Have you just realized that your portion sizes are close to what they were before you had weight-loss surgery?
Did you just have your gastric band tightened, and all of a sudden you’re having difficulty swallowing your food?
If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, then chances are, you probably need a weight-loss surgery revision.
Weight gain and larger portions = stretching of the stomach
Sometimes, the bodies of weight-loss patients will eventually become familiar with the changes in digestion that were made following weight-loss surgery. As a result, the stomach will start to stretch out, and begin to accommodate larger food portions and higher calorie absorption. When the stomach has become stretched slowly over time, patients may not realize that they are back to eating larger portion sizes.
Nausea and vomiting = stomach obstruction
Gastric banding patients can sometimes experience an obstruction in the upper part of the stomach that prevents food from filtering into the lower part of the stomach — resulting in extreme and painful nausea and vomiting. These types of food obstructions can also result in stomach pain and acid reflux — the latter of which can occur when the gastric band slips out of its original place.
Difficulty with swallowing = excessively tight gastric band
Gastric banding patients will sometimes revisit their surgeons to have their bands tightened in an effort to promote further weight loss. Sometimes, the gastric band can become too tight, and cause patients to experience difficulty with swallowing as a result of having a swollen or expanded esophagus. In these cases, patients will return to their surgeons to have the gastric bands loosened to prevent related adverse health conditions, such as pneumonia.
If you are a weight-loss surgery patient who has started to gain a significant amount of weight following weight-loss surgery or are experiencing frequent nausea, vomiting, heartburn, acid reflux, abdominal pain, and difficulty with swallowing, meet with your surgeon immediately to discuss the possibility of undergoing weight-loss revision surgery.
If you are interested in weight loss surgery, check out MBL’s Ultimate Guide To Weight Loss Surgery.
