I need help to revise but don't know what to do...and I am embarrassed and terrified

Please help and don't judge me..I do that to myself enough.  I am 61year old woman, retired from many years as a federal employee and have a great husband and college freshman daughter.  I had Gastric bypass surgery through WISH center near Seattle in 2005 or 06 and started at 310 and lost to about 160 in just under 1 year.  Before my 1 year appt WISH center closed overnight and ALL my medical and psych and nutritional support was GONE.  I have regained all my weight and all the problems I had before...sleep apnea, arthritis is much worse, depression, plus now I have knee injuries and it is hard to walk and I can't climb stairs.  I have heard about revision but do not know what to do or where to start.  My old surgeon was great but I have no idea where he is and no idea how much intestine he bypassed.  

Does anyone have any suggestions for me?  My BMI is over 50 and I am scared and need help.  I have been on most diets and just can't lose enough or keep it off.  Please talk to me...I can be good support for others too.

Karen ...Desperate

WOW- you sound like you could be me. I had the RNY in 2005. I only lost 50lbs then stopped losing. Turned out I had a fistula where the stomach reattaches itself. I struggled for years and judged myself thinking it was all my fault. I finally found a surgeon who told me it would be impossible for me to lose weight the way everything had redone itself. I did my research and decided to have a revision to the DS. On March 19,2013 I had my revision. I am 62 years old and live south of Seattle and my name is Sharon- not Karen! I'm sorry your struggling but I totally understand you because I feel like you are me. Many people have revisions for many reasons. Gaining back your weight is a great place to start. I would suggest you first decide if you want to have a revision then decide what type of surgery it is that you want. I decided on the DS because it is the best surgery for long term weight loss  and keeping it off. I am starting to feel better, getting my strength back and am losing again. There is a support group in FIFE that helps with revisions and supports those especially with the DS. If there is anything I can do to help you or encourage you please feel free to contact me. Send me a message and I will send you my number if you want to talk. 

Take Care.

Sharon

Hi Sharon, i also am having issues!!! 10 years post RNY,  for 9 years never had a issue, Now Dr thinks i have a fistula, I have the scope tomorrow , he will try to repair but made no promises, thinks i will have ot see a surgeon for a revision, SOOO, how was the recovery? was it done LAP or open? pain? was it like going back to  the begining? I have severe nausea, pain, weigh gain(30 lb)  and nothng i eat or drink  makes it any better or worse, i just feel like a bucket of poop!  are you losing weight, how do you feel, sorry for the  100 questions!! Denise

Hi Denise,

I am still in the early stages of recovery (I'm 5 weeks out). I can tell there is a huge difference between the DS and the RNY. Just wish i had done the RNY in the beginning. Its just like having surgery for the first time- I hate to admit that BUT the time passes quickly. I am hoping I will have a much better loss this time around. My surgery was done open because it was a DS. Its much more complicated the second time around but I have no regrets.

Goodluck! I hope all goes well for you. If you have any questions please feel free to just ask!

Sharon

OOPS!!! I meant I wish I had done the DS the first time- not the RNY!!!

Thanks for that clarification.  I am currently approved for a revision.  The MD I am going to wants to revise me to a LAP RNY but I had my heart set on the DS.  I think it would be so much better for me.  But then I start thinking and think about it being LAP vs. OPEN, etc. and then think, well a RNY would be ok. 

I have this debate with myself at least 10 times a day. 

My RNY is scheduled for May, but am thinking I need to "postpone" that until I can research more about the DS revision.

(Original surgery was VBG which my current surgeon is telling me is too complicated to switch to a DS - but others say that it's not - it's just him...)

You are in luck because Seattle area has some excellent bariatric surgeons! First of all tho stop beating yourself up and being embarassed because many RNYers regain once the malabsorbtive part of the surgery tends to repair itself and you start absorbing calories again after the first 2 yrs. You are far from alone in this. Start with your primary care doc and see if they have a suggestion for a bariatric surgeon. If they don't have a referral then start looking on your own. I know several of the universities there have bariatric programs and of course your insurance will have approved surgeons also. Just take the first step and things will start falling into place. Good luck to you!

Which hospital did you use for your surgery?  They should have your surgical report.  Best of luck to you.  My surgeon is Jeffrey Hunter at Virginia Mason Federal Way.  He is excellent and not too far from Renton.

Hi, I was revised from RNY to DS in December.  Do not be embarrassed you are not alone. I am not sure if there is a Dr. in Seattle who preforms this very complicated surgery. Go to  http://www.dsfacts.com there are 2 Dr's listed you would need to call and find out. Be specific indicate you are looking for RNY to DS revision. So many are getting ERNY or a RNY tune-up with dismal long term success.  This is a really big surgery. Research all of the possible complications. Feel free to read my profile (I had complications). If you want to move forward start with your PCP try to get their support. Check your insurance coverage. Try to get all of your records together. Any diet attempts since regain stuff like that.

Feel free to ask me anything.

Good luck 

Best

Dr.Myur Srikanth from the Franciscan Center in Federal Way does revisions to the DS and there are also surgeons at Swedish Medical that do the DS and revisions. You can check them out and see if people have used them in the past.