Scared of revision from sleeve to bypass

[Mrs.S 3]

I had sleeve surgery done 9 years ago in 2014. I'm 5'4" and started at 202 pounds. I lost down to 102, and looked awful. It took me until 2017 to gain back to a healthy weight of 115. I have remained in the general vicinity of 113 - 117 since.

From the start I've have terrible GERD. In February of this year my gastro said the GERD is out of control and I cannot put it off anymore, it's time for me to convert to bypass. I do NOT want to do this. I sought the opinions of 3 of doctors all of which said the same thing.

I had EGD, upper GI series, manometry, and pH with Bravo. Surgeon said it's worse than they initially thought, and that I need surgery now. He submitted to insurance on Monday (3 days ago). He expects me to have surgery within a couple of weeks.

When this was mentioned in February I weighed 116. I immediately started eating all the things to up my weight. I live on Crumbl Cookies, lemon cream pie, crackers with cheese, and potato chips. I've always eaten those things, but now I'm eating them nonstop. I'm currently at 124 pounds. I am scared to death about losing weight again. Surgeon says he expects me to lose around 20 pounds. That's too much. I don't want too look like that again. I'm happy with how I look now.

I also am not at all interested in the process of all of it again. WLS is part of my past that I was happy to be done with. I don't want to do it again.

It has been made abundantly clear to me that I have to do it, but I'm scared and sad. I don't know what I'm looking for here, maybe just looking to share these feelings and get them off my chest.

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,682]

On 7/13/2023 at 6:50 AM, Mrs.S said:

I had sleeve surgery done 9 years ago in 2014. I'm 5'4" and started at 202 pounds. I lost down to 102, and looked awful. It took me until 2017 to gain back to a healthy weight of 115. I have remained in the general vicinity of 113 - 117 since.

From the start I've have terrible GERD. In February of this year my gastro said the GERD is out of control and I cannot put it off anymore, it's time for me to convert to bypass. I do NOT want to do this. I sought the opinions of 3 of doctors all of which said the same thing.

I had EGD, upper GI series, manometry, and pH with Bravo. Surgeon said it's worse than they initially thought, and that I need surgery now. He submitted to insurance on Monday (3 days ago). He expects me to have surgery within a couple of weeks.

When this was mentioned in February I weighed 116. I immediately started eating all the things to up my weight. I live on Crumbl Cookies, lemon cream pie, crackers with cheese, and potato chips. I've always eaten those things, but now I'm eating them nonstop. I'm currently at 124 pounds. I am scared to death about losing weight again. Surgeon says he expects me to lose around 20 pounds. That's too much. I don't want too look like that again. I'm happy with how I look now.

I also am not at all interested in the process of all of it again. WLS is part of my past that I was happy to be done with. I don't want to do it again.

It has been made abundantly clear to me that I have to do it, but I'm scared and sad. I don't know what I'm looking for here, maybe just looking to share these feelings and get them off my chest.

So I just had this revision, and I can tell you that the weight loss will not be like it was with the sleeve. I had it because I developed GERD, esophagitis, gastritis, and a TON of pre-cancerous polyps all through my stomach. So I also didn't have a choice. I was on 80mg daily of Nexium and still had break through GERD.

With the sleeve, I lost 30 pounds in the first 2 weeks. With the revision, I lost 14. I also wasn't interested in doing it for weight loss, since I was chugging along and doing well until it all went stupid. My goal was to get back to living my life, get back to my beast mode work outs, get back to feeling good and not having pain. And that's what the surgery is doing for me.

Losing additional weight is inevitable, but eating the stuff you're eating right now is not the way to add additional weight. The sugar and heavy carbs are a no no, especially once you have the bypass. Keep in mind, the more weight you add on now, the more you'll lose. If you really feel the need to try and pad your weight a little, do it by adding additional Protein, add in an additional meal or 2 Snacks (but don't make them junk). Increase your calories, not your carbs and sugar. Again, I'm not saying this is what you should be doing, but if you're determined to add weight on before the surgery, at least do it in a healthier way than what you're doing now.

I can also say, the recovery from the bypass has been SO SO much better than with the sleeve. I honestly wish I had just done the bypass to begin with. So much less pain, I was up and around faster, able to do things better, could handle my pills and supplements (had to crush or completely eliminate them with the sleeve for the first 4-5 weeks), able to handle cold liquids (couldn't with the sleeve), able to get my fluids in so much easier (I drank a 20oz of Water in the hospital the day after my surgery and could barely handle 3-4oz with the sleeve). So all in all, I'm exceptionally happy I did the revision.

No more GERD, no more PPI, no more pain, much easier recovery, and while the weight is still coming off, it's doing so at a slower and more manageable pace. I wish you all the luck, and I promise you'll feel so much better after the revision.

[blondeej 111]

I went for treatment for my horrible GERD and was told I needed a revision to RNY and was shocked, I did not think that was at all what they were going to say. I am a few weeks out from surgery now. I have researched Barrett's esophagus and the risks of untreated GERD to go on and it's scary. They say it's one of the most painful ways to spend the end of your life with that type of cancer. Try and look at it that way, it's self preservation if not for yourself then your loved ones.

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,682]

Exactly what @blondeej said!!!!

[Hapamomma 72]

I had the sleeve in June 2018. My weight on surgery day was 242. I got down to 169 and not a pound less. I’m 5’4”. I never got rid of the GERD, which I had before the sleeve. In hind sight, I wish I had the bypass and not the sleeve initially. I a, scheduled to have a revision to bypass on 8/11. I am also scared …. But I am so tired of the extreme GERD and the damage that it’s doing. I have had significant weight regain from my sleeve - gained ALL back. The regain is very depressing. It’s to the point that I avoid social situations and am just down on myself for the regain 24/7. Hindsight is a b!tch. I’m ready for the revision and know that I will feel better without the GERD. Second chances aren’t to be taken lightly and this is mine.