Question:
I have poste this question several time and I am praying that this time
someone will be able to help me..I need a dr who will perform a revision on me..the had the rny done jan 27, 2002..started 440 and am only downto 295..I conatcted wongsa the original surgeon..His nurse told me he wasnt in to revisions right now and that he couldnt help me..that Maybe god could!! I was so hurt..I feel like they just threw me out like trash..I them was told to try dr. ferrari..they told me no cause wongsa ddi the surgery..they said stick to the basics!! well I am saticking to the basics and am doing other horrible things to loose this weight..sich as vomiting..ex lax the water pills..you know the things you successes probably used to do..Some has mentioned a dr spivak..does any one have any advice for me?? I am desperate.. — tylerswife (posted on November 17, 2004)
November 16, 2004
Rebecca,
First let me give you a hug for what you have already accomplished and for
the pain you are suffering in....
(((((((((((Rebecca))))))))))).
Now secondly, I did a search of docs that do revisions in the state of
texas...I am not familiar with the layout of the state so I am not sure if
they are close to you or not...but here is the link....
http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgeons+in+texas+performing+Revision.html
just cut and paste into your browser. this may not be a complete list of
all of the bariatric surgeons who do revisions in texas, but it is a start.
You can contact the the American bariatric surgeons board...I am not sure
exactly what the name is, but I know you can do a search and they could
probably refer you to someone. My heart breaks for you dear, but you have
come soooooo far, and I will pray that you can have the revision and finish
your journey.
Lisa lap/rny 10-23-03 340/181/??? -159lbs
— Lisa H.
November 16, 2004
I dont know who to refer you to... but just wanted to say I think what that
doctor said was Unescuseable! Dont give up in your quest.. I would also
look into a revision to a DS. Your original surgeon made you a proximal...
which at your starting weight didnt help you.. and who knows if your
surgery is working right... dont give up.... !!! hang in there... hope all
goes ok for you..
— star .
November 16, 2004
thanks for everyone advice..I called 2 more surgeons and they both told me
that since I had alrady had the gastric bypass done..that there was no
other surgery that could be done on me..they said the stomach couldnt be
taken done anymore.that my journey ends here at 295lbs.
— tylerswife
November 16, 2004
Rebecca: I'm sure that I have seen posts on this site from people who were
revised from RNY to DS (duodenal switch). There may be a forum on this
site for those who have had that surgery. You might try to check it out to
see if anyone there has been revised from RNY, who did it, and how it's
been going. Those who have had DS feel that their weight loss was better
and more sustainable than RNY. I'll be thinking of you, and hope that you
will continue your quest. Also, your original surgeon should be willing to
check out the "mechanics" of your surgery to make sure that
everything is working properly. Good luck.
— Carlita
November 17, 2004
Dr. Steven Glorsky is a wonderful physician who does revisions in Houston.
You might want to call him. Read his profile. He is a trauma specialist
also and can handle any type of problem that could come up. He very good
at what he does. Good luck!
— Dollene T.
November 17, 2004
Hey Rebecca, have tried to call Dr. Ed. Waits at 404 232 2220 or its 404
252 2220 in Atlanta in the 980 building next to the Northside Hospital. I
am 5years 7months post op from RYN and I started at 325 and at 185. I hope
this helps. He did my gastric bypass ryn.
Johnlette
— johnlette H.
November 17, 2004
Please join the Yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DS_Revision/
and ask your questions there -- you will be very glad you did.
— [Deactivated Member]
November 17, 2004
The first lgocial question is has your anatomy been checked out to be sure
there isn't some mechanical failure? Maybe your doc didn't serve you well
in the first place and gave you too large a pouch and too sort a bypass for
a SMO. These are all questions to be answered in my opinion before you do
anything. There definitely are fewer surgeon out there who do revisions
but there are some. You may need to travel a distance. I would think the
original surgeon would want to be sure nothing has gone haywire before they
chastize you for not folowing the program. Most SMO have had greater
losses so that is why I tend to question whether your surgey was ever done
right to begin with. Were you given the ultimate tool to make you as
successful as possible. We all know we have to do our part and it is a
battle every day, but we also have to be given the right tool. You might
be a person who should have had a DS or a longer bypass as a RNY.
