Looking to have a revision...Sleeve or DS??

I had the RNY gastric bypass in june 2009 with awesome results (lost 170 lbs) in about 18 months. At that time I had a stroke which was followed by major headaches and some permanent vision loss and then a few months later had a small bowel blockage due to adhesions. Up to that point I had been working out religiously every day and eating very little with no hunger issues. But, I quit working out when I had all the problems and ofcourse never got back into the habit. I still don't eat much, but I eat the wrong things because I can. Before I had the blockage/repair, I would vomit or have serious stomach cramps, but since that happened, it seems nothing makes me sick. I know this sounds horrible, but getting sick deterred me from eating the wrong things. I have tried to get back into atleast walking daily, but my back and hip just kill me and I hurt constantly. I have gained 100 lbs back and I am putting serious thought into having a revision. I was thinking maybe the gastric sleeve (VSG?). I have seen some info on this, but haven't researched it much. But here I keep reading about the DS (duodenal switch?) and I am wondering if I should go that route? I need more info. Can anyone help me? I feel so lost and like such a failure. I am so sad and angry with myself. When I lost all that weight, I felt so good and now it's like it was all a dream. Please help.

Cat you are not a failure and you can get the 100 lbs off again.   it is devastating to gain back post wls, but unfortunely rny has a high regain rate.   revisions are not easy.  the sleeve is a restrictive procedure like the rny, ds is considered a malabsorption procedure (even thought it has a sleeve attached to it)  there is a lot of info on both procedures out there.  with teh sleeve you will have your pylorus so no dumping. (same as ds) the rny there is none, hence dumping.  try to do a little research for a better foundation and better to ask some specific questions.  try dsfacts.com  great info there, try a search on sleeve gastrectomy for the sleeve, and keep asking questions-all the best


Mila

Mila, thank you so much for your encouraging words. I actually have been looking at dsfacts.com as another poster recommended it. It's good info. Is that what you had? People are telling me on here that the ds is the way to go for me, and as I have been reading, I have found there is actually a surgeon just an hour from my home in Denton, TX. I am extatic that I found that out. I don't have insurance yet until Jan 1st, so I hope it doesn't take too long to get approved after that. I am sooo ready. And yes, I am seeing there is no dumping with the ds, but to tell you the truth I didn't mind the dumping so much because it only happened to me once and believe me when I say I stayed way away from sweets after that! I don't even eat them now. But after I had the blockage repaired, it was like my rny was reversed or something. I don't understand why I immediately started gaining weight after that and have not stopped. Anyway, thank you again.

Cat,

You are welcome.  Dont beat yourself up, no one does that better than ourselves.  As you know weight gain post RNY is very common, the rapid emptying of your pouch, reactive hypoglycemic with the return of between meal hunger leads to maladaptive eating.  Last week I went from Lap-band to DS.  To my knowledge there are only a few surgeons to take on a RNY to DS and those would be  drs, Greenbaum, Rabkin, Gagner, Kehishian, be very careful who you let take down tthe pouch and subsequently do a DS , if that is what you are looking at, as that is dangerous and requires the most skill.  A virgin DS is very different.  From now till you get insurance do some research on what you are looking for.  contact RNY patients that have had revision, what did they revise to?  I would caution you against a certain procedure, the distal RNY.  Then contact patients that have that specific surgery type.  keep looking.  wishing you all the best.

Mila   

Neither the Sleeve nor the DS will punish you for eating the wrong things. The DS will be a far more forgiving surgery, due to the PERMANENT malabsorption of calories, but it will not teach you not to eat sweets, starches, etc. (Unless sugar and starch give you intestinal problems a few hours later.)

Because you have an RNY, you will need a VERY skilled surgeon to revise you to either the Sleeve or the DS. There are very few surgeons capable of doing this, and I *don't* think there's anyone in Texas who fits that profile. You need to contact Rabkiin or Keshishian in CA, Husted in AZ, Elarniy (sp?) in VA, or Greenbaum in NJ.