Anyone have any information on gastric bypass reversals?

Ro Rookes, yes, you can. I had my bypass with RNY "take down" down approximately 4 years ago.

10 hours ago, Ro Rookes said:

Don't think they can reverse the by pass. X

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Yes, they can be reversed. If they can take you apart, they can put you back together. Not to say you still wouldn't have issues. I had mine reversed 15 months ago and ended up with gastroparesis. I have less than 10% stomach function now. I wouldn't let just anyone do a take down though. I would absolutely make sure your surgeon is highly skilled, and has done reversals before successfully. Even talk to some of his/her patients if you can. There is also a group on FB-Gastric Bypass take downs and reverse support if anyone is interested.

Hi,

Not sure anyone is reading this, but I'm trying to gather as much info as I can before seeing my surgeon next week. I had my original bypass in 1999. Followed the rules, successfully lost weight. I didn't have any health issues before my rny, however a few years after my bypass I started having complications, and more complications. It started with ulcers, vomiting, Iron and blood transfusions, syncope, Vitamin def.. gerd. This went on for years. Tried to get in to see my original surgeon several times, but it was impossible. Lots of GI doctors, scopes, etc. later, they could never find anything wrong (aside from ulcers) that were treated with medication (which I wasn't absorbing). Fast forward to present, I moved to another state a year and a half ago, things became pretty bad. I was vomiting from everything. I too, had already suffered broken teeth, fracture lines and a few pulled due to poor health and the vomiting. Everything was going right through me. I found a bariatric doctor here, and he found that I had a huge hernia pushing my stomach out (my stomach was stretched pretty far from it), and in my chest, which was causing the food to just sit there. I had a revision to repair the hernia, and pull my stomach back down where it needed to be. My doctor said I would probably lose a few lbs. after (I was 108 lbs. the day of my revision in Sept. of this year), but then start to put some weight back on and feel better. I spent 5 days in the hospital. Once I came home, it was like starting all over with sips of Water, liquids, Protein drinks, soft/puree...all the steps. Everything stayed down, but I still had a blah/gut bug feeling and just figured it's part of the process, etc. it'll go away. As the time went by, my body wasn't absorbing anything at all, and lost all muscle. I went down to 94 lbs. I started getting dumping from everything I tried to eat, even Protein Drinks. My doctor admitted me at that point (about 6 weeks ago), and put a picc line in for nutrition. I was also very dehydrated. I spent another 5 days in the hospital. I came home with the picc line, and have had tpn 18 hours a day, visiting nurse once/week. I have been seeing my doctor every week for weigh-ins, lab checks, etc. The original plan all along was that if this didn't work out, I would be reversed. When I saw him last week, he felt a bit different. he felt as though that maybe in time (6-12 months time) "maybe" the dumping would go away, maybe I'll eat more and absorb and feel better. In the meantime, I would continue with tpn. I can't imagine going like this any longer, feeling this way. He told me that my chances of developing gastroparesis would be 50%, but there's that chance that my old stomach will function after all these years, and I'll feel better. I'm not as concerned about gaining weight, than I am about being healthy. What if in that 6-12 months I don't feel better? What are the chances if it's already been two and a half months since my revision, and I get dumping with everything I eat? I can't imagine this would all of a sudden stop, and be "fine". I'm really just trying to reach out, and hopefully come to terms with a final decision before I see him next week (time does matter in my case right now, so if I reverse it will happen before the end of this year). The plan is to have a plan next time I see him. How do I decide when both sides of things just don't look so great? I have 2 young children at home, and it's already been a lot to process. I need and want to just move on with my life...so much to do. So much to do:(

Did you ever find out about Gastroparesis? I have had that condition for a few years now and my GI docs all are pointing at using bypass as a way to help decrease the symptoms. I hope you've gotten to feeling better. This terrifies me honestly!

Wow... I didn't know there was a forum for us reversed peeps. I had rny in 2001, reversed due gi bleeds primary, as I was going to die, secondary was long term nutritional deficiencies that caused irreversible neurological/cognitive disabilities, but would've died in 2010 without reversal and I probably was the heaviest person to ever need one and had the labs of a person starving to death.

My surgeon who is brilliant didn't give me a hard time at my heaviest when I gained almost all my weight back back due to meds, starting at almost 7 years post rny. I was a size 24 again in early 2010 when I begged him for a revision, because if I had to be that sick for so long, I didn't want to be that heavy, even though I had a technically performed perfect rny.

He refused saying that I was sicker than Obesity could ever be a threat to me and 5 months later when he brought up a reversal to save my life , I was ready and was going to die by then after living with complications for 7 + years that just were getting even worse. And that were going to kill me .

Reversals ARE a dangerous and risky procedure, by the nature of why they are needed.

I am not anti-wls and I'm not even anti gastric bypass. But I am around for support which is crucial, when going through this. I didn't know anyone who had a reversal at the time of mine. And even while my wls peeps tried to support me, they didn't know how not knowing anyone else who had one, either.....

As "L Colendrea" said there is a support group on Facebook, started by my FB bud Misty (who also blogs and vlogs "life in my in my frankenbelly) and I blog , too about my reversal, as well....