<p>I'm sorry I cannot help you with a surgeon recommendation,
especially not know exactly what is causing the situation. Personally I
would ask for a copy of the surgery report to make sure of the size pouch
you were given, the length of bypass and most importantly were you
transected. All of these can be contributing to your situation. You also
need to take a hard look at your eating and exercise and do the most you
possibly can. It is hard. I wish you luck in figuring out the situation
and finding the proper solution.
— zoedogcbr
November 17, 2004
I want to thank all of you for taking the time to help me and to offer me
advice. I called Dr. spivak..His nurse told me the same thing..I have
already been bypassed and no surgeon can help me now..she suggested I go to
Jenny Craig!! I am so mad and humiliated with not only myself..but with the
way these doctors are avoiding em like the plague. also I begged and begged
Dr. Wongsa to do an upper G.i on me just to make sure my pouch was
okay..they finally scheduled one for me..and never even called me back
withg the results..I called them, the 2 nurses wouldnt even get on the
phone with me..they had the receptionost tell me that it was fine and to
eat less..I will call Dr. Glorsky's office and see if they can help me.
again thank you all.
— tylerswife
November 17, 2004
just because you have already had a bypass does not mean you might not need
a revision, you might need more intestine bypassed or your pouch modified.
What he might be telling you is HE can't fix it, but that doesn't mean
another doctor couldn't. Dont let them make you feel bad, You might want to
contact the yahoo group for grads.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG/
I know several of the members hace had to have their gastric bypasses
revised.
dont give up, you deserve the best.
— **willow**
November 17, 2004
I sent a messsage to your email.
— wizz40
November 17, 2004
I was thinking, how much are you eating? and how often? You may be on a
plateau, and if your not eating enough calories, your body will go into
starvation mode, and using diuretics, laxitives will only make it worse.
Have you used fitday.com to track your intake? You would be supprised, I
thought I was eating way too much and not loosing, so I used the fit day
and I was only getting <800 calories, so I upped my protien and added
good carbs and went back to 6 small meals aday, go figure eat more to
loose, but this only applies if your not already eating too much, but if
your not gaining I would bet this will help. Good luck :0) Rosemary
— wizz40
November 17, 2004
Rebecca, I'm sorry you are getting this run around. If you had the upper GI
done, you can request your records - you might have to pay for them, but
they have to make them available to you. Then I would think about reporting
Wongsa for letting a receptionist let you know test results! That is not
their job, the DOCTOR is the one to discuss medical tests with their
patients! Someone suggested the Yahoo grad board, some on there have had a
revision to their gastric bypass, so it is possible. You may have to look
into traveling to another city or even out of state. I'm sorry Ferrari
wasn't able to help you - I suggested him to you since he did my revision,
but he was also my original surgeon, so he may be like most other docs and
just doesn't want to take on another surgeon's patient. Please don't give
up. Even if your pouch is still intact, you may just need a longer bypass.
Or maybe even a revision to a DS.
— Ali M
November 17, 2004
Rebecca: Have you tried contacting Dr. Dirk Rodriguez in Dallas, TX. He
is wonderful and he really feels for those who need a revision. I know
that he has done several revisions. I met 2 in the office when I was there
for a visit. Sometimes he can do it Laparoscopic and/or Hand Assisted Lap
surgery. When I went to his meeting his nurse told me that that are
setting aside a day just for revisions. His web site is
www.texasbariatriccenter.com.
Hope this helps. E-mail me at [email protected] if you have any
further questions.
— Ronda B.
November 19, 2004
Many WLs surgeons just aren't skilled enough to do revision---they're more
difficult and more risky than the original procedure. But believe me, there
ARE revision specialists out there.
Check with Dr. John Husted in Nashville, TN---he's a revision specialist.
Stick www. in front of CCFOS.com and check out his website. He does several
different forms of WLS, including the DS---which is often the best choice
for SMO patients.
— MsBatt
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