Input on Extended RNY

What is exyended RNY?  Does it work and how evasive is it?


I had lap RNY in 2002 lost 140 lbs but never reached my goal.  Have gained 40lbs and am looking for revision.  Need to loose 100 lbs.  My insurance does cover revisions.  Looking into Band over Bypass but told by my dr.  that process is slow with only a 40lb average loss.  Has anyone had other types of revisions and did they work? 


I want something less evasive because I have small children.

Extended RNY; ERNY or Distal RNY all bypass more of your small intestine; they're pretty drastic and can be dangerous if too much intestine is bypassed. You should look for Joyce in AZ; here on the revision forum, she has ERNY and is trying to get it reversed or revised to DS. IMO ERNY is a terrible WLS. A far better choice is the DS; it has the best stats for losing and keeping weight off long term and it allows the most normal eating; it's very easy to live with compared to any RNY because you have a fully functional but smaller stomach.

None of the WLS are evasive they're all invasive, they are all major surgery and all have about the same risk of complications and death; the chances are very small, but they all have that small risk.

I had RNY for 28 years; I would be considered a success because I lost most of my excess weight and kept if off for 15 years, but I did lose control and ended up gaining all the weight back. I got a revision to DS in Sept. 2008 and it's been wonderful, I've lost the excess weight, I'm maintaining easily; it's like heaven compared to RNY and that damn pouch.

If you want a revision that really works; the DS is it, it's the best there is and it's wonderful. But any revision is going to be major surgery, so don't delude yourself into thinking there's some magical surgery that's not as serious or invasive.

Here's a couple of links to my 1 year and 18 month posts you can see for yourself how a revision to DS works:

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/4024505/One-year-ago-today-who-could-have-known/action,replies/topic_id,4024505/page,1/

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/4140718/18-Month-Update-with-s ome-skin/#33822789

Kerry

Hiya friend!
Kudos to you for considering your ENTIRE family in your decision!  Seriously....having small children is the reason you want to have the surgery that gives you the very BEST long term results with the healthiest daily outcome!  That would be the DS!!!

I had a Revision to an ERny (Extended Rny which is aka a Distal Rny) over 2 years ago.  I was tickled all kinds of pink in the first month when I lost 30 pounds (only needed to lose 40 total)....but then became progressively sick with every complication that can be on a post-op list!  ....  RUN from an ERny!!!  SEriously...I have become kind of a "hot line" bud to many who are trying to recover from their ERny!  In just the small circle of people that I know of, there have been 4 who have had to have their's reversed in the past few months and many more in the process of searching for the right medical team to get them healthy enough to get their ERny reversed!

I am in an insurance squabble, waiting for a revision to a DS with Dr. Keshishian!  How totally ridiculous that I have had to put my body through so much just to learn a HUGE lesson!!!  My family has suffered along with me and honestly I would not have been able to even care for small children the past 2 years! 

Revise ONCE!!!!  Have a DS!  Be healthy, happy and grateful that you found the real deal story from other's mistakes and not your own!

Check out the list of DS surgeon's on www.dsfacts.com  If you need to travel to get to one of them then remove the "I can't" from your vocab and start rethinking the "I can"!!!  People who initially thought they couldn't drive across town for a doctor appointment have actually flown to other parts of the world to get a DS!  I'll be leaving my state (AZ does NOT have a DS revision surgeon) to get mine done.  YOU matter!  Get the best!

Good luck and let us know how we can support you on your journey!!!

OK, so I just reread my post!  LOL!  It sounds way to "commerciallEEZE"!  Sorry bout that!  I work in marketing and sometimes my brain doesn't function properly

The main message I was hoping you'd hear is that the ERny can become a death sentence or at least an unnecessary reason to suffer!

I don't have any reason to promote a DS other than, having done my own research, met with countless Bariatric surgeon's and other medical specialists, I KNOW the DS is the best "complete" package.

I lead many astray (towards an ERny) a year or two ago and am hoping I can somehow help provide perspective for others now and at least give them a moment to pause and consider the full picture.

Yup....I get a tad bit passionate over LIFE!!!

Take care!

Joyce

Hi all who are interested in an ERny,

It has been pointed out to me that my "strong" remarks represent my results only and that the small numbers I give as examples are minimal compared to the happy ERny folks.  .... My apologies to any who are out there loving their Erny and are healthy as can be!  .....  My stats are small because it's based on a very small group out of Phoenix with just one surgeon and with just those who have contacted me. 

I realize that "other results may vary" and I'm just sharing "my results".

