throwing up all the time? What was it that finally changed their mind? Although I'm not doing this purely for the purpose of losing weight (symptom alleviation is first for me), did you find it was easy to lose weight once you had it revised? Are the side effects of the RNY better to deal with? It sounds like the VBG was a disaster for lots of people, and I'll bet many of them just suffer in silence. I'm glad to find someone who can relate. Looking forward to hearing from you!

I have friends who have had the Sleeve and they have been very successful. One friend who had the bypass had lost 100 lbs. but did not maintain due to lack of motivation and stopped going to the gym. I know I had done it before without surgery but I also realize that I'm a little older at this point. I thought it would be silly for me at this point to consider surgery but I need to do something to improve my health. Does anyone recommend a specific diet at this time? Has anyone started a bariatric surgery diet before their actual surgery and how long before?

I have beef and pork rarely because I have to crave them to eat them. They seem to sit well most of the time but I have “off” days with foods every once in a while. Chicken has been my biggest issue after my RNY revision but I’m slowly able to eat it now that I’m 9 months out from it.

Me too! This journey has been complex for me between the band erosion, gastric bleed, and now the revision. I feel for you but you are so totally safe in the hospital --lay back and heal.

Heyyyy it's yo girl. Got my arrival time for my butt lift and thighplasty tomorrow at 7:30 a.m., then 450cc silicone implants in-office on the 15th! Thus will conclude the plastic surgery journey. Prior to bypass I had a breast reduction w/ full nipple graft breast lift and full body liposuction. Post-bypass I had bra-line excision, arm lift, tummy tuck, and soon-to-be butt and thigh lift and implants. AMA! I'm officially an expert. lmao. There's nowhere else for them to nip and tuck! $$$$$$$$$$$ He was supposed to email me my before and after tummy tuck and arm lift but he forgot. I will post them this week when I remind him at my follow-up Friday.

I have PCOS and I have my initial visit with the dietitian at my surgeons office Mar 5 and decided on the gastric bypass vs the sleeve because of the PCOS. My symptoms are not that bad right now. I have the hair growth on the face and chest, and weight gain. Has anyone of you ladies noticed alot of weightloss since surgery? My biggest fear is getting the surgery only to discover that the weight is coming off really slow

@@jessdawn37 Don't give up hope! I actually went in for surgery in September 2012 and when I woke up I was told they couldn't do the surgery due to my liver. I thought that was a sign that I was meant to stay this way forever. I had gotten into a car accident in the parking lot of that clinic, and it seemed that whatever could go wrong always seemed to go wrong there. Fast forward to the end of 2013 and I decided to look into other doctors. I went to a surgeon who told me I should do bypass, but I know that wasn't the right decision for me, so I looked again and found Dr. Landerholm. I went in for a consult and told him how I gave up and he told me never to give up hope. He had me do a three week pre op diet and I had surgery last Monday (9/22). I also had a hiatal hernia repaired that the first surgeon said I didn't have, so I have to look at it as a blessing in disguise. If the first doc had done the sleeve, I'd still have a huge hole in my diaphragm where my stomach was stuck. If you would like to msg me please do: mkwhite1280@gmail.com

I apologize in advance for what is about to become a novel. So, some of you may have seen on other posts where I am/was having issues with my insurance company and the uncertainty of when I could actually have my surgery due to odd verbiage in my policy. I called UHC tonight to get names and dates of when I called back in October for my HR rep who has been working with our UHC rep to find out the specifics. That was the ONLY purpose in my call tonight. While on the phone with Patricia, my new best friend, she told me that she wanted to call Clinical Services just to check on the status of my file that I thought SHOULD have been submitted this week. I waited for a few minutes for her to return to the line. When she came back, she made a statement and told me to write a Case # down, so I did as I was instructed. And paused. After a few seconds of silence, she asked if I was still there. Once my mind wrapped around what she said, I asked "Did you just tell me that I was approved for surgery? I am approved to have the Gastric Bypass? That case # you just read to me is my proof of approval?" To which she responded with "Yes!" Of course, this then prompted the flood gates to swing wide open and allow the tears to fall. A little back story to help you better understand where I am coming from- I would have to say that my life (27 years young) has been challenging. I don't want pity, because as tough as the trials have been, they truly have made me stronger. They have made me ME! And I'm grateful. My sister was killed in a car accident when I was 8. There was an 18 year gap between us as she was from my father's first marriage. But my mom was basically her mom and played a huge role in her growing up. I never viewed her as a half sibling. She was a single mom of a 3 year old at the time. So, we adopted her son the day she left this Earth and I went from being the baby and 1 of 2 girls out of 3 children, to the middle child and only girl. It was a huge adjustment that I struggled with. My grandfather passed that same year a long with my father having his first heart attack months after. Fast forward a few years, I became involved with a guy who was emotionally, mentally AND sexually (yes- it's possible even if you're in a relationship with the person) abusive. I was 14 and truly believed that the behavior I received from him was due to my own mistakes. I was brainwashed and blind to the severity of the situation. Throw in two more heart attacks for my daddy and open heart surgery for 5 bypasses during this time as well. Children are very impressionable at that age, and it has taken me 13 years to forgive myself for sticking with him for 2 1/2 years. From that relationship, I dove into another one with a guy who was great at first. And then the physical abuse presented. I loved him. I NEEDED him..or so I thought. After all, he was the one who helped me move past my previous relationship. Finally, after a year and a half of hell with him, things ended. These two relationships, all before I was 19 did a huge number on my self confidence and damaged me emotionally. And then I met my husband. My saving grace. We have been married for 8 years. Things have been tough. We have experienced every hardship imaginable with the exception of infidelity. The biggest challenge being our inability to conceive due to my PCOS. I have wanted to be a mommy for so long and this surgery is my last hope at becoming one. But the straw that broke the camel's back and contributed to my weight gain began back in 2011 when my daddy was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer. We quickly learned that his diagnosis and prognosis were not promising as the cancer had already metastasized to his bones and his spine/ribcage/shoulder blades were covered in cancer. I literally watched him wither away for an entire year before he passed. I helped Mama as we became his caretakers when he became too weak to care for himself. He passed away 10 days shy of his 1 year anniversary from being diagnosed. On January 18th 2012, I lost my safe haven. And a part of myself. I have ALWAYS been a daddy's girl and did not handle his death very well. So I tell you that all, to tell you this- I truly did not expect to receive approval. Not on the first attempt or without having to put up a fight first. I have had the cards stacked against me what seems like majority of my life, and believed this would be a similar situation. To hear Patricia confirm my approval....I am in utter shock. I have read a multitude of post on here where people are posting their approvals and surgery dates and while I have been so happy for them, a part of me felt envy. Because I didn't think I was ever going to be THAT person. THIS person. I am so stinkin excited that I don't even know what to do with myself!!

