rbb825
Experience with RNY
Feb 20, 2010
I started my journey back in 1998 when I had such severe acid reflux that I needed surgery. I went to the surgeon and I was given 2 choices - Gastric Bypass or Nissan Fundoplication. At this point, I new nothing about gastric bypass and I was scared, so I went for the Nissan Fundoplication. This is a surgery that corrects acid reflux when it is so bad that medication can't fix it. They take the top of your stomach and wrap it around the top of your esophagus to tighten it so the acid can't come up anymore. It was completely successful, no more acidreflux but I was still morbidly obese and had been since I was a teenager. I actually was overweight since I was 10 years old.
Well, 5 more years went by and I couldn't deal with my weight. I had just had 3 surgeries on my knees for torn cartilaiges - 2 on the left and 1 on the right. I finally decided to look into WLS. Well, I did my research. I found this site and got the names of some top surgeons in NYC and started making phone calls. That is where it ended. I had Medicare at the time and back in 2003, Medicare didn't cover WLS. So, my search was over. I went on a diet and lost 70 pounds on my own, I was so happy but as usual, I gained 40 of it back.
Then in 2006, I found out Medicare started paying for WLS so I started my quest again. I started researching different surgeons and the different surgeries that were out there. Due to my Nissan Fundoplication, this was going to be very risky for me and finding a surgeon willing to do it was going to be even tougher. My first consult was in April of 2007 with the same surgeon that did my Nissan. I thought that would be a great choice since he did the previous surgery, he would know the anatomy. He explained to me that the Nissan would have to be reversed and then the Gastric Bypass could then be done. The other option was a Duodinal Switch but that was more risky with much more malabsorbtion. I wasnt interested in that since I had a problem with malabsorbtion preop and I wanted to minimize that problem. I am allergic to IV Iron and want to avoid Iron infusions if I can. So, the surgery with the least malabsorbtion was right for me but I did want some. I was not interested in the band - although it was not an option due to the Nissan. After my consult with the first surgeon, we started discussing insurance. To my amazement - he gave me a hard time about Medicare. He said because I am under 65, they won't pay. I couldn't convince him that Medicare pays the same for disabled people as for seniors,so I left.
Then I went to my second consult with the second surgeon. I really liked him except he had never done an RNY on patient with a previous Nissan. So, he was out. He was actually trying to talk me out of the surgery altogether, saying it was too dangerous. He thought I should have had the DS but he didnt' do it. I disagreed and went elsewhere.
Off to consult number 3. I liked him and he had more experience. He was willing and capable of doing it. He answered all my questions. Then we got to the part of all the preop testing requirements and that is where he lost me - I live out of town. He was in NYC and I live an hour away. He wanted me to go into NYC for every little test and consult. It would have meant going into NYC 7 times plus getting someone to drive me in for the Endoscopy. There was no need for it when I could have done all the tests locally with my own doctors. So, he was out.
Off to consult number 4. This was at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. I really liked him. He was very young and knowledable. He answered everything in great detail. He had tons of experience and had just operated on a doctor that had a Nissan the month before with no problems. He explained that there is a possibility that he might have to convert to open but he would try his best to keep it laproscopic. He wasn't sure if he had to take down the Nissan, he wouldnt' know until he got in there. He was very honest. I liked that. He told me it was very risky and much more dangerous than a regular RNY but if I was willing, he was willing. I signed up and he completed it laproscopically on October 27, 2008. He did take down the Nissan and then proceeded to the RNY. In taking down the Nissan, my esophagus tore from all the scar tissue but he was able to repair it without a problem. My surgery took 6 hours all together and I was in the hospital for 5 days. I had to stay on liquids for 2 weeks and pureeds for 4 weeks. At 1 months, I was on regular foods.
1 comment
Well, 5 more years went by and I couldn't deal with my weight. I had just had 3 surgeries on my knees for torn cartilaiges - 2 on the left and 1 on the right. I finally decided to look into WLS. Well, I did my research. I found this site and got the names of some top surgeons in NYC and started making phone calls. That is where it ended. I had Medicare at the time and back in 2003, Medicare didn't cover WLS. So, my search was over. I went on a diet and lost 70 pounds on my own, I was so happy but as usual, I gained 40 of it back.
