It's been awhile ... (Endicott, NY area member) - Long Post :)

Hello All,

I had another account, I believe many years ago, but I can not remember the userid and I think it was under an old email, so I might have to try to figure out how to regain access to it.

My WLS history and "problems":

I had a Roux-en-Y full open procedure done in Horseheads, NY in October, 2003 with Dr. McKane.  I was around 267 pounds and 5'3" tall with no other medical complications.  I'm an educated woman who had made the decision to have WLS, thinking it was the "easy and quick fix" and  I "sailed" through all the pre-op requirements, including all the psychological "counseling".  I answered all the questions as if I knew and understood (I really, truly did) - the "rules" of the surgery. (I apologize to those of you suffering and unable to get the surgery for whatever reasons. I know you're probably thinking it's so unfair I got in so fast and approved when so many others of you are struggling for insurance help, etc. So yes, I am very sorry!)

However, I never followed the rules after surgery. 

Food addiction is killer.  I never got sick or "dumped" and I could eat anything I wanted.  I didn't give up soda, I drank while I ate, I didn't do proteins first.  You name the rule, I broke it.

I also didn't go to support meetings or really do any other follow ups with my surgeon.  Back then, I don't think there were any support groups in my local area (Endicott/Vestal, NY is more local than Elmira. I live over an hour away from Horseheads now, where Dr. McKane operates out of.)  I went with Dr. McKane over Dr. Tventenstrand in Binghamton because I wanted it done NOW and I heard Dr. T had a HUGE waiting list.

3 or 4 years ago, (which is also 3 or so years AFTER my original WLS surgery), I had a MAJOR small intestinal obstruction, for which I required emergency surgery at Wilson Hospital in Johnson City, NY. It was apparently fairly serious, because my husband gets pale faced  to this day when he was told that I had intestine removed because of the "kink" in it or whatever. I still really don't entirely *know* what was wrong or what happened. They won't say it was definitely a result of my WLS years before, but they guess it might be.

So, here I am.  It's September, 2009.  I am back weighing 200 pounds and I'm still 5'3" (obviously).  I had gotten down to like 165 pounds, so I have regained 35 pounds since my WLS in 2003.  This is unacceptable to me.  I still have horrible eating habits and food addictions and my digestion system is TERRIBLE.  I can go into details, but they aren't pretty.

So, what I'm looking into - is a full revision of the Roux-en-Y and having myself put back to "normal". I am wondering if it's possible to then have my stomach banded while the surgeon is inside "revising" me or if I'd be too "scarred" from the revision procedure. 

Psychologically am I ready? I don't know. Physically, I know I am. I NEED to get healthier. Knowing there are local support groups will make me much more willing to go and try to become more aware of my poor eating habits and decisions involved when I sit in front of the computer hours upon hours and just stuff my face.

I have to have some GYN surgery that I am planning in December and my GYN surgeon already said he has worked with Dr. T here in Binghamton and if Dr. T approves me, that he will do a dual-surgery and get both done and out of the way at the same time.

I would like feedback.  Have people had their Roux-en-Y's revised and then gotten banded? Have you found success the second time around? Were you able to break the food addiction and get the psychological counseling help you needed the second time?  Am I heavy enough now that I could even get approved for banding?

Sorry for the length. I will look into trying to get my old profile back soon. I'm typing this from a free period at work :)

- Lynne

Yay - I got my old account back! 

Now to get back on the track for updating things.

I see lots of people have read the post, but no comments.  

That's okay, I have a lot to catch up on myself.

Hi there Lynne-I just wanted to say that one of the reasons you may not be getting replies is because you deactivated the original account the post was written under, and people may see that and assume you aren't coming back to read answers. I wish I had some suggestions for you-but did you check over at the revisions board? Maybe you could post there and get some helpful info. Try this link: 
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/revision/

Also, although there is some traffic on the state boards, there is way more traffic on the RNY board, and you may receive some helpful responses there.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/rny/

I wish you all the luck in the world with whatever you decide.  I think you realize how important it is now to follow all the rules associated with any WLS. Not just in maintaining your weight loss-but in order to stay heallthy.
HTH, Dawn

Yes, I wasn't sure how to work that - I had to deactivate the SECOND (briefly made) account to make it possible to put the correct email address. What a pain!

I've been looking at the revisions forums and I'm definitely going to research all options.

I'm also in the process of having all my surgerical records sent to the local doctor that performs all the gastric bypass surgeries (RNY, Lap, etc.) - and it's been suggested I might just want to have some sort of revision on my RNY done, so I need to read the different options that might entail.

Thanks for your response though!   Definitely still have a lot of research to do, but I have time.

Here's my opinion for you on your questions.  Before you consider having any revision or banding, you need to be fully ready to embark on this journey or you are just setting yourself up for another failure.  You need to seek help in controlling your food addictions first.  If you can not control this again I think you are just setting up for another failure.

You should probably talk to Dr. T and get his professional opinion on the revision and your current status.  Maybe you can still utilize the tool that you were given initially, and as a reminder this is only a tool not a cure all.  You have to be willing and able to make a life long change no matter what steps you take to be successful.

I wish you the best with whatever your decision is.

Julie