lapband to DS? and Surgeon=Salesman.

I have heard a lot about lapband to RNY. I am really interested in having a revision to DS but I am just starting to research it.  Yesterday, I went to my surgeons office to talk to them about possibly revision and discuss how unhappy I am with my band. It's been 2 years. I lost 60 lbs and gained back about 35 now. I went to them desperate and in tears...and they called the surgeon in to talk to me and basically SELL me on seeing a psyciatrist. He told me that if I failed at the lap band that i would also fail at the RNY. Honestly, i left the office feeling helpless, angry, and like more of a failure then I already did.  I would love to hear any advice possible..

 

p.s. this is my very first time visiting this board!!

If he was that rude to you and straight-up told you that if you "failed the lapband, then you would fail a different surgery type", then it sounds to me like he "fails" as a good surgeon.

Most likely he either doesn't like doing revisions and/or doesn't know how to do a DS, and is making *you* feel guilty because of something HE can't fix.  Of course he's going to refer you to a psych - he'll do anything to string you along and keep you hoping there's something he can do. (Send you to psychs, nutritionists, exercise "therapists", etc)

I have been going through the run-around as far as a revision for 3 years now.  I had an RNY in 2002, lost 120 lbs (was still 50 from goal), stalled out, gained 35 back out of nowhere and when I asked my original surgeon if he could do a revision, he pretty much told me I "didn't use my tool."  I went to another group of surgeons who said the same thing - this time wanting me to pay a ridiculous amount for their "in-office" exercise trainer, nutritionist, a "program fee", and metabolic testing.  It seemed fishy, so I didn't procceed w/ him, and went on to another surgeon.

 This surgeon actually did 2 endoscopes and found that my stoma was *majorly* dilated and my pouch was stretched.  We don't know exactly how it happened, but it wasn't due to "non-compliance" because I initially lost a lot of weight.  He got my hopes up and told me he would put a lapband over my pouch/stoma...I had it approved by insurance and everything, THEN he got a "second opinion" from his surgical partner, and told me that he wouldn't do the lapband - "it was too risky" and that I needed to see *his* nutritonist and "bariatric dr" (non-surgeon) and go through the crazy expensive metabolic testing, too.  At this point I was in tears and he did offer phentermine (I lost a whole 8 lbs), and thennnn told me I was the perfect candidate for the endoscopic revision (Rose Procedure)...I went in, paid for another endoscope to "get measurements" and was told upon awakening that "my stoma was too big, but my pouch was too small."   Overall, I spent about 3,600 in endoscopes, 1200 in bloodtests, 600 in catscans, 750 in program fees, and 200 in copays.  (Thank goodness I had insurance.)  In other words, I wasted $6000 for nothing.  The truth is - the last surgeon I mentioned didn't have the experience w/ revisions, but wanted to keep me as a patient, so he strung me along, squeezed out more money, and got my hopes up.

I finally read about the DS and went to a consult w/ Dr. Husted.  He was the FIRST surgeon to tell me that the weight re-gain was not all my fault - I had a surgical "error" and my metabolism was shot after losing the first 120 lbs, and my body was basically trying to hold on to every calorie I ate because it thought it was "starving"...he didn't accuse me of "not chewing things enough", "eating the wrong foods", etc.  This is probably because he is a very skilled revision surgeon and knew he could fix something.

Anyway, seek a different surgeon (one who specializes in revisions or even the DS) and get a second opinion.  Get checked out (maybe a scope to see if you have leaks or a problem w/ the band)...get proof that it's not working for you.  Most likely there is someone who can fix you, and the surgeon that did your original surgery is not willing to fess up to not knowing how to fix it himself.

I've heard that a lot lately, about surgeons making people feel like **** for questioning the surgery that they sell, or even telling lies about the other surgeries that they don't perform. I'd never go back to a surgeon that made me feel that way.

The good thing is, that you seem to already be informed and know that you have choices, so you won't fall for the BS.

Revisions are risky, but a band to DS is not as bad as a RNY to DS revision. There are only a few revision surgeons I'd trust for a RNY to DS (like the other poster going to Husted) but since you have the band, and assuming there is no erosion or other serious issues, you may be able to find one closer. There is a good list at DSfacts.com, that is accurate. The OH list is NOT accurate.

Do not blame yourself.  The band does not work for everyone.  I also used Dr. Giess for my band  which I had for 2 1/2 yrs. and due to slipping had to have it removed.  I lost 80 lbs. Of course I was told it was my fault .  I was just saying to my daughter yesterday how hurtful it was that when I was in the hospital after they removed the band and the PA Deidre who I had been seeing often just kind of said hello to me in the hall and kept on going.  She knew how worried I was about losing the band and everything I had been through but didn't stop to talk, but boy was she so caring when I was trying to save my band. Then when I went to the office for a follow up visit I didn't  receive the usual friendly greeting from Joy and the others. They rushed me into a exam room.  When Dr. Giess came in  and I was all teary  he suggested I see a psyciatrist, he knew of a great one to recommend. My point is, once my band was removed I felt like I was shunned.  Kicked out of the club. No longer part of the group (or band).   Two yrs have past and I am finally  planning on a rivision to  a RNY.  I went to a meeting last night  with Dr. Ahmad in Port Jeff.  and several time he stressed the lap band is not for everyone.  By the way, I gained back everything and then some. I think the whole band experience  really took a toll on my self esteem.  I hope you feel better and remember he only does the lap band so he'd be losing a customer. 

