UK based, so looking for advice rather than recommendations

[Jayney]

Hi everyone, I'm Jayney, 39 and based in the UK.

I had RNY surgery 6 years ago and it was an uncomplicated procedure.

Recovery was ok, initial weightloss was positive. However I had frequent vomitting and diarrhoea, which made life quite challenging. As such I decided the best course of action was to avoid eating, therefore avoiding the side effects. Obviously this wasn't sensible logic and it didn't take long before I had more side effects- gallstones (gallbladder not removed), blood sugar problems, low blood pressure,hair loss, terrible skin and debilitating anxiety about the after effects of eating. Everything I ate, no matter what it seemed to be, I'd have to go to the loo within 15minutes and it was "unpleasant", to put it politely. Many nights I sat in the bathroom eating panicking about making it to there on time.

But oddly after a year it all changed, no vomitting, no diarrhoea, no pain, with time, no anxiety. Hurrah, all was great. However at that point my weightloss stopped. I'd lost approximately 9st (126lbs), but still had another 6st (84lbs) to go. At the time the joy of being able to return to a "normal" life far outweighed the concern about the weightloss.

However overtime the weight has crept back on, I'm now larger than before my RNY. I want to be perfectly clear I've made poor choices- I've not moved enough, I've eaten too much, too often, too late. I've done all the things I know I shouldn't have. As such I've been in therapy and FINALLY feel like I'm making some process with the reasons that I eat/binge and am working on coping strategies for that.

So now I'm at a crossroads of whether I should have DS or not. I have alot of reservations given my previous experience and am panicked at the thought of living my life on the loo. I realise there's nothing to say that will happen again, but I'm hoping people can share their experiences of DS. The good, the bad and the ugly.

I appreciate this may be a more US based forum, so I'm not looking for surgeon suggestions. (As a side note I'll be paying privately for this procedure, which is a big stretch for my partner and I, so I need to be certain I'm making the right choice). Just honest reviews as to whether DS has been a good decision or not.

Thank you in advance,
Jayney

 

[southernlady]

Welcome Jayney
Since the vast majority of us are DSers, we are kinda biased. We believe we made the best decision. But I do know that there are more RNYers seeking revisions than DSers.
There is a list of vetted RNY to DS revision surgeons here: https://bariatricfacts.org/threads/current-list-of-known-rny-to-ds-surgeons.1403/ so choosing one from that list is your safest option.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Welcome Jayney
Since the vast majority of us are DSers, we are kinda biased. We believe we made the best decision. But I do know that there are more RNYers seeking revisions than DSers.
There is a list of vetted RNY to DS revision surgeons here: https://bariatricfacts.org/threads/current-list-of-known-rny-to-ds-surgeons.1403/ so choosing one from that list is your safest option.

Hi, Janey,

I know that Kirmy is currently up to her arse in alligators, but she IS in the UK. (Well, Scotland, so that could change at any moment.). But she IS a health care provider and had her DS in, I think, London. She is likely to have both advice AND recommendations. Let’s try to get her attention. (But be prepared to wait, as I think she is roaming around the planet right now.)

Sue

 

[southernlady]

Hi, Janey,

I know that Kirmy is currently up to her arse in alligators, but she IS in the UK. (Well, Scotland, so that could change at any moment.). But she IS a health care provider and had her DS in, I think, London. She is likely to have both advice AND recommendations. Let’s try to get her attention. (But be prepared to wait, as I think she is roaming around the planet right now.)

Sue

She’s at home for the moment. Last I saw, she was up to her neck in a tub trying to avoid laundry.

There is one vetted surgeon in the UK. Most are here in the US. If she’s self pay, Dr. K or Dr. Rabkin or Dr. Ayoola are her three best bets.

 

[hilary1617]

Hi and welcome Jayney! My only regret in respect of the DS is not having had it sooner. I'm sorry you've had a rough go of things and that your RNY has failed you. All the best!

 

[Jayney]

Thank you for all the replies!!
I've spent the last 24hrs stalking the forums and doing some research, so my panic is fading a little.

 

[Georgepds]

DS Pro... absolutely fabulous for weight loss.. works when naught else will
DS Con... diarrhea, farts, and God's own little joke on the unprepared... wet farts

The poop issues get really really old, and stay with one long after the weight loss has stopped. Oh yeah... don't forget the post DS nutritional deficiencies, You'd think popping all the pills recommended would keep the problems away... but it does not... If you are female, osteoporosis becomes more of a problem, could be the same for men, but I don't see it here very much, except for one guy who was very worried about his DEXA scans.

