Anybody else have to have their surgery reversed?

Hi everyone,
I don't post too often, but I do read a lot of your posts and sometimes chime in if I feel I can help.  I had RNY on 10/30/07, and I was fine until about Feb/Mar 2008, and then the problems started, lots of stenosis (I have lost track of how many EGD's I have had, maybe 8-10 in 2008), I have had 3 more surgeries since my original surgery, the last one in November by Dr. Alverdy to do an exploratory with possible reversal of gastric bypass, which they ended up having to do. I don't want to scare people who are thinking about the surgery, believe it or not, I do not have any regrets and I would do it all over again, and keep in mind that I am the exception, not the rule for complications.  I guess my anatomy just does not work with this surgery, it made me very sick, several trips to ER/admissions to the hospital, I think the scariest was the malnutrition (from not being able to eat due to symptoms) and having to get a central line to get IV nutrition at home, it has been a long road...now I am faced with a whole set of problems/emotions I have never had in my whole life...not being able to eat enough, trying not to lose anymore weight (that's a mind melter there), and having people tell you that you are too thin and telling you to eat more.  I want to eat more, I am just still recovering from the last surgery, and I am still having some intestinal complications from that.  I have a wonderful support group, really great friends there, but I mostly go to support others, I don't talk about my issues because I don't want to scare people, and there isn't anyone there with these problems, I almost feel like it would be offensive for me to talk about how I need to gain weight and eat more calories!  I just didn't know if there was anyone else out there with any of these issues. Thanks for listening :)

Jules, I'm so sorry for your troubles.

I have a different surgery than most people who post here (not sure about lurkers) so I know a little bit of what you mean. My post-op lifestyle is very different from those here, so I try not to post too much about it.

How helpful/supportive would it be to someone following the "pouch rules" or "band rules" to hear that I just ate two large slices of pizza and two Godiva truffles and am about to eat a turkey sandwich on wheat with full-fat mayo and lots of cheese and wa**** down with a Diet Coke?  I just pipe up here when people ask about the DS or need general emotional support. I don't want a flame or surgery war scenario here (like many other state boards). We are all nice people, trying to save our lives and futures in whatever way we can.

However, I think what YOU have to say would be of interest to a lot of people here. It is the other side of the coin that they have, and it could very well be in their future, too. Yours is a valuable perspective.

I wish you well. Malnutrition is a scary, quiet thing. You had to reverse the surgery to get a handle on your health, which is what we're all trying to do, in our different ways.

Take care of yourself and I say, feel free to post your experiences. You never know who you will be able to help with your story.

Nicolle

Nicolle,
Thanks and I understand what you are saying...my hubby had the DS, and one of the reasons he doesn't go to my support group is because he is afraid that when they find out he can have sugar and not dump, there will be a riot! Just kidding (a little), he really just knows that no one else there has had the DS, and it comes with unique challenges as well as benefits.  I always wanted to be a champion of this cause/surgery, and part of my heartbreak is that I have been a bad example for all the good things, but still no regrets.  Thanks again, and have a wonderful holiday!

How interesting that you both had different surgeries!! Your own in-house experiment, I suppose.

I am still early out--10 months, so it is really premature to say where my story will go. On occasion, people with the DS end up needing to revise their common channel length because they have lost too much weight. You never can tell if that will be me or what will happen. So, believe me, I want to know what challenges you are facing, too.

Does your hubby post here or on the DS board? Maybe I already know him!

Nicolle

Nicolle,
His name is Marty, and I know he used to, not sure if he still does or not.  He's probably more of a lurker like me :)  Thanks again!

Jules I am sorry to hear that you are having a tough time My heart goes out to you, I think it is good for everyone to know both sides, I am lucky so far no problems at  all  but that is not to say I wont have problems in the future, one can never tell,
Thank you so very much for coming back we are here for you
Take care and stay well,

Dear Jules:

Thank you so much for sharing what must be very painful for you.  I can only imagine what you are going through.  I have been very lucky so far also, but am always aware that things can still go wrong.

Please don't feel unwelcome.  We all need friends, and I, for one, would never discriminate against you because of your issues.

I hope that your troubles are soon in your past and that you can be healthy, because that's what we all want, isn't it?

Janet/Dawn,
Thanks so much for your words of encouragement, and I know that my support group would be as supportive, it's just harder when it is face to face, and like I said before,  a lot of pre-op patients come to support group, and I don't want to frighten anyone unnecessarily.  I just had some labs drawn today, they are still worried about my nutritional status, my caloric intake is better than it was, but still about 700 cals a day...it isn't mental either, I want to eat, but I get a few bites in and then I am very full, so I have been staying with some higher calorie shakes/smoothies because they go down a bit easier these days, at least until my intestines calm down and stop acting up! :)