(cross posted) Revision surgery from RNY to DS

I used to visit this website daily back in 08' excited about my upcoming surgery. I decided on the RNY because that was most common, and thought that was the best decision for me.

After being approved I would see so many on here raving about the DS (duodenal switch). Of course I was intrigued & curious and to be honest it sounded like it was more suited for me than the RNY. But after waiting to be approved & all the tests, appts. etc (and no surgeon in my area doing that procedure) I didn't want to wait any longer and  went ahead with my RNY.  Now I feel as though I made a big mistake. And before anyone chimes in about how "I failed, my tool didn't" you are absolutely right & I know that.  I'm saying I chose the wrong tool for me.

I started out at 307 December 08 and my lowest weight was 240 in August/September 09. No where near where I aspired to be. Right now I'm 5mos pregnant, but before my pregnancy my weight was 265. So I was definitely going up and no longer losing. Able to pretty much eat what I want. 

Clearly I cannot do anything while pregnant, but I want to start researching my options now as we all know this process can be quite arduous. And I have no clue about the hoops I will have to jump through for a revision, insurance etc. When I had my RNY I had BCBS of California and getting approved was not that difficult. We have since moved to Missouri last November & our new insurance is Aetna.

So I'm asking for advice, similar stories, whatever you have to contribute I would more than appreciate it. Right now I'm obviously considering the DS, but also looking at the Stomaphyx? 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read, I hope this makes sense as I've had a 5yr old climbing all over me while typing this out ;)

Thanks!
-Amy

Perhaps it's just weighing on my mind bc I just read her story yesterday, but I think you should check out this RNY converted DSer's profile.  There *ARE* many successfully converted people with no complications, but you should weigh all of the pros & cons and if you're going to a well-known, well-respected surgeon, and he has hesitations on anything, maybe take it into consideration and don't listen to all of the go-getters on this board.  Bad things can happen to anyone & you should know all of the possibilities when deciding.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/lindave31/

I have no idea what happened to my post.

What I think I said was that you did NOT fail, your surgery did.  Here are some links that show why:

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/4391498/RNY-insulin-carbs-we ight-regain-Articles/#36305662

www.lenoxhillhospital.org/press_releases.aspx

Have a healthy pregnancy and beautiful baby and then if you want a DS go for it but only with one of the (very few) experienced RnY to DS surgeons.

~Becky

Amy,
I had a revision from RNY to DS last December. The complication rate is higher and it's something to consider when you are making your decision. I was fortunate not to have any major complications, but I have friends who have had them.

My first suggestion is to choose your surgeon carefully.......this is very complex surgery and you want someone with a lot of experience. Second, start with reading DSFacts.com and these boards. Research and ask questions.

You'll have to check your individual insurance policy in terms of what they'll cover. Mine did not cover any WLS or I was sel-pay.

Good luck

Hi there,

There are those of us who have had successful revisions, and those who have had massive problems (like Linda and Maddie). I am lucky that I did well.

This isn't something to be entered into lightly (no pun intended). It's a very difficult surgery. Consult ONLY with the top revision docs if you feel this is what you want to do. There are only a handful that we would recommend.

Get the stomaphyx off your mind, it's a freaking waste of money, does nothing, and every single person who has ever posted about it on the revision board is sorry they had it. The ONLY people posting positive experiences were shills for a specific doctor. Insurance won't cover it because it doesn't work.

You'll need a lot of tests to determine why the RNY failed. I know that I got down to 175 with mine, went back up to 221 and settled there, but my revision was due to a physical problem, not the weight.

I wish you a happy, healthy pregnancy and a healthy, happy baby.

ERNY maybe another option.  There's some info here http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/revision/4031713/ERNY/ and maybe some others can chime in.

Hmm... ERNY isn't looking great upon further reading http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/4359060/is-anyone-out-there-happy-with-their-rny-to-erny-revision/

Thank you everyone for the responses! I wasn't expecting many this quick

First things first - congrats on your pregnancy and best wishes for a healthy mom and baby.

Now, Stomaphyx -take this off your list of options. It's 10K out of pocket (no insurance pays for it) and I have yet to see of hear of anyone who lost more than a few lbs, and even that was due to the post-procedure weeks of liquid diet. It doesn't work.

As others have said, RNY to DS is a major, complex operation only being done by a handful of highly regarded, experienced DS surgeons. We've seen a lot of people sail through and end up very happy with this, and we've seen a couple people with very severe complications. 

IMHO ERNY is not a good option. It provides the worst of both the RNY and DS worlds in terms of nutritional problems, and we've seen people revise from ERNY to DS for health reasons, not for weight loss. It doesn't resolve any pouch issues you may have, as the pouch is not changed. I wouldn't recommend this approach to anyone.

Larra

I've decided to post since I'm becoming more and more happy with my ds each day. I had rny 04/07 lost about 90 lbs and stopped losing at about 6 months out. I had a revision to distal rny and lost about 36 more pounds before starting to have reactive hypoglycemia. I had a ds revision and lost weight the first 3 months then for 3 months I only lost 6.5 lbs. I was so discouraged! It seemed like right after my 6 month post op appt I dropped 10 lbs in 2 weeks. Now it seems like the weight is dropping consistently. I'm at almost 8 months out and and as of today 180 lbs which is 15 pounds from my first goal. I am so encouraged now. I'm so glad that I made the choice to revise to the ds. Oh and by the way I have an HMO and they paid for each surgery. I had to fight for the ds but it took less than 6 months to from start to finish. I'm ready to shout it from the roof top that I LOVE MY DS!!!!

ETA: I had no complications whatsoever. Recovery from the ds revision was easier than my other two surgeries.