Candy Cane Roux Syndrome

I am currently 4.5 years out from my original RNY surgery. After experiencing 2 years of stomach pain and weight regain, I went to my surgeon a month ago and told him what was going on. He seemed genuinely concerned and ordered a slew of tests, including an Upper GI, Cat Scan, ultrasound, bloodwork, etc. None of the tests showed anything that could be the cause of such severe stomach pain, so he did an exploratory surgery yesterday.

He had said that he was concerned about a possible internal hernia or bowel obstruction, and if nothing else, gallbladder inflammation would result in him removing it.

Instead...I wake up to find him explaining to my mother that he revised my surgery. Basically, I had the candy cane roux limb, which allowed me to eat a normal amount of food. The food then would stay in the roux limb and cause the upper abdominal pain and sometimes vomiting. In addition to that, my stoma was stretched out about 5 times the normal size and my pouch was bulging out in one directio. He fixed up the limb, and the stoma and pouch while he was at it.

In other words, after 4.5 years, I am back to day 1. It's exciting...but not what I was expecting at all. Hell, the night before my surgery I was doing my normal things, even making a casserole so I would have leftovers for when I was recovering. Now I'm on a liquid diet for a month and am pretty much guaranteed to lose all the weight I originally lost and gained back.

It was just supposed to be an exploratory surgery, so I'm hoping the insurance company will cover it, since it was pretty much medically necessary.

Anyway, that's my experience. I was shocked to say the least, and still am. I'm feeling great though, despite just having surgery yesterday. I've been through this before, and the memories make me nervous, but I'm excited to know that I am not fully to blame for my weight regain.

Highest Weight Before Surgery: 360
Weight at Original Surgery, 12-04: 330
Lowest Weight in 2006: 200ish
Current Weight: 305

Lauren

Do you have an update for us?
How are you feeling now?
How much have you lost?
Did your insurance cover it?

Thanks
Jennifer

HI Lauren,
How are you doing now?  I seem to be going through the same thing and am very curious on your status.  I hope you are feeling better and loosing weight too!

I am looking into this.

I just found out about Candy cane Roux today and THIS IS THE TROUBLE I AM HAVING!

 

I was hospitalized last year with high pancreatic levels and NO DOCTOR could figure out what my problem is, still cant and I vomit and get nauseated when I eat, currently have been  put on glucophage because of my insulin levels skyrocketing, etc.

 

I am waiting to hear back from my surgeons nurse.

Just had surgery, outcome of viewing 'shadow' behind afferent limb. It was also the candy cane bowel obstruction with hernia. I had dismissed all the symptoms, as my roux en y was about 20 yrs ago. In retrospect, I did suffer from pain that felt like bowel was in a knot, constipation, which I had never experienced before, and before that, diarrhea, and gas that was at times what is called sharts. But, I never linked all those together. My surgery was scheduled, but with the acute pain under left shoulder blade the night before surgery, I would have been in the emergency room, but probably with no diagnosis. The surgeon removed numerous adhesions and had promised to restrict the size of the opening. My pouch had not changed much in size, so that limb was causing my weight gain and hunger after all those years. Recovery has been a bit more than expected... Painkiller in hospital raised my blood pressure to 180/130. Rather than 23 hours, I was there four days. Clear liquids again, and I'll see Dr. r
Rosemarie Jones in Indianapolis on Tuesday.

I had my bypass 9/8/13 and for 9 weeks after I was very ill. I would lose conciousness, feel very sick and couldn't eat anything. My surgeon was very efficient and with help from his own mentor figured out that I had candy cane syndrome. He immediately operated by stitching down my bowel as it had twisted and removing 5cm of the excess roux limb. After surgery I felt fine but several months on I am failing to eat without feeling extream tiredness, dizziness and pain. I'm not diabetic and am regularly tested for it. But I am confident that my surgeon will have this in hand very soon. It pays to see the brightness through all of this. Else you tend to make bigger problems for yourself. Myself and my surgeon will be also meeting with a specialist endocrinologist next week. I'm 8 months post surgery. I've dropped 10 stone. I'm in cloths I never dreamed is be in and have a smile on my face. I know it's hard and frustrating but it's still worth it. Hang on in there everyone cos your never on your own xxx

I should have imagined you'd have pain but I'm no doctor. You need to get medical advise hunny. You won't know till you do and be stubborn. Make them earn their pay cheque lol x

I wish you the best. My daughter has lived in agony for 23 months. Nobody can find a problem. She's had so many scopes and CAT scans, etc., she glows in a dark room. She's been told she's constipated, she's a drug addict, she's pregnant, and the old favorite, it's in her head. Nobody can find the problem. A new doctor has said Candy Cane, but we doubt she'll get the operation. During the last two years and dozens of doctors, nobody seems to want to stick with it and, most importantly, solve it. And forget having the pain treated. My daughter is starving. She gets so hungry, she eats, then has hours of "10" pain before it subsides. At one point she weighed 84 pounds. She can't pass a mirror anymore, because she "can't see" herself anymore, and the image is too much (or little) to take. Her weight soared to 97 lbs. when one brave doctor treated the pain. But at three months, she got scared so quit prescribing. My daughter hates taking pain medicine. She'd rather be cured any day of the week. But they can't seem to do that, and now that she can't eat any longer, she's just lingering. She was five years post-op when the problem started. Yours was caught much earlier, so maybe they'll get it under control quickly. My daughter wishes she never ever had the surgery. Her life has turned to H---. Sure she wears a 1 or 3, but she'd rather wear a 28 and not be in pain. You'd be surprised how quickly you lose a positive attitude when you've endured agony for two years. Just in case things don't go as quickly as you'd like, get a good support group. And keep that sunshine outlook!

I am having surgery May 4 to have this taken care of. Does any one know if this will help me lose more weight.

I have a question for all of you!  I'm Patty on obesity help.  My symtoms started one year and one month after surgery.  I have constipation but I also burp and bloat and fart constantly....7/8 dry and 1/8 wet ...you can never tell.  I have NO pain just a bubbly stomach.  I thought gluten intolerant maybe because I started eating more bread stuff that I did the first year.  Is it Candy Cane syndrome do you think?  I have no pain.  Take care and I would appreciate an answer!  Patty or bradpa on obesity help!