Finally figured out my problem! Candy Cane Roux Syndrome
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 removed the limb and cut off some of my small bowel (approx. 8 cm.) and reattached it, and fixed 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 to end the quality of life altering pain I was experiencing.
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
Age on day of surgery: 19
Age today: 24
Lauren
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 removed the limb and cut off some of my small bowel (approx. 8 cm.) and reattached it, and fixed 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 to end the quality of life altering pain I was experiencing.
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
Age on day of surgery: 19
Age today: 24
Lauren
Hi Lauren
I had the same thing. I am currently fighting for a DS instead..
I had the same thing. I am currently fighting for a DS instead..
Jennifer
Thank you Cheri and Holly!
Think twice, cut once! I've had 3 surgeries now, RNY, VSG and DS
.
Ask me about the DS or visit dsfacts.com
2002 - RNY
2010 - RNY to VSG
2011 - Full DS-August 24th
HW 311 SW 306 CW 235 GW 150
Thank you Cheri and Holly!Think twice, cut once! I've had 3 surgeries now, RNY, VSG and DS
.Ask me about the DS or visit dsfacts.com
2002 - RNY
2010 - RNY to VSG
2011 - Full DS-August 24th
HW 311 SW 306 CW 235 GW 150
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. My only concern is...is it really considered a botched surgery, or a complication? My surgeon seemed pretty interested by the whole thing, even pulled in the head of the program to fix it - like it was something that didn't happen often.
I considered a DS revision depending on the outcome of this recent surgery. I'm gonna give the RNY one last go, though - I think I'm in a better place than I was before. Best of luck with your journey!
I considered a DS revision depending on the outcome of this recent surgery. I'm gonna give the RNY one last go, though - I think I'm in a better place than I was before. Best of luck with your journey!
I was just wondering if you had any difficulty getting your insurance to pay for this? I have this same exact problem. I am 3 years out and had an upper GI that showed the problem. My insurance doesn't want to pay for a revision to have it removed because I am not in enough pain. To be honest, though, pain is getting worse all the time. I haven't gained all my weight back but I know if will happen if this isn't fixed because I am hungry all the time. My insurance has denied me and I am working on an appeal with them. Keeping my fingers crossed. My surgeon said this is the 2nd time in over 20 years he has seen this complication.
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