Katrina,

From our dialouges and all of the information you have provided to me after I asked you 183 questions, it's my personal unqualified opinion that this is the reasonable next step for you.

If your doctor is trained is laparscopic surgery, he/she will go in laparscopically and look around for any problems and if a problem is found correct it.  There will always be the possibility that what starts off as laparscopic could turn into an open surgery.

The recovery time for me was similiar to the original RNY but a bit worse.

I've had several exploratory surgeries and I had severe problems (significant bowel obstructions caused by adhesions and one internal hernia) that did not show any ANY X-Ray, CT Scan, Barium Swallow, Endoscope, Colonoscopy, etc.   I have been in ICU twice fighting for my life.

Pain is a signal that there is something wrong with the body. 

Surgery is surgery and all the risks go along as with any abdominal surgery.

In one of my exploratory surgeries, I went to LA to see my surgeon at a noon appointment and he said, "See you in the OR at 5pm."  He told me thank God I flew over to see him because if he had not opened me, I was 24 hours from a severe perforation that I would have likely died from back home in Houston were no one would touch me with a 1000 foot pole.  I'd have probably died in the ER after perforation b/c no one would open me.  I really believe that.

At any rate, I have plenty of stories, experience, and research under my belt and if your doctor is recommending exploratory surgery at this point, I believe, from the information you have provided to me (though I am not qualified to say so), it is reasonable and the next step for you.  There really isn't anything else to do at this point -- unless you want to hold off and see how you do -- for me, I'd fear waiting and then end up in an ER situation where perforation, infections, septis, etc. become more likely and would include a more complicated, detailed surgery with a much longer recovery period.

All of this is just my unqualified opinion.

Do your own research and talk with all of your doctors to develop a treatment plan that you all agree on to be the best next step for YOU.

I hope you feel better soon!

 Lisa,

This is all entirely heresay, but I know a friend of my sister's had her surgery through that doctor, and had massive complications. From what I hear, he had several patients die, and was at risk of losing his license, which is why he stopped doing the surgery and relocated.

Again, this is entirely heresay, but the RNY community is pretty tight-knit, and I believe what I've heard.

--Sara

Wow, you have been through a lot! I understand all the frustration. Because of my first round of surgery in 2005 and not having a clear diagnosis I know I have to keep searching until I know whats going on. Before my revision I had test after test and nothing showed up....until I woke up in a pool of blood,  then they found the problem. I wish the best for you and I will keep you posted. Thanks for the reply! Katrina 

Hi,
When I had my reversal, the surgeon was concerned, as I was, about weight gain after reversal.  I have an hourglass shaped stomach, if you can imagine it, it is almost like having a lapband made out of your own tissue the way he did it.  The radiologists have described my stomach as a proximal pouch and distal pouch, they aren't willing to make the leap to call it a whole stomach I guess.  So, food goes into the little pouch at the top and stays there for a bit, and slowly has to work it's way to the bottom half of the stomach.  This was designed to give me some restriction.  As much as I appreciate this, it hasn't been an issue yet because everything I eat still makes me sick.  A reversal is not always the answer, good luck and let me know how you are.  I will add you as a friend.

I just found this post so like the poster above excuse my late post.  I had my RNY in April of this year.  For the first three days i was doing great.  Then it became difficult for me to keep anything down.  At first i wasn't throwing, it was just that if i drank more than 1 ounce of anything in a 6-7 hour period i would get this awful pain and then start throwing up.  But i listened to my doctor and kept trying to push liquids in b/c I was always severly dehydrated.  When i did push the liquids i would start dumping or throwing up on top of the pain. 

I have been to the ER so many times in the past five months that i now know most of the doctors there.  There was a point were they thought i had a stricture and i went in for dialation of that. I have been on the PIC line and TPN.  As a matter of fact i found a doctor that is willing to do the reversal.  My reversal was orginally scheduled for july at UCLA.  However, they wouldn't allow my surgeon to work there.  They wanted to take me on as a patient.  I spent almost 10 days in the hospital at UCLA.  They said that i did not need a reversal that everything was going along fine; that my levels were good and so was my protein intake.  If everything was going along fine why did they have me on TPN for 9 days (b/c i haven't used any type of sugar since my surgery the TPN gave me severe dumping syndrome).   So then after all that time on TPN they sent me home with the doctor saying "he washes his hands of me"

The problem was i still couldn't eat more than probably a few ounces of food (soft) or drink the required amount of liquid.  It seems for some reason when i drink or eat some of the food/liquid just pools to one side (not a stricture); but b/c of this it is difficult for me to get more than 300-500 calories in a day.

By surgery weight was 237 and i now weigh 176 i would like to get to 150 but i am so weak and tired that i am now on short term disablity.  I have trouble absorbing my vitamins now.  As such i have severe leg pains for B-12 defeciency.  Given my stomach problem the doctor has stated he has to go in and revise it.  I made it clear if there is any type of surgery to be done on my stomach it will be a reversal.  So now my reversal is scheduled for 9-10-09.  I know i am only 5 months out but it has been 5 months of hell.  Still i consider myself lucky b/c
1--my problems started early enough for me to try and do something about them
2-though i have been in and out of the hospital, none of my symptoms have progressed to life threatening
3-I was able to find a doctor who was willing to do a reversal (has experience doing it)

The hardest thing will be not gaining my weight back.  But since having the surgers i haven't been able to exercise or move around that much. I am hoping after the reversal if i do portion control and exercise that i might make it through.