Having Revision DS Surgery!!

[Shawnee]

Hello!! I have been lurking on this site for quite a few months and have got a lot of interesting information on this board. It has made my decision for DS surgery a little bit easier. I was just approved for revision surgery by my insurance company last week. Dr's office just called me today to schedule, so October 16th it is!!! Very excited and scared all at the same time. A lot of emotions really. I just wanted to say hi and to thank all of you on these boards who take the time out to write about their experiences, good and bad. You all have given me a lot of knowledge about this somewhat unknown surgery.

Shawnee

 

[hilary1617]

Hi and welcome Shawnee! Congratulations on your approval! Are you revising from a VSG, RNY or something else?

 

[southernlady]

Welcome Shawnee

 

[Shawnee]

Sorry I didn’t clarify earlier, I am having RNY revision with Dr. Greenbaum

 

[Larra]

Welcome! Glad to know he's still doing RNY to DS revisions. congrats on your decision and your date.

 

[JackieOnLine]

hello and welcome!

 

[Shawnee]

I have noticed that there aren’t a lot of Greenbaum patients on these boards. He was recommended to me by another surgeon that did not do this revision surgery. I did meet with him and I liked him very much he spent quite some time with me. I had read on here that he is picky with his revisions but he didn’t bat an eyelash with doing mine. I have my pre op appointment with him on October 1 so I will ask him more detailed questions then, like how long he will make my cc etc. Any feedback anyone has on him would be appreciated!

Thx
Shawnee

 

[DianaCox]

Ask him what would make him change his mind about completing a revision of your pouch to a sleeve intraoperatively, as you do NOT wasn’t yo waste up with a distal RNY instead of a DS.

 

[Shawnee]

Yes I will definitely ask him. When I went for consult he did explain to me in detail what he would be doing. He will be reversing my RNY, giving me a full DS with 2 Anastomsis, he may have told me what my common channel would be, but to be honest it was a lot to take in, my head was spinning. He will remove my appendix. I had my gallbladder removed 20 years ago. I will also have a feeding tube in. I will be in ICU the first night, with a total stay of 4 nights (without complications hopefully). Surgery is open as well which I am freaking out about. My RNY was lap 17 years ago. I am just getting a little worried that I will go into surgery expecting one thing and coming out with another.

 

[JackieOnLine]

Surgery is open as well which I am freaking out about.

I don't blame you for being anxious but if open is what you need that it's better to get it!

 

[southernlady]

Surgery is open as well which I am freaking out about. My RNY was lap 17 years ago. I am just getting a little worried that I will go into surgery expecting one thing and coming out with another.

For a revision surgery of that magnitude, open is better...he can see any and all adhesion that previous surgeries may have left behind. He's not looking thru this little camera. I had an open abdominal surgery back in 1993...the outside took a little longer to heal but the inside healing is exactly the same amount. Plus NO GAS pains.

 

[Shawnee]

Yes I am definitely hoping for no gas pains, I have had my fair share of those. I have had a few abdominal surgery's. C-section, abdominoplasty, but for some reason I am extra nervous about this one. Maybe because I'm older and my healing time is not as quick as it used to be. Not to mention what a complex surgery this is and I'm thinking of all of the things that can go wrong. I'm a single mom of 2 boys and every time I think of them I question if I'm doing the right thing.

 

[southernlady]

Yes I am definitely hoping for no gas pains, I have had my fair share of those. I have had a few abdominal surgery's. C-section, abdominoplasty, but for some reason I am extra nervous about this one. Maybe because I'm older and my healing time is not as quick as it used to be. Not to mention what a complex surgery this is and I'm thinking of all of the things that can go wrong. I'm a single mom of 2 boys and every time I think of them I question if I'm doing the right thing.

Okay, your fears are normal. But is going the way you are now livable for you and your boys? How old are your sons?

And not to scare you but even if you do not move forward with this surgery, you need documents in place in case something happens, like walking across the street and getting hit by a bus, so your kids are taken care of. The hospital will ask but those documents need to be in place either way.

 

[Shawnee]

My boys are 12 and 14 and both are pretty active. My younger son is heavily involved with sports and I can barley walk on the fields because i have osteoarthrits in both of my knees. We just came back from Disney which was excruciating for me . I used to have no problem walking or running around. When I had my original RNY surgery I started at 330 and got down down to 150 with diet and a lot of exercising. But I have found myself 80 lbs heavier after going thru a few life changing events like a divorce, and my mom having 2 major strokes, I am not eating right and I have stopped going to the gym which I used to be so diligent about going. The mere thought of it exhaust me. I do have a will in place for boys, which I had done years ago.

 

[southernlady]

am not eating right and I have stopped going to the gym which I used to be so diligent about going. The mere thought of it exhaust me.

A couple of things that will help you prepare for surgery is cleaning up your eating habits. Make sure you are taking proper vitamins cause the RNY causes permanent vitamin malabsorption. And even if you don’t go to the gym, walk as much as you can.

I sympathize with lousy knees. My right one popped this past Wed and I’ve been on the “crippled” list since. But I am walking around the house as much as I can. I’m using a crutch outside cause the ground is uneven but I’m up and moving as much as I can. I know it’s hard with osteoarthritis but keep moving as much as you can.