roux en y reversal

Hello, first time posting here. I had my rny on may 21, 2014 and have had nothing but issues with nausea, vomiting, pain and dizziness. So I went to see the surgeon today and asked for a reversal of the surgery. He has agreed to do it but I'm curious if anyone out there has had a reversal or knows someone that has and if there were any issues after.

Have you really exhausted all other options?  I've read reversal is very serious. 

That does seem drastic as you did not have surgery that long ago. I have to say I am surprised the surgeon agreed so quickly to reverse it. I know of someone who had nausea for several years after surgery ... She started taking probiotics and that was her solution, it went away. I don't know if this is the case for you but some of the things you mention we may have control over. Nausea is also sometimes dehydration, dizziness could be a sign of hypoglycemia, I know I can get vomiting and/or pain when I eat too fast, don't chew enough or if the food is too dry. Before getting major surgery again I would make sure all the possibilities have been looked at. Good Luck.

I, too, am very surprised that your surgeon would so readily agree to a reversal.  Most surgeons would not even consider such a drastic step for someone only five months out. I guess you are fortunate that your surgeon is one of the fairly rare ones who is even trained and experienced with reversals, because most surgeons are not able/willing to do them. As already mentioned, the reversal is much more complicated than the original surgery.

Do you know what is causing the problems you have been having (and the problem is just not responding to treatment) or do you not even know what the problem is?

Did the surgeon warn you that a reversal will not just make it as if you never had the original surgery, and that you might still continue to have issues? I work part-time doing psych evals for a bariatric surgery group and one of the doctors has done a couple of take-downs (reversals).  If not, you should really discuss what to expect before you go any further. I work part-time doing psych evals for a bariatric surgery group and one of the doctors has done a couple of take-downs (reversals).  Some people still have issues after the reversal, but they are generally not nearly as bad as the problems they had with the RNY still in place. The studies that I have read in the office indicate that chronic diarrhea and GERD (reflux) are the most common persistent problems, but that nausea can be a continuing complaint as well.

Did you ask whether the surgeon would attempt to restore your original anatomy or would convert it to a gastric sleeve?  Some surgeons prefer to give someone with continuing weight issues the sleeve rather than to just take down the RNY.

Good luck.

Lora

That was such a solid well thought out answer. Are you sure you belong here with such good information?

When I asked the doctor he said he would restore everything to the way it was and that there are no side effects. But they also told me there would be no side effects from the rny after 3 months so I'm hesitant to believe anything they have to say. I'm really on the fence now because everytime I have surgery it seems I trade my old health issues for new ones. My wife thinks I should wait another 6 months before I decide in case things improve. They would be able to do the surgery for 3 months from now anyway. I'm just so miserable and depressed. I was hoping I'd have all this energy and that my mental state would improve but it hasn't. I can't even exercise to get thise endorphins because I've been so dizzy that I blackout. Either way, I'll be at my goal weight in 3 months and if I decide to get the reversal at least I won't have anything else I need to lose.

If it is not a life or death situation, I also think you should wait to consider a reversal. It took me 6 months to get my energy back. I hope your surgeon knows how to do a reversal. Some people have more isses after that surgery. Are you seeing a therapist about your depression? Are you seeing a nutritionist about what you should be eating? I also hope you have exhausted all options. People I know in real life who have had a reversal gain their weight back. This isn't a temporary fix- get surgery to lose then reverse it and keep the weight off. It doesn't work that way.

I do see a dietician about what to eat and I see a psychologist for the "mental" issues. I'm having problems with my antidepressants absorbing properly which is really messing with my head. I wasn't trying to suggest that I wanted to lose the weight then just reverse it. I just know that by the time I could have the surgery that I would have reached my goal. I just hate feeling like crap all the time. As for the surgeon he has performed many reversals as well as rny, vsg, and ds's. But like I said, I would hate to have the reversal and have a bunch of new issues. 

Be aware that every surgery you have creates additional internal scar tissue (adhesions) and increases the chances of having complications from the adhesions.  Although they sometimes clean up the adhesions from previous surgeries when they do the next one (they often have to do that in order just to DO the surgery since the adhesions can fuse the intestine to itself or to the abdominal wall), but even when you remove existing scar tissue, the body heals that area by creating NEW scar tissue.  So it is kind of a vicious cycle.

I am appalled that this surgeon is telling you that there won't be any side effects.  That is NOT something he can guarantee and is flat out bull****  It is unethical of him to give you unrealistic expectations like that, and I can 100% guarantee that when you read (and sign) the surgical consent form for the take down, it will give you a whole list of potential complications that are specific to the reversal (in addition to the list of general complications that can arise from any kind of surgery.) You are wise to be distrustful.

It is not uncommon for people to experience several months of nausea, etc., and although I wouldn't wish the kind of suffering that you appear to be having on anyone, I would hate to see you jump into a reversal with a surgeon who apparently is quite willing to do one on just about anyone, and then have complications that are even worse (and have no treatment available).

Before you go any further with the idea if a reversal, I would recommend that you seek a second opinion from another bariatric surgeon to see if someone else can help alleviate the nausea, dizziness, etc. that you are having. There HAS to be a reason for it, and no surgeon is going to look at you askance for wanting a second opinion before a drastic surgical take down.

Lora

Hi my name is Alicia and i did have my RNY reversed, yes there have been issues, such as acid reflux, i still sometimes feel like food is getting stuck as it goes down my throat, i feel very tired some times, and i often regurgitate after eating