RNY pouch and stomach reconnecting

I had RNY 9 years ago and lost 200 lbs. After 3 kids I started gaining my weight back . I recently had a barium swallow and the surgeon said it looks like the pouch and the sectioned part of the stomach have reconnected and at this point there is a very tiny hole between the pouch and the stomach allowing the barium to enter the old sectioned stomach. I have been looking into the stomaphyx (Dr. said stomaphyx would help this too) but wonder if any of you have had this issue and revision did you have to fix it? Susan

Hi Susan, I just had a barium swallow test myself and found I have the same exact problem and am trying to fugure it all out. Did the Dr say how the stomaphyx will help this problem? My test showed barium going into the pouch, the residual stomach, the jujenum and the duedonum. I stopped losing after 5 months, only lost 50lbs and have put some of that back on. I went to one surgeon and he told me it was all my fault so was so discouraged and upset I didn't go back..

Is that a fistula?  Maybe Dr S who posts on this forum will have an anwer Good luck!

Staple line disruption (where the barium flows into the unused part of your stomach) is called a gastro-gastic fistula. Which is why I had the DS. (one of the reasons)  I also had stoma enlargement.

I had that problem fixed by having my pouch taken down and getting the DS.  IMO, the stomaphyx is a bandaid. Read about the DS.

Hi starry I was hoping you would respond I am going to PM you with a couple questions if you don't mind! Susan

Hi Susan, I had a weight loss surgery 7.5 yrs ago not the RNY but whatever they were doing at the time.  I had originally lost 170 lbs, then went back to the surgeon and told him I could eat too much, I got the same response as you, so I quite going to the dr.  It ended up that I gained all my weight back and a few more.  I began seeing a new pcp last june, other issues starting.  She asked me to go back to the surgeon I told her no.  Finally in Nov she talked me into it.  I went to the surgeon and the swallow study showed that the barium was moving into both my pouch and the stomach equally.  I was diagnosed with a gastro gastric fistula.   I did research for a couple of months and I just had my surgery 4/21 and had a distal rny done with the fistula repaired...along with 1 of two hernias.   I did consider the ds surgery and it was a viable option other than the availability of doctors etc.  I know that my procedure is a more restrictive one, but I believe if you are committed and find the right doctor and program for you success will come. I am actually home from the hospital and muddling through, but each day is getting easier.  I had some complications after surgery and my surgery was open. Please let me know if you have any additional questions or need any support will help in any way I can...even though I am new at this. Danna

Can you tell me what does DS stand for - what kind of revision is it exactly?  Thanks!  Carolyn

Sorry to argue with your doctor, but I think you're being sold a procedure that isn't right for you. If there's a tiny hole there now, it could get bigger.  I just had a revision to fix a fistula and staple-line disruption, and I'm a bit surprised he said that. You need another opinion.  Fast.

Thanks to everyone for their input so far! After talking to several people and doing more and more research about it, I think I am going to try to seek a revision to DS. I have contacted Dr. Husted in CA and have a phone consult set up with him on friday afternoon. I didn't want to have to have such an invasive procedure because I had a major hernia repair a year ago and have a huge sheet of mesh covering my abdomen, but at this point I think the DS is the only thing that will give me the results I need. Even the surgeon that wanted to do the stomaphyx said I was not a great candidate for any of the revisions he could do (DS wasn't one of them).  CA is a long way from GA but I have heard great things about Dr. Husted from many different people and since a revision to a DS is a risky procedure I wanted to get the best surgeon I could find....so far it sounds to me like he just may be it! I'll let you know how it goes! Susan