Question:
HELP?? I need people to tell me if they have had a surgery to bypass more intestine ?

I have started to gain alittle weight and now the Dr. wants to bypass more intestine from 7ft to 10ft. Can anyone please let me know if they have had it done and how it is going after the surgery? Thanks!    — MONMIT (posted on September 17, 2003)

September 17, 2003
I briefly read your profile and this is being caused by the elimination of the silastic ring and your stoma obviously becoming too large. Might a surgery to recreate the stoma, without a ring, be the better choice? There is no guarantee that by bypassing 3 more feet will offset the increased quantities etc. that you can eat, due to the larger opening. I would think redoing the stoma would be just as effective and would not cause some of the potential problems there could be with the increased malabsorption. Personally I would get a 2nd opinion before jumping into the longer bypass. My stoma is made with a round stapler and I do not have a ring, so it can be done. Good Luck and I hope your find an easy workable solution.
   — zoedogcbr

September 17, 2003
Just a "NOTE" most surgeons WILL NOT touch the stoma - triing to take down a stoma is VERY DANGEROUS. I have consulted with TWO very experienced surgeons and NEITHER would recommend 'touching' the stoma.
   — star .

September 18, 2003
hiya~ i didn't read your profile however, i'm a little confused because humans generally onlyhave 10 feet of small intestine...he's already bypassed 7 and wants to bypass the rest? that doesn't sound right because then you will not absorb ANYthing... please do more research and get a second or even third opinion...this is YOUR life, YOUR body, YOUR health. can you do behavior modification to lose the weight??? good luck, kate
   — jkb

September 19, 2003
Although I am as distal as you can get, I have hosted many people who have ome here to have their proximal taken more distally. Since intestines run anywhere from 18-30 ft, it's hard to say how much is actually bypassed in a true distal. They measure from the colon back, only what is left in use. Of course, everything is still there, just bypassed. I know where 100" of my intestine is, so can only ASSUME that 200" is bypassed, give or take, based on appx 25 ft.
   — vitalady

September 19, 2003
Monica: I agree with Helen. According to my surgeon it's extremely dangerous to redo a stoma. He wouldn't consider it for two reasons. One, the risk is so terribly high, but two, because even if they reduced it again he felt there'd be no reason it wouldn't enlarge again. So like you and Helen, I too can eat way more than my post op peers. It is very frustrating. Getting more of a bypass like Michelle is an option. But I think if you can have another band put on your stoma to reduce it without having bypass surgery that'd be the more ideal way to go. I'm already showing low on calcium and iron in my blood tests even though I'm obviously having no trouble absorbing calories. LOL You heard of the best of both worlds? Well I have the opposite. But I digress. My point is it'd probably be better to limit the amount you can eat (via a ring) and not have more malabsorption if that's a possibility. Let us know if it is, because I'd be interested in it as well. If not, I might consider the more distal operation. For now I'm taking diet pills. We all know how healthy and effect that is in the long run. On another note, I was wondering if yahoo or someone else had a support group for people who have an enlarged or stretched stoma? I looked for one but didn't find one yet. I'd appreciate anyone with any additional information to please send it to us. Thanks, Sherry
   — sherry hedgecock