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I know a lot of people who have trouble with acid reflux and never had a band at all. Will your ins. pay for revision to by pass?

I am sorry this is happening to you. I am guessing you are younger and not post menopausal. I did not reading about this issue early on and honestly you can adjust your diet but the deficiency may not be overcome solely through diet and supplements or infusions may be your only option outside of having a revision that changes your surgery so that more of the Iron from the food you eat is absorbed. So many think that malabsorbtion in bypass ends after a period time. I cannot find anything that confirms that, everything I have read states it will continue and that is why we are on Vitamins for the rest of our lives. I really hope that your doctor can find a solution that works for you and I hope that you feel better soon!

RJC5197.....It seems to be a lifelong battle I guess! I wish you the best your revision [emoji2][emoji106]

At 3 months out I can eat a cup of chili, and most other foods without feeling full. i eat no more since that is the max amount for calories for that meal. I had a revision and Dr said I have a normal size pouch, but I took this as a less sensitive pouch. I also never felt other than satisfied, never full or stuffed like others say they do, so I am glad I am not alone.

Since Aetna denied my request for a revision I will be a self pay . What kind of complications Policy is out there to cover the potential of costs due to complications? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Here's my story, it's kind of long but I'll try to keep it short. June 30th I found a revision surgeon in Mexico who was able to take out my band and do a sleeve in one surgery. He is board certified in bariatrics (in MX) and is the president of the Mexican College of Bariatrics. Anyway, shortly after surgery, I got horrible GERD. Started off with one prilosec a day, quickly moved to two, and Gaviscon for symptoms, then on to dexilant. After a couple of days the dexilant wasn't working completely and I had to add some pepcids at night. I went to a local bariatric surgeon and he told me that because I had the revision in one surgery, that there was absolutely no way that my sleeve was the right shape. He said that the surgeon would have had to cut around the area of the band, leaving an area where acid would get caught and cause GERD forever. He said my only options were either: to take PPIs forever for the GERD or revise to bypass. And, insurance would never cover the revision to bypass. He said it was too early to do any kind of contrast study and told me to come back in three months. Yesterday I ran across this story: https://houstonsleevesurgeon.com/interesting-case-severe-acid-reflux-after-gastric-sleeve-surgery/ This patient's case is so much like mine. She had GERD for 10 years and mine has just started, but similar. She was "placed on escalating doses of PPIs in hopeless attempts to control her symptoms" and had "an incompletely resected gastric sleeve". In other words, it was pretty much what the bariatric surgeon had told me: "A retained gastric fundus may contribute to intermittent relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter leading to reflux. Furthermore the gastric fundus may allow for an acid pocket to form in the vicinity of the gastric cardia leading to acid reflux. A retained gastric fundus may also cause delayed gastric emptying further exacerbating acid reflux. The gastric fundus is a posterior structure and it can easily be incompletely resected during sleeve surgery. " So, I contacted the doctor that wrote this and he wrote me back and we've emailed back and forth a bit. He is telling me that - if the surgeon left gastric fundus then it would be an easy fix to resect it and avoid conversion to bypass. He also said I would need endoscopy and a contrast study to determine what is going on with my sleeve. I see a GI on Tuesday and I hope he will help me with this. I'm excited about the prospect of getting rid of this GERD and keeping my sleeve, but this surgeon is in Houston. I'm in Florida. He suggested I find a reflux specialist or a surgeon here that could handle my case. If - the surgeon left fundus - I would have to find a surgeon here that would be willing to resect the fundus. That's clearly not the surgeon in town that told me "PPIs or bypass" I would have to find someone who would be willing to try the procedure that this Houston doc is suggesting. This is going to be difficult - and possibly expensive.

@@FloraBama Girl: That's cool! I had revision because of reflux as well. Feeling good so far.

@FloraBama congratulations to you and glad to hear you are doing well. I'm about less than 30 minutes from having the same revision done as well in MX!!! Sent from my LG-LS980 using the BariatricPal App

@@CrystalS86 I never even thought about the DS. All I knew was gastric bypass, the infamous lap ban, and the sleeve. The DS just looks too complicated for my liking. I was a little bit on the fence about the gastric bypass because I didn't like the idea of me being all cut up internally, but I've seen too many complications with the sleeve where patients had to have a revision to bypass. The sleeve was my first choice, but I choose the gastric bypass for the longevity and the amount of weight I need to lose. Not to say I wouldn't be successful with the sleeve, but I need to lose more weight than I am "assuming" the sleeve won't be able to provide for me. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My surgery was July 28 I had a revision from sleeve to MGB. My reflux is gone. So happy already.

