Revision Questions

So I have gained back about 70 pounds from my lowest weight after RNY 10 years ago and would like to know about revision....I can eat tons and I know there is no limit....full meals.....with liquid.....it is like I never had the surgery. Anyone have any knowledge of the types of revision or what is possible???

Do you have a physiological problem with your pouch or have you just gotten away from the basics of the way you need to be eating and return to old ways? It happens!! Regain is real. However, if you have a problem with your surgery, there are options. D.S is an option as well as a revision of your bypass . I'd suggest starting with a trip to the dr to ask about testing like a scope or gi series. If the lifestyle is to blame I'd suggest doing the pouch test or the meat test ... there are links on this site somewhere . 

If you can eat tons, it sounds like your stoma may be stretched, allowing food to exit your pouch as fast as you put it in, leaving you hungry.  There are procedures where they try to fix this, but results aren't the greatest that I've seen.  With a DS or VSG revision, they take down the RNY completely before constructing the sleeve, so things work as they should - no stomas.

Before you consider revision, you need to figure out what's going on with your current stomach.  

• Are there physical issues?  Did your stomach or stoma stretch?  Is there a malfunction somewhere?  
• Are there mental issues?  Why have you started even trying to eat everything?  Why did you start breaking the rules?  What did you expect the initial surgery to do for you?  Did you change your lifestyle or just expect the RNY to lose the weight for you?  
• What are you eating?  If you're eating lots of slider foods, it's not surprising that you can eat a ton.  I can eat a ton of ice cream too.  I choose not to.  If you're eating dense proteins and can eat a ton, that's a problem.  
• Are you tracking everything you put in your mouth?  If not, you need to start.  

These are some of the questions you need to be asking before you run toward revision.  

Drinking while eating meals allows me to eat more - much more.  I am no surprise that you can too. 

Since we have a pouch - with an opening at the bottom - when we start drinking with meals - the liquid washes the food out of the pouch and we don't get full - ever and we can eat and eat and eat.. I eat soups and drink with meals when I need to increase calories and I need to get more food in me.. (like now, after a surgery) 

Also I noticed that when I eat more sugary carbs my pouch seems to be much bigger - as if the insulin released to deal with the extra carbs makes my pouch less sensitive to signals when I ate enough...

But 4-5 oz of steak. Or grilled chicken, with a few bites of veggies, chewed properly , eaten slowly can make me feel full very fast. 

Also when my pouch strted making too much acid and I got GERD - I could eat and eat and eat. The acid made me more hungry. 

It is not only how much but what I eat and how I combine my foods makes a difference for me. 

Revision can be an option but it should be a last resort.  Revision can be a very complicated surgery. 

And often - unless a person is willing to commit to good protein forward eating lifestyle - the weight loss,if any , can be just temporary. 

 

Hi CM,

Really sorry you have had weight gain.  As the other posters have said if you have no major medical issues for the revision its really about getting back to basics.  There is no magic wand, those of us who are successful eat protein forward, low low carb and don't drink with our meals or for 30-60 minutes after the meal.  If your weight gain is due to the fact that you strayed away from the rules and didn't change your eating habits the great thing is you CAN get back to protein forward and low carb and lose the weight.

I don't know your height  or what your current weight is but if you track your food in MyFitnessPal and eat 900 calories or less for the day, keep your protein grams at 90 grams or above, your carbs at 40 grams or below and drink liquids of minimum of 80 ounces (10 glasses) up to 160 (20 glasses) ounces or more.

I encourage you to post your menu on our "what's on the menu today RNYers" let us help you and get you back on track.  Ditch any alcohol if you currently drink, ditch the carbs if you eat them such as chips, crackers, cereal, oatmeal, potatoes, popcorn, rice.  Ditch slider foods if you eat them such as yogurt and pudding and protein shakes.  And ditch the full sugar treats if you are eating them as well such as cake, cookies, pastries, candy, chocolate bars.  

Is this going to be easy to get back on track, hell no, but I am pretty sure you remember what your life was life 70 less pounds ago and pretty sure you preferred it there instead of where you are now.

I challenge you to eat a whole chicken breast or a whole steak, nothing else for one of your meals, and no drinking with this meal, guaranteed you will feel restriction with dense protein and no be able to fini****  

Best of luck, if you put in the work and follow the rules you can lose your 70 lbs.

 

I think Hala said it best, revision is a possiblity but it should be a last resort.

You should consult with a medical professional (a doctor that can do revisions) because there may be a long road ahead for a revision surgery ( insurance companies may or may not pay for it, they may require other procedures first, they may require a supervised diet, etc). From what I've seen, it can take 1-2 years to get a revision, and no revision doctor will touch you unless you tried something else first under their care.

There are a lot of good suggestions here. Hope this helps!

Scott