Revising from Band to Bypass, Previous Hernia Mesh

[Midwest Girl 29]

Hi All,

I'm new to this site. I was banded in 2008 at 220 pounds (5 feet, 2 in) and did not have much weight loss success. Then got terrible acid reflux and had to have it all unfilled. Gained weight and am now 30 pounds more than when I got banded. Now I'm considering a revision from the Band to Bypass. My surgeon advises me to get the Bypass due to issues with reflux with the sleeve. I am reasonably comfortable with the bypass except that I have a mesh inside of me from a previous hernia repair. The surgeon doesn't seem too concerned about it because the incision is below the belly button. Still I'm a little nervous. What if he can't do the bypass and I end up with the sleeve? How bad can the acid reflux get with the sleeve? Is it relieved by Nexium?

Since he's not too concerned, should I just go with it? He's very experienced.

Also, how have other peoples' revisions from band to bypass gone? Are you happy you did it?

[mylighthouse 782]

Hello Midwest Girl and welcome to the site

I just wanted to share my story a little with you, and hope that it can help in some way.

I had the sleeve (not band) back in November of 2016. I lost a lot of weight, finally reaching my goal weight in March of this year. However, in January, I started having trouble swallowing, severe pain in chest and neck when eating, etc, etc. It just got worse from there and did a barium swallow, which confirmed GERD and a hiatal hernia. It took months for my gastro and surgeon to try different meds, tests, endoscopies, hospitalizations, etc. They really didn't want to do another surgery, because I had already had a long and painful history with several abdominal surgeries.... these have left me with abdominal pain that I deal with on a regular daily basis.

I too, had mesh from an open incisional hernia repair late last year.

When my gastro and surgeon told me that I needed the bypass, I was concerned. Lots of abdominal surgeries and the mesh, etc..... was worried about it. Like yours, my surgeon is very experienced, he is so skilled and I just love everything about him. Completely trust my surgeon. He went over everything about the procedures a few weeks ago with myself and my husband. He let me know that he could successfully do the hiatal hernia repair and the gastric bypass at the same time, however, he also told me that there was a good chance that my surgery might need to done as an open surgery. If that were the case, he would need to cut through the hernia mesh in my abdomen, perform the bypass, etc, and redo the mesh and sew everything back together. He put that all out in the open. I was scared of another open surgery and the thought of complications, but at the same time, the GERD was so awful that I decided the bypass had to be done no matter what. Couldn't go on living like I had been.

Well, guess what? Here I am a week out of hernia repair/bypass surgery and my surgeon did NOT have to cut through my old hernia mesh! I had my surgery done laparoscopically. My surgeon said things went so smoothly.

For the past two days I have actually had REAL food, not liquids only, and NO PAIN from GERD!!! What a relief!

I suggest that if your surgeon is experienced, you trust him, you feel good about what he is telling you, that you GO FOR IT! I know it is easy to worry, be scared, etc. But you can work through those things.

I hope this helps you even just a little bit.

Wish you the best.

[Midwest Girl 29]

Hi Mylighthouse,

I’m sorry you had to go through all that with the sleeve. Thats exactly the reason i don’t want it. So so glad everything worked out for you. This is very encouraging to me! I have a feeling it will work out for me too. Can you tell me where your previous hernia was with the mesh? Mine was at the incision site of my C section. So its low. Thats why i’m hoping it won’t be an issue. Good luck with your bypass. Keep us posted on your progress!

[Matt Z 4,138]

I was a band to bypass revision as well, 100% happy with my choice, honestly wish I went bypass back in 2011.

Good luck And Congrats on continuing your journey!

[Midwest Girl 29]

Thanks Matt Z. I'm glad everything is going well for you! And yes, I wish I did the bypass in 2008.

[Missouri-Lee's Summit 1,256]

@mylighthouse. I can see why you're a Bariatric Evangelist. Thank you for such an eloquent explanation of your experience(s). Your advice about putting trust in your surgeon's experience was extremely valuable. For those of us with histories that involve a breach of trust and betrayal, it does take courage to trust people with any measure of power over us.

[Biddy zz 🏳️🌈 1,003]

Hi there @Midwest Girl

I had a band in 2009 at 260 lbs. I did lose - got down to 180 and stable, but had it emptied in anticipation of chemo in 2012. On refilling, the port broke. Eventually I replaced the port - but had gerd and never got it right again.

So, late last year, back up to 220 lbs, I converted to RNY. Now, my replacement port had been installed using mesh - and the mesh was messy, rolled up, causing pain and abscesses. So I had open surgery, and had the band, port and mesh all removed and RNY done. And now I am nearly 160lbs, just 6 months later!

The open surgery was a breeze - and all was above the navel, so if your mesh is low, you should be sweet with not having it touched! So, I have had both a laparoscopic band surgery, and open RNY surgery (and open hysterectomy years back - yep, I look like I should have a zipper installed from Brett bone to pubic bone, so I could store my own pyjamas!!). The open surgery is seriously not a lot harder so don’t sweat it too much.

But the RNY is WAY better than the band. No regurgitation, no gerd, little hunger, and gob-smackingly easy weight loss! Of course it is just a tool - you have to eat different. Forever. If you are ready, go for it. It is fab.

Edited June 6, 2018 by Biddy zz

[Midwest Girl 29]

Fantastic Biddy zz! This is very encouraging to me. So happy for your success!

[Midwest Girl 29]

Hi Missouri-Lee, did you have a bad experience with your bariatric doc?

[Missouri-Lee's Summit 1,256]

@MidwestGirl, I met my surgeon once -- months ago-- during a screening / basic info appointment.

I've been told that he's a terrific surgeon. I didn't click with him initially, however, because I prepared

a list of perhaps 6 questions and he only answered the ones he wanted to answer. I noticed that

he purposely tucked my questions out of sight in my file. One of the questions he didn't answer

was about the malabsorption of various medications. It seems to be a sensitive topic for some

doctors because they don't have much in the way of research to rely on when patients ask for

this information. This is an important topic, I believe, so I intend to post updates (with the help of

my daughter) when I discover something new in the professional literature. Perhaps I should

open a new topic heading for this information or is there already a heading for this subject?

(I'm still trying to figure out how to use this site, so I don't know how to search for this.)

[Frustr8 7,886]

If , in looking, you don't find one start it, wouldn't be the first time almost same topics got started. How to do it? Let me tell you how I have done,it. I use the Android app off of my Lollipop level smartphone but maybe computer bass is similar. Go over to different forums headings, on my phone I scroll to the right. I have started one under General Weight Loss, Pre Surgery or Gastric Bypass. Ok in lower right there's a kinda goofy looking icon. Tap it and fill out each heading as you come to it, when you're done, tap post and it's done. It will show,up in that heading, but a couple times for me it came out on to the Timeline heading, if it doesn't the first time someone else finds it and comments it will "come,out" Now,i am a curious-type person myself, if I don't find something on Timeline that interests me I go back,and re-read those,headings where I said your new posting would go. So by my answering I have brought a few things out myself, either they are new ones or something that hasn't been commented on for a while. Does this help you Any? Hope so because I have found your answers thought provoking. Your friend in Ohio,Frustr8.

[wledwards 0]

I'm currently waiting on my insurance to approve my hernia repair with a band revision to bypass. I have been very nervous about the change but I need relief from the abdominal pains and vomiting. Has anyone had this done and if so, what was your recovery like.