Would you be dissapointed with a 66lb weight loss ?
This is how much I have lost in nearly 9months,the last 28lbs has taken me 5 months to get off have always had an appetite and am pretty fed up I know I wouldnt have lost this without the RNY My surgeon says I should be thankful with this amount compared to what I was previously which was 297 am 5ft 3in height BUT I am still VERY overweight at 237 am I not ? He says he will not consider a revision ,and that I should not go and have StomaphyX which is what I am now looking to have done ....... You opinions please ............ Susie xx
Susie,
I know how you feel, I'm going through the same thing. I know that if I were not going through the same thing I would be telling you the same thing your doctor is saying - to be thankful for the loss.
I had my surgery 2-yrs ago and I lost 130-lbs, which others see as amazing. I went from 344-lbs to 213-lbs, but my BMI says that I'm still obese. I remember the weight coming off very, very slowly, after the first 3-months; it came off about 2 to 3 lbs per week, I watched others sail past me and reach goal weight and I tried not to be bitter. Everyone - family, friends, my doctor, the nutritionist - say I should be happy, that it's 130-lbs off - but I'm not happy. I went through an extreme procedure (gastric bypass), which changed my life and the way I eat and mentally process food. I was willing to make this sacrifice and yes I'm happy for the loss, but I'm also disappointed that I haven't reached my goal. I feel my life is still on hold: I'll buy a nice and expensive wardrobe when I reach goal weight; I'll go on a cruise when I reach goal weight; I'll finally live, when I reach goal weight. I've practically lived my whole life in this mind-set and I want to be happy with myself and my body.
I'm the person *****sponded to your post asking about the StomaphyX procedure. My insurance company has denied me, but I won't give up. I'm currently compiling medical information toward my appeal. I also discovered another procedure called EROS Procedure (Endolumenal Revision of Obesity Surgery), which is being done at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. It is very very similar to StomaphyX, and it's in clinical trials right now, so the hospital will do the procedure at no cost so they can write a paper on it. Try googling this procedure where you live, perhaps there are hospitals and doctors doing clinical trials there.
Good luck
Nan C
You sound like me. My loss was similar & stopped after 6 mos. Also, my doc gave me a large pouch, & I never had restriction. I was very unhappy. My surgeon balked at a second surgery, so I began to ask other local surgeons. Somehow this got back to my surgeon & he agreed to a second surgery to bypass more. I wanted him to fix my pouch, but he wouldn't. The second surgery helped me to lose another 75 lbs.
If you don't already have them, I would get a copy of his operative notes, & take it to a different surgeon for an opinion. I am all for the stomaphyX, but it also sounds like you need more bypass. My second surgery was measured by the amount of common channel, rather than the amount of intestine bypassed. Keep looking for an answer. Surely, someone will help you. Take care.
Thanks for your replies
I had a 2 metre bypass which is supposedly a distal bypass is that what you meant Amy ? I dont think that this would be made any longer even though I am not sure really,
My surgeon also told me that the only revision he does for RNY is a band , which causes a tighter restriction ,but thi isnt something I fancy having done ,my pouch was 5oz to start with ,I spoke to Dr Overcash's nursing assistant and she told me that this was way to big and that they only do a 1oz pouch with rny ,so I guess I have started out at a disadvantage..... my pouch has probably stretched even more now ,cant wait to have the StomaphyX done now ,and there was me thinking that at this point after the original op that I would be looking to be buying a new wardrobe ( my clothes still fit and yes they are slack !) and contemplating what plastic surgery would be needing and not ANOTHER procedure to help me lose weight again
Susie xx
I see. It sure does sound like Stomaphyx would be a good thing for you (& me!!). One thing I like about the StomaphyX is that I think it scars the pouch a little bit... which might make it less flexible & stretchable. This is just a guess though ... I don't know if that is correct.
What I did, was to fax my operative notes (for both of my previous surgeries) to Dr. Overcash's office & ask if he would review for a recommendation. It looks like you are in the UK. Would you be able to travel to his office (or elsewhere) for a revision? If you are thinking of a full revision, it might mean open cut for some doctors. If your inital surgery was laproscopic, then I would think you would have a better chance of getting your revision as a laproscopic too.
I"ve heard that Dr. Overcash does not do the DS surgery, in case you would want that. The DS surgery has a 'reputation' for being the best. However, IMO, the key is not measured by how much you are bypassed, but by how long your common channel is. The common channel is where the limb that carries the bile and the limb that carries the food join. The common channel is where most of the food is broken down, and absorbed. The food requires the bile acids to break it down for absorption. Except for some sugars of course. We all have varying lengths of small intestine. So, I agree with surgeons who just measure the part of the intestine that can absorb the food ... the common channel.
If after looking at your operative notes, the doctor can say if you should also have a bypass in addition to the pouch reduction. If you only need a pouch reduction, then StomaphyX seems to be a great way to go. At least I hope so, because I"m pursuing this.
Amy
I had an rny in 2002 and lost 80 pounds but then gained 50 lbs back. The reason stated was that my pouch had expanded over time. On July 4th, I had a lapband inserted to control my pouch size and I hope this will allow me to lose again. It has been 18 days and I am down 22 lbs, mostly as a result of a liquid diet during the healing phase. I have been told that this is the best procedure for those that have had poor results from weight loss surgery. i am ooking to talk to someone who has had and RNY and then a lapband to see how well they did.
Regards
Phil