Please consider the entire picture when researching a revision.  Weigh the surgeon's chatter against other surgeon's chatter.  Weigh post-op experiences against other post-op experiences.  Go to the various  surgical forums and ask your questions.  Go to the websites and research!

It's YOUR body!  Take charge of it

You have had replies by two genuine vets who have really lived it, so there's not much I could add, but do want to point out that you will not get a good surgery by trying to pick one based on what is supposedly least invasive.

There is no non-invasive WLS, and the surgery that flies the "least invasive" flag is has the highest failure rate, and highest likelihood of needing to be revised or removed with a second surgery. Setting yourself up for multiple surgeries is just folly, so look up what surgery has the best odds of meeting your LIFELONG needs.

What your kids need, is for you to think twice, so you can have the optimum future.

Hi there, my story is alot like yours. I had rny in 2003 and lost 120lbs. I gained 40 back and looked into a revision. My first choice was a ds because I wanted the full stomach back and a pyloric valve to work again. My surgeon got  in there during surgery and it was not a good idea. I had 2 hernias that he fixed, a twisted bowel and LOTS of scarr tissue. My surgery was 5 hours long. I ended up with erny. I lost about 60 pounds and the surgeon thought I could lose as much as 90.  He made my common channel 100cm just like a ds. Things were great for a while. I had some diarreah and some problems absorbing protein. I talk to my doctor great lengths and decided to make my common channel a little longer for better absorption. My doctor did surgery again and made my common channel 200cm. This is a perfect length for me. My lab work is great, I don't have to take as many vitamins, I am still losing alittle bit and can maintain my weightloss.  With the take down of the rny, there is a 20% of leakage when converting to a ds. The erny is not as risky for leaks but can have side affects. I think an erny can be good if the common channel is left just a little longer.  I really wanted a ds but I couldn't get one so now I have to make the best of what I have. I do envy people who have the ds because I wanted the working stomach back. But it didn't  happen for me. Vita lady has a erny and is doing great so i hear.  I know she takes lots of vits but I don't have to take as many now that my common channel is longer now. Please do your research. I went in for a ds and came out with an erny, Not by choice but its better than putting my wieght back on so I will settle. Good luck to you

Lorrie!
You totally rock! 

Hi There:

I too am an ERNY with that same Surgeon from Arizona...But I'm happy to report that my experience has been much better. I received the ERNY in May of 2009 and so I'm coming up on my one year Surgiversary...I did have issues whi*****luded the gas, diarhea, bloating but that was strictly because I didn't eat according to the plan...All me, knowone else...I experienced more problems that actually was a recurring problem since I revised to RNY many years before...It acted like pancreatitis and I had many tests and they never could figure out what happened but the pain did go away and I haven't had an issue since the end of November this had nothing to do with the ERNY...

That being said I too have looked into the DS simply because my second set of labs scared me to the point of finding rescue for my body...I was very low on Vit D and Vit A...but I added just a little more vits and my last set of labs last month were absolutely excellent...I have lost 65 lbs and it has been a slow process...I do have occasional fluid retention but that seems to have gone away as well....For the most part I feel like my ERNY was 100% better for me and easier than either one of my prior surgeries which were first Gastric Stapling, Revision to RNY...

All my surgeries have been open maybe that is what you were questioning when you were saying "evasive" which should actually have been "invasive" but I think we knew what you meant...No surgery is easy and all should be well researched, thought out and keep in mind you must be 100% responsible to directions and after care...Get in a support group and never take your weight for granted...

I was given a 100cm which is less agressive and seems to not have as many issues but as you read from Lorie she had a 100cm and still found it helpful to revise longer...It is different for every person I truly believe that.  Be responsible when researching your surgeon this is key and I can't stress that strongly enough and don't let people on the boards influence you because their results say they lost weight you can and might lose weight but you could also be unhealthy doing it...Most important thing is your health...Believe me...

Good luck in your research...You have heard from 3 of us all different in our experiences, but all respectful of one another and friends to you on this board.

Janie Rolfson

Janie,
You said, "Be responsible when researching your surgeon this is key and I can't stress that strongly enough and don't let people on the boards influence you because their results say they lost weight you can and might lose weight but you could also be unhealthy doing it...Most important thing is your health...Believe me..."

Good points for sure but my only addition to that is the obvious.  This forum is a place to get those very opinions where people share their weight loss experiences, so "influencing" is bound to happen.  That's one piece of the research pie.  I wouldn't believe a thing a surgeon said these days if I couldn't find a few hundred experiences behind him or her confirming success, better health and positive results.

We have to put on our waders & walk through muck before we can stand in a clean beautiful stream with our fishing poles and reel in the prize!  (sorry!   I'm an Idaho girl!  LOL!)