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I'm down almost 100 pounds in 5 1/2 months, and it's been easy. Whatever you've tried so far hasn't worked; this will, if you let it. And it IS reversible - you can have the band unfilled, you can even have the band removed. This ain't gastric bypass surgery. And it's an extremely safe surgical procedure.

Of course the people who are posting in a "Gastric band to bypass revision" are people who had problems with the gastric band. That doesn't tell us anything about percentage of the total GB population who are/are not having problems. People who have no problems with their band are not going to see Dr. Rutledge complaining about their band, and probably are not posting in forums on revisions. The plural of "anecdote' is not "data".

Hi Do you think it’s the amount of protein that’s giving you an issue? Wonder why. Too rich!? I have 30g of protein in my shake. Did with the sleeve and now with bypsss. Mind you I’m only about 2 1/2 weeks out from my Bypass and split it with two meals for now. Could it be the flavor?. Is it mixed with water? I oddly enough find that cookie and cream give me a stomach ache. 

I fell in love with Victoza a few years ago. My doctor prescribed it for me around Thanksgiving of 2010. It took a couple of months, but I noticed that my appetite was nowhere what it was before I started taking it. And I was losing weight (both of which are "side effects" of Victoza). All in all I lost about 60 pounds in a year by Thanksgiving of 2011. Unfortunately it pretty much stopped working for me at that time, and I gained all that weight and then some in 2012. One of the reasons I elected to go with the bypass surgery.

Ok, it's 2:30 am, just got back in from a great night seeing people I have not been with in 3+ years. But wanted to say today I found my cheekbones! I'm 6 weeks post op bypass. First pic take a couple years ago when I last saw this group This pic I just now took. Sorry for the bags under my eyes. It's late! So this is what My 50 year old face looks like!?!? I see a mini face lift in my future! Lol

My mother had the gastric bypass and had no waiting period at Cleveland clinic due to it being to get extra skin for a really huge hernia. No nut appointments, nothing. And I watched her be very sick from not doing as she should. So, I have already been drinking 1 protein shake a day getting ready. Also watching what I eat and drinking plenty of water, which I never drank before. Wanting to be my best for sure! I also do research daily on this and exercises to help my wls succeed to the fullest.

No. Sleeves don't really stretch. The stretchy part, or fundus, was removed during surgery. It would take years of grossly overeating to the point of vomiting to actually stretch it enough to where you're eating significantly enough to cause weight gain. Can the sleeve relax and complete healing over time allowing more food to be eaten? Absolutely.That's why it's important for us not to just count on sleeve restriction and pay more attention to what we are eating for when that time comes. And to the OP: You can have 10 different weight loss surgeries, but the fact of the matter is if your head isn't in the game, NONE of them will work. Like Ann said, look inside and try to figure out what caused you to not succeed before, and then figure out the steps it will take to help you become successful whether you decide on revision surgery or give this one antother go. Your sleeve hasn't changed, it's just waiting for you to.

I'm in the same boat, sort of. I was sleeved 2 years ago and immediately had severe GERD with the worst symptoms when my stomach was empty, so my weight loss was slow and I've regained the little I lost. I was supposed to be having revision to bypass in April, but that was postponed due to the pandemic. At this point, I'm just waiting until they can start scheduling surgeries again, hopefully by the end of June. My surgeon said my weight loss should be closer to 50-60 lbs, which I think I'd be happy with. I have regretted going for the sleeve since day one and am hoping that bypass alleviates some of GERD symptoms.

