to revise or not revise

I am so discouraged. I am 34 and 5'2 and weigh 208 (BMI38%) and at the time of surgery I was 244 (BMI 44.6) I feel like I have to explain all the time the ratio with weight when I am so short. I lost all of my weight within my first 3 months. I have had tests done and found that my stoma is huge,and they bypassed 120cm for my open RNY. A month ago my doc did his first sclerotherapy (SP?) on me I was so excited because for the first time I felt full. That only lasted a week. Havent lost any weight. I am supposed to go back on Tue and I want to ask for a revision. I already had a hard time convincing my loved ones to support me the first time. I have been told that I should be happy with the weight loss. I am still obese. I want to scream but who will listen? I am at the gym 4 days a week while nothing happens. Shelby

Shelby, your experience is exactly the reason I chose the DS for my revision from failed RNY.  I just didn't want to take the chance on another surgery that could mechanically fail. 

You might want to look into the DS, if you haven't already done so.  I will warn you in advance that finding a revision surgeon to the DS is much more difficult than finding a surgeon who will revise your RNY.  But it can be done!!!!!!!!!  There are several great revision surgeons but of course your own personal factors will be different than anyone elses.  (insurance, distance you're able to travel, finances, etc.)

Go to the DS board, http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/

 and www.duodenalswitch.com

to learn more and duodenalswitch has the only list of surgeons I would trust as they are not paid to advertise there, unlike here.

I have had the open rny and do not have enough stomache to do it.

Shelby, I can honestly say that I can relate to what you are going through!  I'm surprised that you are struggling already though.  Your surgery was like a year ago?  However, I am not criticizing you I am seeking a revision myself.  I am trying to see about being revised to the banded RNY (meaning having a silastic band placed over the pouch).  I don't know how beneficial this will be but I am going to try and see it as my safety net.  If you do have a revision and you can't get the DS then see if you can have the banded RNY aka Fobi pouch.  Hopes this helps.

Hello Shelby  I can understand what you are going through... I have lost 66 lbs in the past 11 months ,but my weight loss stopped at around 5-6 mths . I am going to have an endescope done tomorrow to see what problems I have ( if any ) and will take it from there I guess  When you said you felt like screaming ...thats exactly how I feel ,,, but nobody understands what it feels like .. so dont despair your not alone ... lets try and help each other shall we ? Susie xx

Yes, yes, yes, Shelby, I feel the same as you with my 40 pound weight gain after having gastric bypass in April 05. I decided not to go the sclerotherapy route, but instead am seeking that revision you speak of. You could get your intestines redone and have a distal RnY ( I am guessing you had the proximal one before?).  You could do the lapband, which my local surgeon recommended, but that pretty much won't work for you either. Or you could get a duodenal switch surgery, just another form, but not really called the gastric bypass. It is a duodenal switch and the stomach is done differently, no small pouch, but cut to resemble a banana. The duodenum, one of the intestines is done so as the food and the gastric juices meet up later in the cycle and thus you get more malabsorption than with the RnY. It makes for a better weight loss and better chance of keeping it off. The pyloric valve can usually be adjusted so it works again and thus no dumping like in the RnY. Better quality of life with the DS. Heck, just read the website duodenalswitch.com and find out for yourself and you have to make the decision on what to do. I wish you well. I know what you mean about convincing your family; yeah, that can be a downer. Come to the DS forum here on OH and read what other posters have to say.

I had 95% of my stomache removed. The Dr said I dont have enough to do the DS.