I'm sorry you're in this situation too!  For some reason the surgeons want to blame us first instead of trying to help us figure out which would have been the right surgery in the first place.  I did have to go through a psych eval to get approval for my revision to RNY and I know part of it was due to the fact that "I failed at the lap band" but I did it and passed it.  If you feel like you're being mistreated by your surgeon maybe you should seek another opinion.

I never lost with the lap band and in fact gained back the weight I had lost on the pre-op diet.  The procedure I had this time so far is working whereas the lap band was not.  I went through months of feeling like a failure while I was banded and it really took it's toll on me so much so that when it was finally removed 14 months later I didn't want to even think about another WLS again.  Then I gained a ton of weight and decided I still wanted the chance to lose it again and went back to my surgen 5 months after it was removed to get the ball rolling on my RNY.

Anyway there's still hope and as you see there are plenty of us in this revision section and plenty who have bands that did not perform the way we expected them too.  Good luck and keep us posted, Nancy.

I suspect you were speaking with a surgeon that didn't perform the DS. Congratulations on doing enough research to become knowledgeable about the DS. Now you just need to pull on your armor and go to battle until you find a surgeon that's a good fit for you. There are several excellent revision surgeons out there. Rabkin in San Francisco, Husted in Kentucky, Greenbaum in New Jersey.

Since the band to DS revision isn't quite as complicated as a RNY to DS or a VBG to DS (like me), you may find a more local DS surgeon to perform your surgery.

Here's a link to DS surgeons in the US:

http://www.dsfacts.com/North-American-Duodenal-Switch-Surgeo ns.html

The very best of luck in your search for a surgeon that will work with you, instead of degrading you.

Kathy

I was never told that I failed the lap band. Even the psych consult was impressed that I in fact DID lose weight with the band and kept majority of it off.  This was very important for him to recom me for revision because it showed that yes I can comply and lose with a program. I had lost 60 and regained 10 in 2 years.

I found a psyc doc who was familar with weight loss surgery and that helped alot - because he knew what we go through.

EVEN my surgeon for the revision to DS said my stats were almost textbook for the percentage of successful weight loss for the band.  Find a diff surgeon. I picked the DS over the RNY because I wanted a normal functioning stomach and not a pouch anymore.  The band eating sucks and I did not want anymore food getting stuck etc that is common with the RNY pouch and the band.

Keep fighting for YOU and keep us posted.

HUGS !!

You probably already know what I think about the Lap Band and RNY; but I'm going to say it anyway. I had RNY for 28 years and even though it did help me lose my excess weight, it was no help in keeping it off and damn near killed me. I suppose my horrible RNY experience was why it took me so long to start looking into a revision. When I looked into Lap Band, the stats were so bad that I knew I didn't want that thing inside me and I also knew I didn't want to be messing with fills etc. for the rest of my life. I looked into Mini Bypass, StomachX of what ever that POS deal is and to tell the truth nothing looked like it was much of an answer. Then I discovered the DS and OMG, it was the answer to everything I wanted to fix about the damn RNY and it had the stats to back up what I was hoping to do.

I'm so happy with my DS, words cannot express how grateful I am that I was able to find out about it and find a surgeon who could and would take my case.

As far as I'm concerned, anything but the DS is settling for way less than the best. There is no way I would let anyone cut into me to make my stomach into a pouch again, no way in hell.

Kerry 

Kerry - was your "old stomach" and "pouch" able to "communicate" back-and-forth after the surgery?  I'm looking into that revision (well trying to get approved) and it just seems like some Frankenstein type stuff LoL - I always felt like my "old stomach" was dead.  I meant to ask Dr. Husted, but I was trying to absorb all of the other details and forgot to ask. 

Are you actually able to "not feel hungry" now?  I can't imagine what that would feel like...I've spent the last 4 yrs pretty much starving because my pouch empties out so fast and my stoma is still big.  I think I might also have the beginning of a staple line breakdown - when I was scoped shortly after complaining of severe pain on the left side of my tummy. The Dr. doing the scope told me that a lot of my pain had resulted from a staple coming undone in my pouch, and a couple of sutures coming loose, too.


I hope I can get this all worked out and that I'm able to get this revision approved.  I'm still a "lightweight" (39.99 bmi) and am afraid of getting denied for being so close to the "cut-off" weight. (Hey, I'm a 40 in the mornings before I pee - LoL) Hopefully if anything gets denied, something can be sent in to the insurance saying I have fluid retention problems/yo-yo dieting, and my weight varies from day to day.

Good luck with everything - it's always good to hear from others who have been/are going through the same experiences... the water skii pictures of you were great :)  You sure do look happy!

Hi Amanda,

You're right about the Frankenstein stuff, food would go from my pouch into my intestines and also into the lower supposed to be blind stomach. It would then recirculate through my intestinal loop back to where my small bowel connected to my pouch, some would go on down into the small bowel and some would go back into my pouch. It was a real mess, I was hungry all the time, I would never feel satisfied and would get some dumping after every meal. I always had to sleep after I ate and only high carb foods seemed to give me any satisfaction, but that wouldn't last more than an hour and I would be hungry again.

When I eat now, I feel full and satisfied for about three hours and then start getting hungry again. And now I eat like a normal person, I never dump and never get sick, I feel GREAT! I haven't felt this good since I was 30 something. I just wish I had got the revision to DS 10 years ago.

Kerry