Right now in the United States, the gastric sleeve is the most popular bariatric operation performed to help people lose a substantial amount of weight, and each year, about 150,000 gastric sleeve surgeries are performed. The majority of people drop a significant number of pounds in the first few months after they have their surgery, but everyone is different, so the results can vary.
Sometimes, they do not achieve the weight loss results they were expecting, or they might be experiencing chronic acid reflux, which is a common side effect of the gastric sleeve surgery. Another common occurrence is that they lose weight at first and then end up gradually gaining some or all of it back. In fact, 10% to 30% of gastric sleeve patients regain a substantial amount of weight, leaving them struggling to find a solution to get their weight back under control.
You may be asking, “Can a person have gastric sleeve surgery twice? In this article, we will answer that question and also present some options that are available to individuals who have previously had gastric sleeve surgery and have gained weight or whose weight loss has stalled.
What Does Gastric Sleeve Surgery Involve?
Gastric sleeve surgery is designed to help individuals lose weight by permanently reducing the size of their stomach. During the surgery, about 80% of their stomach tissue is removed and the remaining edges are stapled together, which leaves behind a much smaller tube-shaped stomach. This smaller stomach limits the amount of food they can eat at one meal, so they feel full after eating very small portions, and their stomach empties much more slowly, so they do not get hungry as often. The surgery is usually done laparoscopically, using small incisions in the abdomen to access the stomach and specialized instruments to perform the procedure.
Can You Get A Gastric Sleeve Twice?
No, gastric sleeve surgery can only be done one time. Once a significant portion of the person’s stomach has been removed during the initial gastric sleeve surgery, it is not possible to perform the exact same procedure again because there is not enough stomach tissue left to remove.
What Are The Main Reasons People Gain Weight After Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
ScienceDirect published a study that reported that around half of the individuals who lose a substantial amount of weight after having bariatric surgery end up regaining a large portion of it within a few years. The reason cited as most often responsible for regaining weight after weight loss surgery is not being consistent with following healthy lifestyle habits. Some of the reasons weight gain occurs include:
1. Slipping Back Into Old Eating Habits
Reverting back to your old habits, like making unhealthy food choices, eating too much at once, or drinking liquids too close to mealtime, can stretch your stomach. If your stomach gradually becomes larger, it will take more food to make you feel full and cause you to eat too much, and you will begin to gain weight. Also, what you eat is just as important as how much you eat because consuming the wrong foods can add a significant number of calories and offer little nutritional benefit.
2. Not Getting Enough Physical Activity
To lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you eat, which means not only do you need to pay attention to what and how much you eat, but you also need to stay active. Gastric sleeve surgery can help by making it easier to eat less, but it is not a magic procedure that will do everything for you. You need to make healthy choices and get enough regular exercise to experience weight loss. Most experts recommend a mixture of cardio and strength training to help you burn calories and maintain muscle mass.
3. Not Enough Support
Obesity is not always something you can fix with just diet and exercise. It is a complicated global health problem with many causes, like genetics, slow metabolism, stress, hormone changes, or even mental health issues, and often requires the help of professionals.
Many of these problems do not just go away on their own, even after the individual loses weight. Some issues make it really hard for someone to lose weight or have a healthy relationship with food. It is important to look at all sides of the issue when looking for weight loss strategies or solutions, and to make sure you develop a support system that will help you overcome the issues that are affecting your ability to maintain a healthy weight.
Research has shown that staying at a healthy weight after weight loss surgery is not easy to do alone, and those who build and utilize a strong support system have better results. Having people around you for support, like friends, family, or a team of professionals, can make all the difference in maintaining a healthy weight.
What Can You Do If You Cannot Have Gastric Sleeve Surgery Twice?
If you did not lose the amount of weight after your gastric sleeve that you desired, are having ongoing side effects, or have started gaining weight again, you have a few options to restart your weight loss. You can either convert your gastric sleeve to a gastric bypass through another surgery or choose a non-surgical revision procedure that is done endoscopically and does not require surgery.
1. Surgical Conversion Of Gastric Sleeve
A conversion means you would go through another surgery that makes additional changes to your digestive system, such as gastric bypass surgery. After the conversion to gastric bypass, you would still have a smaller stomach, preventing you from eating very much at each meal, but also your body would not absorb as many calories from the food you eat, so it would help you lose weight.
2. Non-Surgical Revision To Gastric Sleeve
A revision does not involve surgery and is a much easier and less invasive option that can tighten your stomach back up and restore the restriction created during your initial gastric sleeve surgery, so you can start losing weight again.
What Is Involved In An Endoscopic Gastric Sleeve Revision?
A non-surgical gastric sleeve revision is a quick, one-hour procedure that you can do without staying in the hospital. The doctor uses an endoscope with a small camera that is passed through your throat to reach your stomach. This allows them to reduce the size of your stomach if it has stretched or make it smaller if it was not initially resized enough, so you can feel full when eating smaller portions and lose weight.
During the procedure, the doctor places targeted sutures from the inside of your stomach to reduce the amount of usable space to limit the size of your food portions during each meal. Recovery after an endoscopic revision is significantly shorter than after having gastric sleeve surgery or having conversion surgery.
Would A Non-Surgical Gastric Sleeve Revision Be Right For You?
An endoscopic revision may be a great solution for you if:
- You have undergone gastric sleeve surgery, but have not come close to achieving your weight loss goals, or are gaining weight despite maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- You initially lost weight after your surgery, but have hit a weight loss plateau despite eating healthy and exercising.
- You do not have any medical conditions like a bleeding disorder that would jeopardize your safety during the procedure or affect its effectiveness.
- You have been dealing with chronic side effects like severe acid reflux after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery.
- You are willing and dedicated to making lifestyle choices that are permanent and necessary to maintain a healthy weight.
- You understand and accept what a non-surgical revision can and cannot accomplish.
What Benefits Come With A Gastric Sleeve Revision?
If you are trying to decide if undergoing a non-surgical revision to the gastric sleeve is worth pursuing, it is important that you consider all the benefits of weight loss. Some of the benefits include:
- It can significantly improve metabolic conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol issues, and problems with the joints and mobility.
- Losing weight can enhance your appearance and boost your self-esteem.
- Lowers your risk for serious conditions, like heart attack and stroke
- It can improve your quality of life and extend your lifespan.
If you are having a hard time losing weight or are gaining weight after gastric sleeve surgery, a great way to get a second chance at weight loss is through a non-surgical gastric sleeve revision.
Where Can I Find A Doctor That Performs Endoscopic Revisions To Bariatric Surgery?
If you have previously undergone gastric sleeve surgery but have not achieved your desired weight loss or have experienced weight regain, there are still options available to help you reach your health goals. Reveal Weight Loss offers a wide range of non-surgical weight loss solutions and comprehensive support that is customized for you and your specific circumstances.
While a person cannot have gastric sleeve surgery twice, there are revision procedures that can help get their weight loss journey back on track. Everyone’s weight loss journey will be different, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution, so we find the best solutions and strategies that will work for you and help you reach your weight loss goals. Do not let the challenges of the past hold you back, and allow yourself a second chance at gaining control of your health. Set up a personal consultation today and speak to one of our medical weight loss experts about how we can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.
