Hello all,

Just a quick update on the Revision Surgery journey. The surgeon that placed my Lapband doesn't do RNY so I had to transfer to a new clinic and surgeon. I received news yesterday that the new clinic is accepting the transfer. This is great news because they think my insurance will cover otherwise they wouldn't have taken me. YAY!!!! I meet my surgeon this Thursday and then next Monday I meet with the PA and the Dietitian. After that, then I will need to start my counseling through my insurance company which is a pre-requisite before submitting my case to insurance - this is likely to take 10 weeks or so. Things are moving along now. I am soooo looking forward to my revision!!

Thanks!!

I'm brand new to the group and sought it out bc I'm in a bit of a panic. After starting this process last July, jumping through all the hoops, I finally got the call last Friday that I had been approved to have my gastric bypass "reversed" and changed to a duodenal switch. They also approved gallbladder removal. This was the first I had heard anything of gallbladder removal. She said so let's schedule you for March 14th. I told her I'd call back and have not done so yet. I'm completely panicked. Just thinking of what I went through the first time. Can anyone tell me if this recovery is better, worse, the same? I'm also having a hiadal (no idea how to spell that) hernia fixed. It just sounds like so much. How long before you were up and functioning again? Did anyone else have a gallbladder removed? Is this typical? I'm a single mom with zero backup. I'm worried that I'm being selfish and what if something happens my kids will be orphans. Do I wait until they can manage on their own which is at least another 11 years if I'm lucky. I've already spent so much money just to get approved. Six months of copays and classes and psych visits - all out of pocket. I really would just like to find someone who has been through this who can tell me what to expect. Thanks.

I need to be at Cleveland Clinic tomorrow March, 6th at 6 am and my surgery is scheduled at 8 am with Dr Szmostein.

I read over 300 pages in this forum, and I would appreciate any thoughts, comments, advice, tips, whatever you think I need to know.

Based on all I read I should be expect a lot of pain, mostly in the place the port was, nausea, pain due to the gas, etc.

Anything else I should know?

It sounds like you have a good relationship with your surgeon which is a wonderful thing :)

I'm not a scientist - my graduate degree is in clinical psychology, however I was in biochemistry before I changed my major. I also have a medical background so I'm accustomed that as well. I research everything because I prefer to be personally aware of why things work rather than just outcomes. Outcomes are desirable if positive, however they are not the only component, or even the most important necessarily, when evaluating surgical procedures. It's not as easy as just seeing what surgery absorbs more or less, or which surgery has the most/least weight loss. That's a gross simplification of WLS that doesn't do any procedure justice.

It really depends what "superior" and "the best" means. Weight loss isn't just about caloric deficit. I don't think the newer surgery is the same as a DS. Clinically, most people with a DS tend to tolerate it well from what I've seen, however you cannot predict how your own personal anatomy will react. Having said that, from what I have read and the many surgeons and patients I've conversed with, the SADI/SIPS is nearly equivalent in terms of results. Maybe there's a 5-10% variation at most depending on studies. The 10-year data for it is promising. And, that's the way of surgery and science in general - procedures evolve and new ones are developed.

I've seen people be successful with all surgeries. There are even people with sleeves on ketogenic/zero carb diets that don't calorie count and maintain close to 90% EWL. There are people even without weight loss surgery who do too that were 300, 400, 500 pounds.

What really matters is 1) choosing a surgery that you personally can live with - if you can't live with/dislike the "best" surgery that will do you zero good in the long run, 2) examining behavior and habit and the reasons we become obese and making sure they are addressed.

Wow, how great to have a scientist on these boards! Thank you for the terrific post.

I trust my surgeon 99% and she's recommending the loop ds. I've read about some specific complications (found, I believe with "regular DS" subjects) that would be unacceptable to me if not treatable, e.g., frequent nausea, body odor, frequent, soft smelly poos and flatulance. Also, she's done hundreds of RNYs and has only been doing the loop for several years. She has her reasons re: why the SIPS/loop is superior to the "regular" ds and I believe her.