Sleeve to RNY revision due to stomach twisting??! would LOVE to hear from Sleeve to RNY...
I had the lap band back in 2005. It worked as far as getting most of my excess weight off. However, it was not successful longterm, and I was never really able to eat healthy foods such as veggies, lean meats and fruits. I was forced to eat things I had no business earing, simply because that was all that would go down. The last fill I had was in 2009. I had noticed about 2 years after surgery that my fills weren't lasting very long. I ended up with a slow leak, which was the problem. My band now sits inside me broken in 3 different places and needs to be removed. I recently changed my insurance once i learned my original surgeon is now FINALLY covered once again and spoke to him about my situarion. He's convinced the sleeve is the way I should go. My concern is I don't want to have,another failed wls and end up right back where I started again. So far, 3 surgeons have told me I shouldn't get the RnY or DS, despite knowing obout my metabolic issues (I have PCOS,/insulin resistance syndrome, thyroid disotder, and metabolic syndrome). I'm considered a lightweight, but my major concern isn't just losing the weight, but keeping it off. I feel that the sleeve might work for getting my excess weight off, but I'm not so sure it's the best choice for keeping the weight off longterm. Trying to figure this all out is proving to be a bit stressful. Not even sure if I will even have a revision. I just don't know if I want to go through everything all over again. It wasn't easy, especially in the beginning! So, for now, I'm researching surgeries, surgeons, and which procedures and surgeons are covered under my insurance. Although I am very interested in speaking with Dr. K, I have a feeling he will not be covered under my insurance. There are a lot of weight loss surgeons here, but I have yet to come across one who performs the DS, and I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't covered under my insurance. So far, at each orientation/seminar ive attended, surgeons have mentoned the band, RnY, and the sleeve.
Your story sounds like mine to a T. Really--from the successful weightloss but inability to eat, to the broken band, to the PCOS and the fear of revision... I really could have written every word!
My surgeon was very open to letting me revise to Bypass, instead of Sleeve. And here are my reasons why I chose it:
1.) The sleeve uses the same part of the stomach as the band did, therefore to be safe, they should remove the band and let it heal for up to 6 months before revising to the sleeve. I had no interest in 2 separate surgeries.
2.) The sleeve is notorious for causing GERD. My band caused me so much reflux that I never wanted that to be an issue, again.
3.) Like you, I wanted to see long term results that I knew were tested long-term and would not have any unknown adverse side effects down the road.
I am 7 months post op Band to Bypass and couldn't be happier. I already hit my weight goal and I feel 100% better than I have in years with the Band.
I wish you the best of luck!
Thank you for posting this!!! Although I'm not looking forward to surgery, I AM looking forward to getting this thing out and healing! So good to hear your revision surgery has been successful. The more I research, the more I'm leaning towards the sleeve (if I revise at all). Still lots more research to do though, which I won't be able to do until mid April, once I have more time. It's all so scary. Feels as if I'm doing this all for the first time, only this time, I know NOW what I wished I knew THEN, which makes it THAT much scarier and makes me that much more hesitant. Just don't know if I'm ready/willing to go through it all again (I'm a scaredy cat lol).
My originally sugery was done outside of California and their office offers DS, but most surgeons around here have only offered RNY. Since I already have the sleeve I am leaning toward finding a DS surgeon. If I were you and you haven't had the sleeve I would consider RNY or DS based off of what you said...however I have had success with the sleeve. I LOVE my sleeve! Just want to fix this whole mis shaped twisting thing. Keep researching until you feel at peace. There's no one surgery for everyone but just the ONE that will work for you. If your major concern is keeping it off I would do something more drastic than the sleeve, however, the sleeve and any other surgery are just a tool. Keeping it off is up to you no matter which surgery you choose but I am sure you know that by now. :) Thank you for sharing. We're pretty close to each other if you end up this way to meet a surgeon let me know. I would love to meet for lunch or just meet up.
I had revision from VSG to RNY. There was about 5.5 years between the two surgeries. I was somewhat successful with my sleeve although I never got to goal. I had kept off about 80 pounds for about 4 years then gained 30 pounds rapidly. Yes I had some minor issues (stretched esophagus and adhesions that made me spasm) but really it was my food choices that got me gaining. I'm not going to lie although I am convinced that my sleeve alone would have never gotten me to goal. I needed a malabsorption component. Some people swear by the DS surgery and can be quite passionate about it on this board. They have had remarkable success and only you can know what is best for you. I chose the RNY purposely and with conviction because I know myself and felt this was best for me. I have a friend who is a nurse and had the DS. She raved about her surgery when I met her. She told me taking supplements everyday was worth it. She now uses a walker to walk and soon will be wheel chair bound because her bone loss was significant. This DOES NOT happen to everyone. She was faithful with her supplements but for her it wasn't enough. I am in my 40's and this is why I chose RNY. It has less malabsorption than the DS. I just have to work harder. I'm ok with that. There are risks with both surgeries and I cannot stress enough that this is forever and supplements will have to be consumed with both surgeries.
I am about 5 months post op. I am down 63 pounds just a mere 40 pounds away from goal. I can do this! I am losing slower than with the sleeve but it feels real this time. Real because I eat right. Real because I measure/weigh and pick out good foods. Real because I move my body and have grown strong over the past months and I feel terrible if I don't get in my walks or sessions. I was also told I would not lose with the revision and if I did it wouldn't be much and it would be slow. So be it. It's a second chance and I'm taking it and so far it's working. I really didn't want to respond to your post because I still consider myself in the honeymoon phase. Everything always looks great during that time but I also know I was begging for info when I was thinking about revision so there is my story...so far. Good luck to you
oh I should add that I'm medicine free now except for thyroid and supplements. My A1C came in at 5.6 last week!