Back to the mundane, I think often of the poor poster who gave up all thought of dating because of her volcanic stinky facts.. it's in here somewhere.. search for farts

OTOH, pre weight loss diabetes complications drove me nuts... it's really good to be rid of those problems , Especially if the alternative is blindness, kidney disease, amputation, heart Attack, and much greater risk of cancer.

hey... thin but stinky isn't so bad

 

[Spiky Bugger]

DS Pro... absolutely fabulous for weight loss.. works when naught else will
DS Con... diarrhea, farts, and God's own little joke on the unprepared... wet farts

The poop issues get really really old, and stay with one long after the weight loss has stopped. Oh yeah... don't forget the post DS nutritional deficiencies, You'd think popping all the pills recommended would keep the problems away... but it does not... If you are female, osteoporosis becomes more of a problem, could be the same for men, but I don't see it here very much, except for one guy who was very worried about his DEXA scans.

Back to the mundane, I think often of the poor poster who gave up all thought of dating because of her volcanic stinky facts.. it's in here somewhere.. search for farts

OTOH, pre weight loss diabetes complications drove me nuts... it's really good to be rid of those problems , Especially if the alternative is blindness, kidney disease, amputation, heart Attack, and much greater risk of cancer.

hey... thin but stinky isn't so bad

And getting old is a plus when you consider the alternative.

I was 58 with a BMI of +/-53-and-rising when I traded in my LapBand for a DS. I’d never have made it to the 75 I am now.

 

[southernlady]

DS Con... diarrhea, farts, and God's own little joke on the unprepared... wet farts

For most, that is controlled by what you eat after the first year. Carbs in, then stinky fats are the results.

 

[Georgepds]

For most, that is controlled by what you eat after the first year. Carbs in, then stinky fats are the results.

Yeah... but bread, cake, cookies, pad Thai, pasta and anything of white flour origin are a distant past. The dietician recommended leafy greens to counter a vitamin k deficiency... that's what brought the last bout on.

Leafy greens, who 'da thunk it would be a problem ... sheesh... you'll find me in the corner gnawing on a bison bone.

 

[southernlady]

Yeah... but bread, cake, cookies, pad Thai, pasta and anything of white flour origin are a distant past. The dietician recommended leafy greens to counter a vitamin k deficiency... that's what brought the last bout on.

Leafy greens, who 'da thunk it would be a problem ... sheesh... you'll find me in the corner gnawing on a bison bone.

Vitamin k deficiency usually means add dry vitamin K.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Georgepds

Vitamin k deficiency usually means add dry vitamin K.

Until THAT doesn’t work and you have to move to PRESCRIPTION Vitamin K (phytonadione) which can cost, per GoodRx, from $21 (Ralph’s Grocery Pharmacy) to $136 (RiteAid) PER PILL. And then, the results are fleeting, not a permanent fix.

I got EXTREMELY lucky and my Rx cost $5, for however many pills I needed.

In fact, thank you both. You reminded me that I have a blood test for that tomorrow morning!

 

[southernlady]

Georgepds


Until THAT doesn’t work and you have to move to PRESCRIPTION Vitamin K (phytonadione) which can cost, per GoodRx, from $21 (Ralph’s Grocery Pharmacy) to $136 (RiteAid) PER PILL. And then, the results are fleeting, not a permanent fix.

I got EXTREMELY lucky and my Rx cost $5, for however many pills I needed.

In fact, thank you both. You reminded me that I have a blood test for that tomorrow morning!

But being told to eat enough greens isn’t gonna work for a DSer.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

But being told to eat enough greens isn’t gonna work for a DSer.

I know. Especially the “healthy” dark, leafy ones. I usually ”do” cole slaw, green beans, zucchini and that’s about it in the “green” department. But, arugula is supposed to be okay, as are small amounts of bok choy (I had some recently in a Chinese dinner), baby spinach, green part of spring onions, and broccoli if I can convince HIM to eat some, and a few others.

I refuse to discuss okra. (Do you know the Jerry Clower okra story?).

 

[JackieOnLine]

Hi and welcome, Jayney!