RNY to DS - thinking...

Frankie,

You are so very lucky to have your DS done the lap way.  I hear most are done open because the procedure is so complex, so hats off.   I know the recuperation time is shortened due to having it lap versus open, so you were back on your feet much sooner than an open patient would have been.  And I don't blame you for keeping those WLS matters to yourself, no sense in complicating things with a lengthy explanation about your own private "bitness" :-)

I'm sorry - it's just the Detroit in me! LOL

 
My thinking on having my revision done open was...... I want the surgeon to be able to SEE what he is doing, and since this is not just a "virgin" surgery.... he has to go in, take my RNY anatomy and put it back to normal anatomy..... AND THEN do the DS, I had NO POBLEM ith the open procedure, I think it cut down other risk factors for me.  And honestly gave me the piece of mind I wanted heading into such a complex surgery.


Just my opinion
-Jamie in Alaska

Jamie,

Please tell me about the Vitamin supplement commitment - post DS.  I envision having the lug around a small foot locker wherever I go, in order to remain up to speed on the vitamin requirements needed.  Is that an exaggeration or a stark reality.  When I travel, am I going to have to lug a seperate briefcase full of pills with me?

Please expand on this for me.

Thanks!

I certainly appreciate all you speak of regarding your frustration with your weight loss, still being obese; exactly the same for me. But since I have some whopper addiction/compulsive issues, I did not fare so well maintaining my weight and bounced back up, finding myself on the same yo-yo train from hell I was on before surgery. Same - the point of no return. What really did me in was the year dedicated to a whole new regimen of bootcamp, super clean eating, and I could barely get under 200 (a good weight for me is 140-150). And there's no way I could maintain that kind of regimen for life (the eating yes, the training 2 hours every day, 7 days a week, no!) I was miserable. But healthy in all other regards, my sugar, cholesterol, heart. Many good things came from my experience in terms of that, including the wealth of knowledge about nutrition and exercise. I'm not personally familiar with Dr. Greenbaum, I'm new to these forums so still taking it all in. However, if you post asking about him in your title, you're sure to get responses. I also recommend signing on to the other board, a lot of the DS vets moved over there. I'm not sure what happened exactly over here, though flame wars/tussles are not uncommon in the online community. I actually don't want to know :-) But I do recommend posting on that DS board, a lot of really savvy vets over there. 

As for the revision being done lap...I doubt it. It really is a big surgery, but honestly, so is what we've already been through. Open surgeries aren't fun - the long incision, the drains, possibly a feeding tube. But in the end, considering the degree of pain and misery we are in, it's a small price to pay for a surgery that will really take us to the finish line, health for life, which is what we wanted all along, you know?

Ok - good idea about posting over there but since I'm brand new also - where is "over there?"  LOL

Thanks again!

I posted a link on my first post, which is also to a fuller story of my 3-week post op experience :-) But here is the link to the site, easy to register:  http://weightlosssurgery.proboards.com/index.cgi

Thanks and I am so on it!

Good for you :-) I think you had your head on super straight and this will happen for you, keep us updated. 

 

 

I'm thinking of a revision, too. I talked to someone who used to post here but is now on another forum and she said Dr. Greenbaum did her revision and she's great. He was recommended by some people here in the NJ area so I will be contacting him too.

Hi, I also wanted to quickly add that having my revision done lap was not an option because of other hernia repair issue I had, it was a big, complex surgery where mesh was placed, so that added to my complication/risk factor. Just wanted to note that, since the revision in of itself was not the sole factor. I would of course always prefer to have any surgery laproscopic :-) but in the end, it will depend on your own health/situation and which really is the best route for you. And I wouldn't trade my second chance for anything, having open surgery was never a deal breaker, and it still isn't (as I think ahead to the PS I hope to have!) :)