None of the procedures really "cures" the diabetes, but they can knock it into remission; if you regain the weight, there is a good chance that the diabetes will follow it. When my wife and I started looking at WLS almost ten years ago, it was thought that the intestinal rerouting done in the RNY and DS was responsible for the metabolic changes that drove the diabetes into remission; since then, as the sleeve has become more popular as a stand alone procedure, it has been found that it, too, has a metabolic influence on diabetes and many leave the hospital without need of meds or insulin, so it isn't strictly a function of the weightloss as previously thought, and the remission rate for the sleeve is similar to that of the RNY, typically in the 80-85% range. If treating diabetes is ones' primary concern, then one should look seriously at the DS as well as that procedure has a diabetes remission rate of around 98%. This should not come as a surprise as the DS started as an intestinal rerouting procedure targeting diabetes to which the sleeve was added to make it a weight loss procedure as well. The DS is a longer and more technically challenging procedure for the surgeon which is why many don't offer it (but those that do tend to be from the top of the class, so those are guys who are well worth investigating no matter which procedure one chooses.) It will also usually be the more expensive procedure, but its also the most powerful in terms of weight loss and regain resistance. I was talking to a woman at our support group a few months ago who had an RNY 25 years ago and by all measures has been very successful with it, maintaining her normal weight range - up until just a few years ago when some of life's stresses brought back some of her long lose weight (not the 100+% regain we sometimes read of, but maybe 50-60%) and with it her long lost diabetes. Her weight is not overly excessive (at least these days in the western world!) but it is the diabetes that has her concerned, so she is pursuing a revision to the DS to knock it out. Deciding on what WLS procedure to pursue is not easy - for me starting as a relative lightweight with around 100lb to lose and reasonable dietary discipline developed over these past few years of working to avoid WLS (but no diabetes,) the VSG was the choice for me; for my wife with her diabetes and 200+ to lose, the DS was the better choice, and she still maintains after eight years that she could not have been successful with just the VSG (or the RNY.) A great presentation on the different characters of WLS procedures is here - http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/4416773/quotDoes-the-Patient-Fail-the-Procedure-or-Does-the/action,replies/topic_id,4416773/page,1/ I fully understand the cost concerns, and the interest in only going through this once. We self paid for my wife's DS and it was definitely the way to go for us. Some at a similar starting point can get by with the RNY or VSG, but it takes a somewhat different character to do so. In the close to ten years that I have been in this world (only the past 20 months or so on my VSG,) we have seen a few three time WLS patients - band revised to RNY revised to DS to get what they needed, so it is well worth the time to research the heck out of this to get the best fit for your needs. One final bit of perspective on my VSG and why the RNY was never a serious consideration for us (beyond the basic differences that are usually brought out in threads about the RNY vs. VSG like no NSAID use, possible dumping, and misc. nutritional issue after the RNY,) is that should the RNY fail us and needs revising to something else like the DS, that is a very complex revision for which only a very few surgeons (on the order of a half dozen in North America) are qualified to do, while the VSG is an integral part of the DS so a future revision is fairly straightforward should it be necessary. Good luck on something that is not an easy decision,

I do eat gummy multi vits .iI is hard for me to swallow vits. I do take a B 12 shot once a month. Multivitamins in the am and evening. In addition, Iron with C. You can go to Bariatric Advantage to order your stuff. They also have guidelines of what you should be taking after sleeve or bypass surgery. My hospital gave me my vit/ min recommendations.

Hi my name is Christine and I am 14 days post surgery from Roux en y gastric bypass surgery and my Dr told me pre surgery that I could flavor my food with Splenda however if u use a lot it can cause uncomfortable symptoms like nausea which I experienced this morning after morning coffee(decaf). Can anyone expand on this subject!!! It would be extremely helpful!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had my surgery on June 1st, 2018 by Dr. Monk in York, Pa. I've experienced nothing but good from Dr. Monk and his team. I chose this surgeon because he has an amazing sense of humor, a stellar track record, and he preformed my grandmother's bypass years ago. I know I definitely made the right decision. If you are looking for a surgeon in south/central PA, I highly recommend Dr. Monk and his team at Wellspan Bariatric Surgery in York.

I’m 5 weeks post op, I had the gastric bypass. Like you I have pressure in my pouch, I feel like my dr isn’t taking it seriously and I’m so worried because I live off of water and isopure protein which I’m having a hard time tolerating.

