Revision from VSG to RNY

I just wanted to post an update for anyone who is interested or may be considering revision from sleeve to bypass.  I had my revision surgery on 7/1, so I'm 2.5 weeks post op (I was forced to revise to cure my out of control acid reflux).  My recovery has been great.  I spent 3 nights in the hospital and since I've been home everything has gone smoothly.  I have no problem drinking fluids and can consistently get in 90+ oz a day.  I'm currently on a puree/soft food diet that under my plan includes things like cottage cheese, refried beans, eggs, tuna, salmon, etc.  I have had zero problems with food and have met my protein goals from my third day home from the hospital.  The best part is my acid is completely controlled.  I'm still taking a daily PPI, but at this point its more to aid in healing than for acid control.  I have no pressure in my chest, acid bubbling up into my throat, or gurgling.  I can sleep flat opposed to propped up on 4 pillows.  While I fought tooth and nail against more surgery, I can now say it was the best decision I ever made.  For anyone sleevers struggling with out of control acid, I would highly recommend revision.

Glad to hear everything is going well!

Thank you for posting this. I am 22 days post op from a band to sleeve revision in Mexico and I paid a visit to my local bariatric surgeon yesterday. 

I wanted to get a check up from him mainly just so I have a local surgeon who knows my case, should anything go wrong. He told me this: Getting the band out and a sleeve done in one surgery may have set me up for GERD because the sleeve won't be the right shape. He looked at the fluoroscope pictures and said that the contrast showing up where the band was means that acid will get caught up there as well, leading to GERD. He also said that my sleeve was the wrong shape. He told me to stop taking PPIs after a month and if the GERD comes back, I'll have to go on PPIs again and will probably be on them for the rest of my life. The only fix for this if that happens is bypass, which insurance won't pay for. He couldn't do fluoroscopy yesterday because it's too soon. When I go back in three months he can scope me and see how things look. Not really what I wanted to hear.

I don't really want any more surgery but this really concerns me and I have been wondering what a bypass would be like if I have to have one. 

I'm wondering if the sleeve to rny revision will behave the same way as a virgin rny. Do you know?

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "behave the same way as a virgin rny."  I know my surgeon said I likely won't lose as fast or as much as a virgin rny, which is fine with me because I'm 9 lbs away from goal.  Other than that, I would guess it's the same.

I've never heard that about the sleeve not being the right shape after a one step revision.  I never had a band, so can't speak to that.  I know that my sleeve was perfectly shaped and functioning properly.  The only thing was my system couldn't handle the acid.  PPIs were ineffective for me, so revision was really my only option.  If you have any other questions, please let me know.  I'd be happy to share any info I have1

I just mean that a "virgin" RNY would be on someone who'd never had bariatric surgery. 

I was wondering if a RNY from a sleeve would function just as well as if you had just had RNY from the beginning before getting the sleeve. 

Are there any issues with that, other than not losing as much weight?

Not that I know of and I was pretty thorough in my research. And just because my dr said I was unlikely to lose much weight doesn't mean that applies to all revisions. I know plenty of people *****vised and have lost amazingly well!

Did your insurance pay for the revision to RNY? The bariatric surgeon that I spoke to this week said that insurance wouldn't pay for revision to RNY, because it's related to weight loss surgery. 

Yes. The surgery is about the only thing my insurance would approve. They stopped paying for my PPIs so o had no choice 

Mine is paying two stage revision Band to rny.   I also had low bmi but suffered complications of band failure

In the early post-op period how was your reflux? 

I have taken 40 mg of prilosec daily for a while and just started dexilant this week, and thought it was working great, until I got acid up in my throat that woke me up last night. 

Was your reflux under control at the beginning and then got worse? or was it bad from the beginning?

I just wish I knew how long it was going to take for this to go away. I've been told and read that it is about 6 months. I hear so many stories of people dealing with GERD long after that, though. 

What was your experience with it after surgery?