Thanks for the info!

Hi Amanda. I am new to this site and am just learning about the different boards here. I had my RNY in 2007 and I too had problems from the start. I went a whole year basically starving to death because my surgeon didn't figure out what was wrong. The only difference I had was that I had no pain in fact I had no feelings at all from my Molly button down and in my arms and hands. My doctor kept telling my husband and I that if there was something wrong with the surgery I would be in pain. I was in and out of the hospital and to different doctors and they all came to the same conclusion...there must be something wrong with my surgery.

It took a trip out to the Mayo Clinic and they said that I needed to reverse my RNY they would do it but my insurance wasn't accepted there and they also prefer the original surgeon to do the surgery because they know how they performed the surgery and where they put "everything". But they also suggested going on TPN which is nutrition through the vein as opposed to the feeding tube. They said if I gained some weight back or started to feel better in any way that would for sure indicate the need for reversal. Coming back home to mu surgeon with the information he still refused the possibility that the surgery was to blame but reluctantly put me on the TPN. It was like a lightswitch had been turned on. I started to feel a little better and the feelings started to comeback in my legs and abdomen and what did you know I began to feel the pain. Worse pain that I've ever felt from any past surgery or even childbirth. Here was my answer that we were looking for. 

I went to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and found Dr. Raper for a second opinion and he decided that a reversal was needed and usually are able to be performed. However in my case when he went in to do the reversal he saw that my stomach pouch had collapsed in on itself and he had to perform a gastrectomy. It was a long recovery due to the complications of going so long with that and all the malabsorption issues that I had but I'm getting better every day. I don't want to say that I regret my decision to having the RNY because of every horror story you hear there are 5 successful stories even though I secretly suffer to myself why I couldn't be one of those success stories. I do regret not getting a second opinion sooner and I do blame my doctor for the negligence of aftercare for not finding the problem. To me I felt that he dismissed all my symptoms telling me that I maybe suffering from anorexia and pica instead of taking responsibility of thinking that there may be something wrong with his surgery. He didn't want me to be a bad statistic on his record. He actually told a friend of mine that I was looking for attention. My answer to that was why would I go through a surgery and so much pain and distress if I could be anorexic from the beginning and saved myself all this trouble. 

But anyway that's my story, sorry it is so long and quite boring but I wanted you to know that you are not the only one out there and you are not a failure. And if there are anyone else out there with similar symptoms just have that avenue explored before you just think you are crazy.

 Good luck on the rest of your journey!

I was wondering how you ate making out?

i have a story the same and thats just it cant eat sick every day my poor teeth same thing always oh how nice ur teeth are now i cant even bite down on stuff with out it hurting i even got bioteen for dry mouth bc of not being able to keep anything down oh sorry 
hello, I started out at 266 today i am 144 i am 5'3" and yest was my 6mo mark.
My name is amanda and i have heard that it can be done. actually my d.r has told me i have to have it done but its rough waters bc hes has never actually had to do one so im a little iffy on that. i had my surgery march 14 2012 and three days later i started to go down hill getting very sick from march to june i spent over 50 days in the hospital. one stay was 15 days and my dr is 3hrs away so my kids were not happy. my new stomach actually closed up and i needed it streached twice then the third time is when they found an ulcer. but in may i had to have a feeding tube put in 2 weeks later i had to have it surgical put back in 3 weeks after that it fell out in the middle of the night and was to long everything closed back up again and had to have it surgical put back in again i do also have a marginal ulcer. solid intolerance is a big issue. my dr. wants me to try to keep eating hope that one time it will just work well i cant even eat a bite of food with out my chest hurting about right where the new stomach would be. i was in so much pain the other night i was in a ball on my bed in tears for 2 hrs two days later iwas still in pain just not enough to put me in tears so my dr. office said go to the closest er so i did they said probly gas. of course this hospial near me knows nothing about these surgeries thats why i have to drive 3hrs away. i am just so over getting sick i try something new and i get sick then i laydown and i will be down for hours. around my tube always stinks even with putting meds on it that the dr office told me to get from the store it bleeds every morning i wake up with dry blood draindown my belly and wet yuck blood around under the plastic around my tube. and its so sore around my tube i just wi**** to be over.. my kids wi**** to be over.. i cant work i had to stop going to college and feel like crap all the time im always dehydrated oh and after my 2 tube surgery a week later i had to go back for a blood transfution i was down 2 and having dr try to shove a tube in a hole that is closed up isnt the best either then after it starts bleeding so much it looks like u have a gun shot they finally say oh we cant get it back in. well anyway i know this was alot more then u asked about but my dr has told me the last 3 visits next visit we will talk about setting u up for surgery to reverse it but he also tells me EVEN AFTER THE REVERSAL I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO EAT STILL AND WILL STILL ALWAYS NEED THE FEEDING TUBE!!!!!!!!!!

