loving my revision from RNY to DS

I am a revision patient from RNY to DS.  While the RNY did allow me to loose 130 lbs, it was short lived and not without miserable consequences.  I vomited, I dumped, food got stuck, and for the past 4 years, I had uncontrollable hunger.

 

I had my RNY in 94 and had staple line disruption in 96. Not fun and hurt like hell. I’d only had coffee that morning.  My guess is it disrupted because of the frequent vomiting from foods that didn’t agree with me.

 

I had to diet constantly to keep from gaining enormous amounts of weight.  I was hungry and still the scale was climbing upwards.

 

At 170 lbs, I broke my ankle and the weight piled on quicker, got up to 209 and my lower back hurt so badly I could barely do whatever it is a middle-aged housewife normally does without pain.  I couldn’t walk across the street without needing to bend over and give my back some relief.  Washing dishes, sweeping, vacuuming and mopping were the worst offenders.

 

I started looking into revision surgery in 2003 but life cir****tances made me put that on the back burner.  Around Oct 2005, I decided to make myself the top priority and began looking into revision surgery seriously.  I attended a seminar in Columbia MO (around 175 miles from me) and they offered repair to my exisiting RNY.  I was already a member here, so did more research because at 54, with adhesions and one weight loss surgery that had failed me I wanted to make sure I chose the very best surgery with better percentages of keeping the weight off, forever!!!!.  .  My back hurt so badly I was on 4 hydracodone daily.  And they didn’t help much until I figured out to take 2 first thing in the AM to get ahead of the pain that surely would be along shortly from doing just the simplest things.

 

So, I found out about the DS, did a bunch of research, asked some questions and knew that it was the right surgery for me.  I didn’t want another failure.  So I researched surgeons, made a few phone calls and emails. 

 

Since a revison was a much more complex surgery than the RNY or even a DS, I knew I had to find the most experienced surgeon and one of the best of the best.  I called Dr. Husted in Nashville, around 5 hours from me.

 

I had my consultation and attended a seminar in Feb and was very excited to find out he could help me.  From reading here and at www.duodenalswitch.com I knew I’d have to have an endoscopy and upper GI, so I had them done prior to my consultation with Dr. Husted and took the reports and pictures with me. 

 

I had staple line disruption and stoma enlargement and it was no wonder I was hungry every 2 hours.  Food was emptying out as quickly as I put it in.

 

I had my DS in Aug with Dr. Husted and Dr. R. Rabkins in San Francisco and have lost 37 lbs in 6 weeks, absolutely no complications whatsoever and best of all, NO BACK PAIN or very little when I do dishes at the sink or vacuum.  But it’s bearable and no pain pills. No vomiting, no diarrhea, (all intestinal issues can be controlled by your diet) very little gas , no bloating, no stinky BM’s to blister the pain off the bathroom/house.

 

I have no doubt I’ll lose the excess weight and continue to thrive with this surgery.  I am 100% committed to taking my supplements, getting my protein and fluids in daily and living life to the fullest!

 

Kudos to you for doing your research.  If you read at  the RNY board or the revison board you will read many sad stories of people who are experiencing all of the things I’ve said.

 

Good luck.

Can you help me?  I have had RNY 2/5/05.  I have only lost about 85 lbs.  I have come to a screaching hault.  I don't vomit as much as I used to but sometimes it happens.  I also have that feeling of uncontrollable hunger.  I started out weighing 283, I am now down to about 196-198.  I want to lose more and I can't.  It just isn't happening.  I have not been exercising though.  I was looking into a revision but no one will support me on this.  My BF doesn't want me to. I want to.  Can you tell me what it entails to go from RNY to DS?  How are you doing with the revision?  I am really really curious.  OH, can you tell me how to find a doctor?  I live in Lee County Florida.  I just moved down here so I don't know where to start.  There aren't any support groups in my area at all, at least none that I know of.  So, please let me know.  If you can, email me at my personal email. [email protected]   or  [email protected]  (work, I will get it right away) I look forward to talking with you, Candice

Please help me too.  I am so upset.  I'm hungry all the time.  I had my surgery 01/20/2005.  Ihave only lost about 80lbs.  I was 289 and now fluxuate btween 214 and 209.   I want to lose more but I'm hungry all the time.  I called my doctor's office and they put me on a liquid protein diet for 7 days.  I lost down to 206 and still gained that back.  I'm hungry all the time.  I want a revision to ds.  My doctor does not do DS.  Please help what should I do.

Honey, calm down.  All of the resources you need to get help are right here at your fingertips or by you, via the phone.  Firstly, my post does not mean to imply that everyone needs a revision to the DS, nor does it mean they don't.  I just know for me over a period of 10 years, I regained all my weight back, plus some. You of course, must meet your insurance companies requirements for revision.  Start there.  If there is something mechanically wrong with your surgery, then you have a much better chance of getting it approved.  Depending on what type of surgery you had, the tests might be different. For me, with a previous RNY, I needed an endoscope and an Upper GI to document my busted surgery. I went to www.duodeanalswitch.com to find a surgeon.  While I know there are many many good surgeons listed here, duodenalswitch only deals with DS surgeons and those who can/will do revisions. Good luck to you and let me know how it's going.

I an new to this page and My lap surgery is scheduled but i do not know what RNY is?

Sorry it's taken me so long to see this.  Been out of town for past 2 weeks. RNY is short for Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. There are other forums on this website, each covering a specific weight loss surgery. Here's the link to the RNY board: http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/rny/

Are ther any online support groups

There is a great DS board right here on OH and another good one is www.duodenalswitch.com You might not see this, so I'm going to PM you.

Thank you for your help. You are doing well will your progress!! I hope I do as well, I am scheduled for Nov 3rd.

Hi, My name is CindyJean..  Does the Dr. that did your revision take Medicare/Medicade? I live in Oregon and I have seen the Doc at OHSU and had several tests done and they cannot figure out whats wrong with me.. I have lost 20 lbs in the last 6 mths. because of my bloating problem when i eat I have quit swallowing most of my food I chew it and spit it out.  Cream of wheat even bloats me really bad.  They say all my tests are normal.  I vomit if i dare eat 3 ounces of food to much.  I have vomited from week 3 post op.. they say i have no strictures and my colonoscopy is norma, Upper GI with small bowel follow through is normal, Upper Endoscopy is normal, Abdominal CT with Iodine is normal. All is normal... and yet i get a terrible pain right smack dab in the middle of my stomach at ramdom times and it is unbearible. Oh also no ulcer either. but yet i have bloating, and ramdom pain that pain meds don't even help it.  I have been going to OHSH in Portland Oregon for 10 months now cuz my doc has since retired from pratice so I have to find new surgeon for my problem. He just looks puzzled and again said last week ( lets wait one more month and see if you lose more weight) he don't know what to do with me.. at the beginning he wanted to just switch me from RNY to DS... I say ok but he looks puzzled ... for being a teaching school and him being top dog there worries me a bit... I have heard of doc in San Fran but don't know if they take medicare... could u have any input on that or any tips for me when i call there.. do u have 1-800 # for them in San Fran?   Thank you CindyJean