Why so little activity on this forum

I check this forum out every so often and I have notice that compared to the other forums there is little activity on this forum.  I had the mini-gastric bypass 7 1/2 years ago in NC by Dr. Rutledge.  Next month I am having a revision to the RNY.  Although, I am having a revision to a different surgery type I do like reading about other people experiences with this surgery and I do answer questions for people considering the surgery.  I will see a few people post 1 or 2 times and never again.  Or people don't discuss what is going on much post-op as in other forums.  If anyone can tell me why so little interaction with this forum I would love to know why?

I, too, check this board regularly, and I have a couple of guesses as to why folks don't post much here.  For one, I think most of the MGB'ers associated with CLOS participate on the Yahoo board.  Also, I feel people may be put off by the less-than-warm reception we get from those here who are so negative about this surgery.  I know there are failures, but I hear of many more complications, etc. with the RNY.  I am curious as to why you are having to convert to the RNY.  I am in no way critical---just wonder what brought this about. I want to be educated on all the ins and outs of all the options.  My surgery was a great success, but I still like to know others' stories.  Sandy

Sandy, Thanks for answering my question.  Do you have the yahoo website?  When I had the surgery 7 1/2 years ago I was very pleased!  I had no complication and really no pain.  I was about 245 post-op when I had the surgery.  I got down to about 165 at my lowest.  Also, when I had the surgery insurance paid.  About year 3 I started putting on weight and I had a hard time trying to loose.  I noticed that used to get very hungry and could graze alot.  I had a network of fellow mgb'ers who had surgery around the same time frame I did or earlier and almost all of us have regained most if not all of our weight back.  I know of 3 who have had a revision.  I am having my revision next month to the RNY because I found a doctor who has lots of experiences in revisions and I have talked personally with some of those patients.  I'm hoping the 2nd time around is a charm and I don't have to worry about this kind of weight regain again.  Now, I am not blaming the surgery for my failure but I have talked with several weight loss surgeons who are familiar with this procedure and all of them said that this surgery has a high failure rate in the long term.  I do understand that every surgery can have a failure rate and everyone must do their part to make the surgery a success.  One thing to keep in mind that on these forums most people are still in the "honey moon" phase of the surgery or no more than 3 years out.  It was year 3 that I began to struggle.  To sum all of this up because I am a revision patient I am going to learn from my shortcomings of the first surgery.  I will not get over confident and think that the surgery just cured me.  The surgery is a treatment for obesity and I am going to really work on some of my bad eating habits.  Hope this helps. 

Thanks for your explanation.  I am shocked to hear that your doctor has said that the MGB has a high "failure rate long term."  I read the opposite from folks on the MGB board.  I wish some in-depth statistics were available.  On what statistics did the doctor base his statement?  Also, you stated that "most all" of the people you know who had the surgery several years ago have regained "all or most of their weight."  How many of them did this happen to? I am sorry to hear that you have to undergo a revision. I am a little over 3 years out and my weight fluctuates from 175 to 183.  I have not experiences any significant weight gain and hope I don't!  I agree, though, the the chance of regain is a possibility for anyone who has any type of bariatric surgery.     As for the Yahoo board, you can join by going to CLOS.net.  There are both pre-op and post-op boards, but I hear that the post-op one isn't very active.  I stay with the pre-op one. Good luck. Sandy

Sandy, When I was researching a revision surgery I must of called and talked to about 10 different sugeon offices.  Out of that 10 there were 4 surgeons who were familiar with this particular surgery and when I told them what I had they all said that the surgery did not give the best long term results.  These surgeons are from different parts of the country and they don't know what the other surgeons have said but that is what they said.  Also, there is a surgeon who has done several revisions for people who had the mgb.  That patient is the one that gave the name of the surgeon to call.  However, I am going with a different surgeon in FL.  Also, the people I know personally are the one's I met years ago at the support group and I have some what stayed in contact with.  I know 5 who have had revision and 8 who have regained back alot of their weight.  I know that does not sound like much but it can be if you have failed yourself.  Hope this helps.  Good luck on staying thin.

Aloha, I was glad to hear someone say the Yahoo board was a mess.  I tried threading through a few posts but found it wanting. I'm three days post a variation of the MGB called OAGB (one anastomosis gastric bypass.  It's identical to the MGB in most aspects; only when you see a side by side picture can you see the difference.  The OAGB was recommended by my surgeon, Dr. Gilberto Ungson of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. I'm reeling from the whole ordeal just now, so I can't be entirely objective, but I'll say the surgery seems to have gone well and I hope to be home in Hawaii by Monday. I chose Dr. Ungson because my wife and I have no health insurance and he was the cheapest without going to India.  I had considered Dr. Rutledge but just couldn't swing the cost difference.  What I'll be losing is follow up care.  I know that such groups exist in Hilo, so I'm going to pursue them when I get home. Aloha

Hi Sandy, I am one year post op and happy with my success which was performed by Dr Hargroder in Joplin Missouri and who was trained by Dr Rutledge at one point but broke away from the clos.net group and has been successful on his own in Missouri. When researching the surgery initially I spoke with several who had their surgeries done anywhere from 3 years to 7 years out and had been successful. I didn't base it on those fairly short term such as myself because I wanted to know the long term especially since I was self pay and will be paying on this for a long time to come. I guess the question would be what things have been done differently between those who have regained and those who have not over the time period. A lot of people who have the RNY end up gaining a good portion of their weight back but I only know of two who have with this surgery and it was because of having to have revisions due to other health problems that came up afterwards. With that being said both are planning to have the MGB surgery again as soon as they are financially able. I researched the other surgeries for over a year before deciding on this one and wouldn't have gone any other way. Kat

I wish there was more activity on this board, too. I find the yahoo group to be a complete mess. People just don't practice good posting etiquette (trim your posts, repsond within the thread, etc.) I hate to be all snooty about stuff like that, but reading it is so tedious. I think there are more than enough people to warrant starting a tradtional chat board --- or why not post HERE!?

wow, i'm sorry to hear about your weight regain, and hope the revision works for you.  on the other side:  my mom had the MGB over 6 years ago and people still refer to her as "tiny".  i had mine 3 years ago and am now 37 weeks pregnant and no one can believe that i am that far along.  i have gained only baby, very little hip spread or anything else that usually comes with pregnancy, although my last ultrasound showed the baby to be in the 46th percentile for growth.  maybe so far our family has been lucky with MGB.  my sister had an open RNY due to extensive previous abdominal surgeries, she has had a lot more difficulty than either my mom or myself, including some pretty serious weight gain.  personally, i am a huge fan of the MGB.

Glad to hear the MGB worked out so well with your family.  I had no problems with Dr. Rutledge as my surgeon.  He's very competent.  However, the mgb did not work out so great for me in the long run.  Hopefully, God willing I will go through this revision with no complications and have great long term results.  I think after failing my first surgery I am a little more wiser and realistic about weight regain and changing eating habits.