New to looking into a Revision!

Hey everybody!  I am new to this whole thing, so any assitance or advice is more than welcome.

I had the Rouxen-Y on 7/2/03, and went from 273 to 143.  I stayed that way for about 2 years, and slowly started putting i back on.  Exercise and healthy eating didn't take it off of me.  I have since had 2 kids, and I thankfully only gained about 10 with each (so that weight was off by the time I left the hospital)!

I have checked with my insurance, and their qualifications for a revision are that I have to be 30% above my ideal weight.  I have met with a surgeon, they drew some labs, and my bloodwork is out of whack.  I am on weekly B12 shots for the next 8 weeks (5 weeks left), ferritin was at 4, B12 was at 210, Hemoglobin was at 11, Zinc, B1 Whole Blood, and one other are also low.  I am currently getting the weekly B12 injections, Vitron-C 2 times per day, and tracking everything I do on MyFitnessPal.

I was wondering if anybody else had experienced a problem similar to mine.  Also, what kind of revision did you do?  The new surgeon I went to asked what I was interested in, and I told him that I would leave it up to him, as he has done the surgeries for 50 years, and he would know what would be best for my body.  I meet with him again for a 2-month post checkup on 9/5/12.  Also, I have an Upper GI and an Endoscopy scheduled for tomorrow, 8/29/12.

What vitamins and supplements have you been taking, and have you done full bloodwork at least annually since your first surgery?

It is YOUR body.  Why would you leave such an important decision completely up to the surgeon?  First, if he doesn't perform ALL FOUR surgeries, you are not going to get a non-biased opinion of what is best for you and second...it is YOUR body!  Come on, do your research.

Visit dsfacts.com to get info on the DS.  And what vites HAVE you been taking?  You really need to be looking at getting an IV iron infusion with those numbers.  Schedule an appt with Dr. Vercelotti at the Masonic Cancer Center ASAP.  He is one of the best hemotologists in the state and he is welled versed on the needs of WLS patients.  He will fix you right up.  With a Ferritin level that low, you are not going to see results quickly enough to make a difference just taking oral iron.  I am glad you are on weekly B12 shots cause that B12 level is in permanent neurological damage territory.  How low was your B1?  You can get a shot to raise that as well.  At the very least you should be adding a B1 supplement every day to your regimen.  Add Zinc too.  How was everything else?

I am a RNY to DS revision and went to the U of M and had Dr. Buchwald for my surgeon.  If you consider a revision to DS....Dr. Buchwald is the ONLY surgeon in the state that has the experience and skill to perform this highly complicated procedure.  Don't argue with us.  Dr. Buchwald is the ONLY surgeon in the state.  If you want to revise to the DS just accept that :-)

Now, do your research on VSG and DS so you can figure out what is best for you and what post-op life you can live with the best.  Supplement requirements for the DS are ramped up considerably compared to the RNY and if you don't take your supplements with the DS, YOU WILL DIE.  So, you have to be willing to take all your vites every day for the rest of your life and get full labwork every 3 months for the first year and then every 6 months thereafter FOR LIFE.  Those are the non-negotiables.  Visit the DS forum to get more info.

Good luck on your journey.  I hope you are able to determine what is best for you and get what you need!

 Dr. Buchwald is who I am seeing. I was aiming towards the DS, but I wanted him to make sure that it would be best for me. I take a multi-vitamin daily, Viactiv chews, Vitron-C, Thiamine, and something sulfate (I just started that one, so I don't remember the name. Ferrous sulfate)?  

I have an Upper GI today so I can see what is going on with my stomach. The vitamins and shots were the recommendation from Dr. Buchwald. Should I just go an make an appointment with the hematologist anyways?  I'm also supposed to have my blood redrawn at the end of September, as that would have been the 2 months. My mother is also severely anemic, so maybe that is why they are doing pills?  To see if I'm not ingesting them properly and it is really anemia versus something else?  

Yes, schedule with Dr. Vercelotti ASAP.  You are going to want to have the infusions BEFORE any revision surgery.  Call 612-625-5411 and ask to be scheduled with Dr. V for an anemia work-up.  Let them know what your numbers are currently and that you are looking into a revision WLS to DS and maybe they can get you in sooner.  As much as I love Dr. B....he is not well versed in our iron needs.

Also, Viactive is the WRONG kind of calcium.  You need to be taking Calcium CITRATE.  Make sure you read the label.  And Ferrous Sulfate is hard on the tummy and we don't absorb it well.  You need a carboynl iron.  These are the irons that would be best:

http://www.vitalady.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?search=action&keywords=vtmnfe&template=Templates/Iron.html

I am relieved that you are with Dr. B.  He is the best when it comes to the revision surgery!  Nutrition and vitamin info from that clinic though (as is the case in most clinics) leaves much to be desired.  Once you have a DS, you are going to want to rely on the vets here to know what you really need :-)

I too had RNY in June of 03 and went from 305 to 150 and due to a stretched stoma gained a little over 50lbs in the last 3 years.  I too have severe vitamin deficiencies and take multiple shots per week.  My problems are Thiamine (B1), B12 and D.  The Thiamine is dangerous so my shots for that is more frequent.  When I started looking into a revision late last year, I did a ton of research and because of my vitamin issue I felt it was best to have a band over my bypass.  I had that done March 1st of this year and have reached goal in just 6 months.  It was the best decision I could have made for me.  This is a huge decision and should be yours and your only.  Do research, ask questions to those of us that have had the different surgeries that you are interested in and go from there.  Let me know if I can give you any further information.

 Was that the vertical sleeve?  Or the one that can by changed by inserting or removing something?  For some reason, I can't think of the name right now

have a band over my bypass.


Commonly known as a BOB (Band Over Bypass) ~~~~ Lap Band placed over the 'pouch' of the RNY stomach.