Update to my post-reversal journey

I just want to start off by saying that a reversal is the LAST thing I wanted, and through all of this it is the only regret that I have, I don't regret doing it to make myself well, I just regret having to do it because then you fall into a place where you sometimes feel like you don't belong to either group...not that we always need to belong, but anyone who has been through this can understand.  Since my reversal 11/3/08 at University of Chicago (under the care of a wonderful doctor, Dr. Alverdy...both of my surgeons have been great, really), I was still suffering with these intermittent small bowel obstructions, and I do mean suffering because they were coming out of nowhere, at any time, and I work in the ER and it happened to me at work a few times and it's hard to just say, oh I need to go pace for a while and throw up, but I have the best co-workers around so they made it possible somehow.  I struggled to get through the holidays, in the ER over Thanksgiving, made it through the family visits over Christmas, and ended up back in the ER 12/28/08.  The elusive small bowel obstruction showed itself on film, which is a feat in itself as anyone with this problem knows they are usually camera shy for us.  I didn't have any bowel sounds at all, and that is a bad thing.  They helped me out with nausea/pain, and I thought I would be seeing my original surgeon the next morning, but who knew he was on vacation

Once I realized that he would not be able to care for me, I asked my husband to send my surgeon at U of C an email, and I called his office myself from my hospital room.  While I was waiting for his call back, I did see the covering surgeon, both of them, and they were convinced that it was just my gallbladder (they had rustled up an old ultrasound that was done in Feb 2008, which did show stones), and that even though I had no bowel sounds, there was nothing wrong with my intestine, and one of them even called me before I was transferred to U of C by ambulance to tell me not to let the other surgeon touch my small intestine.  I know I am making this a long story, but if you are going through something medical, you do need to listen to the experts, but you have to listen to your own body, your own intuition to tell you which experts you need to listen to.  I think there was someone else on here that said it best, to remember that they say that people "practice" medicine, it is always evolving and no one knows everything all the time.  On 01/02/09 I had my gallbladder removed (laparoscopically), and adhesions removed that were interfering with a piece of small bowel.  If I had stayed at the other hospital, I would have left with the same problems I started with, and another surgery.  I have only been home a few days, and I have the usual post-op pain/nausea, but we are watching the nausea...I think the next game plan, if it continues, involves investigating if I have Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction, let's hope we can just get past this and be done.
I never took it lightly to have my surgery reversed, quite the opposite.  Anytime we have surgery, just the effects of anesthesia wreak havoc on your system, the depression, fatigue, nausea, hair loss, the list goes on.  Take care, and I hope all of you that are struggling find a resolution in this new year!

Hi I juat wanted to say I had on January 6th of 2009 my entire surgery reversed. I had the BPD done in Dayton Ohio By John Maguire he is a wonderfull surgen and has fallowed my whole case from beging to end. I just could not obsorb anything that was going into my body. I do no how you feel. I now feel like where do I belong. I am now sturgling with not gaining the weight back which unfortently is a big side affect of having a complete reversal. Please keep me posted on how you do, I will do the same with you.

After many complications, hospitalizations, a revision, TPN and now a feeding tube, I am contiplating having a reversal.  Was yours done Lap or open?  I just want to live and am not concerned at this time with weight gain.  Have not eaten in 9 months, just want my life back.  Please any info you can pass on would be helpful.  I am scheduled to have the reversal done Aug.25th at Beth Israel Hosp. in NYC by Dr. Goodman.  Would love to hear from you.

Thanks

Kim, I had my revision done this year, in Jan. I wish I would not have had it done. I had life threating issues and had no other choice but to have to have it revised. It was open just as my BPD was open. Dr. Maguire went in on same scare as he did when he did the BPD. I was up and moving the same day. I was also almost 300 lbs lighter then I was when I had the BPD done. I have gained 50lbs since I had it revised. I am going in on the 14th to see Dr. Maguire again and see if we can revise it so that I can loose weight still. For 2 years I was sick. I had my original surgery done in April of 2007 I was 527 lbs when I went it to have my surgery done. I am so greatfull for all of the weight that I have lost but because I am still over weight my back surgen will not do my back surgery on me and I live in constant pain all the time. I know that feeding tubes and TPN suck big time I know I lived that way for 2 years. But if you do not have much more weight to loose untill you are under weight then wait. I am not your Dr. so I do not know every thing but I do know that Maguire told me and he fixs what other Dr.'s mess up that it is better to wait till you are under weight because the likely hood of you gaining your weight back is very small. I have not gained all of my weight back but the 50 that I have makes me feel really bad. I am 31 and have 3 little kids. I have a lot to loose if I go back to being huge again. In the end you have to make the right choice for you.If you do reivise it keep in your support group and stay on your supiliments. And reamber to eat like you are supposed to be eating now. You will do great.

Thank you so much for your reply.  I went from 230lbs to a 135lbs.  I don't want to loose anymore weight.  My BMI is around 22 and I am happy with that.  My Dr. does not want me to loose anymore weight and that is why they have put the feeding tube in.    It does scare me that I could gain my weight back.  However, I feel after everything I have been though, I understand the importance of portion control.  I spend most of my time in bed and just want to do the things I used to do.  My two children have been so tramatized from this ordeal, feeling I could die any day.  Just to weak to do anything with or for them.  Have not been able to eat for 9 mos. now and after many attempts (dialations), they can't keep my stricture open.  Nothing stays down except liquids (water and gatorade).  Nothing thicker than that.  How is your life now?  Can you eat like a normal human being?  I know you are afraid of gaining your weight back and I hope you can find something that will work for you.  I am glad to have lost all the weight I set out to loose but quality is very important to me.  Scared about reversing, that it won't work and I will be stuck in the condition for the rest of my life.  Have not talked to anyone who has actually had the reversal.  Do you still have to take vitamins?  Do you have your energy back?  Are there certain food you still can't tolerate?  Again, thank you for sharing your story with me, you have been though a lot and I will pray for an easier journey for you.

I hope you find answers and solutions to the problems you have been having. How are you doing now?

Corina

I am doing ok, still have issues. I will post a new blog post today since I saw the doctor yesterday. thanks for asking