RNY to lap band

If your doctor is 700+ Miles away DO NOT get a band.  Bands are high malignance.  You need fills unfills.  I had my band shut down after a .5cc fill.  By day two I couldn't swallow my spit and had to go to the hospital for an emergency unfill.  I would have been in trouble if I had to go 700 Miles.  A couple times I had to be at the center three times in the same week.  To be a success with the band, you need GREAT after care.

I was a band revision to DS. I see alot of revisions to the DS....lots of RNY'ers. Please research the band. I had it for 6 years. Lost 20 lbs. Pleae do your research. It was a horrible experience for me. You do not want to have a headache over another. I never felt full. I did alot of vomiting for about 3 years....determined to make it work. I have lost more weight with the DS in 5 weeks than I did with the band for 6 years. Look at your options. The Lapband is not the "easier" route. If you want to get to goal and stay there...research a revision to DS. 

If you actually want a successful revision, then the DS is the most likely to get and keep the weight off. The problem is that there are only a handful of surgeons that can actually perform that surgery. 

You are lucky that you actually have one of those RNY to DS revision surgeons in Texas. Dr Daryl Stewart is who I'd go see if I was you.

Thank you so much for the info. What is the DS?  I hvae a good surgeron that did all my pre-opt here in town for my RNY. But in the next two yrs I am moving back to Houston so I know that my options will be better there. Im trying to research everything there. 

Whats funny is My Aunt had same surgery two months before I did and she is having the same exact problem. To take to my dr over the phone is $75 and I dont think that I they would really do anything except tell me to come in and see them.

I love reading all the info. Thank You so much!!!

DS is the duodenal switch.  Finding a regular DS surgeon isn't to tough anymore, but the surgeons that can do the take-down of the RNY in order to do a proper revision to DS, are few. 

I am having band to RnY on the 13th.  My band has been a nightmarish many years vomiting constantly while not losing any weight.  I am hoping that the RnY will solve this.

The band never did anything but make me vomit.  I am trusting that they are going to do things right this time.

My insurance changed from BC/BS to Medicare Primary with a BC/BS Medigap plan.  At the time, they did not accept Medicare I was not able to see anyone as they did not accept Medicare.  They now do.  The only surgery that Medicare will cover is RnY, or I would have chosen DS.
 

Lynn,

Have you tried to appeal?  DO NOT SETTLE!!!!!  There are people who have appealed their case, as to WHY the DS was a much better surgery FOR THEM, and WON!!!!!

Start at DSfacts.com for your research.  The DS has THE BEST long term statistics of weight loss.  You can take NSAIDS again with the DS too.  You cannot take NSAIDS (ibuprofen, asprin, naproxen~Aleve) EVER AGAIN, for life with the RNY, EVER.  When I got my RNY, NSAIDS were not that big of a deal, but, over the nearly 10 years I had my RNY, I got older, and needed NSAIDS, and could NOT take them!!!!!  Nw that I have my DS, with my aches, pains, and sprains, I can take them, and I am thankful!!!!

Here is the list of RNY to DS revision surgeons.

Dr. Keshishian, located in California

Dr. Rabkin, located in California

Dr. Stewart, located in Texas

Dr. Simper, located in Utah

Dr. Elariny, located in Virginia

Dr. Roslin, located in New York

Dr. Buchwald, located in Minnesota

Dr. Greenbaum, located in New Jersey

Of course, the above doctors are in the United States 


Dr. Baltasar, located in Spain

Dr. Marchesini, located  in Brazil

Dr. Gagner in Canada

Dr. Kemmeter, located in Michigan (http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/4583840/dont-write-a-surgeon-off-because-hes-not-on-the-short-list/)

**Disclaimer..... Gagner has had some problems with questionable billing practices & Greenbaum has had some problems~like recent patients not getting a true DS [receiving an ERNY/Distal RNY instead].

PLEASE do your DUE DILIGENCE and research, and POST questions!!!!!!

Here are links to look at...........

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/revision/4462656/lapband-to-what-ds-or-rny/#36915162

AND

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/revision/4447254/RNY-to-Distal-Gastric-Bypass-not-as-happy/#36775292

AND

http://weightlosssurgery.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=talk&action=display&thread=1342&page=1

Even though the DS would be my preferred procedure, I am 60 and do not want to spend another minute arguing over it.  The RnY will be fine.

I do, however, have an issue with the NSAID's.  I have had three heart attacks and, in addition to daily nitro, my cardiologist has had me on one adult aspirin for years.  When cleared for surgery, the aspirin issue came up and he said that I HAD to have the aspirin.  When I went to my PAT last week, the doctor said that I will be taking the aspirin daily because the benefit far outweighs the risk.

As an aside, finances are tight and I could never afford the travel for the DS.  I live in the middle of nowhere and my bariatric hospital is 3 hours away from me.  But thank you for your concern.