A year ago, I went in for a Lap band to SIPS revision, but there were complications with the removal of lap band, so the surgeon cut things short and only did the sleeve portion of the procedure. I was massively disappointed (especially since I was self pay), but wasn't much I could do about it. I had good results initially. I lost 50 lbs during the first 'honey moon' 4-5 months, then things just stagnated. I dieted really really hard, went to gym every other day, and even tried Intermittent Fasting, but my weight would just bump around the same 3-4 lb range. I just was stuck. This went for 2-3 months, until I finally gave up, at which point the weight starting coming back pretty fast.

Kinda crazy (and very $$$$) but I decided to go back in and have the SIPS procedure completed. My surgery was a few days ago. I now have a ton of questions post-op, but for starters, I'm wondering if anyone else out there is Sleeve to SIPS revision. I figure there can't be too many of us...

My #1 question would be: Will there be another weight loss 'honey moon'? Or - since my sleeve wasn't touched - will my eating habits remain pretty much were they were pre-op? I ask because I've heard that the Sleeve is responsible for losing the weight, and the bypass part is responsible for keeping it off. Just curious.

awesome!

1 hour ago, Postop said:

@Krista2653

Who’s doing your second part?

Remember no calorie counting with the traditional DS. ??

I am going back to Mexicali Bariatric. Dr. Aceves did my sleeve and I wish he were around to do my conversion, but Dr. Ungston will be my surgeon.

And yes...the no calorie counting thing is a huge bonus for me. I know that I still need to “count” protein but not having to focus on the balancing act of protein within no certain caloric goal will be nice....no more balancing act! Yay!

@Krista2653Don't worry. Ungson has a great rep.

Yup. Count protein grams (over 100 per day, I'm usually much higher) and simple carbs/sugar.

Great thread with useful info. Would you mind sharing the details of foods you can / cannot eat; Which vitamins you take/ the amount taken daily; and finally details of frequency of the bowel movements/ gas / at what point it has normalized or if it has.

I’m looking at a sleeve to sips revision and trying to collect as much info as possible ahead of the surgery. Thanks!

Sure. I'm at about 18 months.

FOODS

Not nearly as sensitive to foods are I was, but I still feel like avocados do me in. Ice Cream. Beer. Basically sugar, carbs, wheat.

VITAMINS

I take two normal chewable bariatric vitamin in the morning (dosage is two). That seems to keep me covered for everything except D and calcium. Based on advice from this board, I now take 50,000 iu of D3 every day in capsule form.

NOTE: THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT AND TOOK A YEAR BEFORE SOMEONE ON THIS BOARD CLUED ME IN: After this surgery, anything oil based goes through you like **** through a duck. This is in general a good thing. I can literally eat a stick of butter at every meal and it will not show up on waistline. BUT, this means that any vitamin or other drugs that are "Gelcaps" run through you without effect and do not absorb!! Most D3 is sold in gelcap form so you need to find a version that isn't. (I dont know what brand im using offhand, but if you ask I will go upstairs and figure it out.) . SInce switching to non-gelcaps, my D3 is right where it needs to be.

I've also had issues with calcium, which is common. I recently switched to the more expensive version. Haven't been re-tested yet, but will report back after my next test.

Lastly, I take generic Prilosec for heartburn. I didn't need to before surgery, but now its a must.

I take one more 'vitamin' for joint issues, but that IMO is unrelated to bariatric.

THat's it. Not the fistful of pills you sometimes see others taking. But Im SIPS- not full DS - one of the advantages of which is less vitamin issues

BATHROOM

Yeah, that's still major issue. 12 to 20 times a day. Usually explosive. Not quite as smelly as the early days, but....yeah... i **** A LOT.

I usually have to get up 3 to 4 times a night still. And It isn't pretty. I carry wet wipes with me at in my back pack at all times, along with poopouri. Also, having a toilet brush in every bathroom in my house is a must. Sometimes I have to do cleanup duty in restaurant or other public bathrooms, just because I feel guilty about the damage I have created. Its really really wrong

NOTE: I still eat fast food and all types of garbage. If I cleaned my diet, I assume things in the bathroom would improve. But I like fast food, and I still keep getting skinnier, so I guess the trade off is worth it.

ALCOHOL

One last thing: If you have any history of alcoholism in your family, be very very careful. Dr's haven't exactly figured out why, but rehabs are filled with Bariatric peeps. Some reports claim your odds of becoming a alcoholic after bariatric go up by 80%. Eighty.

Much easier to never start than it is to quit.

@disco stu I wonder why you use the bathroom so much. I had the traditional DS and I only use the bathroom about 5 times a day. That include all types of bathroom visits. I do use the bathroom at least twice a night. I don't down a fistful of pills. My levels were so high for B12, that my doc said to cut way back on the dosage. It's interesting to see how different people can be with the same surgery or somewhat the same surgery.

Wow. Yeah. I can't really explain it. Must have something to do with my total disregard for a clean diet, but yeah, I poop A LOT. Like, A lot a lot. Like, I should invest in Sharmen and Cottonelle flushable wipes.

It's 3:00 and I think I've been in the restroom at least eight times so far since getting out of bed. Part of it is that I've learned from painful experience to "never trust a fart",. so some times it's just a whole lotta gas and nothing else. But in general, I should consider changing my screen name to "oil slick" , since that's my default experience these days.

@disco stu yeah the gas part isn't fun. I experience that in the evening on a regular basis.-- Voluminous gas that's impressive, to say the least. It's the one drawback of this surgery.