One bariatric surgery in a lifetime!

6 years ago I went to a new bariatric surgeon for a RNY.  I didn't know they are different.  He gave me a minimal RNY and at the end of a year all could keep off was 14 lbs.  I didn't know what he was doing.  Most people don't.  I have exercised and starved myself for years.  After an ENG last spring (see picture of my stoma on my OH page) I got discouraged, gave up and gained another 25 lbs.  I have never been limited by the RNY.  I never vomited, dumped or even felt like I swallowed food. I talked to Dr. Prewitts information group a couple of weeks after surgery and reassured them that I didn't feel any different than before surgery...they should not worry!  I was supposed to feel different (I realized later). I sought out a revision and learned today that my insurance company will only do 1 bariatric surgery in a lifetime.  I have to live like this for the rest of my life and I am more upset than I ever have been.  I can put duct tape over my mouth or eat huge bowls of veggies and I can exercise to extreme until my body aches.  That is what I have been doing for 6 years to keep my BMI under 35.  If Dr. Prewitt would have told me that he would give me this surgery so I would be hungrier than before surgery, I would have gone somewhere else.  My RNY cost my insurance company over $ 30,000 and I am sure a revision will cost more than that.  I can't afford that much money.  I am so upset I don't know what to do.  There is nothing I can do.  Tri

I am VERY sorry you find yourself in this situation. I'm going to suggest that you at least consider going outside the US for a revision, possibly to the DS (the most effective form of WLS.) It won't be cheap, but it won't cost 30K, either.

Thank you for your advice.  I agree that I need to get my pyloric valve back.  I read your post last week on the failed surgery forum and found a doctor in WI that does do DS.  I called his office and they were going to check out my insurance co.  Today my insurance company called back.  The girl was kind and felt very badly for me when she told me of my contract with the company.  I was never aware that a company can put a "once in a lifetime" clause in.  It will be interesting what that will do to people having surgery in the future.  Reading the WLS failure forum and the revision forum brought to my attention how many of our surgeries fail.  Seems like DS has the fewest failures or at least the VSG.  The pyloric valve is important in the long run.  I am scared to leave the country, but I may have to.    I wonder why your post didn't appear until now.  thanks so much.  Tri

There's two docs in Mexico that are highly recommend that do the VSG.  Dr Alvarez and Dr Aceves.  I have spoken to a dozen post op patients that had one of them or the other and they are all happy with the turn out.    I think they both charge around $8,500 for the surgery.  The VSG will give you restriction.  I just had it 4 weeks ago and I can only eat 2 oz at a time or a feel this tightness in my esphocus so I don't pu**** cause I don't wanna throw up.   I did end up have my surgery local and found a program that would do my surgery for a lot less than normal price for US.  I ended up decided that traveling home from Mexico post op would be too much for me so decided to stay local since I found the self pay program. 

I wonder how much a revision to a DS from a failed RNY would cost?  My husband (and me too a little) are afraid of leaving the country for surgery.  I really would like to feel like I have swallowed food though.  I think you can imagine only drinking 1 oz. of clear protein water forever and never feeling any sensation of food in the pouch/stomach and how it gets to you after 6 years.  I am at the point where I am willing to take risk.  Husband...not so much.  Thanks for the input on the doctors.  I have read many good things about them over the years.  Tri

The problem is Aceves and Alvarez can't do bypass to DS.  That is a very tricky procedure and neither one have ever done one.  There are really only two surgeons in MX that can do that surgery type.  Ungson and Arellano.

Don't be afraid to leave the country for surgery, I did it twice. ;o)  First I had a band and that was a horror.  It wasn't the surgeon's fault, it was the band.  Later I revised to a sleeve.  Two years ago I moved to MX. 

It's not the entire country that is at issue, it is specific cities in MX.  Tijuana, Juarez, and Monterrey are three of the worst.  If you have any questions about surgeons, cities, how it all works just let me know.

I read everything on your profile and I am sorry you feel your surgeon failed you and you now have to diet and exercise, but realistically that is the same for most of us who are maintaining.  I reached goal and keep myself there with sacrifice, it isn't easy and there are days when I don't want to be discplined and am thankful I do dump but when I want to cheat I realize that no one cares what I eat or what I weigh but me.  I eat between 1000-1200 calories to lose weight and 1400-1600 to maintain.  You have to work with what you have and get over the poor me attitude, it is what is failing you, you can do anything you want if you want it bad enough.

Good Luck

And you should be thankful that you do dump!!!!   I really can't believe you would kick me when I am down.  Actually you drove me away from this site with comments many years ago...so I do.  I found this site right after surgery when I was looking for support when my doctors office had none.  Trust me--- you would not have been able to make this RNY work.  Your surgery was very different.  I am glad it is working for you.  I am glad you dump when you make a mistake.  I am glad you have restriction.  Why did you not just live a healthier lifestyle instead of having bariatric surgery in the first place?  Most of us on this site chose surgery as a last resort and trust that it will give us some control.  Please don't lecture me when I am facing living with hunger and never feel like I have swallowed food for the rest of my life.  Tri

You know you can block people.... They don't even need to be mean - but simply you can block people you don't like.