Surgery date for revision

[dawn4511]

I finally have my surgery date for rny revision. My DR will only do the revision in 2 stages. I start optifast July 16th and surgery is Aug 1st. He will do the reversal and sleeve and then in 2-6mths depending on how I heal he will then finish the ds. I'm a mixed bag of emotions lol. My worse fear is if I fail this too. I've been researching the sleeve vitamins and diet since I will be living with it for a few months and I am also preparing for the ds way of life.

[cherylbaker]

Well that stinks. How much do you need to loose? Are you insurance paid? sone insurance co will only pay for weight loss surgery. Did he say why it has to be done in 2 parts? What are you revisng ftom?

[dawn4511]

Jul 11, 2014 13:23:24 GMT -5 cherylbaker said:

Well that stinks. How much do you need to loose? Are you insurance paid? sone insurance co will only pay for weight loss surgery. Did he say why it has to be done in 2 parts? What are you revisng ftom?

I need to loose 130 pds. Yes I'm insurance covered. My Dr only does 2 stage revisions because he finds less complications. I'm going from rny in 2007.

[nursemelanie]

Jul 11, 2014 22:10:32 GMT -5 dawn4511 said:

Jul 11, 2014 13:23:24 GMT -5 cherylbaker said:

Well that stinks. How much do you need to loose? Are you insurance paid? sone insurance co will only pay for weight loss surgery. Did he say why it has to be done in 2 parts? What are you revisng ftom?

I need to loose 130 pds. Yes I'm insurance covered. My Dr only does 2 stage revisions because he finds less complications. I'm going from rny in 2007.

Hi I wish you could do it all in one shot, but sounds like your surgeon has a plan and it won't be too long before you'll be a DS'r. I was a sleeved in 2010 and just got my DS completed on the 1st of July.Once you start losing with sleeve, the thought might enter your mind that you're losing so much maybe you don't need the rest. I would never tell someone what surgery to have, but I wanted to share my short story. I originally wanted the DS only, but got persuaded by my old surgeon that I didn't need it. At first it went very well, but I stayed at 50 lbs more than goal and gained the 70+ lbs I lost all back by 2 1/2 yrs. Even though I'm a brand newbie and still recovering I am so happy I finally got my DS and that it was covered by insurance. With my co-morbidities and history of regain, the DS is the only WLS that can help get me to the level of health I desire.

Welcome , I wish you all the best and know that this forum and the help and knowledge you will receive is priceless!

7-1-14 VSG to DS w/ gallbladder removal, adhesion removals & repair hiatal hernia
Dr Boyce, Knoxville, TN
HW 282 /SW 270 /CW 258/ loss to date 24 lbs

[illinids2]

I have never understood the philosophy of a two stage surgery. To me it puts the patient at greater risk (two anesthesia incidents, two times cutting on the body, etc) and puts the body under much more stress/trauma, not to mention the additional cost (two recoveries, copays, time off work, etc.) for the patient. Is there anyway you can convince the Dr to do it in one stage?

In any case, good luck and hope things work out well.

BTW, what is optifast?

[Girlrocker]

Revisions are much different than virgin procedures, and while it's optimal to go under once, I can definitely understand a surgeon preferring to do one in two steps to reduce the possibility of complications. If your surgeon is experienced and vetted, you trust your surgeon, and feel you are in good hands, than you have a plan that is right for you. I know that's how I felt about my surgeon and would do whatever he recommended. Glad to see you here and please stick around, ask questions, get all the support you can!

[dawn4511]

Jul 12, 2014 8:45:42 GMT -5 illinids2 said:

I have never understood the philosophy of a two stage surgery. To me it puts the patient at greater risk (two anesthesia incidents, two times cutting on the body, etc) and puts the body under much more stress/trauma, not to mention the additional cost (two recoveries, copays, time off work, etc.) for the patient. Is there anyway you can convince the Dr to do it in one stage?

In any case, good luck and hope things work out well.

BTW, what is optifast?

I feel the same way. It doesn't make sense to me how two cuts two healing times and two anestetic could be better. My Dr has had less complications with two so he doesn't do one under any circumstances.

Optifast is a liquid liver shrinking protein diet that I need to be on for two
Weeks before surgery.

All together I will have 4-6 weeks of liquids.

[illinids2]

Jul 12, 2014 12:01:03 GMT -5 dawn4511 said:

Jul 12, 2014 8:45:42 GMT -5 illinids2 said:

I have never understood the philosophy of a two stage surgery. To me it puts the patient at greater risk (two anesthesia incidents, two times cutting on the body, etc) and puts the body under much more stress/trauma, not to mention the additional cost (two recoveries, copays, time off work, etc.) for the patient. Is there anyway you can convince the Dr to do it in one stage?

In any case, good luck and hope things work out well.

BTW, what is optifast?

I feel the same way. It doesn't make sense to me how two cuts two healing times and two anestetic could be better. My Dr has had less complications with two so he doesn't do one under any circumstances. I understand and if you trust your Dr and are comfortable with that decision that is all that matters......good luck!

Optifast is a liquid liver shrinking protein diet that I need to be on for two
Weeks before surgery. Ah, I see.  I had to do a 5 day clear liquid diet for that reason.   

All together I will have 4-6 weeks of liquids.

[Girlrocker]

And in normal, virgin surgery circumstances, it's unlikely that the DS would be done in two steps. But revisions are very different, particularly the RNY to DS revision. There is always the option of a second opinion, finding a surgeon who will do it in one. But personally, I can't find fault with your surgeon's conservative approach. Doctors vary in what they say about 'shrinking the liver' before surgery, but same, he is being very conservative with you which I don't find a bad thing in the case of an RNY to DS revision. I know it's not pleasant -to say the least - that you have to have surgery twice - but I've seen enough people with difficult revision surgeries go through complications that I think it's a worthy plan. Complications are a risk any time for any major surgery, but RNY revisions bring that much more baggage, they have to first undo the RNY, and there's no way for them to see how much scar tissue, adhesions, how the stapling, forming of the pouch was done until they are in there. I was very fortunate to have a smooth experience (my RNY was opposite, lot of complications, 2nd surgery, infection, wound vac 4 months disability) but I can tell you it took a lot out of me, my surgery was just over 3 hours and it took him longer to undo my RNY than it did to do the DS.

Dawn4511 said: I feel the same way. It doesn't make sense to me how two cuts two healing times and two anestetic could be better. My Dr has had less complications with two so he doesn't do one under any circumstances.

Optifast is a liquid liver shrinking protein diet that I need to be on for two
Weeks before surgery.

All together I will have 4-6 weeks of liquids.