My name is Jamie and I started my weight loss journey many years ago but my surgery journey started in February 2010. I was 330 pounds at 27 years old. I was always a healthy person but after 4 knee surgeries I gained over 100 pounds and tried EVERYTHING to try to loose the weight. When I hit 330 I knew it would end up being life or death.

I attended a bariatric surgery meeting at my mothers suggestion. After meeting with my surgeon and discussing all options with my husband we decided on the lap band. (Man was that a mistake) I had the lap band surgery in May 2010 and it only took me 3 weeks to recover!! I thought I had done enough research to prepare my self but I was very wrong. Eating was hard and I was seeing the Dr almost every 4 to 6 weeks for 3 years trying to figure out where the perfect fill was. After 3 frustrating years of throwing up and learning how to cheat with the band we decided it was time to revise the band. I decided to do the a sleeve, it seemed like a safer and less invasive surgery. I was very excited to start this new journey after seeing co workers have great success with it.

I had my revision to the sleeve May 2013. The recovery was much harder then the recovery from the band and I think it was due to doing the band removal and the sleeve revision at the same time. After 6 weeks I was as good as new and dropping weight at a nice pace. I was very excited to eat right and exercise because I was actually loosing weight!!! After the first 3 months I began to get really painful chest pains. Being a person that never had to deal with acid reflux, GERD or heartburn I didn't know what the pain was from. I went back to my Dr and he began seeing me every 2 - 4 weeks and we tried every acid reflux, hernia, heartburn and GERD medication we could. By the time I was 10 months out I was in such bad pain and no medication would help my Dr decided we needed to revise my sleeve to the full bypass to eliminate the acid from being created in my stomach. I am very unhappy with this decision so I went to 3 other doctors that specialize in acid reflux and weight loss surgery and sadly they all agreed with my surgeons prognosis. We began the insurance approval process and it was a little harder to get the bypass surgery approved this time since I am 178 pounds and they didn't see a reason for the surgery.

Last Tuesday the pain got so bad I ended up in the ER for 6 hours as they tried to figure out how to make the pain stop. The prognosis was esophagus spasms so I had to be put on a liquid diet since eating hurt. Finally my insurance approved the surgery and my doctor is rushing the surgery date due to the severity of this issue.

My revision to bypass is scheduled for May 13 2014 and I am completely freaking out!!!! This is not a surgery I want and I am concerned that I am going to have all the bypass side effects I really never wanted to have! I know the surgery is inevitable and the only way to get rid of this intolerable pain for good! I am coming top grips with it and feel more assured that this will work since I did seek other opinions from multiple specialists.

I am telling my story because I really need help from others out there that may gave went thru the same issues I am and what did you do to resolve it?

What should I expect to be different from the sleeve to the bypass?

Please help! I am really scared and really don't want to have to go thru this again!!

Edited May 5, 201412 yr by Alex Brecher

@@jamiep5 Ok so I'm not crazy. I have only lost 14 lbs since surgery (5/16) and my doc said I need to watch my calories. I was like what?!? I eat like a bird, if that. Anyways, I am happy I'm not dropping too much weight too soon. I've gone back to eating regularly but watching my bad habits. Also I have ZERO reflux! So all in all I'm not regretting my decision to finally agree to the bypass. Happy to hear you are doing better after all your complications.

The bypass sounds scarier then it actually is! I'm very happy I went thru with it and don't have to deal with the acid reflux anymore!! It's nice to know i wasn't the only one going thru this!! Thanks everyone for all your stories! I also eat like a bird but am counting my calories, how many calories do you eat in a day?

Eating wise is exactly the same!! I was very worried about that too! According to my dr. You might b able to eat a little more, but I think I'm still eating the same amount. I've lost a little more weight but from the after surgery diet not from the surgery it's self!! Now that I'm on normal foods again my weight is stabilizing! When is your revision?

I'm not sur. we just did the bravo test and a few others. I think it's the tests they need for insurance approval for a second conversion. But thank you so much I'm less scared. I have been so worried

How did everyone's insurance approval go. Did you have to do the three month nutrition again

My insurance approved the revision right away and they rushed the surgery due to the pain I was in. They said since it wasn't for weight loss it was approved much faster! No shakes or pre surgery requirements!!

My insurance approved the revision right away and they rushed the surgery due to the pain I was in. They said since it wasn't for weight loss it was approved much faster! No shakes or pre surgery requirements!!

Thanks. How is it going for you. My tests came back with severe reflux. Next Wednesday we are discussing surgery date. How long were out of work.

My insurance approved the revision right away and they rushed the surgery due to the pain I was in. They said since it wasn't for weight loss it was approved much faster! No shakes or pre surgery requirements!!

Thanks. How is it going for you. My tests came back with severe reflux. Next Wednesday we are discussing surgery date. How long were out of work.

I was supposed to be out of work for 4 weeks but I had an infection and was re admitted back into the hospital for 8 days. My job gives me great leave benefits so I took 7 weeks to make sure I'm healed and the infection is gone.

I'm glad you get to finally schedule the surgery! I swear you will feel the difference right away!!!

Thanks for the support I can't tell how much you journey has meant to be. I'm not as afraid of the bypass. Any tips you care to share please pass along

i don't know why some people just don,t lose weight.regardless. i am one of those people 2. i had aband than a revision 2 gastric bypass, 4 months later i found a lump and was diagnosed with breast cancer. my doctor said that the breast cancer treatment was more important than the weight loss. after 5 years of treatment, chemo, radiation immunosuppressive medication.there will be no weight loss success. making that journey of my life a total waste

I don't understand... your profile says you lost 92lbs.?! That's a significant weight loss.

Thanks for the support I can't tell how much you journey has meant to be. I'm not as afraid of the bypass. Any tips you care to share please pass along

sorry it took me so long to respond, I had to have my gallbladder removed due to all my weight loss!! All better now and back to work. Did u have your surgery??

Edited September 30, 201411 yr by jamiep5

Hello,

I'm so happy I found this topic. I just saw my doctor today and I'm having a sleeve to bypass revision done. I need to wait to see if my insurance approves it, but after a little over a year my sleeve stretch and formed a pouch and also have a hernia We discussed fixing the sleeve, but since I have not lost much and still need to lose a lot the bypass would be better for me. The doctor was also concern with my stomach stretching again and having to do another surgery.

I've notice that I've been getting strong accid reflex lately so I'll be happy to do the bypass and get rid off that. I also gained 20 lbs. in the last couple of months.

Hope your insurance approves soon!! My acid reflux was so bad my insurance approved my revision in less then a week!! With the bypass now I'm am reflux free finally!!!! Prayers and thoughts with you!! Bypass did help me loose a little more but since I lost so much with the sleeve I really didn't have much more to go! I am 150 now and really want to get to 140 lol I know kinda silly but I want to hit my end goal!!

I had the revision from a band to bypass a little less than 3 months ago and have only lost 20 pounds. I know I am not eating like I should but I thought the bypass would be more like the band in the amount of food I could hold. The is no signal from the bypass that I've had enough food like the band did. I thought I would be a more useful tool. I am disappointed!

I hit my one year next month and I am planning to do a sleeve to bypass revision because the sleeve did not work as well for my weightloss. I also had a significant loss and gain back before that the surgeon thinks has hindered my relose and that the sleeve didn't help me enough.

What makes it so frustrating is I've been doing everything by the book and really exercising and have a physical job. :/