Revision from vbg to ds...
In 2000 i had vertical banded gastroplasty with Dr. Hollingsworth from Cardston, Alberta, Canada. Over the next 6 months i lost a mininal amount of weight. A year later, I lost a chunk of weight on my own, but did not maintain the loss. I went back to Dr. Hollingsworth 2 years after surgery, he did a scope, said the staple line was broken down, didn't want to fix it. I believe the man is now deceased. In 2003 i had another scope with Dr. Nohr in Medicine Hat. He said he could not revise my failed vbg to a roux-en-y (the standard at the time). So i gave up on weight loss surgery being a tool I could access. About 18 months ago, I, got involved with the Weight Wise Revision Clinic in Edmonton. I've been doing some education sessions, meeting with psychologist several times and dietician and nurse once. It is a long wait to get a scope in Edmonton and I need a scope before I can see the surgeon Dr. deGara -the options covered in Alberta are lapband (no), sleeve and rny. I continued to research and have always been drawn to the ds. So i started researching doctors who do revisions to DS. The doctor in mexicali said he did not do revision to ds when the vbg band is mesh as opposed to silicon. I have recently been emailing with Dr. Michel Gagner. He is very experienced and likely could do the revision lap. However, the surgery would not be covered by Alberta Health Care. I'm likely looking at having to save over 20,000 dollars. I have a good job...but 20,000 will take a long time. My bmi is about 53, recent diabetic, high blood pressure, etc etc. I really want this huge stomach to be gone....Any ideas, suggestions or thoughts are appreciated. Negativity is not needed however, i have enough of that to sustain me for some time.
Thanks,
Shawna
Just my two cents but with a revision like that I,personally, would prefer it to be done open- less chance of something going wrong especially when the surgeon doesn't know what they're going to find in there.
Band placed April '08 four years of hell-Band removed may '12~Non VSG July 26 '12. All went to hell~RNY on the 19th october '12~Leak & infection 26th october '12 ~infection 24th November '12, 2 weeks hospital~infection 25th dec '12 4 days ~30/5/13 hernia repair 4 days~hw120/sw/115/gw/58kg
I have been communicating with Dr. Greenbaum in New Jersey over just the last day or so.
He thinks he can do a revision on my VBG to DS... and I've seen others on here that he has done it on and they seem to be happy with the results.
I"m still in the research stage, but thought I'd throw that name out there. I emailed him on Monday and got an email back from him that night (FROM HIM). Just a thought. His email is at the bottom of his website. Just google him if you are interested.
And keep in touch, I'll let you know how my consult goes with him as I really do not want a RNY.