Just be careful I was 35 at initial weigh in but 34 BMI at surgery. Now two years later my new doctor wants to do a revision but Tricare denied it because I was 34 BMI at time of original surgery. Working on an appeal right now though.

Hello I was wondering if anyone has filed an appeal for a revision? I had to do a pathway program in order to get my original surgery and fell to a 34 BMI but was able to still get the surgery because of my starting weight. It's been two years and my new doctor says they screwed up my sleeve and I need a revision but Tricare denied me do to being only 34 at the original surgery. Any tips on what to put in my appeal to get this done would be appreciated. I had my original surgery done in an Army Hospital if that helps anyone Thanks

So I'm new to this but I had a hernia repair and a lap band revision to gastric sleeve on July 19th! I'm pretty excited with this new choice of life but confused at the same time. I never know if I'm eating enough I always have a rumble in my stomach. I'm not able to drink anymore than one bottle of Water a day. I sip on it all day but never exceeded one bottle. I know that's not good and I'm probably dehydrated but I feel stuffed after a few swallows but my stomach sounds like it needs food. I eat sf Jello, broth, Greek yogurt, and strained Soups but I'm not sure how much it too much. After two spoons of something I'm done. Is this normal?? My doctor has now allowed mushy foods. What should I eat and how much is normal? On the bright side I've lost a total of 19lbs but it sounds so unhealthy.

@@reinventingme63 I'm so sorry, I just saw this today. My band removal went without a hitch and I was back up on my feet within a week or so... are you healing or healed now? I've heard of all sorts of reasons for people to have their bands removed, but not issues with the wounds not closing. I can't believe your doc was so callous to just stick his finger in there, ouch! Are you going to have a revision? All of my best thoughts and prayers to you...

They forced me to have my band unfilled. It's been a few months now. They had me come in to un-fill it after I was approved for the revision. It is for my esophagus and stomach to return to normal before my revision. My lapband will be removed and sleeve done in one outpatient procedure. I haven't received my surgery date yet. Unfortunately, during these months, some of my weight came back (18 of my 100 lb lost so far) and can't wait to get my surgery date so I won't gain too much more back.

Hello my name is Mary. In 2008 I had lap-band surgery. I lost about 40 pounds and that was it. I had a lapband to sleeve revision in 2012. What a nightmare it has been. I have gone from 235 pounds to 140. I was down to 120 and still losing. I was so sickly looking. I made my own protein shakes that were about 1200-1500 calories a piece to be able to gain the weight. My problem is from the moment i had this surgery I have always thrown up. I was not even able to swallow my own spit for a while. I was so dehydrated the first week I had to have IV fluids. The second week I ended up in the hospital for 8 days. Another exploratory surgery where they found a piece of scar tissue and removed it. This did not help the problem. They even tried putting me on nausea meds that they use for cancer patients with no help. I had to have a pic line in my arm for a week. I finally was able to come home. I was so weak and sick I seriously thought I was going to die. I have threw up everyday for the last 4 years. I have had barium swallows, endoscopy and my bariatric surgeon wants to convert it to a bypass. For almost 2 1/2 years I have just refused. I once again had another endoscopy this morning and the gastroenterologist and my bariatric surgeon both said that I have a curve in my sleeve and only a small amount of food is able to pass through and the rest is coming up. I am 54 years old I can not even go out to dinner with my husband to eat dinner due to the throwing up. I am looking for someone who has had the sleeve converted to the bypass. How bad was it?

I got a sleeve to mini gastric bypass revision in Tijuana on July 28.

