Help! I Need Revision, But.....

....My WLS surgeon (Dr. Elliot) is no longer in California, the clinic he was at (Healthy Steps Weight Loss) doesn't do revisions (in fact, they no longer do RNY, which is what I had), and they don't refer their patients to revision providers either. So I feel like I'm up a creek. 

  I've been to see the nutritionist at Healthy Steps a few times. But I always leave feeling like somehow I messed up and am now at a dead-end street with no way out. I hate that .

 Yes, I did screw up a few times -- ate some things I shouldn't have eaten. But when I fall, I get back up again. Unfortunately,  the scale goes up too . For the most part, I've been compliant as to the foods I eat. The main issue is portions. It takes more to reach satiety. And I'm not able to exercise much due to certain physical conditions (mainly aneurysm and arthritis).

  I'm doing what I can. But I don't feel like my doctor/wls clinic is helping me. I keep thinking that I took my car for a repair, and a short time later, the repair stopped working, the mechanic wouldn't tell me "Sorry lady, we just fix 'em once. Since it went wrong again, it MUST be your fault. So you'll just have to fix it yourself. We'll help you, but first, you gotta admit it's your fault."  But, in effect, that's what the clinic is doing. 

  They give me hand-outs and pamphlets, tell me I need to eat more of this and less of that. I'm doing that, but still not losing weight. So they say I need to exercise more. But that's a major challenge. My neurologist doesn't want me to do anything that might cause stress to the aneurysm -- so exercise is limited (but I do what I can). Arthritis doesn't help the situation. What I can do is often painful. But oh well. I can deal with it.

   Can you tell I'm feeling a need to vent? Wow! It feels great just to get this off my chest!

   Meanwhile, I'm searching for providers who do revisions AND accept MediCare AND accept "outside patients". So far, the ONE revision Dr. who takes MediCare DOESN'T take patients from other clinics. So again, I feel like I'm up a creek all by myself. 

poor thing, sometimes health professionals can be such jerks.  you had rny what do you want to revise to?  do yourself a favor and research all your wls options before you go under the knife for a revision of any sort.  wishing you well

Do you have a healthclub with a pool near you? I have arthritis and bad knees and a heart condition  and being in the pool  really lets me get mobile and the resistance of the water helps burn calories without doing stress to my heart and joints  I just walk and use the water wt.s to do gentle movements with my arms for about half an hour I do do more most days because I feel better in the water.. Also a large ball sitting on it and bouncing in front of the TV strenghthens your core, is fun and no stress on the heart and joints.

Hi Airbender and MissJean!  Thanks for your suggestions :)  The nearest healthclub with a pool is appx. 15 miles away, and hard to get to. We only have one vehicle, a truck that my husband uses for work. And the bus system in this rural area is a joke. One bus every hour, and none after 5 PM. My husband and I've been wanting to join the healthclub, but it's a bit pricey. I've heard though, that some local doctors prescribe pool therapy and this particular club works with them. So I may look into that further. I'm sure my doctor would be willing to write up a prescription for that, and maybe Medicare will cover it???????

Meanwhile, the mobilehome park we live in has a small pool. So whenever I can manage to get the shallow end to myself (I don't know how to swim), I'll be heading that way. It is nice to go and cool off on these triple-digit days (it was 110 yesterday and today). No lifeguard on duty, and they advise against being in the pool alone. But I've done it lotsa times. I'm still alive.

I'm not sure what type of revision I'd get yet. Stomaphyx was considered, as was the duodenal switch and band-over-bypass. I'd rather lose the weight without surgery, but it doesn't seem to be working that way now. I can't do all the activities I used to do -- like walking 1-2 miles a day, or bike-riding around town (it's a small rural town, nice for bike-riding). I miss all that.

Sadly, Stomaphyx doesn't seem to work. I also don't think many insurance companies cover it. The DS DOES work, quite well---but a revision from the RNY to the DS is the most difficult revision of all, and there are only a handful of surgeons capable of doing it. Band-over-bypass---some people have had good results, some not so good.

One big advantage I see in revisiing your RNY to a DS (or to a Sleeve) would be that you could once again take NSAIDs for your arthritis.

The large ball thing sounds like fun! I'd just have to figure out a way to get on and off of it. I need assistance sitting down and getting up again. But maybe if I hold onto something........ a chair or my cane (called "Kwai Chang", after Kwai Chang Caine, the lead character in a 70's martial arts TV show).

Meanwhile, I took a walk to the pool to see what the hours are this year (sure wish they'd stop changing them every summer, but oh well....).  The pool's usually "kid-free" the last 30 - 60 minutes before closing. So now I know, I can go there @ 5-ish, get in a good 30 mins of pool time, and use the shower facilities afterward.

I think I'll start getting my swim bag ready. Soap, shampoo, conditioner, swimsuit, towel.......

  (didn't see a "swimming pool smiley", so this'll have to do)

Sounds like a Good Plan, yeah a chair would  be good to lean the ball against to get on and off so it doesn't roll away from you. See, where there  is a will there is a way!

Just stepped on the scale and got good news  . I've lost 2.5 lbs in the past couple of days! In fact, in the past 2 weeks, I've lost a total of 7.5 lbs!

Mostly all I've been doing is paying better attention to what I eat. I'm eating healthier foods in smaller portions. And I'm more active. Why wait for my husband to get home and empty the garbage when I can do it myself  (as long as "Arthur" - as in arthritis - isn't playing with my hands, hip, back, or feet). That's one less chore for him, and it gets me moving.

So maybe I don't need revision after all? Maybe I just need to keep re-vamping my eating and activities.  Hmmmmmm...........................

Quick update before going to bed: I lost another 1.5 lbs. So now I'm down to 211. My starting weight was 220. I accidentally messed up the ticker (at the bottom of the page). Gotta figure out how to fix that. 

But again, maybe I don't need revision after all?!