WLS FAILURE-REVISION NEEDED?

I had Lap RNY surgery in 1998, lost around 60-70 pounds during the first six months and then the weight loss stopped. (For the record, my surgeon was Dr. Phillip Schauer of UPMC hospital in Pittsburgh.) My feelings of fullness were gone, I was hungry again soon after eating, and I started to be able to eat and drink more than I was told I should have been able to. My weight started to creep up again as a result of all this, plus my depression and hopelessness over the whole situation, and I am now at the same weight I was before the operation. I contacted my surgeon in 2001 about the problem and he said he probably should have bypassed more intestine (he had done a proximal bypass instead of the distal that I had requested) but I should try diet and exercise instead. Gee thanks! If that had worked in the past, I wouldn't have had to have the surgery you idiot! So I have been suffering in silence for five and a half years, crying every time I see another program or magazine article about someone who lost their weight thru surgery and now has a new life, and blaming myself again for another failure. I've basically given up on life at this point - I don't care about whether I eat right or exercise because obviously nothing is ever going to work for me, if I die from this 'disease', I die. Why I suddenly typed in a search for 'weight loss surgery failure' this week, I can't tell you. Some tiny spark inside me, I guess. Anyway, it has led me to your group and some other sites that have opened my eyes to a few things that give me the idea that the problem may not be me, it may be a problem with the after-effects of my surgery that needs fixing. About a month after my surgery, I started having severe pain in my upper abdomen and couldn't keep food down. My surgeon had me get an upper GI test done and found that my stoma was trying to close up completely, so he had me go into my local hospital and have them 'stretch' it. Who knows if the local doctors had any directions from my surgeon 300 miles away on how much or how little to stretch the stoma? They had probably never seen anyone who had ever had that surgery before. Now I am reading that people who have had the RNY done and not lost weight are getting revisions because their stomas are stretched and the food is not staying in the stomach, but falling directly into the small intestine. Their symptoms sound exactly like mine. I think this may have been my problem all along. I haven't had a upper GI done since, but now I'm thinking of asking my family doctor to order one. I am looking for guidance at this point - what type of revision is recommended, will insurance cover it, etc. Is there any type of 'home test' (like the cottage cheese test) that I can do myself to see if my suspicions are true? I have also located a doctor in my area who list revisions on his website, and would like to know if anyone has any knowledge of him - William S. Peters in Peckville, PA (near Scranton). Any input will be appreciated.

You could be telling my story. I'm considering a revision, but just started to investigate. And it's getting quite obvious that the doctor that did my surgery didn't follow my progress as well as it should have been followed.

I AM SO MOVED BY YOUR STOREY ABOUT YOUR DR NOT REALLY CARING AND LIKE IS YOUR FAULT WELL I WENT TO SEE ABOUT GETTING A REVISION TO MY STOMACH STAPLING ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO I REALLY LOST BIG BUT I STARTED TO GAIN SOME BACK SO I WENT TO A DR DEBORD IN PEORIA IL HE DID SURGERY ON ME FOR THE REVISION AND GAUL BLADDER WELL THE ONLY WEIGHT I LOST THIS TIME WAS 13 POUNDS THAT ALL AND AFTER THIS SO CALLED SURGERY I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EAT DRINK MORE THAN EVER BEFORE IT MAKES ME WONDER WHAT WAS REALLY DONE . WELL I HAVE TO GO FOR NOW I AM AT WORK MY NAME IS CAROL AND I LIVE IN IL

Hi jeanne, LI had the Adjustable Lapband done by a doctor in NYC his name is DR Fielding. NYU. On there webpage they talk about people who for so reason failed at the RNY and had the lap done to help them. Maybe you should check it out. Good luck Liz

wow! your story is 100% like mine! im pursuing a revision now but am unsure which route to go. i like the idea of a lap band, but who know? also, insurance (cigna) is denying me so i am in the appeal process. any help out there for me? [email protected]