Question:
Can this surgery be repeated?
I had surgery 3/2003. I lost about 120 lbs. (I started out at 364lbs.) Sadly, I'm back up to about 285lbs and climbing/. What can be done? Willpower is very poor!! — Bobbie N. (posted on April 29, 2007)
April 29, 2007
Maybe start over with the liquid diet.
— the7thdean
April 29, 2007
I agree with the other poster...Back to the basics...I honestly don't think
that any insurance will pay for you to have this again, as they figure if
it didn't work the first time, what's going to make it work the 2nd time?
It's an expensive surgery and they won't continue to pay for it. This
surgery is a TOOL not a guarantee'd way to lose weight. You still HAVE to
eat right for the rest of your life. Again, back to the basics and start
from there. Don't forget to exercise too! Good luck!
— crystalsno
April 29, 2007
If you started with a RNY some get a lap band or DS. Weight regain about 5
years out is very common.
— bob-haller
April 29, 2007
Bobby... I know that this is a support site, but it is also a site where we
should be able to be honest, as if we can't do that here, we won't be able
to do it anywhere. No procedure is ever going to work for you, or any of
us, if you/we don't choose the right foods to put in out mouths. 95% of us
are/were obese because we have issues with food. Without taking care of
those issues, we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes that got us there
prior to surgery. My advice to you, is yes go back to basics, but more
importantly get into some counseling (1 on 1 most important for you)
Overeater's Anonymous would be a good group support. But if you have lost
that much and then regained almost all of it, you will need some good one
on one and then continued therapy. I believe this is important for ALL of
us. The lap band or RNY are just tools, if you don't use them... they
don't work. ... . You did it once, you can do it again, it just takes
motivation. What are your priorities in life? Why did you want to lose
weight before you last surgery? What changed for the better after you lost
the weight? What is lacking now? You HAVE to make this and your health a
priority. You are the only one who is with you 24/7, make good choices..
don't beat yourself up.. just learn from your mistakes and move forward...
— Kari_K
April 29, 2007
Bobbie,
I just wanted you to know that you are not alone. I had my surgery on
08/12/2003 and I was at 133 lbs. Now I am at 175 lbs. I am moving and
changing jobs so I have to wait so that my insurance wont consider it
"preexisting" but I am going to get some counseling. My eating
disorder has definately reared its ugly head. I hope we both find some
peace. take care. jane.
— peanutpatty
April 29, 2007
Bobbie, you ask a very serious question, but I am afraid you need a reality
check. Surgery does not fix your problem. Will power is the problem, not
surgery. I don't mean to be unkind, but you have to fix your desire to
take care of your body and listen to it's ques and respond. 120 pounds ia
a great weight loss, and I would really encourage you to get back to where
you were. There are many ways you can do this. You can join a weight loss
support group, like weight watchers, you can take a class on nutrition at
the local college or just get some books from the library. You can go back
to wls basics, protein, water and exercise. I would guess (respectfully)
that those three things are missing in most of your day. You have regained
about 60 pounds after your great loss, and I know you are probably
discouraged, but you need to find the "fight" in you and fight
for what you had, and even go farther. You didn't have surgery to go
backwards, so why surrender now? I had surgery in March of 04 and also
took off 120 pounds. I have to diet and exercise like everyone else now,
and it is not fun, but if I want to keep off what I lost, I have to listen
to my body and change my habits.
Bobbie, obesity is a head issue with a body consequence. You are getting
more consequence than you want. The thing here is that it is your choice.
You can choose what you eat and drink, and if you exercise. You sound like
you have a good measure of health still, and you can make good choices.
You have to deal with the head issues. Many many people have wls and are
not prepared for the head issues. They want their poor willpower and they
want their weaknesses to go unchecked. We still want food to be our god
and escape, and yet look great and have good health and weight loss. I
don't think that happens for anyone slim or obese. We have to take care of
the bodies we have, and Bobbie, I really strongly encourage you to take
care of the body God gave to you. You only get one. It is not worth it to
abandon your health over food.
Please consider some type of counseling to get a hold of the head issues
and find a way to exercise, get plenty of water and protein in. Skip the
soda and caffine, get tough on yourself in these areas and make solid
changes to affect your body and health.
You probably can find a surgeon to do a "revision", there are
plenty out there, but Bobbie the risk of complication after a revision is
huge compared to an initial surgery, keep that in mind. Also keep in mind
that an 2nd surgery isn't going to help anymore than the first without head
changes and life reconstruction in the area of eating and attitudes toward
food. Surgery only gave me a tool to use, I have to activate my brain to
use the tool. I fight that battle myself every day, sometimes I am
thankful, and other times I hate it, but I willl fight the battle every day
and protect my little tool as long as possible. I encourage you to do the
same. Your really have a good chance to lose the weight again, get some
help and some support, and I wish you well. Take care, Patricia P.
— Patricia P
April 30, 2007
Hey if you've seriously have tried to go back to basic and you just can't
control yourself then maybe a Revision of your RNY. But as Bob suggests, My
Surgeon told me that because of how much I need to lose that after two
-three years when I've stablized they he'll then go back in to put the
Banding around my pouch. So yes it can be done. But will your insurance pay
for another procedure if you were to submit to the same insurance company?
— Michael Eak
April 30, 2007
Hi Bobbie. I understand your plight. Did you have RNY? I had RNY in 1994
and slowly regained 5 yrs out. You are not alone. I had the lap band put
on in 1/06 and could not be happier. The weight loss took off once I had
proper restriction. I reached goal and will stay there because lap band is
an adjutable procedure with no "window of opportunity" like the
RNY has. Lap band over bypass is getting quite common. It may be an option
you wish to look into. Good luck!
— mish
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