diagnosed with Blind Loop syndrome-facing possible revision

Hi, I am new here and I am from Pensacola, FL. I had RNY 11 years ago and I have successfully kept off most of my weight. I went from 282 pounds to 132, but I have gained to 150 and I have been stable at that weight for 5 years. It has taken a long time to finally find out what has been wrong with me!  We have moved several times and I saw several specialists.  I was given a "blind loop" diagnosis this year. After moving back to Pensacola, I got in with a wonderful GI doctor that said I have blind loop syndrome and it is causing my immune system to be in overdrive. I also see a Rheumatologist that agrees with the GI doctor and she said it has been labeled "bypass arthritis" and it is very much real. I suffer from malabsorption and Vitamin D def. and have to take Thiamine (B-1) injections and B-12 injections for life. For years, I would have flares with painful joints, swollen glands, terrible fatigue and muscle weakness. I would feel cold, and just sick, like I was coming down with something. Some days, I would have to be in the bed...other days I would function.  I would never feel completely good unless I would take antibiotics.  
I was told that it is treated with antibiotics and they have to be changed and switched, at times. I have been on Bactrim but it is not working as good anymore. My GI doctor advised me to try the antibiotics but he said I needed to consider a surgical consult for a revision in the future. I am EXTREMELY scared of facing a revision. My doctor is very kind and he said that a revision is not to be taken lightly. I do not want to go that route at all unless it is necessary.  I am not sure what they would covert me to.  
I am looking for any info on Blind loop or a revision info or really any kind of support!!! Thanks to all that read my post.  

I had a revision 5 years ago for pretty much the same thing only I had constant diarrhea due to chronic bacterial overgrowth.  I also had reactive dermatitis and arthritis as well.  I took Flagyl on and off for years and it always helped but my doctor didn't want to prescribe them any more for fear of developing resistance to them when needed.

I can only tell you that in my experience it was the best thing possible.  It took me a long time to get my health back.  But it was worth it in the end.

Your surgeon is right, revisions are nothing to take lightly.  My revision was done open and I wound up with an incisional hernia that needed surgery twice.  Not to mention the time it took to recover versus the lap procedure.  But like I said, it was worth it to get my health back.

BTW, I was first advised in 2003 to have a revision and I refused and suffered for another 7 years.

Omg ladytazz, how did you handle taking Flagyl for years?  I had to take a course of it ONCE and they were the nastiest pills I've ever tried to swallow.  I had to psyche myself up every time I got ready to take it.  Sorry I digress...

You want to know what's worse?  After my doctor stopped prescribing it for me I would order it online as Fishzole.  It was sold as medicine for fish and I could get it inexpensively without a prescription.  

As you can imagine they didn't fancy up the pills for the fish and it was even more disgusting than you remember.  That shows you how miserable I was and how desperate I was for relief.  

I think they stopped selling it that way because I couldn't get it any more.  

The day I went into the hospital for my revision was the last day I had that problem.

Thank you so much for the information.  I would love to know more information when you can.  What type of revision did you have?  Any complications?  I am sorry I am a bundle of questions, just so worried.  

Hi, glad to see I wasn't the only one on here with this.  I appreciate the information.  My antibiotics aren't working as good, so I need to call my doctor and see if he can switch.  I might need to be on a different one.  What type of revision did you have?  I was wondering about the recovery time...any major issues.  Reading here has given me some hope.  I am just so scared of the surgery and all the things that can go wrong again and ending up in a worse case scenario situation.  

Thanks,

Robin

I sent you a PM.

I just had an EGD last week and they discovered I had a very long redundant roux limb. I have been having intermittent upper abdominal swelling, tenderness, bloating, early fullness and constant burping after eating. They call it "Candy Cane Roux Syndrome" based on shape from end-to-side anastomosis versus end-to-end, though he said mine had more than a candy cane loop. I am sure I have bad bacterial overgrowth, also EGD showed hiatal hernia and mild gastritis. I deal more with constipation than diarrhea. I am 12 years out as of this month.

Also, I deal with horrible fatigue, intermittent joint pain (rotating joints), swollen glands, allergies, sinus issues, always feel like coming down with something, minimal exercise tolerance. Currently, b-12 levels high, though had to take shots during both pregnancies, ferritin level down to 9, though iron level ok for now. Awaiting apt with hemo to get iron infusion.

Wow, TanyaRN...you have been through it as well!  

I feel the same way, always feel like coming down with something.  Muscles feel weak, fatigue quicker at times.  In my case, my bacteria grows without antibiotics and makes me sick, and I am so tired of being sick.  I feel like I am losing way more of my life than I should be at 43.  I am growing more frustrated and next month I see my gastro and rheumatologist so I may go on and see how they feel about me talking to the surgeon for a revision.  I just don't know what they can do to correct mine, I had an RNY in 2004.  

I feel for you with the joint pain...it can be really hard to deal with.  I have a lot of sinus issues too, allergies and now i have food intolerances that I never had before.  I lean way more towards constipation.  It can be miserable with the bloating and swelling....clothes don't fit after meals.  I have to take B-1 Injections as I live with low thiamine.  I also take the B-12 but don't feel a bit of difference with it but I am on it religiously.  My vitamin D is terribly low without the 50,000 unit pill every week.  I already have bone loss too and I have osteopenia and I have been treated with Reclast in the past.  

I appreciate you responding to my post and I do hope you can get some help too.  Please keep me informed.

Robin