MRI post-roux en Y?

okay--i'm a nurse and i don't know the answer to this. if they use staples for the roux en y---can you have an MRI? not that i need one right now...just curious. i also wonder what it'd look like to have an xray of your abdomen....to see all the staples on film would be interesting, i'm sure. any comments?

Whoa, Never thought about that!!!! Would an MRI be dangerous with staples? I assume that the staples they put into me when they cut the stomach are still there as a double seal off of the stomach. I just decided that when I come back to US, I would not mention the gastric to the doc unless I was having problems directly related to it cause of the problems with insurance not covering you. I have heard that a lot of policies will not cover anything once they find out that you have had gastric..... What do you think? Should the Doctor know?

I think that your Dr. should absolutely know. My insurance is the one that covered my surgery, and they have not hesitated to cover anything. I would certainly tell any hospital I was admitted to, as there can be serious complications if they treat you without knowing, especially no nasogastric (NG) tube, and lots of other reasons..... D.

I found this on a (bariatric) doctor's web site..... Can I have an MRI in the future? What about metal detectors in airports? The staples used during the operation are very tiny in comparison to the staples used to close wounds or the staples used in the office. The staples are made of either stainless steel or titanium. These metals are inert and people are not allergic to these metals. These metals are also non-magnetic so will not affect MRIs or metal detectors. DeAnna

That is good to know. The reason that I mentioned not letting doctors in general know unless you have problems or go in the hospital is I remember some folks on this site who paid for gastric out of their pocket and then were not covered later by insurance when they changed policies or tried to buy a policy because their husband became self-employed. They were honest and told the company that they had gastric surgery. A friend of mine who was in a car accident (she was a passenger) another person hit them on her side) cracked the ball of her hip and she had to have a hip implant done. Now no insurance will cover her for medical, she is self employed. Of course the person who hit her also did not have any insurance either!!!! Insurance companies are so bad now, especially after Katrina, that they will not cover anything or if you file a claim they are looking to drop you as fast as they can. I just never remembered the doctor saying anything about MRI's but do remember about the nasel gastric tube. For sure, I will tell them and have told my husband also to let them know. I know that it is very dangerous.......

You're right, lots of insurance companies suck these days....A friend told me that her cousin could not get life insurance now (would like to know what company that was) because she had gastric bypass, and the cousin is healthy, certainly healthier than she was heavy.... BTW - I was just sitting here working and wondering if this was evening time for you (11:30 PM), and here you are on line. D

We are 14 hours ahead of you. So when it is 10 pm there it is 8am here the next day. So sometimes it will look like I am up very late at night, usually I post when I finish teaching. I eat my lunch and read the board and then put up a few replys. Hope Arlies is ok, have not heard from her in ages, but I know that her husband is so ill right now. I am wary of the insurance companies, they will not pay even for the doctor if you have the flu if they know you had gastric. They will find a way to say that gastric is the reason you have the flu. Unbelieveable! They are very crafty. I usually do not disclose anything unless I just have to because of that. Hope you are doing well, have tons more clothes, interested? Cheryl

I know you posted that before (14 hours ahead), but I couldn't remember...Arlies, I think, is doing pretty good (don't know about Jim). Last I talked to her, she was spending several hours at the YMCA here in the mornings at the indoor heated pool, water aerobics and such. Wonderful exercise. I am always interested in clothes - still in a 16, but aspire to be in a 12-14, soon. Back to exercising this week - had very bad cold that may have started from flu from Thanksgiving through Christmas it seems. Also detoxing from sugar (again) this week. So, save them for me. Deanna