Totally lost. RNY never worked. What do you do next?
emily3cat
on 1/26/09 9:17 am, edited 1/26/09 9:23 am - NE
on 1/26/09 9:17 am, edited 1/26/09 9:23 am - NE
Hi. Okay, I'm a bit teary as I write this, as it's painful. But I'm hoping that someone can point me in the right direction.
I had surgery in summer 2004 in a teaching hospital in a very busy program. Here was my weight loss:
--1st week including hospital stay: 10 pounds
--Next four weeks: 10 pounds
--Next 5 months: 20 pounds total.
That's a total of 40 pounds. Every time I went to the doctor, I had to see the nutritionist who said, "Eat more protein; eat more in general." So I did. Weight loss stopped completely at 6 months and I was not misbehaving. (Well a few cheats, but not massive misbehaving.)
I did do quite a bit of vomiting around the beginning weeks when we got to eat solid food again.
Finally, at my year check, there was a new resident who said, "Something is wrong." He sent me immediately to get an upper GI. The (very prestigious) gastroguy said, "Well, that's your problem; your stoma is too big. Everything just falls into the intestine." Then I moved away from that big city to a very rural area, but I was still hopeful that my surgeon would help me. But when I called in, I was told that "You ruined it. We can't do anything for you."
And I fell into a deep, dark depression about it, as I live in a very underserved area. It's hard to get a GP, much less someone to help.
So, I have to use the bathroom all the time. If I eat, I gotta go immediately and will probably need to go again in a while. It makes it hard to drive and hard to work. I have probably had to flush the toilet 15 times a day. And I never am full. At all. So, I have to try and restrict my food visually. Actually is worse than having a normal stomach, because I NEVER feel full.
So, I'm five years PostOp and pretty miserable. My surgeon blamed me. I was so depressed that I checked in here briefly and then couldn't even think about it without crying. Apparently, my first idently on ObesityHelp has vanished.
Is it my fault?
Do surgeries fail?
Does intense vomiting sometimes do damage?
What do I do next?
I had surgery in summer 2004 in a teaching hospital in a very busy program. Here was my weight loss:
--1st week including hospital stay: 10 pounds
--Next four weeks: 10 pounds
--Next 5 months: 20 pounds total.
That's a total of 40 pounds. Every time I went to the doctor, I had to see the nutritionist who said, "Eat more protein; eat more in general." So I did. Weight loss stopped completely at 6 months and I was not misbehaving. (Well a few cheats, but not massive misbehaving.)
I did do quite a bit of vomiting around the beginning weeks when we got to eat solid food again.
Finally, at my year check, there was a new resident who said, "Something is wrong." He sent me immediately to get an upper GI. The (very prestigious) gastroguy said, "Well, that's your problem; your stoma is too big. Everything just falls into the intestine." Then I moved away from that big city to a very rural area, but I was still hopeful that my surgeon would help me. But when I called in, I was told that "You ruined it. We can't do anything for you."
And I fell into a deep, dark depression about it, as I live in a very underserved area. It's hard to get a GP, much less someone to help.
So, I have to use the bathroom all the time. If I eat, I gotta go immediately and will probably need to go again in a while. It makes it hard to drive and hard to work. I have probably had to flush the toilet 15 times a day. And I never am full. At all. So, I have to try and restrict my food visually. Actually is worse than having a normal stomach, because I NEVER feel full.
So, I'm five years PostOp and pretty miserable. My surgeon blamed me. I was so depressed that I checked in here briefly and then couldn't even think about it without crying. Apparently, my first idently on ObesityHelp has vanished.
Is it my fault?
Do surgeries fail?
Does intense vomiting sometimes do damage?
What do I do next?
catherine T.
on 1/26/09 9:29 am - lindenhurst, ny
on 1/26/09 9:29 am - lindenhurst, ny
Don't feel like you are a failure. It sounds like your surgery was not what it was supposed to be from the beginning. I to had a RNY. I lost about 90 pounds and then regained 50. I too stopped losing after 9 months. I had a lap band placed ovee my bypass 1 year ago. I have lost the 50 pounds and I continue to lose. It has been slow but it is possible. Good luck.
This surgery has failed you! I also am in your shoes. My stoma dialated and everything goes right thru. I'm in the bathroom many times after a meal and have accidents because of it! I am looking into a revision to a Duodenal Switch. I had a consult with Dr Mustafa Hares in Michigan. He said there is not alot of malaborption with a RNY. I never did get to goal and never got below 200lbs. I also never feel full and nothing stays in there. I am waiting for insurance approval. So there is hope, get the ball rolling and go for a revision!! I live 8 hours away from my new surgeon and they are great with helping me. Check out the Duodenal switch forum. Lots of info there!
Lorie2,
Please do a TON of research on DS. If you are in the bathroom a lot now with just an Rny; then you could very "possibly" be parked there with a DS! Results vary of course but the one continuem seems to remain: lots and lots of potty action with an Erny AND a DS. It tapers for most but..... would hate anyone to go into a DS (or ANY procedure) without full info. Study study study!..... Best wishes on your new journey! "Healthy" is where it's at!!!
Please do a TON of research on DS. If you are in the bathroom a lot now with just an Rny; then you could very "possibly" be parked there with a DS! Results vary of course but the one continuem seems to remain: lots and lots of potty action with an Erny AND a DS. It tapers for most but..... would hate anyone to go into a DS (or ANY procedure) without full info. Study study study!..... Best wishes on your new journey! "Healthy" is where it's at!!!
Joyce Rny 2/11/03-> ERny 12/26/07-> Duodenal Switch 5/12/2010
www.dsfacts.com , www.dssurgery.com , & www.duodenalswitch.com
You couldn't be more wrong!!!
How dare you spread incorrect information about a procedure you obviously no NOTHING about.
I have the DS and have lived with it since 5/13/08 with NO potty issues....WTF are you talking about?
I go once - sometimes two times per day - it's a well formed poo that comes out easily...it is NOT diarrhea and I'm never been "parked there".
Utterly ridiculous that you would even say such a thing.
to the OP - PLEASE research from people and places that know what the hell they are talking about, not someone with DS envy.
How dare you spread incorrect information about a procedure you obviously no NOTHING about.
I have the DS and have lived with it since 5/13/08 with NO potty issues....WTF are you talking about?
I go once - sometimes two times per day - it's a well formed poo that comes out easily...it is NOT diarrhea and I'm never been "parked there".
Utterly ridiculous that you would even say such a thing.
to the OP - PLEASE research from people and places that know what the hell they are talking about, not someone with DS envy.
Wow! That's all I can say! I have found that to be ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE, and I meet with several DSers IRL . . . . haven't heard of a single one with this issue - more have the opposite issue, if anything. Just WOW! I can't imagine where you're getting your information.
5' 5" - 317.5 / 132 / 134 SW / CW / GW
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