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Sleeve revision to gastric bypass

K

Kimberly smith

Member
Hello

Need some feed back please.
I had my gastric sleeve in 2016 now suddenly last year of 2021 I start having lot of Acid reflux and Bile reflux backing up in the stomach and throat at Night !! Now I am having upper stomach pains and medications is not working anymore also downing Tums all day so I call my bariatric doctor I was very surprise when he told me I would have to do a revision to the gastric bypass OMG I was not willing to do that I did not want to have anymore weight loss surgeries so my doctor told me that G bypass is the only way of getting rid of the reflux .I am so scared knowing the risk and a chance of having other issues and problems my doctor is working with my insurance company waiting to see if the would be approve it . is there any other options ?
 
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Sorry you are going through all of this. I have my surgery later this month and I am having gastric bypass also. I was/am a little scared as I wanted to have the sleeve originally. I already suffer from major GERD (acid reflux) so my surgeon was admittedly against it as it usually causes acid reflux so mine would likely get worse. He would do it but said I would likely need a revision to bypass anyway so after tons of reading and researching decided to go with the Bypass from the start. I really don't have any advise but I wish you the best in figuring everything out. I know how bad acid reflux can be, I am on 2 prescription medications and still suffer from it!
 
Kimberly smith said:
Hello

I start having lot of Acid reflux and Bile reflux backing up in the stomach and throat at night now i am having upper stomach pains and medications is not working anymore
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Ask your doctor for Omeprazole and Ondansetron. These two meds were given to me to take as my stomach healed. Turns out they're prescription-strength versions of Zantac and another OTC med I can't remember.

I'd ask for this instead of jumping right back into surgery. However, one of them has been linked to Alzheimer's dementia, so I stopped taking mine except when absolutely necessary.

As a general rule, if a doc goes to surgery, I always ask if there's a pharmaceutical approach we can try first.

If the problem was chronic, I'd opt for surgery, which is so easy nowadays, compared to the major surgery used with my RYGB 14 years ago.
 
I had this issue... Meds will likely be a lifelong requirement without surgery. Not to mention, that reflux can lead to Barrett's Esophagus, which is pre-cancerous and requires lifelong monitoring and treatment. Not something I wanted to sign up for. I really wish that doctors were more up front and honest about the incidence of reflux with the sleeve - makes me angry actually. Many just want to push sleeve because it is "easier" on some levels. I converted to bypass - my surgeon did a shorter bypass section because he did not want me to lose too much weight from that procedure. It was a bit of a process because he had to do peer review with the insurance company and explain that my anatomy was gone due to sleeve, which made another "fix" impossible.
 
Hi, Kim. I am happy to hear you will be having the revision, as acid reflux is no joke. I have Barretts Esophagus (pre-surgery) and have to get endoscopies/biopsies every other year to make sure it hasn't turned into cancer. So, I chose the bypass for my WLS and do not regret it. I do not have to take any meds for acid reflux at this time. Due to the Barrett's, I did have to take it for the first year after. But then was allowed to stop. The need for meds still gets evaluated at each endoscopy, so that may change again, based on damage/biopsy results. That being said it is a VERY RARE instance that anything gives me reflux or even heartburn since I had the bypass. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the results.
 
Kimberly smith said:
Hello

Need some feed back please.
I had my gastric sleeve in 2016 now suddenly last year of 2021 I start having lot of Acid reflux and Bile reflux backing up in the stomach and throat at Night !! Now I am having upper stomach pains and medications is not working anymore also downing Tums all day so I call my bariatric doctor I was very surprise when he told me I would have to do a revision to the gastric bypass OMG I was not willing to do that I did not want to have anymore weight loss surgeries so my doctor told me that G bypass is the only way of getting rid of the reflux .I am so scared knowing the risk and a chance of having other issues and problems my doctor is working with my insurance company waiting to see if the would be approved . is there any other options ?
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Hi, I am new to the group. Reading about the sleeve and reflux really makes me nervous. Because of my age, (70) and health, (2005 lapband and 2019 pacemaker implant), my doc said he is making an exception for even considering surgery. I do not have acid reflux or Gerd, no indigestion at all. Lapband was a 40lb loss but regained most of it. The exception is bc I am type 2 diabetic, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, and the list goes on. Sleeve is the only choice for me bc of malabsorption. Thinking about reflux and Gerd after I have this surgery makes me think twice?
 
