My Revision

[LadyMI]

I feel blessed to be approved for revision. The last time in 2014 it was like going through the motions. I was sleep walking through life.

About two years ago I woke up. Now, I know life is about choices. I will live my best life from now on. I understand that it will not be an easy journey. I have to fight for my life/health literally and metaphorically that's alright.

In May, I will be revised. It will increase my quality of life. Currently, I am in pain due to the damage from heartburn. There is a 95% chance this revision will correct my issues. With the additional benefit of lossing more weight. I am posting because there're alot of people suffering. They're are afraid of reaching out.

I am telling you to seek help. Find a doctor and mental health professional who will work for/with you. Don't allow individuals with their own issues to stop your progress. You are not a failure.

[sraebaer]

Revision from what to what?

[Sandra3]

Revision from what to what?

guessing sleeve to bypass...

[LadyMI]

Yes, sleeve to bypass! I am very blessed to be able to do this procedure. It took alot for me to even try to get this done. However, I am a fighter.

[Sandra3]

Hi Kathi,

It seems to me your sleeve journey has been really hard and complicated. I did read your posts from February.

First of all, I'm really sorry for your sister. The loss of a loved one has damaging effect on one's health, no doubt. And I hope your counseling is giving you the help you need.

But I'm worried about one point : why are you still in pain with heartburn? your surgeon didn't put you on a strong PPI (up to 80 mg per day) to stop it? it can take up to two months to start working fully, but since you posted in February you should have been feeling better by now.
Also going on a low acid diet might help a lot (been there done that).

I'm currently dealing with issues too, but in a different way. I also had an hysterectomy in March. But for me it started the other way, anemia, then out of control asthma, then we discovered why :hiatal hernia (came from the pression of the asthma attacks on my stomach!), that awful reflux that did damage my lungs, since it took a few weeks before we could figure out my lung's issue was coming directly from the side effects of the hernia (chloridric acid is clearly not friend with my lungs) . Then weight gain from the heavy cortisone treatment (4 months) to control the asthma, and also from the 4 different antibiotics (that make me balloon too!).

I was in hospital one full week in January and had multiple tests done. My stomach is still very small (210ml) I have good restriction because I always watch my quantities....but my phmetry is extremely high (highest possible), manometry did show there is no pressure. And the endoscopy did show I had gastritis (no kidding, didn't need the exam to know about it) but also that my hernia was +4 cm. In that case, when the hernia is big, pressure ok, you can have a stomach repair, bypass is not the only option.

Did you have all those exams done? do you have an hernia too?

Because the first surgeon I met (didn't like her) even before I had all my exam done was only offering the bypass.

I went to see an other specialist and he did give me the option to have a stomach repair (Hill gastropexy) or a bypass.

Because I have IBS for several decades, and it got better post-sleeve, because my weight gain is linked to meds, because I already have deficiencies (was there before the sleeve), even if the iron will get better now that the main issue is contained with the hysterectomy, I'm always D deficient, even if I take 10 000 ui per day ....I prefer to have a stomach repair and not a bypass.

Also, when you have severe reflux, you are more "hungry", same when you have anemia (I had awful cravings when my anemia was at it's pick!)....and it seems that hypoglycemia is a side effect of the sleeve, and it can make you eat more too without you noticing....

All that to say that it is a good thing that you are in therapy to help with your food addiction, but the reason why you ate more can also be linked to anemia and reflux. I know for me it is very clear!! and I was never gaining weight because of issues with my food intake. Each time I gained, it is with meds! As soon as I stopped the meds I stopped gaining weight. I've been tracking my food regularly and when I was gaining, I was always under my BMR. But meds+no exercise is for me a really strong cocktail for fast regain! I also did regain weight with my last surgery, 2 days in hospital =+6kgs...lovely..

Since I'm post-op I can't exercise yet, and my weight is going down a little since I stopped the prednisone, but without exercise it's taking for ever!!

So if I was you, I would also look into the meds you take for depression. Because the bypass will help with reflux for sure, but if your meds make you gain weight, the weight loss might be slow and you might feel stressed about it thinking the surgery is not helping, when it's actually your meds who are slowing you down.

Just my 2 cents.

Good luck and take care!

[Christie13]

Hope the bypass fixes your heartburn. I have heard that is the most common approach and is supposed to have a pretty good success rate. Severe heartburn is a terrible thing to live with. Good luck.

