ACK! Revising to DS, fully approved!!

After almost 10 years and 113 lbs down, a gain of 50 lbs, a terrible car wreck, AND a baby, finding out about an anatomically correct RNY that is physiologically failing, my insurance approved me last week to revise to a DS. I have been pretty much constantly hungry for 3 or  years (a barium laced pouch test showed that my current pouch empties in mere minutes, no wonder I'm always hungry!) I had the option of a SADI, but selected the DS after testing showed that I am a good candidate for it (though my first opinion never really did testing to see this, the second opinion doc was MUCH more thorough, and discovered I actually have enough anatomy in good health that he would do this procedure).  

Now I get to be pretty hard core on a liquid fast style diet to shrink the liver and attempt to make surgery safer. WEEEE!

I am quite nervous. I have no idea what to expect. I know that I *should* be able to lose weight, after a couple years I will be able to obtain my protein from food sources instead of supplements.... I hope to have significant weight loss, and by keeping my pyloric valve, less unnecessary hunger. To keep another health condition in check, my surgeon has set an ideal goal weight of 137 lbs (for those counting, that's 123 lbs from where I started a few months ago). I am about 5'6" or 5'7", depending on who is measuring. 

Is anyone else on this forum a revision from an RNY, and what was your experience like? I'm interested in hearing about hospital stays, healing time, side effects (such as dumping type after effects) so that I can be as fully prepared as possible. 

Thank you for all your help!!

Wishing you all the best with your surgery. You should lose all the weight you want with the DS but you'll always have to take supplements and a lot of them. I'm afraid with so much of the intestines being by passed supplements are always required--nonnegotiable. There are a few folks here that post from time to time that are revision patients, I hope they'll chime in.  Good luck!

--gina

Yes, there are many of us here that are RNY revisions to DS, myself included.  I had RNY in 2003 at 263, lost 125 in 9 months, kept most of it off for 10 years, and then gain about 100 back in the last two years.  I, too, was CONSTANTLY hungry for those last two years, and couldn't figure out why.  My pouch was huge we discovered during an endoscopy the day before my DS. 

I had an open DS on March 13, 2015, and I'm already down 25 lbs in four weeks.  It's been a rough road.  Learning to eat and hydrate isn't such a huge challenge, since the diet and rules are very similar to RNY.  Bathroom and bowel issues are a whole new monster and take some getting used to. Nausea, fatigue and daily changes (things that work one day, and then don't work the next day) are difficult to deal with.  But with the support of SOME OF THE PEOPLE here and other online forums, we get through it. 

Good luck to you!  There are many of us here in the same boat.  We'll be happy to support you on your journey!

"Is anyone else on this forum a revision from an RNY, and what was your experience like? I'm interested in hearing about hospital stays, healing time, side effects (such as dumping type after effects) so that I can be as fully prepared as possible."

Forgot to answer these questions!

My hospital stay was five days due to pneumonia and partially collapsed lung, healing time...ugh.  My RNY was lap, DS was open, and its a HUGE difference.   Takes at least 4-6 weeks to feel significantly better (so I hear.)  The first two weeks are ROUGH.  I mean, not being able to wipe your own a$$, not being able to roll over in bed, sleeping in an upright position on a recliner, needing help to shower, dress and prepare food, relying on others to fetch you items, etc. 

Side effects: bloating, gas, bletching, absolutely obscene bowel movements, head hunger that can drive you insane, and a difficult time to get enough hydration in the first few weeks. 

Just MY experience.  The DS police will tell you that probably 90% of my problems and "my fault" - but that's another story.  I'm a big girl (ha!) and I can handle myself, just fine.  >wink

Congratulations. I have seen posts from many revisions who have done really well if a little bit slowere than some virgin DS'rs.

I was just wondering though if you could expand a little bit about the testing done that your Doc did to decide if you were a good candidate for the DS vs the SADI. I've just never seen that. Usually it comes down to surgeons preference although I suppose the surgeons that do both have some kind of metrics in mind when suggesting one over the other.  

Sounds like you will do great....

Pete