Hi I have had 3 stages of excess skin removal I had arms, breasts and bra line back lift (stage one) Hip to hip tummy, vertical chest wall(stage 2) Tummy revised to Fleur de Lis and full medial thigh lift I had an awesome surgeon in Sydney named Dr Kevin Ho Happy to share pics if your interested Sarah

I had planned the Fleur de Lis but my surgeon was hoping to get it tight enough without the vertical, look great for a few weeks but because of my poor skin tone it needed to be revised at my next stage so was done at same time as my thigh lift Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I was banded ten years ago. I was very successful, I lost 125 lbs with the band. Wonderful, right? Except for the bad stuff...the vomiting when something gets stuck, the port bothered me, even ten years later I could lay on my side and it would give me a tweak. Overall though, my surgeon called me a success story. Nine years go by, and I'm staying pretty steady. I've since gotten married, had two beautiful children, and remained around 185 lbs (I was 305 when banded). Then about a year ago I started having acid reflux and I was gaining weight...and fast. I turned to comfort foods, which exacerbated the problem. Finally I went to get a fill, and was told by my surgeon that he doesn't do fills anymore, but if I want to work with Janine(his asst) she is over here at this program. So I go, and I find about about lap revision to sleeve. At this point I've gained 70lbs with no explanation. The surgeon was amazing. On July 13th I was revised from the band to a sleeve and I feel great. And all those people that tell you that this totally different? Absolutely! I wish you all then best!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Seems like no one does revisions in the Huntsville Alabama region Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I was at my PCP's today and she gave me a funny look when I said the dexilant I'm taking wasn't taking care of all the acid and that I was taking two pepcid every night too. That's unusual I'm sure, but how unusual is it for a sleeve patient? I've had a local bariatric surgeon tell me that I will have no choice but to revise to bypass if the GERD is this bad at this point. My surgeon tells me nothing - just that it may improve, or might not. Is there anyone here who had really bad GERD after surgery that improved over time - even went away? Please, give me some hope. I really don't want another surgery. -Anne

I felt pretty good after the first week you might need a nap once you get them to school! You will be able to do it! By the second week I felt awesome ! I revised from the band also! I was sore but I was able to do what I had too .And I'm 54 so I've got a few years on you !

Even though I'm not what I call "bariatric royalty", I have social media with most, because of how I choose to support the wls community. Of course all of us will vary in our communication styles, as well as how we perceive intent. There really is no need to be rude though, and that's why I understand the reason for this post. Also not knowing every aspect of someone's medical and mental health history, when people struggle, a lot of people jump to conclusions, that they shouldn't. I guess the best way to explain where I'm coming from is that I've seen people feeling like they failed their wls from eating Cookies. For one person that failure is eating one cookie, for another a bite of a cookie, for some it's the entire package. People can be straight to the point without being rude. There is nothing that any of us post ops, newbie to grads, can really prepare anyone for how they will respond to wls. 3 out of 5 us in my immediate family had wls, same surgeon, same DNA, all of us are grads and completely DIFFERENT experiences post wls. For my sister and my Dad, it worked better for them not participate in anything wls (even though my Dad is a revised peep 13 1/2 years ago and still SMO) I remember the first 2 years post rny, I did struggle with head hunger. My surgery did what it was supposed to do. Then I found a love of exercise at 2 1/2 years post rny and got thinner and fitter than I ever dreamed (went from a size 24 to a 9/10 the 1st 2 years post rny). However when I talked about struggling in 2002 to mid 2004, people who were grads were mean to me. Then I got thinner and fitter when they started to falter. So between being too busy and lack of support, I just lived my life, until my complications nearly killed me (I started actively participating on Facebook in early 2010) and saw that not all wls peeps are going to be hateful and that there was support to give and take. But knowing there will always be haters. I've had people bluntly and/or hatefully say they would never regain weight, like I did, from 2007 to 2009, who've apologized years later, when they ended up gaining more weight than I did, with less trying circumstances. I've had anonymous haters tell me that they will never be like me, tell me that they would rather die than lose their wls tool but they weigh over 200 lbs more than I do. I guess the best way I can explain why I support this thread, and I'm not in any wls community, constantly, is you never know what people are truly going through. And even if someone is 3 days post wls, is just leaving the hosptial and is talking about wanting to go through the drive thru at Taco Bell, there's NEVER any reason to be mean. That's a sign someone needs acute medical and mental health help and support, usually best given by a clinically trained professional. NOT a 2-3 year post wls patient who hasn't walked in their shoes. The best way I can explain what I'm trying to say and I know I'm wordy, it's not much different than when someone says "If I can do it, anyone can". No, they may not be able to do it, you/we don't know all of their circumstances and none of us are EVER an expert on someone else's experience. Whether it be WLS related or anything else.