New to this Board...with Questions

I had my RNY nearly 5 years ago, got down below my goal weight, and stayed there for over two years.  I was a super star success. I was the go-to girl with advice and support for everyone else. Then the weight started creeping back up and my old habits started becoming new habits again, and consequently, I have gained back nearly 100 lbs. of the 250 I lost. I am disgusted with myself and feel like the biggest failure of all time.  Whew! THAT was hard to say! I went to the RYD Obesity Conference in Dallas last month and there was a doctor there talking about StomaphX. He said the first step to finding out if it was the right revision procedure was to have an EGD done. I did that last week and was told that my stoma was wide open and that my pouch had stretched to the size of a softball. on one hand, I was devastated, but on the other hand, I realized that my tool failed me as much as I failed my tool. I made the decision to do something! I wasn't sure what but SOMETHING! I started getting really excited about the prospect of getting the StomaphX. I posted on the Texas Message Board about wanting the StomaphX and got blasted with advice NOT to do it.  So here I am asking...WHY NOT??? What is a better option than the Stomaphx, and why? I will appreciate any advice y'all have to share, good, bad, or ugly. I need to do something but I want to do the right something. Thanks very much.

Charlene, I can feel your pain.  I had the mini-gastric bypass 8 1/2 years ago and did great the first 2 years and slowly started regaining and going back to my old ways.  I am only 20 pounds less than what my original weight was pre-op.  I have also heard many mixed reviews about the stomaphx, rose procedure, and few others out there.  I was recently approved for a revision surgery because my stoma was wide open and my pouch had also stretched some.  If I were you I would see about having a revision that was more of a distal RNY and seeing if they can tightening up your pouch.  I say if you are going to go through something like this again you might as well get the real deal.  Also, take it from me learn from your previous mistakes from when you had the first surgery.  Look at what caused the weight regain.  I can honestly say that my drinking soda's all the time and grazing on junk food contributed to my weight regain.  Good luck in whatever you do.

I had Stomaphyx on Feb 1st and really have no more restiction than I had before.  It was an expensive way to learn.

Hi Charlene and welcome to the Board! Firstly you aren't a failure, stop that thinking straight away! I had a lapband that didn't work for me so I'm not an RNY expert, but you could look back at some of the resident surgeon's posts for possible revisions for your problem. I think there seem to be three sorts. Firstly the ROSE/Stomaphyx/restore ones which are sold as minimally invasive and hope to reduce the size of the pouch/stoma - results on these new procedures don't seem earth-shattering so far! Secondly surgical adjustment to what you have - pouch resizing and/or making your tubing shorter to increase malabsorption. If you're proximal now, distal might help. Thirdly revision to DS - if you post on the DS board there are quite a few people that have gone through this and got good results.  If you choose revision though make sure you research good surgeons - revisions are inherently riskier and more complicated. Sal

I'[m not an expert, but I would suggest you look into a revision to either the Duodenal Switch or a distal RNY.  Whatever you decide to do, research it well first and talk to people who have had the same revision.

Good luck,

Caroline