Hi there! Yes, you will be weighed in at Orientation and every time after that. On March 3, 2016 I weighed in at 280lbs and made my mind up that moment that this ends here. Like you I had researched the sleeve as I had no idea it was an option after being rejected for the bypass several years prior. It is now July 25th and I weigh ready!!!!!! 138lbs! I have been pretty strict from the onset because the more you lose ahead of surgery the more you lose post op. I lost 43.00 lbs before my surgery oh my surgery date was June 8th 2016. So from March to June I lost the 43 by doing everything they told me you will get a big binder that will go with you everywhere. They do not play if you gain even 1lb you will have to get on track. Which Kaiser are you going to be attending classes? I attend Richmond. Anyway get your fun times eating in now while you are not chained to the scale. I still weigh myself everyday, just get use to it and it helps stay on track. I only missed a week of work as I have a desk job. But I was fine. The first few days at home afterwards you just want to sleep off all the meds. And I had a hernia repaired during procedure which is common. I am happy everyday that I made this choice. The hardest part was the beginning getting down the diet, weighing foods, drinking water and making lifestyle changes and I just walked 20 min a day, then jogged a bit, just anything you can do to move and what is best for circumstance. Some people have bad knees, health issues but how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time start slow then work up to it. There are even super cool chair workouts. I did not join a gym or anything fancy. Remember this is for you make that investment for yourself find music, whatever it takes to make you move, celebrate your small goals and big. This is for health not looks, that comes later. I still have loose skin and am still losing. Also taking your vitamins when you get to that place. Just had my labs taken 1 year out and all were great no deficiencies. Anyway believe in yourself, you can do this! Find a support group it really makes the difference to be around others doing this. And I was on this site lots, lots, lots pre op! Contact me anytime! Good luck! I attached a current pic sorry it would not rotate. All the best to you! Michele

Did your doctor give you a list of what was tolerated on the liquid diet? I would just follow what was suggested for the liquid diet phase. Each doctor has their own plan specialized for their patients. I had gastric bypass and had to do a full one week of protein, water and decaf tea. My friend who had the sleeve also did a full one week liquid diet but also was allowed one low cal meal.

I'm getting the gastric bypass done next month. And thank you for sharing[emoji173] Sent from my SM-G925T using BariatricPal mobile app

I actually have clothes from four different sizes of me as a result of previous diets that worked temporarily, before I gained all the weight back. So, I have wardrobe options on the way down. (My bypass is in February 2019.) I've decided that I will go out and treat myself to a new wardrobe once I'm at or near my goal weight.

Seriously! No one has answered to my post but a 1-2 peeps and nothing to help me I'll behaving surgery tomm. From a VSG to RNY. It would be so helpful if we had a forum just peeps who are considering, going through, or have questions about revisions. I hope this gets somewhere

Hi Aivey! Congrats on your baby. Well the band looks like it's more hazardous to your health, most insurances will not hesitate to revise you from band to whatever so if you choose which is most likely the VSG or the RNY. I doubt that you will have to wait a six-month diet prior to surgery. It all depends on your insurance too. I suggest to go ahead and speak to your surgeon and get the ball rolling Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I messaged Alex to create a forum special vsg to rny revision OR revisions alone. I could use the support as well. Massive gerd and possible hiatal hernia..going Nov 8th for my upper g.i. please feel free to add me ! Sent from my Z981 using the BariatricPal App