The decission to have Weight Loss Surgery was not a easy one, but it was a logical decission. I was a 33 yo Male, 5ft11in 302 pounds.

I have been battling with weight loss for many years, I have tried all diets and spent thousands and thousands of dollars on them, Nutrisystem x3 times, Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, Herbal Life, Nutripia Fresh food Delivery, GNC Total Lean.

I have lost weight on all those diets, but nothing significant. I suffer from bulging disks in my back and have had 2 arthoscopic right knee surgeries which prevent me from excercising.

My family has a history of Obesity, Cardiac, Hight Blood Pressure, Diabetes, High Cholestorol. I see myself gaining weight, and slowing down, I am tired, and my whole body is in pain, all the time.

I wasnt able to do things I wanted to do, because my body just wouldnt do it, The attempt at just normal walks, i would be in pain.

So I was discussing the options with my boyfriend, he mentioned to me that a radio DJ from local radio station Z100 had weight loss surgery, and I looked him up, at this point, I never heard of the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, I only knew of the Lap Band, and the Bypass, which both, I was not happy about, I heard about huge failures from the Lap Band, and I didnt like the idea of re routing my intestines, let alone did I ever think i was a candidate for weight loss surgery either.

So I decided to google the radio DJ, and looked up where he had the surgery, I landed on the website of New York Bariatric Group, after browsing their website, and learning about different types of surgeries, I filled out the quick contact form to make an appointment for a consulation, they promptly called me back the next day and I made an appointment for March 14, 2012.

March 14, 2012, I had an appointment with Dr. Spencer Holover for initial consultation, he explained every surgery in detail and told me, I didnt have to make a decission on the actual procedure I wanted, until my last appointment, when it is time to make the surgery date. Which i was relieved about, because I had my own research to do (which I highly recommend).

I left the office, feeling very informed, and not pressured into making a rapid huge decission, The office staff was extremely welcoming, and pleasant to deal with, they handed me a folder with information in it, and told me, all I had to do, was fill out the information in the folder, and they would handle everything on my behalf, and they did.

During the 6 months required by my insurance, I did my own research, which consisted of a lot of self made videos from people who actually had the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, Bypass, and Lap Band, and I started leaning towards the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, it seemd the most successful, with minimal complications, and I liked the fact of still keeping my anatomy, just less of it. Up until the 5 month, I stll have never made the decission, I tossed the idea around with the psychologist, until I sat down and said, it was the Vertical Sleeve gastrectomy I was going to have.

I was sleeved September 18th, 2012, I did well, initially, over the time I went from 302 pounds to my lowest weight of 226, as time went by, I starting being able to eat more, and i was putting weight on again, and i was feeling less and and less restriction, initially i went back to the surgeon and they said to see the nutritionist, and in my mind i am like here we go again, being pushed off to a nutritionist, they aren't going to tell me anything i don't already know, i have always felt that they aren't helpful at all, and they all happen to be super skinny lol, i eventually stopped going to the doctor and just dealt with it, fast forward to 2015, and i have gained 40+ pounds and said I have to go back to the surgeon, he ordered a endoscopy and the results showed stretching in the top and bottom of my stomach, and they said there are options available which were Band over sleeve, revision of the sleeve or bypass, I already knew i didn't want the band or the bypass, so I said lets revise the sleeve.

My revision surgery is scheduled for 1/25/16, insurance approval was a breeze, I have GHI/Blue Cross Blue Shield, I needed to get pulmonary, cardiac, psych evals, but other than that, everything was good, wish me luck!

Anyone here gone through a revision?

I am doing extremely well, i was just moved to solids today, i am down from 276 to 242 in a month. i even emailed my doctor to see if i can have a alcoholic drink cause i had a party to goto last night, and he said its fine, just dont go over board, i had one cocktail and i was fine, but its funny, i used to enjoy a cocktail or two, but i was hesitant lol.

My insurance approved it rather quickly from the time the office put it in, the office handled it all, after my first surgery the insurance changed the 6 month to 3 months, but i was consistently going to the doctors so they used my reg visits weigh ins as the month requirement diets, also he made me do the minimal doctor visits like i didn't need to see the nutritionist, just had to go see the cardiologist, pulmonary, and get medical clearance, and i just called my psych from last time and she revised my note, this all went rather smooth, probably cause its the same surgeon as who did my original.

Good Luck, let me know how it goes.

@@bikerchick519 I went to the Medical Weight Loss doctor who works inside my Surgeons office and she is recommending that I have a revision to bypass for the heartburn and the constant vomiting. She said there is nothing that she can do on her end until the problems is fix. I go back to the surgeon on 4/19. I'm curious did your doctor tell you the recovery time from a sleeve to bypass?

@@Grek79Ital I'm glad to hear your doing well!! That's a lot of weight in one month so that is great hope the momentum continues. Have you started exercising as of yet

@@May42012 when I talked to the coordinator for my surgeon in Mexico I told him I only have two weeks sick time and he said that should be fine. He said some people only take a week off but due to the nature of my job I would need the two weeks for sure. I think if you have an office job one week would be fine. I didn't ask the surgeon here in the U.S. about it because we're pretty sure my insurance will deny the procedure. If they approve it I'll ask him. I only took a week off with my sleeve and I was fine.

