Concerns, please help!! Had upper GI again today...

Hi everyone, I haven't been on here for so long... I had an open RNY on 03/04/04 and I lost 60 pounds in three months. Then slowly I gained 13 of it back, so I only lost 47 in 18 months. Shocking, huh? How could I fail what is supposed to be the last resort? Anyway the last time I saw my surgeon, Dr. Rossi, he wanted me to see a dietician. I tried to tell him it wasn't behavioral because I was doing everything I was suppsosed to do, but he didn't believe me. So I never went back. Haven't been there in at least 6 months. But I had an upper GI in March of this year because I wanted to know why I hadn't lost any more, and it showed that my pouch was enlarged, to at least 5 cm in maximum dimension. That's about the size of an orange, instead of the egg it's supposed to be! Then, I just had an upper GI again today because I'd been having pain (that I thought was a hernia), and it shows that the contrast flowed through my defuntionalized stomach!!! So first of all, should I see Dr. Rossi again and tell him about this? Second, do you think he would do a revision? Third, I'm on Medicaid now - does anyone know of anyone being approved for a revision by Medicaid? I'm really worried about this. I have tons of health problems, including insulin-dependent diabetes, hormone deficiencies (I have to take Activella and Prometrium, and I'm only 27! long story) and hypothyroidism, which I think all contributed to my screwy innards and nothing staying where it was supposed to. But I'm really worried now. I want the revision, but will he do it? And will Medicaid cover it? I have a husband and an almost-4 year old to be healthy for. Please, any advice or thoughts at all are appreciated!! If you don't post here, please email me at [email protected]. Thank you so much!!!

Interesting story. I would talk with Dr. Rossi or have the doctor who did your last upper GI contact him. I would be very curious to hear his comments. I was under the impression that our pouch was made from the part the stomach that didn't have much stretch to it. At least that is what Dr. Rutledge in Chattanooga, TN said. Go to the Insurance Forum to see if there is a Medicaid listing. I feel your pain & will be thinking of you. Good luck. Cheryl

Well, I have an appt. with the surgeon tomorrow morning at 10:45, so we'll see! Hopefully he doesn't just tell me to go to a dietician again. Ha ha. I'm willing to do another surgery, as long as I can find someone to help my husband with our 4-year-old.

Well Dr. Rossi won't do the revision, he says "it's too much" and "there are too many side effects." I know the risk of everything including dying is increased with a revision, but why have thousands of other people had revisions and done perfectly with them, INCLUDING ones done by surgeons from Peoria Surgical Group? Melinda, the bariatric nurse, told me they've done tons of revisions with a good success rate. He was a real jerk today, very cross, and I felt about as big as the tip of a pencil. I have a headache from crying so much. He scheduled me for an EGD in two weeks and said depending on the size of the fistula he can inject it with something called fibrin glue and fill it up. First of all, I don't want any kind of glue in me, it sounds like it's poison and I might be allergic to it, and second, that still wouldn't fix my enlarged pouch. The whole time he kept talking about my "habits" and "portion sizes," insinuating like he did in February that this is all my fault. If it was behavioral, then a) how did I lose 60 pounds after I had the surgery, and b) how have I kept 46 of it off despite an enlarged pouch and a gastrogastric fistula? And what about all the kidney stones I've had since January that indicate the high levels of protein I've still been eating? Don't those give clues? I'm so depressed I can't describe it.

YOU NEED TO TAKE CONTROL RIGHT NOW !!!! Find out from ANYONE on here about other doctors in your area who does this proceedure. Call every single one of them and tell them what has happed to you. Next.... this is your health !!!! You cannot allow leaking or what ever else is happening. Start making phone calls ASAP and get people on here to refer to other doctors. If you can't get the medicad to cover it email me and we can start a website to raise the money to have ANOTHER DOCTOR not the jack'arse you saw today to correct his errors! Don't allow depression to sink in and take hold you need to take immediate action and get healthy for your child. Here is an idea: - Make a list of every doctor in your area from people on here or from your PCP and others - Call everyone of them and find out if they take your insurance - Have a call script prepared to succinclty explain your situation. Dont' get too emotional in what you have to say make it short and sweet and let them know this is an emergency - Get copies of all your medical records sent to YOU - Make copies to take to you for every doctor and keep the orginals for your records - Shake off the depression (I know that's hard) but when you get moving and focused on a plan you will fell empowered and that is step 1 I was serious about a website to raise funds if you get rejected by medicade we can try to raise money. You ALWAYS have options it's just a matter of digging and finding the right one.! Good luck !! Ann

So, does insurance companies pay for the revision? What are the qualifications? I have BCBS. I only lost 45lbs ever. I live in Atlanta, georgia. I don't even know if what I am doing is right but it has been 16 months and nothing. And I have the same story. I don't eat as much but I sure didn't lose. I lost inches I think due to exercising and protein but nothing else.

Hi Jenny: My Doctor (Dr Chung) spoke about this entity before in our support group...the reason for your weight gain is called a gastro-gastric fistula...where the old stomach reconnected to the newly created pouch..thus you have weight gain because the food is going through the old stomach again, and the weight gain is not surprising. the weigh gain will continue, as the fistula (connection) may continue to get bigger, and you will continue to gain more weight. According to Dr Chung, you have to fire another row of stapler to disconnect the fistula...and you should be back to losing weight again..it does mean another surgery. You have to bring the film to your doctor, and show him the film and ask him what he would do. Best of luck..Laurie

I didn't think about bringing him the films, that's an excellent idea. I'll call and ask if I can do that/go pick them up. I did call my PCP and ask them to fax the results to Dr. Rossi. Not sure if they did, of course. But like I put in the post above, I have an appt. with the surgeon tomorrow morning at 10:45, so we'll see! Hopefully he doesn't just tell me to go to a dietician again. Ha ha. I'm willing to do another surgery, as long as I can find someone to help my husband with our 4-year-old.

Well Dr. Rossi won't do the revision, he says "it's too much" and "there are too many side effects." I know the risk of everything including dying is increased with a revision, but why have thousands of other people had revisions and done perfectly with them, INCLUDING ones done by surgeons from Peoria Surgical Group? Melinda, the bariatric nurse, told me they've done tons of revisions with a good success rate. He was a real jerk today, very cross, and I felt about as big as the tip of a pencil. I have a headache from crying so much. He scheduled me for an EGD in two weeks and said depending on the size of the fistula he can inject it with something called fibrin glue and fill it up. First of all, I don't want any kind of glue in me, it sounds like it's poison and I might be allergic to it, and second, that still wouldn't fix my enlarged pouch. The whole time he kept talking about my "habits" and "portion sizes," insinuating like he did in February that this is all my fault. If it was behavioral, then a) how did I lose 60 pounds after I had the surgery, and b) how have I kept 46 of it off despite an enlarged pouch and a gastrogastric fistula? And what about all the kidney stones I've had since January that indicate the high levels of protein I've still been eating? Don't those give clues? I'm so depressed I can't describe it.

I'm actually surprised you weren't transsected in your original surgery since it was only 1 1/2 years ago... 5cm doesn't sound that large to me...that's more like 2" or the size of a clementine, not an orange... But regardless, that fistula needs to be repaired...I don't understand your surgeon's mentality about that...of course your surgery is failing you when it had a serious mechanical problem... Nancy 394/260/180