Diet, orange oil, smell

When did Dr. Sudan become your surgeon? Is he the one who did this "modification"? If not, who did?

Take everything Becky said VERY SERIOUSLY. No one can help you until you share with us what your inside arrangements really are. And yes, you will have a horrible quality of life and eventually DIE without proper vitamins and supplements.

Are you sure your proximal RnY wasn't revised to a distal RnY? That's more common than revising to a DS.

No I am not sure.  I didn't know there was a proximal RnY vs a distal RnY.  Dr. Sudan just said, before surgery, that he wanted to make 'it' much more distal to cause greater malabsorption.

Based on what you said in your second message, I am guessing they left the stomach alone and just bypassed more intestines -- which is making it more distal as the Dr. said. So you probably still have RnY and not a DS. Only now it's a distal RnY instead of a proximal RnY.

With the DS, they do remove the part of the stomach that isn't going to be used and also the shape of the remaining stomach is different. In order to do that, they'd have to sew the two parts of your stomach back together, reattach the intestines where they used to be, then separate them out into the new shape and do the DS configuration of intestines.

Lots of doctors won't do this unless you have a problem that restoring your pylorus valve will fix because it's kind of a hairy surgery. They just revise from proximal to distal.

As for your labs, don't trust your doctors when they say they are okay. Plenty of people here have been told their labs were "perfect" and then later found out that they had problem areas. Most doctors only care if your labs are "in range" even if they are falling steadily every year and are now at the bottom of the okay range and next year they will suck. It's much easier to raise your levels if you do it when they first start dropping and not wait until they are officially low.

Thank you- you have been very kind and I appreciate the info.  Based on what you have said I would say you are right it has to be a distal Roux n Y....but I am going to find out for sure....and I am going to make an appt to get the labs done.  Thanks again.

Just want to reiterate,  listen (read) what Becky's telling you like your life is depending on it, which is true really, getting a 'normal' life back,... she knows what's what and you will, if you follow her suggestions feel better ( and be out of diapers, for godsakes!) in no time. I was just going to add perhaps going to a dietician would be a good idea, Becky can give you info, but a dietician will spell it out for you, give you lists of what you can and can't eat (or shouldn't, I should say) and in what portions. Also, if $$ is an issue and it sounds like it might be, find a support group in your area. Little or no money required. The one I go to at the hospital where I had my surgery cost $5 to people who didn't have surgery there, but EVERYONE is welcome. I still go to one meeting a month, just because no matter what the topic of the night is, there's always something new to learn there. And it's fun!  Good luck to you, and let us know how it's going..