REVISION FROM REVISION

I HAD LAP BAND SURGERY IN FEBRUARY 2006, DID WELL AT FIRST, BUT NOT MUCH.  ON JULY 19, 2011, I HAD A REVISION DONE TO THE GASTRIC SLEEVE.  I'VE LOST 30 LBS...NOT MUCH, GOOD FOR ME I AM AT 175 RIGHT NOW...HOWEVER, I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING ALOT OF ACID REFLUX...I WAKE UP CHOKING AT NIGHT AT TIMES.  WENT TO SEE MY DOCTOR, WHO INFORMED ME THAT WHEN I HAD THE LAP BAND REMOVED, THERE WAS SCAR TISSUE AROUND THE AREA IT WAS ON...NOW I HAVE AN "OUTY" SO TO SPEAK CAUSE MY FOOD TO HANG AND A CAUSING ME TO HAVE EVEN MORE REFLUX THAN BEFORE MY SURGERY.  HIS ANSWER FOR NOW IS TEMPORARY "NEXIUM" BUT IN THE LOG RUN, MAY NEED FULL GASTRIC BYPASS, HE FEELS THAT THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY TO RELIEF MYSELF OF THIS REFLUX AND ACIDITY TASTE I HAVE ALL DAY LONG.   IF I HAD KNOWN I WOULD EXPERIENCE THIS, I WOULD HAVE GONE STRAIGHT TO BYPASS IN THE FIRST PLACE.  I WILL SEE HIM IN APRIL AND WE WILL SEE IF THE NEXIUM HELPED ANY...SO FAR IN THREE WEEKS...NOT AT ALL. 

Unfortunately people just don't understand the damage the band can do.  This is usually why a few doctors will remove the band and scar tissue and allow the stomach to heal giving them a verry view of what's going on.

So sorry you are having to deal with this.

Ms Shell

 I have also experienced a huge surge in acid reflux since having VSG. My insurance would not pay for Nexium so I am taking Aciphex, but I have to take twice the 'normal' dose to control the acid. If there is no change after three weeks on Nexium, I would call your doctor and see if the dosage can be increased. I had to go through a review with my insurance to get them to approve the higher dose of my med, but they did and now I don't have acid reflux all the time. It is really hard to focus on eating right and exercising when it feels like your esophogus and stomach are on fire all the time. If you can't up the Nexium, push your doctor to help you find another way to contain the acid. I did not lose weight when my acid was so bad. All I wanted to do was eat things like bread or crackers to help tamp down the acid. I was also so miserable that I didn't have the emotional energy to make the difficult, but right, decisions on eating and exercising. 

When I was having issues and fighting with the insurance company, my doctor also said that gastric bypass would be the only other way to solve the problem. I adamantly do not want GB, so I told him that was NOT an option. He did then say that time, along with the meds, were my best hope for getting past the acid reflux. 

Good luck. I hope you can find an answer to the acid reflux. i know how awful it is!

Thank you for your responses...I am trying the Nexium but I am not afraid to go through the Gastric Bypass.  not really looking for it, but if I have to, I have to...Dr. stated weight loss would not be that drastic since I've already had these procedures done.  I just give it to God and let him guide me.

Thanks again,

Dee

 The band really does mess up the stomach with scar tissue. I know a girl who just had a revision from the band to the sleeve, and she had her band unfilled for 3 years, and still felt full restriction and was suffering terrible from acid reflux and could only eat liquids or sliders for the last 3 years, before her revision. That restriction was the scar tissue, which also caused her acid reflux. I'm not sure switching to the gb will relieve the acid reflux, but I don't know much about the gb to really know. I was told that we must take the nexium for 3 months. 3 weeks is still too soon to tell I think. Good luck to you.