revision and MS

Going to Mexico for revision, medicare won't pay again so it's $7000 vs $25000 (crazy)...I pay.  A US doc told me that since I have a prgressive type of MS the revision won't solve my problem and can count on another one in another 6 years or so (cuz I can't walk and so next to no exercise). Can't remember what the get ready rules for this was or the 1st few months after were...can some kind soul refresh me or do I need to "lurk" for a few weeks.  One good thing about self pay is no hoops to jump through...beginning of Feb I'm off to Tiajuana!

A lot of people lose weight and keep it off without exercise.

What type of revision are you having?

Had a RNY the first time starting at 255 and got down to 178 (12) for me and then started gaining...am now up to 225 I think (get stank on scale anymore (no balance), this time having disatal RnY so that a BOB is still a 3rd option if I need it

PLEASE! Don't consider the BOB (band over bypass).  The band is a bad choice anyway and on top of a RNY is even worse.  Plus there isn't much success with a band even in good cir****tances.  All it will wind up doing is making eating even harder and you will likely wind up with issues like throwing up and GERD, things that aren't going to help you any.

I have a friend who had a band 10 years ago and she lost 200 lbs.  Great but she is still over 200 lbs and all she can eat is soup and she eats popcorn with a ton of butter all day long.  Yes, she changed her eating habits but not really by choice and not for the better.

There really aren't very many good options for a RNY revision.  Like Laura said, a distal RNY is likely to cause you even more issues and a DS also causes a lot of malabsorption problems and I would think that the last thing you need to worry about is having the necessary medications you need not absorbing correctly.

I really hope you take her advice and are able to find a way to stick with a good RNY eating plan.  It will be hard at first, god knows I am the last person to tell you it will be easy, but once you detox off the refined carbs it does get easier.  Not easy but easier.

If you can avoid refined carbs totally and stick with dense protein first before anything else and staying hydrated you should have a lot more success without any more surgery.

I hope you don't think I am being harsh.  It is so hard to tell tone on a forum message but I want you to know I am very compassionate to your situation.  I am not judging you at all.  I just want you to be able to avoid more surgery and have the best quality of life possible.  Food addiction is extremely hard to beat but WLS does give us the best shot at sticking to a healthier way of eating.  But more surgery doesn't sound like it's in your best interest.

There is a thread on the RNY board every day where people post their menus for the day and that might help you get some ideas and motivation.  I found that planning out my meals for the day and getting them prepared and ready was a big help in sticking to a plan.  After a while it will get to be a routine but getting there is rough.

Please stick around for support and asking questions.  It is the best way to end up with good results overall.

Why are you having a revision?  

As far as my understanding of MS goes, it shouldn't effect your ability to eat fewer calories than your body needs.  

I have lost 122# and msintsinedbthe loss for seven years With no exercise.

it is not about exercise it is about eating less than your body needs.

I really would worry about a doctor that tells you that you are going to need a revision every 6 years.  That is just unnecessary surgery and expense.

Surgery is not to be taken lightly.  And revisions are much trickier that first time surgeries.

As other have said, exercise if nice but not mandatory for weight loss.  I have lost all my excess weight and kept it off for about 6 years and I hate exercise.  I know all about the benefits and I know it is good for me both physically and mentally but I have never found any activity that I tolerated, much less enjoyed for any length of time.

I am perfectly willing to weigh more if that were the result of my lack of exercise but so far my weight has stayed on the lower end of the BMI without it.

Don't get me wrong, I am much more active than before I lost weight and I do plenty of running around and walking I just don't enjoy structured exercise routines and have never been able to stick to any.

They say that if you exercise and stick with it you will start to enjoy it but after my first WLS I paid for a year of Curves and I went faithfully 3 times a week for that whole year and the minute my year was up I never returned.  I have tried every type of exercise out there and the only thing I ever liked was riding a bike but my stamina is very low and I couldn't do it very long and it was very painful for my legs.  But I still enjoy a nice bike ride in the nice weather I just couldn't commit to any kind of regiment.

But the point is there is no valid reason to think that you should ever need to have a revision if your surgery was done correctly and you stick to a WLS friendly food plan.  If you aren't able to stick with some kind of disciplined eating plan than all the surgeries in the world aren't going to help you and you will be putting yourself at risk every time you go under the knife.

Thanks for replying...I WILL try harder this time around to stick to only the right foods.  I could et ANYTHING an that was part of the problem!

You still have your RNY NOW though.  Don't "try harder" to stick to the right foods after going through revision, do it NOW.  

Start measuring and tracking every single thing you put into your mouth using something like MyFitnessPal.  Stick to dense proteins and eat the way you should be.  Unless there's something mechanically wrong with your current digestive system, there's unlikely to be a reason that you need another surgery.  

I wish you best. But distal RNY can cause so many issues that I wouldn't personally want. 

That affects malabsorbtion of mostly fats and proteins - something that IMO a person with MS needs the most - good fats and proteins.   Both are needed for proper nerve functions.  Plus any meds or minerals - absorbtion of those would be severely compromised. And you, having MS - probably need that more than most. 

Additionally - distal RNY can be really challeging with BM issues and I would not want to deal with that if I already had mobility issues.  

If I were you I would really try to adhere to good RNY "perfect diet" for at least 4-6 months.  

I had some regain.  And it was due to poor food and drink choices. I just ate too much, too much of foods that made me gain weight and...I drank too much alcohol.  

Once I regrouped and decided "enough" ..and went back on plan I was able to lose my regain while no exercising.  I have a desk job and live in a rather small town - so I can take my car anywhere and park by the door or within 1-3 blocks from anything.  I bought fitbit...and in a frpirst few years that thing showed me how little I moved. 

As an example - a few weeks ago I had a surgery, and within first 2 weeks post op I averaged 2- 3000 steps a day. (very little).  Yet I lost 5 lbs during those 2 weeks because I could not eat much. And that with already low body fat %.. And I was not trying to lose weight.  I did not want to lose weight.  But not eating much and eating the right things when I did - the weight just fell off me.  

Distal RNY and the addtional malabsorbtion it brings - of the essential minerals, proteins and fat would be my very last choices if I had a serious medical condition. 

It is your life... It is your choice... Whatever you decide - good luck to you...