Please Help

I had open RNY back in Feb. 2006,  I weighted 285 I went to 18 5 in months.  After 6 months I could eat everything and anything never ever got sick.  I have now regained all the weight.  I went to see a surgeon that does revision.  My husband insurance doesn't pay for it and we can't afford it.  I also have a hernia and it hurts.  They told be if i get the hernia operated on now that I can forget about the revision.  I am waiting to hear from another Dr to see if they will work with the insurance. Here is my question: Do you think that having the revesion is worth it.  I am confused and not sure if I go thru this if I am going to gain the weight back again and go thru all that pain.  Plus they told me that it is more dangerous. PLEASE HELP.

Donna, I feel your pain and frustration.  Is there any way that you can fight your insurance?  Yes, revision can be trickier and more dangerous than if it was your first time.  I think you should get your hernia fixed.  There is a new procedure called the stomaphx that can be performed endoscopically.  Insurance is not paying for it so you would have to be self-pay.  Hopefully, insurance will start paying for this procedure.  I know paying for a procedure is not feasible for you right now but maybe things will change down the road. 

I dont see why the hernia repair has anything to do with the revision surgery...you may want to check into the ROSE Procedure trials .....  http://www.incisionlesssurgery.com/default/go-to-location  if you call soon enough you might get into the trial and it wont cost for te surgery just insurance fr the tests

Once they put the mesh inside me for the hernia, they can't go through with surgery.  They can't cut the mesh.

Once they place the mesh inside for the hernia they cannnot do the surgery.  They can't cut through the mesh.

are you sure about that ???   I had a major hysterectomy - cut from 2inc above my navel down to whoo whoo!!  I am having a revision May 7th -   why cant the reviosn surgeon do your  hernia at the same time - He/ she is a surgeon ????    double dip procedure 1 price to  you and Dr gets all work done at one time...   I think I would talk to your surgeon  before you do anything 0 you might also have internal hernia's to be taken care of from original surgery.....

Donna  You need to read Dr Schlesingers response to my call for him - He tells us that  Mesh does not disqualify you for  Surgery !!!  Maybe you should thinka bout a second opinion ??

Donna, Thats not true about the mesh. I had my original bypass in 1997. I regained  most of the weight back. I was 420 and now weigh 342. At the time of that bypass they had to  use mesh to repair the hernia. I will be getting a revision of my gastric bypass but my surgeon wants to do a EGD to see the lay of the land. He also said that I have a buch of hernia's and repair them with mesh . He said  it was okay if I had mesh before because it is probably messed up from the exess weight and he will fix that one too. I would not worry about it. I hope that I heled you. Dawn  

Hi Donna, I had a major hernia repair a little over a year ago and have a sheet of mesh from my breast bone to my pelvis! I have been investigating revisions myself and I can tell you having a hernia repair with mesh does NOT mean that you can never have another revision surgey. However, the risk increases greatly because the mesh is a foreign body and if the surgeon has to cut through it, then the risk of infection goes up and the effectiveness of the mesh in preventing further hernias goes down. The mesh will be weakened in those areas and you can end up with yet another hernia. Someone has mentioned having the revision and the hernia repair at the same time...this would be the route I would take.  You may also have a better chance of having the revision covered by the insurance if the hernia repair is done at the same time. Good Luck with your decision!

Thank you all for your advise.