Julie R said:
Hi, I am new to the group. Reading about the sleeve and reflux really makes me nervous. Because of my age, (70) and health, (2005 lapband and 2019 pacemaker implant), my doc said he is making an exception for even considering surgery. I do not have acid reflux or Gerd, no indigestion at all. Lapband was a 40lb loss but regained most of it. The exception is bc I am type 2 diabetic, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, and the list goes on. Sleeve is the only choice for me bc of malabsorption. Thinking about reflux and Gerd after I have this surgery makes me think twice?
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Not to change the subject but you look amazing at 70 y/o!
 
Julie R said:
Hi, I am new to the group. Reading about the sleeve and reflux really makes me nervous. Because of my age, (70) and health, (2005 lapband and 2019 pacemaker implant), my doc said he is making an exception for even considering surgery. I do not have acid reflux or Gerd, no indigestion at all. Lapband was a 40lb loss but regained most of it. The exception is bc I am type 2 diabetic, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, and the list goes on. Sleeve is the only choice for me bc of malabsorption. Thinking about reflux and Gerd after I have this surgery makes me think twice?
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The incidence of reflux with a conversion from band to sleeve is exponentially higher than starting with a sleeve. You have to push surgeons to actually discuss this.
 
Julie R said:
Hi, I am new to the group. Reading about the sleeve and reflux really makes me nervous. Because of my age, (70) and health, (2005 lapband and 2019 pacemaker implant), my doc said he is making an exception for even considering surgery. I do not have acid reflux or Gerd, no indigestion at all. Lapband was a 40lb loss but regained most of it. The exception is bc I am type 2 diabetic, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, and the list goes on. Sleeve is the only choice for me bc of malabsorption. Thinking about reflux and Gerd after I have this surgery makes me think twice?
Click to expand...
I originally had a lapband and had a revision to VSG. I was having problems with the lapband but do not have that problem with the sleeve if that helps. But I never had problems with GERD before the lapband. There is no guarantee unfortunately. If VSG is your only possible choice, discuss the "what ifs" with your doctor and see what the plan would be if you should wind up with GERD following the surgery.

My sister in-law is had a pacemaker put in early this morning. How are you doing with yours?

And welcome to the group!
 
JudyNY said:
I originally had a lapband and had a revision to VSG. I was having problems with the lapband but do not have that problem with the sleeve if that helps. But I never had problems with GERD before the lapband. There is no guarantee unfortunately. If VSG is your only possible choice, discuss the "what ifs" with your doctor and see what the plan would be if you should wind up with GERD following the surgery.

My sister in-law is had a pacemaker put in early this morning. How are you doing with yours?

And welcome to the group!
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Thank you!! Pacemaker saved my life. I suffered from A-fib for years, in 2019 I was in ER 25 times, admitted countless times, had a heart shock, never let a doctor do that to you, it's horrible and doesn't help at all. My heart went from a-fib to Bradycardia, 30 bpm, I took a very fast trip in the ambulance, pacemaker the next day. No regrets. I think as far as the reflux, I would rather try to live with it and get the band out, sleeve in.
 
In all honesty, they can’t say that having bypass will eliminate reflux. I had reflux before surgery and have it now - I’m a touch over 2 years post-op. My surgical team told me that gastric bypass should eliminate my reflux- it did not. My surgical team emails me once a month asking if I need a refill on my reflux meds. Each month it’s been a yes. It may be a yes for the rest of my life.

My husband had surgery that stopped his reflux. He had the LINX procedure. He no longer has reflux. It may not work on anyone who’s had WLS - but it could be another option! Good luck getting this figured out!
 
dianeseattle said:
TT, what is the LINX procedure?
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It’s a laparoscopic procedure for reflux sufferers. It’s when they put a string of metal beads are placed around part of the esophagus that are drawn together by a magnet. It truly helped my husband. He’s had reflux since he was a young teenager. He has/had severe scarring in his esophagus. When he would have reflux he would cough up blood it was truly awful. His esophagus was banded multiple times - they put rubber bands at ruptured spots in his esophagus.
LINX® Procedure for Treatment of GERD
 
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