4.5 years out and my surgery needed to be fixed!

I had my original RNY on 8/21/01 and was very successful going from 320 pre-op to 165 after having a breast lift and tummy tuck. All was wonderful in my world. I did have a few pounds of regain but I was in control and maintained for two years. In my fourth year, I started gaining at a greater clip. I panicked. My latest labs indicated I was anemic and my B12 was at 130. I quickly called the surgeons office and they said it was "a little low". LOW? It was dangerously low and if I didn't do something, I would have B12 difficency which has all kinds of terrible consequences. I had recently had some gastric issues and I had a complete colonoscopy and endoscopy. The gastro doc said my stoma was very large and it appeared that the restrictive part of my surgery had failed. I started to gain rather quickly...one pound one week, three the next. Dr. R said he didn't think stoma size was relevant in regain. I once again felt I had failed, this surgery was my last hope of being a healthy weight and ridding myself of my comorbidities. I followed a strict eating and exercise plan and in five months I had lost 9 lbs. Someone on another list had been discussing broken surgeries and it sounded just like me. Good with food was gaining...bad with food was gaining. I couldn't win. I gave up and wasn't good...I went back to habits I thought I had beaten for four years. Finally I was given the name of another surgeon in Milwaukee who could help...scleratherapy. I had two sessions before we decided that I needed a revision. My original RNY was a very short 75cm proximal. With my medical history, inability to do strenuous exercise, and my beginning weight, this was not an adequate surgery for me. After another tussle with Cigna, a reversal of my denial, I had a revision on February 28th. As I write this I am almost a month out from my revison and down about ten pounds. I know that I will not lose as quickly as the first time around but just knowing I am back losing is a blessing. It wasn't MY fault...my surgery failed me. Thanks for reading this Dennise Ziaja Rochester, IL

Dennise, Sorry to hear that you had some challenges over the last few months but it sounds like you are on the road to recovery. You have courage and determination... hang in there!!! "May the pain you have known and the conflict you have experienced give you the strength to walk through life facing each new situation with courage and optimism." Tracy A. WLS: Aug. 16, 2001

Dennise, I am happy for you. You are right it wasn't your fault. I have a large stoma and I was given a challenge that I needed to cut back on my intake from the little bit I was eating. Thank God, adding extra protein shakes to 3 a day has helped me to lose the extra pounds that I had regained. I am now back to 142-145 and I am happy with that. I am praying that I never have to have a new surgery but I am optomistic that with caution I can remain slim. Take care and congratulations on your new start at weight loss. Bobbi Zermane

Hi there. I had surgery in Jan 2001. shortly after needed to have the stomach opening enlarged as nothing was going through.  long story short, I hit my lowest about 2 1/2 years ago at 139 and now slowly have gone back up to almost 160.  How do you know when your stoma is large?  I feel like i don't get the full feeling anymore.. I still get full with certain things, chicken, noodles, and rice are culprits along with meatballs, to the point of uncomfortable.  but i am able sometimes to eat more than 1/2 sandwich which was my maximum before.  the last thing i want is to have more surgery.  but I really feel bad about gaining about 20 pounds.  i also had different things going on, neck injury at work and other stress related issues which probably compounded things and reduced my ability to exercise.  And now am also dealing with a sabotaging husband buying all kinds of snacks and crap that we don't need around the house, this was a problem before surgery as well.  i have nagged pleaded and argued about him buying that stuff. but it falls on deaf ears. By the way i did just get back this forum but it's all new to me and I couldn't find anyone around my surgery date who seemed to be having the same issues.  thanks for any and all suggestions!!