@@bikerchick519, I teach school. I don't want to get ahead of myself but in my mind I can't see the insurance denying it I hope. I've been complaining about the issue forever and the doctor I saw last week for nutrition said she can't do anything for me until the surgeon fixes what is wrong. She thought my Endoscopy showed that I had real issues but I needed to see her before the surgeon made his next move. I was hoping that the recovery was short, so I wouldn't have to wait until the summer to do something. I'm completely MISERABLE!! I pray and hope that you are approved here in the states with insurance covering the cost. Like the doctor told me last week, you have people who never experience issues and then you have ones who have issues the entire time until they have to get a revision or conversion to a bypass.

@@Grek79Ital I'm glad to hear your doing well!! That's a lot of weight in one month so that is great hope the momentum continues. Have you started exercising as of yet[/quote

No, my doctor just cleared me as of this weekend, just found a gym that I like, excited to start, I have been walking a lot though.

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I had an EGD last week and expect to revise a VSG to the bypass due to reflux issues. I am wondering what to expect. Differences in eating and is addition weight loss possible? I am very nervous about having another surgery.

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Edited February 24, 201610 yr by heart_RN

@@heart_RN I've had the same issues and my insurance just denied me for the revision to bypass today. I'm gonna to go back to Mexico to the original surgeon. I'm scheduled for March 31. I'm also nervous about the difference in this surgery from the sleeve. I'm especially worried about dumping syndrome but I'm ready to get it done.

@@bikerchick519, did the insurance give a reason for denial. Seem to me if it is deemed as medically necessary that they should approve it. Your having the surgery in Mexico on the 31st or going to see what he thinks?

@@heart_RN like you I have had the same issues since having the surgery. I've been reading up on the revision to bypass. Like the sleeve, you will be on liquids for a short period of time and gradually work back to solids. Your stomach will still be smaller limiting your amount of food intake but with the bypass they are re-routing so this will stop the acid from getting in the stomach area. If you've regained any weight or still have weight to lose you can expect to lose more. Like any surgery you take a risk. You have to hope and pray for the best. I told my doctor I just want to feel better and if I lose a couple more lbs I'm ok with that. I liked the fact that the sleeve weight loss looked natural not sure if the bypass weight loss does or not.

@@May42012 they said my bmi has to be 35 or more with 2 comorbidities, 6 month supervised diet, pshych and all that. My bmi is 31 and only the acid reflux. When I talked to them they said the bmi didn't matter and there was mo mention of the diet but once it went to review they said otherwise. So I'm going to Mexico, hopefully on the 31st of March.

I had the lapband in 2010 and lost 135 lbs. Did very well for 2 years. But had to have an unfill in 2013 for thyroid surgery. After that all my fills were not working. Once a month I would get a fill return in 2 weeks for an unfill. I also started gaining weight. In 2014 I had my band removed. Waited 6 months then had the sleeve surgery. I lost initially about 20 lbs but then started gaining again. I gained about 50 lbs since my lapband loss. So finally the Dr. Suggested maybe doing a revision to the sleeve. I had an endoscopy and that showed my stomach was very dilated. On Jan 29, 2016 I had my revision to the sleeve. He stated he removed a large portion of my stomach. I really feel the difference. With my first sleeve I didn't feel this tight at all. At a month out I can barely eat 4 ozs, I am having a hard time getting in my liquids. Still drinking protein drinks. And I am down about 15 lbs. I feel I am losing slow but that's fine because I do feel I am losing inches. Good luck to everyone.

I was revised from sleeve to bypass due to acid reflux. The insurance initially denied me because they wanted to me to see dietitian.My Dr did a Peer to Peer with the insurance and told them this wasn't about weightloss it was about ending the acid reflux that was harming my esophagus Hiatal hernia repair failed too. My stomach was pushing upwards ,contributing to the reflux.The insurance approved it then.

I had my surgery on Nov.22,2016,My sleeve was in 2011.

Doing good.One more week soft foods,then I can have shaved turkey,ham,chicken and other foods.

@@GmaDiana have you seen improvement with your acid reflux and have you seen any weightloss? My insurance denied my revision. The doctor did the peer to peer review because of course they denied it again saying that my medical records from my initial doctor does not reflect what the new surgeon is saying. So I'm about to appeal myself and request what my medical records from both doctors and request what was submitted to the insurance company. A part of me believes insurance is denying because I have met my out of pocket cost for the year [emoji36][emoji36][emoji36][emoji36]

• May42012

Yes I have seen a great improvement in acid reflux,I did have my other Dr send his records just for the acid reflux and then my Dr did Peer to peer and it was approved.

I have lost 25 lbs in 4 weeks so far.I go for my check up tomorrow.

Hope this hepls.They need to realize this is about the acid reflux not weight loss revision,