Why are you getting a revision??

First time visitor to this forum, I usually lurk/post  on the RNY board. I will be having Open RNY next week  I'm a bit nervous but excited to start this new lifestyle. I do have a question and this is not to put down or pass judgement on anyone, we are all working on the same goal here,  I would just like the honest truth.  Why are you in need of a revisioin? What happened that your prior surgery ( RNY specificly )didn't work for you. I'm trying to understand all aspects so that I can make this tool work for me in the best way possible.  Thank You ~ Christina

Hi Christina- You'll do great!   I had an open RnY in Dec 2000 and I was VERY VERY pleased with the results.  (Still am, for that matter.)    But there are two definite issues that lead me to the Stomaphyx procedure last week: 1)  I happily settled at 172 pounds (my first plataeu).   At 5'6.5" that put me comfortably in size 12 jeans.   I was estastic.  (My highest weight was 288 pounds so I was quite pleased with losing 115 pounds and I felt great).     My goal was 150 pounds and I should have tried harder initially to lose the weight.  It is SO MUCH EASIER within the first year to 18 months.   My advice.....enjoy the new you....but don't "settle" for anything but your best.     2)   My pregnancy.   I held between 172 - 175 for more than 2 years.  Then I got pregnant.  (Which was the reason I wanted to lose the weight to begin with.)  During my pregnancy, I only gained 12 pounds.   But it was a BIG STRUGGLE to gain those 12 pounds.   I ate way too much just to make the nurse happier at the prenatal visits.   And I got used to bigger portions.   Right after my daughter's birth....I dropped the 12 pounds very quickly so I figured that I was just immune now to gaining weight.  :)    I continued to eat the larger portions and my weight remained stable....BUT ONLY UNTIL I STOPPED NURSING.    At that point I started gaining 1 pound a month.   Well, that's not much and it creeps up slowly.   I wasn't even a bit concerned until I started pushing 200 pounds (which I SWORE I would NEVER see again!)   But at 200, it's a LONG WAY BACK with dieting alone.   And I was hungry.  (Of course I was....I just spent 4 years training myself to eat more than I knew I needed.) You can do this.   Just be careful and don't get too complacent when the weight comes off easily.   It won't be easy forever. Just my two cents worth, Lorri

Firstly....THANK YOU for the encouragement...Wow.....our weight and height are almost identical. My goal is between 160 - 170 lbs. Thanks for the advise.....I'm eager to be on the losing side so I think I will really try hard to incorporate exercise into my daily routine.  Thanks for sharing your story and congratulations. Christina

Christina-

The first year after my RNY I was very compliant.  I followed all the rules almost perfectly.  I then started to get a little lax...pretty much eating more often than I should-not just at mealtimes but took on "grazing" instead of having 3 meals.  The pounds were still coming off.  I also felt "immune" and thought it would just continue.  Things changed after I had my two children and in those years my eating habits took a nosedive (if you've been pregnant you know).  My stoma has since stretched out over the past 7 years since my surgery.   Personally I think my biggest problem is that I started to drink with my meals.  I don't know if as the stoma stretched, I could eat more because my pouch was emptying quicker and therefore I was more thirsty, or if drinking liquids while eating stretched it out.   This is obviously a BIG no-no.  I don't know if this contributed 100% to my stoma stretching but it played a huge part in it.  The best advice I can give to you is DO NOT DRINK WITH YOUR MEALS-1 or 2 sips if you have to, but that's it!  I am going in for a procedure at the end of next month to have my stoma reduced (transorally).  I hope this helps me feel full longer and quicker so I can cut my portions down.   Right now I'm hungry all the time.  We will come home from having dinner and 2 hours later I'm eating again-truly  hungry.  My husband thinks I'm nuts! 

 

Thanks for the heads up....I just assumed that the stomach would not be able to stretch ( at least not enough to gain the weight back ) this puts it into prospective for me. I will follow the " no drinking w/ meals idea" Thank you and best wishes w/ your procedure !! Christina

My first wls was the mini-gastric bypass 7 1/2 years ago.  I did good until year 3.  My problem was I thought my surgery was the "cure" and I would not have to battle weight again but I was wrong!  I constantly grazed and that does not help with weight maintenance.  I would recommend not having a laxed attitude and remember that you can regain your weight back.  With that in mind be careful with your food choices and eating habits.

My first surgery failed ... there was mechanical issues with it which our outlined (I think) on my profile. My pouch was made to big which caused my hiatal hernia to return. When it did my entire pouch became a giant hernia.  I only lost weight due to sheer determination (as my husband puts it) I knew for a long time something just wasnt right.. then when the gerd came back along with some intense pain I finally decided I need to see a doc.   I always followed the pouch rules and NEVER even tried sugar.  I am one of these types that tell everyone before entering into a revision find out why you need it!!!!  Good luck with your surgery.. I am sure you will do just fine :) Debby

I had a revision because my RNY failed mechanically too.  Staple line disruption when the only thing I had that morning was 3 cups of coffee over about a 4 hour time frame.  When I had my Upper GI and endo, it was shown that my stoma had enlarged greatly, too, so my pouch would empty out quickly. A vicious cycle.  Hungry, empty, hungry, empty.......

Which is why I chose the DS that retains the pyloric valve, doesn't depend on a stoma to empty your stomach naturally. 

 

Did they ever give you a reason why the staple line failed, or is it presumed because the stoma had enlarged it pulled the staples away? How far out were you when this happened? That does sound like a vicious cycle :~( Thanks for sharing ~ Christina