Post Date: 9/15/12 12:12 pm
hello, i started this same way i started at 266 i am now 144
My name is amanda and i have heard that it can be done. actually my d.r has told me i have to have it done but its rough waters bc hes has never actually had to do one so im a little iffy on that. i had my surgery march 14 2012 and three days later i started to go down hill getting very sick from march to june i spent over 50 days in the hospital. one stay was 15 days and my dr is 3hrs away so my kids were not happy. my new stomach actually closed up and i needed it streached twice then the third time is when they found an ulcer. but in may i had to have a feeding tube put in 2 weeks later i had to have it surgical put back in 3 weeks after that it fell out in the middle of the night and was to long everything closed back up again and had to have it surgical put back in again i do also have a marginal ulcer. solid intolerance is a big issue. my dr. wants me to try to keep eating hope that one time it will just work well i cant even eat a bite of food with out my chest hurting about right where the new stomach would be. i was in so much pain the other night i was in a ball on my bed in tears for 2 hrs two days later iwas still in pain just not enough to put me in tears so my dr. office said go to the closest er so i did they said probly gas. of course this hospial near me knows nothing about these surgeries thats why i have to drive 3hrs away. i am just so over getting sick i try something new and i get sick then i laydown and i will be down for hours. around my tube always stinks even with putting meds on it that the dr office told me to get from the store it bleeds every morning i wake up with dry blood draindown my belly and wet yuck blood around under the plastic around my tube. and its so sore around my tube i just wi**** to be over.. my kids wi**** to be over.. i cant work i had to stop going to college and feel like crap all the time im always dehydrated oh and after my 2 tube surgery a week later i had to go back for a blood transfution i was down 2 and having dr try to shove a tube in a hole that is closed up isnt the best either then after it starts bleeding so much it looks like u have a gun shot they finally say oh we cant get it back in. well anyway i know this was alot more then u asked about but my dr has told me the last 3 visits next visit we will talk about setting u up for surgery to reverse it but he also tells me EVEN AFTER THE REVERSAL I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO EAT STILL AND WILL STILL ALWAYS NEED THE FEEDING TUBE!!!!!!!!!!  i even tried eating a damn pickle thats what my dr told me try to eat pickle bc something to do with the skin of it helps ppl keep stuff down well it didnt. i even asked him if it could just be in my head bc of being so sick when pouch closed up and they had to streach it and he said no i do not believe thats what it is but he still doesnt know why and i actually go back to the dr monday the 17th this monday and he is supposed to be doing another scope and blood work to see if anything new is going on and talk about the reversal like i said its just i feel so iffy he said he has never done it but he says he knows how and he does something to the old stomach just incase it ever were to happen he could do it he is a good dr as far as i know. and he has the feeding tube going into my old stomach to make sure it would still accept food. i just dont want to do this and not be able to eat anyway and still be stuck with the tube i am 31 years old and have 3 great children im scared i have to say.