Revision 6/22
Hi everyone-
I'm having a revision from a proximal RNY done in 1995 to a distal RNY on 6/22. I had to battle with MAMSI for 2.5 years so this is a big victory for me, and I'm excited to be a loser again! Any other revisions here? I belong to several listserves for people who've had revisions but I'd love to have some buddies nearby who have been through a second WLS... also, I'd love to connect with anyone who has had or is contemplating WLS and lives in the Gaithersburg/Rockville/Germantown area.
FYI- I started at 316, lost to 148 then gained to 242... BIG SIGH...
Marcie
Leesa
on 6/10/06 4:48 am - MD
on 6/10/06 4:48 am - MD
Marcie,
I don't know anyone who has had the revision you're having, and of course, I wish you the best of success. I hope you're working with a good nutritionist. I did see one person *****cently posted on the Rouxny Yahoo listserv (it's a local area group used by (but not exclusively) patients from Drs. Greene, Marcus, Fullum, and Harrington, who had a distal RNY years back, but -- in conjunction with other surgical procedures -- had it revised to a proximal after having nutritional problems due to the increased malabsorption.
I read your profile regarding your battles with MAMSI, and I'm in full agreement with you about them (hate 'em, too). I have a Washington, DC-based policy through my employer, even though I live in Maryland, pay taxes here, and use Maryland doctors for everything else; DC has no WLS requirements in their insurance laws, so they denied me all through my two appeals, and I had to go self-pay.
Leesa
Thanks for the note Leesa- MAMSI makes me crazy! I had to appeal to the MD Insurance Administration and during that process MAMSI specifically referred me to Dr. Schweitzer and I have a letter from MIA that goes into great detail about what MAMSI was directing me to do to get an appointment with Dr. Schweitzer. Then, once I met with him, he submitted a request for pre-certification, which was immediately granted. THEN MAMSI REFUSED TO PAY THE BILL FOR THE CONSULT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Total idiots!!!
I am working with a team of two wonderful nutritionists and I have really prepared well for the lifelong commitment to saily protein and vitamin supplements... Distal is a big commitment, but I'm just not willing to spend the rest of my life morbidly obese.
How long ago was your surgery? Who did it and how have you done?
Thanks for the support-please keep in touch!
Marcie
Leesa
on 6/10/06 6:47 pm - MD
on 6/10/06 6:47 pm - MD
Marcie,
My surgery was with Barry Greene on July 25, 2003, so I'm coming on my 3rd anniversary. He did what I'm told was a proximal RNY, and bypassed 150cm. I'd gotten off as much as 190#, but am struggling with some bounce back weight, so right now my total loss is more in the neighborhood of 165-170#; I could stand to lose about 30-40 more #. Still, it's been the best thing I could have ever done, and my health is so much more improved. I totally understand about your wanting to "fight" to maintain all the benefits (better health that is) from your original surgery, and it sounds like you're proceeding with your eyes wide open.
I'm openly encouraging you, if you want some additional support, to come and join our support group "family" given your location in Montgomery Village. Dr. Greene and his staff are very open to having local post-ops from other surgeons attend and become a part of our post-op support family at the twice a month meetings, the next one being this Monday evening at 6:30 p.m., June 12, at Temple Beth Ami on Travilah Road, near Travilah and Darnestown Roads -- which is just a stone's throw from Montgomery Village. In fact, the post-op support group meeting this Monday is a Q&A with Dr. Greene's new nutritionist.
The support groups meet 6:30 p.m., the 2nd Monday (at Temple Beth Ami), and 4th Sundays at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital (except this month, since the 4th Sunday is the day before the ASBS conference in San Francisco). You can get complete location details from Dr. Greene's web site, www.AdvancedWLS.com. A lot of us go out for low-carb dinner after each support group meeting. In addition to Dr. Greene's post-ops, we have post-op patients who live in the Montgomery County area from Dr. Gandsas, Dr. Elariny, Dr. Reines, Barix, Dr. Cantor, Dr. Marcus (retired), and others. We also occasionally have a "simple supper" pot luck at different people's homes where we get together for additional personal support and schmoozing.
Best of luck, keep up the good fight!