[LadyMI]

Yeah, meds long-term cause other organ damage. This has been a hard journey. I am not the prefect sleeved example! I am a great researcher. The only possible long-term cure for everything is this procedure. It's not even cosider a wls by my insurance.
I am in couseling and on anti-depression meds. My meds don't cause weight gain. For years, I believed that it would all just go away. That is not true for my story. I appreciate you all. This time I have on going support from my surgeon and a psychiatrist. My therapist is also a bi-weekly place to work through. I know things in life will happen. As a mental health clinician, I don't have to do this alone. Thanks for the positive vibes!

[sraebaer]

Yeah, meds long-term cause other organ damage. This has been a hard journey. I am not the prefect sleeved example! I am a great researcher. The only possible long-term cure for everything is this procedure. It's not even cosider a wls by my insurance.
I am in couseling and on anti-depression meds. My meds don't cause weight gain. For years, I believed that it would all just go away. That is not true for my story. I appreciate you all. This time I have on going support from my surgeon and a psychiatrist. My therapist is also a bi-weekly place to work through. I know things in life will happen. As a mental health clinician, I don't have to do this alone. Thanks for the positive vibes!

You'll do great! So happy you are working with a psychiatrist and therapist. Any help you can get, use it! Many on this site have had to go from sleeve to bypass because of acid reflux, so you are not alone. Love your positive attitude and best of luck to you.

[EllisM80]

I have been experiencing heartburn a couple times this week. At what point do you worry that something is wrong? I took Tums and was fine within an hour. Woke up with it this morning. I had a hiatal hernia removed 6 months before my sleeve.

[Sandra3]

I have been experiencing heartburn a couple times this week. At what point do you worry that something is wrong? I took Tums and was fine within an hour. Woke up with it this morning. I had a hiatal hernia removed 6 months before my sleeve.

Hey Michelle,

I'm really surprised by your post. Did you have the same surgeon for your hernia and the sleeve?

Because basically after a hiatal hernia repair (called a nissen fundoplication) they should not have done a sleeve. Sometimes a surgeon will do both at the same time (rare, it's called a nissen-sleeve) but most of the time, after a nissen they will do a bypass, not a sleeve.

The reason is physiological : since your hernia gave you reflux, when they repaired the hernia they pulled back the part of your stomach that was into your chest cavity, and probably repaired the hiatus, using a mesh (or not). But it means that part of your body is going to be fragile because it was damaged by the stomach acid.
So doing a sleeve after that makes no sens. Especially for a woman who had several children, because our stomachs are more mobiles than men.

Same for patients with strong reflux before any bariatric surgery, usually they will be offered a bypass.

I had a really light reflux before surgery, didn't know about it, it was bothering me twice a year if I was eating really spicy food. My surgeon saw during the exams that I had a light reflux, but said it looked ok, and I was so big, he said that losing weight on the abdomen will take off the pressure...anyway I didn't want a bypass, so for me it was a done deal.

Reflux is always worth at night, whatever you eat. It will help to sleep in an incline position

You should call your surgeon. You might need to take a PPI asap. And probably see him too.
Take care.

[EllisM80]

Hey Michelle,

I'm really surprised by your post. Did you have the same surgeon for your hernia and the sleeve?

Because basically after a hiatal hernia repair (called a nissen fundoplication) they should not have done a sleeve. Sometimes a surgeon will do both at the same time (rare, it's called a nissen-sleeve) but most of the time, after a nissen they will do a bypass, not a sleeve.

The reason is physiological : since your hernia gave you reflux, when they repaired the hernia they pulled back the part of your stomach that was into your chest cavity, and probably repaired the hiatus, using a mesh (or not). But it means that part of your body is going to be fragile because it was damaged by the stomach acid.
So doing a sleeve after that makes no sens. Especially for a woman who had several children, because our stomachs are more mobiles than men.

Same for patients with strong reflux before any bariatric surgery, usually they will be offered a bypass.

I had a really light reflux before surgery, didn't know about it, it was bothering me twice a year if I was eating really spicy food. My surgeon saw during the exams that I had a light reflux, but said it looked ok, and I was so big, he said that losing weight on the abdomen will take off the pressure...anyway I didn't want a bypass, so for me it was a done deal.

Reflux is always worth at night, whatever you eat. It will help to sleep in an incline position

You should call your surgeon. You might need to take a PPI asap. And probably see him too.
Take care.

He was the same surgeon. He told me that he wanted to do the hiatal hernia removal separate because he wanted me to heal before the sleeve. He chose the sleeve because of my physical health. I have MS and he said it was the safest for me and with my prior back surgeries coming into play too. The heartburn I have isn't severe. It's just noticeable. Nothing like it was the years that I took Prilosec, Zantac and then Protonix.