Then in 2006, I found out Medicare started paying for WLS so I started my quest again. I started researching different surgeons and the different surgeries that were out there. Due to my Nissan Fundoplication, this was going to be very risky for me and finding a surgeon willing to do it was going to be even tougher. My first consult was in April of 2007 with the same surgeon that did my Nissan. I thought that would be a great choice since he did the previous surgery, he would know the anatomy. He explained to me that the Nissan would have to be reversed and then the Gastric Bypass could then be done. The other option was a Duodinal Switch but that was more risky with much more malabsorbtion. I wasnt interested in that since I had a problem with malabsorbtion preop and I wanted to minimize that problem. I am allergic to IV Iron and want to avoid Iron infusions if I can. So, the surgery with the least malabsorbtion was right for me but I did want some. I was not interested in the band - although it was not an option due to the Nissan. After my consult with the first surgeon, we started discussing insurance. To my amazement - he gave me a hard time about Medicare. He said because I am under 65, they won't pay. I couldn't convince him that Medicare pays the same for disabled people as for seniors,so I left.
Then I went to my second consult with the second surgeon. I really liked him except he had never done an RNY on patient with a previous Nissan. So, he was out. He was actually trying to talk me out of the surgery altogether, saying it was too dangerous. He thought I should have had the DS but he didnt' do it. I disagreed and went elsewhere.
Off to consult number 3. I liked him and he had more experience. He was willing and capable of doing it. He answered all my questions. Then we got to the part of all the preop testing requirements and that is where he lost me - I live out of town. He was in NYC and I live an hour away. He wanted me to go into NYC for every little test and consult. It would have meant going into NYC 7 times plus getting someone to drive me in for the Endoscopy. There was no need for it when I could have done all the tests locally with my own doctors. So, he was out.
Off to consult number 4. This was at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. I really liked him. He was very young and knowledable. He answered everything in great detail. He had tons of experience and had just operated on a doctor that had a Nissan the month before with no problems. He explained that there is a possibility that he might have to convert to open but he would try his best to keep it laproscopic. He wasn't sure if he had to take down the Nissan, he wouldnt' know until he got in there. He was very honest. I liked that. He told me it was very risky and much more dangerous than a regular RNY but if I was willing, he was willing. I signed up and he completed it laproscopically on October 27, 2008. He did take down the Nissan and then proceeded to the RNY. In taking down the Nissan, my esophagus tore from all the scar tissue but he was able to repair it without a problem. My surgery took 6 hours all together and I was in the hospital for 5 days. I had to stay on liquids for 2 weeks and pureeds for 4 weeks. At 1 months, I was on regular foods.
List of Labs
Dec 19, 2009
This is a list of labs that I get done every 3 months:
CBC, Comprehesive Metabolic Panel, Iron, TIBC, Iron Sat %, Ferritin, B12, Folate, Vitamin D ( 25 Hydroxy), Phosporus, Calcium, PTH, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Lipid Panel, Zinc, Magnesium, Selenium, Copper, Vitamin B1 (Whole Blood), B6, B2, B3, TSH T4 and T3, HemA1C, cortisol and DHEA.
I take the following vitamins:
Centrum Silver - 2 times per day
Calcium Citrate - Bariatric Advantage - Cherry Lozenges and Raspberry Chews - 1950mg daily
Dry D3 - 50,000 units 3 times per week
Vitamin A - 50,000 units daily
Vitamin B1 -100mg 3 times daily
Selenium 200mg daily
B12 injections 3 times per week
Carbonyl Iron w/ vitamin C - 180mg/1200mg daily
1 comment
CBC, Comprehesive Metabolic Panel, Iron, TIBC, Iron Sat %, Ferritin, B12, Folate, Vitamin D ( 25 Hydroxy), Phosporus, Calcium, PTH, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Lipid Panel, Zinc, Magnesium, Selenium, Copper, Vitamin B1 (Whole Blood), B6, B2, B3, TSH T4 and T3, HemA1C, cortisol and DHEA.
I take the following vitamins:
Centrum Silver - 2 times per day
Calcium Citrate - Bariatric Advantage - Cherry Lozenges and Raspberry Chews - 1950mg daily
Dry D3 - 50,000 units 3 times per week
Vitamin A - 50,000 units daily
Vitamin B1 -100mg 3 times daily
Selenium 200mg daily
B12 injections 3 times per week
Carbonyl Iron w/ vitamin C - 180mg/1200mg daily
About Me
Suffern, NY
Location
25.8
BMI
Surgery
10/27/2008
Surgery Date
Apr 28, 2000
Member Since