I had the same regurgitation issues you mentioned. I got my band in 2010 and was revised to sleeve this past October. The sleeve has been a breeze. I really enjoy not having that port. As for insurance, my revision was covered due to the acid reflux problems without meeting BMI requirements. Each insurance is different though. I do not regret my decision at all. I liked my band, but had extreme anxiety about eating around others for fear of getting stuck. The sleeve has opened a new world.

The Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery estimates that 18 million adults in the U.S. qualify for weight-loss surgery, but only about 1 percent actually do it. The length of recovery and cost concerns are the main reasons more people don't have such procedures. Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty is a non-surgical weight loss procedure that is commonly referred to as ESG and also known as the incisionless gastric sleeve or the accordion procedure. Instead of incisions, stapling and removing parts of the stomach, a tiny camera and tools go down a patient's throat with a needle and thread. Specialized tools mark out guidelines in the stomach, sutures are placed in triangular patterns and the area is cinched together. Stomach size is reduced by 70 to 80 percent. ESG works by reducing the space inside your stomach and by slowing down the rate at which food empties from your stomach. Unlike the band, sleeve, and bypass, however, which are surgical procedures, the ESG procedure is non-surgical. Access to the stomach is gained not through incisions in the abdomen but endoscopically, i.e. through the mouth. Like the surgical procedures, the ESG is performed under general anesthesia, and it takes about 1 hour to complete. A device called the 'Overstitch' is inserted into the stomach and reduces the stomach capacity from the inside by stitching the stomach together with a series of approximately 6 stitches. https://www.healthierweight.co.uk/non-surgical-gastric-sleeve/esg-or-gastric-sleeve/ https://www.mooremetabolics.com/weight-loss/endoscopic-sleeve-gastroplasty/ http://bmiclinic.com.au/endoscopic-sleeve-gastroplasty/

Yes, it's totally possible. My four-month surgiversary is next week and I've lost a little over 97 pounds, 73 of which were since surgery. (I'd love to hit 100 by then!) Obviously I've got more to lose than you do, which helps it go fast at first, but I've had outstanding results so far with a very smooth recovery. Also, since the surgery, my bad knee is down to the occasional twinge and I've been taken off two prescriptions, and my bloodwork results are A+ across the board. I also have a lot fewer painful issues (food hurting, throwing up, etc) than my friend who had bypass. I'm early yet, but so far, so good!

Hello everyone :-) this is my first post so hope u all can see it. I had lap band surgery 9/2009, and will be having a revision to RNY Sept 30, 2014. I am at my all time highest weight now of 386, and pray this surgery will give me the tools to be a healthier person. I had testing in July of this year that showed my band had slipped up, causing a stricture at the base of my esophagus, who knows how long it's been that way. I will be having my surgery at St. Vincent Carmel with Dr. Christopher Evanson, who is planning to remove the band and complete the RNY. I enjoy reading everyone's posts.. Love & Prayers of success to everyone

Hi Polly, I hope all goes well with your appointment and you and your PA can decide your best option. I am currently waiting on approval for lapband to RNY revision surgery. My Surgeon suggested RNY for me due to all my GERD issues. I went in wanting the sleeve, but he said with all the reflux and aspirating I was having, RNY would be better for me. My insurance advocate had put in for a surgery date of October 14th, to allow time for insurance company to review my info and give an answer, but I am hoping to get it changed to an earlier date. I was told by my insurance company that if a later date is placed on the paperwork, they would review it at a later time because it isn't a priority, but if it is put in for like a couple of weeks before a projected date, they would get to it faster. I am so ready to get rid of this band and get back on track with my weight loss. I hate that I have gained about 40lbs back since the start of my problems two years ago, but I am not giving up on that healthy life I sought after. Good luck to you!!!!!! And everyone else

