Failed WLS - Moving on WITHOUT revision... is it possible?

Hi again everyone. I hope everyone is doing well. I have posted on this board before about having a revision. I'm begining to see that it might be "easier said then done". I have contacted a few surgeons and most won't even talk to me because someone else did my surgery. And it is not possible ($$$) for me to go back to my original surgeon or out of state or far away either. I found ONE doctor willing to talk to me, but he is far from me. I found two people local, but one group does not take my insurance and the other one is NOT a member of the American Bariactric Society and has not been doing WLS for all that long. So that makes me worry. I'm begining to give up hope of ever having the revision. Therefore I am going to have to find a way to live my life that best that I can at the weight that I am. I am 5'3" and I weight (as of this morning) 264. Prior to surgery I was 364. The lowest I got (a wee over a year post-op) was 178. Even though 178 was still considered "overweight" for my height, I looked GREAT (in my eyes) and felt great too and I was the happiest then I have ever been in a very long time. I know right now at 264 I am TOTALLY miserable. To quote something that I read from this site, I am NOT living.... I'm merely existing. And I HATE THAT!!! Life is just passing me by. I have no energy or "oompf" to do fun things with my kids. I hate going places because I'm embarrassed of how I look. We're going to Lake George, NY on vacation for two days next month with two ofher families (friends of ours) and I am DREADING the thought of going. Both the other ladies are RAIL THIN and their hubbies are super fit too. I stand out like a sort thumb and I DON'T want to go. I hate depriving my family of FUN, but honestly, I DON'T want to go!!!! I am so unhappy. I am trying to fight back the tears just writing this. Has ANYONE ever gained back weight after WLS, and then found a way to take it back off WITHOUT surgery? If so, PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE share with me how you did it. I'm desperate. I don't want to waste more time finding out I can't get a revision done. I want to try and LIVE my life NOW and not waste anymore time. If anyone has found ANYTHING that worked for them to take off the weight gained after WLS WITHOUT a revision PLEASE e-mail me and let me know. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE SO MUCH!!!!! Kimberly

I CAN SO FEEL YOUR PAIN I AM ONLY 18 MONTHS OUT AND HAVE NOT GAINED WEIGHT BUT I AM SO VERY AFRAID I WILL. HAVE YOU READ POUCH RULES I APPLIED POUCH RULES BEFORE MY SURGERY AND LOST 25 POUNDS MAYBE THIS WILL BE SOME HELP FOR YOU,I HOPE YOU WILL GET THE ANSWER YOU NEED AND GET BACK TO YOUR LIFE . ARE YOU TAKING YOUR B12 LIKE YOU SHOULD SOME TIMES OUR BODIES ARE LACKING THE VITIAMS WE NEED AND IT DRIVES YOU TO EAT TRYING TO GET THEM

Hi my dr. Kam does what other people screw up try him at the Forest Center in Ypsilanti MI. I couldn't have the surgery because my bp was too high and my trygliserides were 800 they don't have a cariac unit there take care susan

Hi Kimberly, Did you stretch your pouch? I know i have. I can eat breakfast and feel hungry less than an hour later. I gained back 80+ pounds of my 106lb loss, but I have taken off at least 20 in the past 3 years trying different things. I don't want to think about a revision either - hubby hates the though of surgery, I doubt if my insurance will cover it, and I am not sure if it's really what I want to do. If your pouch is ok, I think you are more likely to be alright if you revamp and review your eating. If you pouch has stretched, you're in the same boat as me and I have not a clue what to do and I am so miserable. Regular diets don't work because some foods cause me problems, but following the post op diet is not enough and I go mad with hunger. Let me know if I can tell you anything else, I am open to questions and don't mind listening.

Oh God, I feel for you!! My cousin had the RNY and has already started gaining hers back. She's eating like a soldier, so I suspect she never learned how to eat right. One of the reasons I chose DS instead was the very low rate of weight regain. I've heard of people drinking lots of peppermint tea and lowering carbs drastically to set the body in lose mode again. Might be worth a try!!!! I wish you the best of luck. Tonya

Kimberly, I understand what you're going through. My surgery was 7/15/02, I lost 120 lbs in a little over 18 months and have since gained almost 50. I too am so afraid that either my stoma or pouch have stretched, and because of the shame and embarrasment I have been feeling, I haven't seen my surgeon for over a year although I have seen the nutritionist in his office which turned out to be of no help whatsoever. I had to reevaluate things and admit that after the "honeymoon" phase I was not following the "pouch rules", water intake or exercise as strictly as I shlould have. I was consuming alcohol & carbs in excess. Last week, after much support of the people on the Michigan board, I am adhering to it strictly and can feel such a difference. I almost feel like I did post-op! Have you tried any of the basics? I know when I went on these message boards I kept getting the same response abou****er, protein & exercise, but I guess I didn't want to hear it. I do have an appointment with my surgeon for 9/23 for blood work and recheck and I do want to make sure nothing has stretched. And I pray that if there is a problem, the doctor can fix it. Hope this is of some help and/or comfort to you, believe me I truly understand what you are going through. Good Luck and God Bless, Christy

Hi Christy & Kimberly- I know exactly what you're going through. I had my LAP RNY on 5/30/03 at 314 lbs. I got down to 210, and now am back up to 270. I have never felt so frustrated in all of my life. I feel like I have failed this surgery. I had a limited upper GI in September of this year, and my surgeon's nurse practitioner said that the radiologist said my pouch was "distended" but when she and the surgeon looked at it, they felt it was fine. I don't know who to believe. My surgeon's support group for post-op patients meets for an hour once every other month, which I don't feel is sufficient so I'm lacking in support. I was going to another group which meets every month, however, no one there was / is having the same problems that I am having and they referred me to another group. I tried participating there without much success. I was also told to go back to basics with my pouch by several people and when I can adhere to the rules, it seems like they work. I am an emotional eater and have been looking for some help in that area as well. Any help or incouragement you could provide would be greatly appreciated and will be reciprocated. Thanks for listening! Robin 314/210/270

Hello - I am 8 1/2 years out from UCLA Dr. Livingston. I also have a stretched pouch. Guess what I looked into a revision and EVERY decent surgeon would not touch me. Only the money grubbers. I looked for about 6 months then I did a very smart thing ----- I bought a book that I highly recommend. Dare to Lose by Dr. Shari Lieberman. She explains how to eat 3 meals a day and one snack and still lose weight. I have lost over 60 pounds since Feb 26th. I am almost at goal and I never had to have the revision. I can eat this way all my life. I now teach others how to do what I did and I am so happy. I challenge you to do the right thing. You will still have to watch what you eat after a revision. I was not willing to risk my life with another surgery. I wish you well I am having Dr. Katzen on September 1st do my boobs, hernia and after that my arms. I am DONE!! I wear a size 8 and I am happy Sandy Kaplan

I had a RNY in 1992 lost from 310 to 240 and then regained to 320. In the last 2 years I have lost 65lbs by eating fewer carbs, exercising 1-2 hours a day (including plenty of weight lifting) trying to avoid eating situations (like staying away from the kitchen) and focusing on eating protein at every meal and snack. I have thought about revision, especially since I need a hernia repair and hey! If they got to cut me open anyway! But I am giving this a good shot. My goal weight is 200 lbs which will put me at 25% body fat (did I say lots of weightlifting?) I found the pouch rules which has helped re-educate me after so many years. It is a slow, process, where I have to forgive myself for eating too many sweets and try to clear my system of carbs, which puts me into a vicious cycle of craving. I try to think of my eating as make better choices and not dieting. Hope you find your pathway to health, I think it is different for everyone.