For most women and men who undergo bariatric surgery, the life-changing results last for years. In some cases, however, the weight loss surgery results in frustration because the outcome isn’t what they had hoped. For those patients, revision weight loss surgery modifies and improves the results of a previous procedure.
How Do You Know if You Need Revision Surgery?
It’s not always clear if you need revision surgery after a weight loss procedure. In this blog post, we’ll explain some of the most common signs that indicate revision bariatric surgery is right for you.
Regaining Weight
Some bariatric surgery patients see their weight start to increase after initially losing weight. Temporary weight gain isn’t unusual and typically shows up as slight blips on the scale. A patient who has undergone a gastric sleeve surgery and has fully recovered from the procedure, for example, may gain a couple of pounds from what they registered the previous week and then resume losing weight. This situation is not something to be concerned about.
Sustained weight gain, though, needs to be addressed. Bariatric surgery patients regain weight for various reasons, such as stress eating, lack of a support system, or stopping exercise. It’s important to remember that bariatric surgery, such as a mini gastric bypass, isn’t a substitute for adopting healthy lifestyle habits.
Complications After Bariatric Surgery
If you’re exercising regularly and maintaining a nutritious diet but still seeing your weight increase, post-surgical complications could be responsible. Even though complications following bariatric surgery are relatively rare, they do occur. It’s important to meet with your surgeon to discuss the potential issues that lead to sustained weight gain. It could just be that your body is still adjusting to the changes. If you had LAP-BAND® surgery, the band might loosen or slip out of place. You may opt for a mini gastric bypass surgery or gastric sleeve procedure to replace the gastric band.
Nausea and Vomiting
It’s not unusual to experience nausea or vomiting immediately after your bariatric surgery. You’re eating food that you’re not familiar with, and the body needs to adjust as you drop the number of calories you consume. Nausea and vomiting typically occur the first month or two after your surgery. Persistently feeling queasy or vomiting for months, however, could be a sign of a more serious complication. Vomiting for more than 48 hours is a reason to contact your physician.
Chronic Acid Reflux
People seeking bariatric surgery often suffer from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disorder), also called acid reflux. In some cases, however, weight loss surgery patients experience GERD symptoms for the first time after the procedure. This tends to be especially true for patients undergoing gastric sleeve surgery. Not everyone with GERD needs revision surgery. You can manage mild heartburn, for example, by adjusting your diet or using over-the-counter medications. However, more severe heartburn, indigestion, and reflux can impact the quality of your life and the success of your procedure. Research indicates revision surgery that converts a gastric sleeve to a gastric bypass reduces GERD symptoms.
Not Meeting Weight Loss Goals
Revision surgery may be a solution if you’ve been unable to meet the weight loss goals established before bariatric surgery. It could be that converting a LAP-BAND, for example, to a gastric sleeve or mini gastric bypass can help you lose the amount of weight desired. Revision surgery won’t help if you’re not meeting your goals because of a poor diet or lack of exercise. Those involve making changes in lifestyle choices.
Learn More About Revision Surgery
If you think that you may need revision bariatric surgery, request a consultation with a member of our surgical team using the online form or call us at (888) 888-4250 to schedule an appointment at Surgical Solutions Network.