I think I have made a revision decision...lol

One of the major problems I have had with what I chose was the lack of ancillary services available to me. I know I need counseling, that is a given.

There was no nutrition counseling, psych or support groups due to going out of the country as well as lack of insurance. That, thankfully, will change in a few weeks.

 

Bad, bad idea...but don't say we didn't warn you.

Dr Chand's info per OH

Surgery Types Performed:Duodenal Switch, Fobi Pouch, LAP-BAND, REALIZE Band, Roux-en-Y, Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy

I don't believe these totals are current either, but it does reflect the fact that he does do multiple surgeries.

Method	Currently Performing	Total Surgeries	Lap-to-Open Conversions	Avg. Currently Done Per Week	Years Experience With This Type	Average O.R. Stay Time	Average Hospital Stay
LAP-BAND
Laparoscopic		100		0-1	2	1	1.5
Roux-en-Y
Open		100		0-1	9	0	4
Laparoscopic		400		4	9	120	2.7
Duodenal Switch
Open		5		0	9	180	4
Laparoscopic						0

While he is not "vetted", he is a great surgeon. As I said, he did my sister's RNY and he was wonderful. She has a history of hernias and lap surgeries.

Unfortunately, you cannot trust the Dr info here on the site. The numbers are doctored and inaccurate. And based on this info he doesn't do revisions and you'll need a very experienced revision surgeon for this type of revision. Whether you go with Rny or DS with a resleeve, the surgeon will need to mess with a stomach that has already been cut. Risk for comps and leaks are higher when you cut again. Like has been previously stated, there are only a few that are really experienced...ranking, keshishian, buchwald, greenbaum and dialing. I am sure someone can chime is with other names.

Please know that we are only bounding you because we want you to get the best and be successful. Revisions are serious and you need someone *****ally knows what they are doing. We have seen people go through here who have ignored advice and proceeded with surgery with inexperienced surgeons and things turned out tragically. We don't want this to happen to you.

Surgeons Rabkin, Keshishian, Buchwald, Greenbaum and Roslin. Darn autocorrect, lol.

And I do thank you for that. :)

I totally concur with what SeekingHealthy says.  I have lived with an RNY for 11 years now and will be revising to a DS in a few months.  I honestly dont think you are going to find what you are looking for with the RNY.  Im revising for 2 reasons: weight regain and needing to take NSAIDs to help with my OA  Which I cannot do with my current RNY.   

Stretched pouches and stretched stomas are a very realistic possibility.  Additionally, what little malabsorption we do get from an RNY goes away by about the 2nd year out.  

It is of course your body and entirely your choice.   I myself am not profiting either way based on your own decision.  So Im saying what Im saying as one human being to another who is in similar shoes to the ones you are in right now. 

At 9:09PM on 01/03/12 LyndiaIN said:

Revision person here.  Speaking from experience, revisions SUCK!  I had the old VBG done back in 1997 and had a revision to the DS in Oct. 2007.  Because I had so much scar tissue and the band had eroded into my stomach, it was a rough surgery.  Even tho' I'm a DSer with a sleeve, my sleeve is actually dual chambered because of the island of scar tissue.  I ended being in the hospital for almost 8 weeks, couldn't eat or drink for 5 months and had a PICC line and on TPN.  Again, it SUCKED!!  

For the love of everything, please, please, PLEASE go to an experienced revision surgeon.   Revision surgeries have a much higher complication rate, and if you are one of the "lucky" ones to have complications, then you want someone experienced in your corner.  I hope all of your resear*****luded reading the revision boards, and not just the first few pages.  Keep reading and you not see ONE DS person going for a revision the RNY. 

I read your post, I read your reasoning and I'm sorry, but I still just don't get it.  You have a DS stomach already but you want to convert it into a pouch?!!  You want to revise to a surgery that is going to butcher your stomach, remove the pyloric function, run a huge risk for strictures and ulcers, limited malabsorption that will decrease to nil over the years, and has a high percentage of regain?  For the love of everything, WHY?!!  I fought my insurance company for almost 2 years to get the DS revision covered.  They would have not batted an eye if I had wanted to be revised to the RNY, but I knew there was NO WAY I was going that route.  You are already half way there, and you want to go backwards?  I'm sorry, but it makes no sense.

I truly wish you well, and I hope it goes well for you.  But just think, if it doesn't, then what?  Will you be here in a few years asking about a third revision?  And once a sleeve is converted to a pouch, I'm pretty sure you've ended any chance of revising BACK to a sleeve, and then you'll be getting your intestines rerouted even more.  Then you'll end up with an ERNY, which is just horrible.  Ask Vitalady about it.  Or ask LadyTazz about her revision.  Her story is all over OH, and I'm pretty sure she'll tell you to rethink your choice.

But, if you want to go against all voices of reason and experience and go your own way, then I wish you all the best, and sincerely hope it works out well for you.

Good luck.

I'm beginning all of my posts with LyndiaIN said in case my account is deactivated, that way you'll still know who said this.