So, I’m sitting in the hospital, one day post-op gastric bypass + gall bladder, and wondering how my experience has compared to others.. I have had a lot of nausea and some kind of acid reflux...lots of burping that is very acidic. I had the surgery Thursday afternoon and had a very rough night last night as I wasn’t able to get comfortable...so no sleeping. Now, today has been so much better. I’ve basically had zero pain throughout...just crazy nausea. I’ve started on clear liquids and the only problem is that I feel uncomfortably full after next to nothing...so now I’m worrying about hydration and how I’m ever going to get in 60 grams of protein a day!! So, I’d love to hear from others on your hospital experience and those early days post-op. Excited to be on the other side of this!

I am two months post-op today. (Surgery was May 17th.) And I still am completely unable to drink any kind of protein shake. I've even tried protein water, and I have the same problems- I get horribly ill, cramping in my gut, and have the worst diarrhea I've ever had. Sorry for the grossness, but it looks like mud and smells like a porta-potty. I know that lactose intolerance is common after gastric sleeve and bypass, so I bought lactose free milk and soy milk, almond milk, too. And I still get the same awful diarrhea. I've always had trouble with whey protein, too. Even before surgery it made me sick, so I started using Jay-Rob egg protein, and again, I get the same awful illness. I really doubt that's it's lactose intolerance, too. Because I can eat cheese and pudding with no problem. I don't understand why this is happening. My nutritionist said that it was ketosis, and that I needed to drink 100% fruit juice until it went away. So I did that, and it stopped after a day or so, then I got sick again, so I started the juice. It stopped, but came back again. It's just a cycle. I'm to the end of my rope. I can't get enough calories in, I'm dizzy and weak all the time. I've started having spells where I get dizzy and everything goes black, I'm afraid I'm going to faint! I've never been able to do shakes at all (since surgery, I mean), so I know I'm not getting the nutrition I need. I eat tuna, mac and cheese, and potatoes. Occasionally pudding. That's all I've been able to do without getting sick. I'm so frustrated, and I don't feel like my nutritionist is helpful. I do juice when it gets bad, but I'm desperate for a long term solution. I was up all night with gas and cramps and diarrhea. I'm exhausted and cranky. I want my life back! Has anyone had this problem?

I'd love more details too because in my experience with friends and coworkers I've seen more people gain back their weight a year out from bypass and still maintaining with the sleeve. What do you think caused your weight regain? Do you feel you can still lose it? Do u still feel restriction? I'm sorry this happened to you but be strong and determined!

First request a copy of ur surgery pics and etc. second, talk to ur nutritionist, third try to create ur own eating habits, just because you don't feel full doesn't mean you should just eat. This is a tool to assist us in losing weight is not a quick fix. Last, bypass is dangerous. Even if the surgeon recommended it I wouldn't have done it. That's just to much rerouting my poor intestines. Wish u good luck n I hope you don't feel like this is the end of you journey, is done and now try to stay positive and help yourself to think it worked.

No this is my furst time hearing of this,i went in on the 22 last month for the bypass,but i had to much scar tissue,so they. brought me back in on the 25 for the sleeve,

I know that there are a lot of posts about surgeons in Mexico, and even about Dr. Aceves, however I'm hoping to get in contact with anyone who had their surgery with Dr. Aceves of Mexicali Bariatric within the past year, and to ask what your thoughts are about the experience. I was banded back in 2009 and am going for a band to sleeve revision. I have done lots of research and believe that Dr. Aceves is the way to go for surgery in Mexico. I'm about to go ahead and book my surgery and flights, etc. But, I would LOVE to hear from anyone who has gone down their more recently to see if the standards are still the same, how they felt, etc. Also, if there is anyone who had the band-to-sleeve revision with Dr. A, would particularly love to hear from you! Very excited and nervous, but mostly excited! :-)

Thanks for sharing your story. I have my band to sleeve revision next Friday and have been worried about that. You helped ease some of my anxiety, so thank you!