At what point would you get a revision - knowing you will GAIN WEIGHT?

There have been a few longer term people here who have disclosed chronic problems with malabsorption (both RNY and DS) who seem to have diligently tried everything to fix the problems, but are still suffering irreversible changes – in particular with osteoporosis.  I’ve even heard of people who are constantly breaking bones.  So the question that comes to mind for these people is, when is it time to admit to yourself that your surgery was too aggressive for YOU, and it is time to get a revision to increase your absorption to save your bones – DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS IS ALMOST CERTAIN TO CAUSE YOU TO GAIN WEIGHT? 

Would you do that?  Or would you choose to watch your bones crumble while you tried ineffective treatment after ineffective treatment, rather than risk regain?  When is enough, enough?

Could you make that decision to save your bones?  What if it were your kidneys (I know of at least one reversal that was done for oxalate crystals that were forming in the kidneys causing irreversible damage)?  What if you had cancer and needed to be able to absorb chemotherapy?  What if it was “just" diarrhea or constipation that nothing helped, but was making your life miserable?  Or would you refuse for any reason, because of the fear of regaining weight? 

What, if anything, would make you consider a revision, despite knowing you would gain weight again?

If the threat was to my very life (i.e. cancer treatment which couldn't be done with my wls), then I would revise/remove my band, whatever it took. If the quality of my life deteriorated so much that there was no pleasure in it, again I would do whatever it took.

Thank God for my band! May not just lift out without problem, but at least it is possible without too much trauma! And, of course, the long term bandsters (several on the Band Grads board) who have had to have chemo have been able to just have the band unfilled for the duration to allow them to swallow pills.

Kate

I suppose my answer could be different once I come out from under all of this excess weight, but I think once it was clear my health was being compromised, I would revise. I want to lose weight, but my ultimate goal is to have a healthy long life with my wife and our future kids. If it became clear that something else was going to threaten my longterm health and if my prognosis was better with more weight and no malabsorption, I would do it. I doubt I would be happy about it, but I would.

This is interesting and would be good for pre-op people to think about.

I'd almost definitely revise for serious bone problems, serious kidney issues or cancer. "Just" diarrhea or constipation is harder to know without being there, but I hope I'd be able to decide on a quality of life basis.

I had surgery to improve my quality of life and health, and if both are suffering, yes, I'd revise, even with the great likelihood of regain.

Caroline

I did face this question although I had already gained weight. I knew that having a revision would cause me even more weight gain since I had no restriction at the time. That is why I made the decision to allow my stomach to be made into a pouch. It was made out of fear but I knew I had to do something since I couldn't live the way I had been. I was even told by my doctor that I may not lose weight. Even if it hadn't of been an option to have my stomach revised I would have gone ahead with the surgery. I learned there are worse things in the world then being fat.

I would revise in a heartbeat to save my life or improve my health significantly. I guess it is easy for me to say that though- since I don't have a revisable (in the manner you are referring) surgery. Being fat and healthy is obviously better than thin but at death's door.

That is one of the reasons I went for the DS...the fact that it can be utterly reversed as nothing (aside from the outer curvature of the stomach is thrown away.   I wanted a get out of jail free card and that is it.  I've nursed a woman who died from malnutrition post WLS  (1998) and made a choice to have a surgery that allows me to make life saving choices if need be.

The band was a no go due to possible erosion's and the fact I'd eat around it and the RNY was out cause the idea of eating low fat my entire life made my toes curl let alone dumping,.....ug! 

Yeh I'd get fat to save my life...same reason why I got thin in the first place.

Kirmy, so the DS its totally reversible. Hadn't realised that. Does that mean the VSG is too? So is RnY the only one of the main 4 that is not reversible?

Kate

I think Kirmy is referring the fact that the intestinal configuration can be reversed. 

Ms C C , now I am truly confused. Someone further down the thread has posted that her VSG is not reversilbe. I thought VSG was the first part of a DS? Am i way off beam?

Just curious!

Kate