I understand 100%. I did look for the FB group but couldn't locate it. If you can PM with link on FB that would be great. On FB my name is Michelle Bartee-Brock.

nks and hope all is well.

Michelle

Mbrock. Did you have any long term complications from your reversal?

2 hours ago, NickM said:

Mbrock. Did you have any long term complications from your reversal?

Hi there, I have not had it yet . I wont be having key hole due to the complications i have .I saught a second opinion in 2008 and they said yes we will get you in. But they lost me in there system for four years. I think it will be next month i will go in. Pre ass next week.

Nick and Ro (and anyone else who might need a reversal)

There is if you're on Facebook, a group for people who have had or will need a gastric bypass reversal. There are so many factors that play into gastric bypass reversals, that questions about what to expect post reversal, will depend on what kind of complications one has had, how long they've had them, how many surgical interventions they had to fix complications prior to reversal are factors that play into reversals and how one recovers from them.

Closed and private group on Facebook can be found by using search terms gastric bypass reverses and takedowns, otherwise if you google "life in my frankenbelly", my Facebook friend Misty who owns and is an admin for that for that group blogs and vlogs about reversals, my Facebook friend Sue Joan who's blogged about gastric bypass and reversals for a long time, even though she hasn't had one, she was the only one who could help me, because when I had to have one to save my life in , NO ONE else in 2010 , seriously knew about them or was talking about them, so I help people online and via my blog about my reversal and that can be found by "googling" unstapledlisa or lisa kasen gastric bypass reversal. Or you can email me privately by emailing unstapledlisa@gmail.com.

Hope this helps. Lisa

p.s. due to my unique disability sets, I apologize for not being able to paste links when on a mobile device.......

22 hours ago, NickM said:

Mbrock. Did you have any long term complications from your reversal?

Hi, Nick. I don't get on here much but it looks like you asked me over a year ago and just recently if I've had long term issues with my reversal. The 1st time I had not had it yet and now I'm post o and my answer is yes. ( if I'm not correct about the posts please forgive me. This site is a little confusing for me and especially using a mobile browser).

I've developed something called Gastroparesis. Basically a damaged nerve that causes me nighttime vomiting and severe heartburn. I take heartburn meds and try to follow yet another diet. There's no quick fix surgery that I'm aware of. I'm still learning about it as I go.

I hope this helps at least a little. You can email me anytime, mbrockgreat@gmail.com

16 minutes ago, Mbrock said:

Hi, Nick. I don't get on here much but it looks like you asked me over a year ago and just recently if I've had long term issues with my reversal. The 1st time I had not had it yet and now I'm post o and my answer is yes. ( if I'm not correct about the posts please forgive me. This site is a little confusing for me and especially using a mobile browser).

I've developed something called Gastroparesis. Basically a damaged nerve that causes me nighttime vomiting and severe heartburn. I take heartburn meds and try to follow yet another diet. There's no quick fix surgery that I'm aware of. I'm still learning about it as I go.

I hope this helps at least a little. You can email me anytime, mbrockgreat@gmail.com

Thank you for the information. How long after bypass did you develop gastreoparesis? Did you get a mild case and how long does it take your stomach to empty? Also, how long was it between your bypass and the reversal. Sorry if you already answered that above.

6 hours ago, Lisa Kasen/UnstapledLisa said:

Nick and Ro (and anyone else who might need a reversal)

There is if you're on Facebook, a group for people who have had or will need a gastric bypass reversal. There are so many factors that play into gastric bypass reversals, that questions about what to expect post reversal, will depend on what kind of complications one has had, how long they've had them, how many surgical interventions they had to fix complications prior to reversal are factors that play into reversals and how one recovers from them.

Closed and private group on Facebook can be found by using search terms gastric bypass reverses and takedowns, otherwise if you google "life in my frankenbelly", my Facebook friend Misty who owns and is an admin for that for that group blogs and vlogs about reversals, my Facebook friend Sue Joan who's blogged about gastric bypass and reversals for a long time, even though she hasn't had one, she was the only one who could help me, because when I had to have one to save my life in , NO ONE else in 2010 , seriously knew about them or was talking about them, so I help people online and via my blog about my reversal and that can be found by "googling" unstapledlisa or lisa kasen gastric bypass reversal. Or you can email me privately by emailing unstapledlisa@gmail.com.

Hope this helps. Lisa

p.s. due to my unique disability sets, I apologize for not being able to paste links when on a mobile device.......

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it.

17 hours ago, NickM said:

Thank you for the information. How long after bypass did you develop gastreoparesis? Did you get a mild case and how long does it take your stomach to empty? Also, how long was it between your bypass and the reversal. Sorry if you already answered that above.

Good morning, NickM!

I'll answer the best I can. The past 10 years have been a big blur. I think all the malnutrition, surgeries, drugs given, vitamin deficiency has really caused some damage to my memory, not thinking clearly up until this day.

Since I've started the vomiting and heartburn recently my new Dr ordered old records from the retired Dr who did my reversal. When I received them and read them I apparently had this vomiting issue then and this is while I was in the hospital recovering from my reversal! The records stated a 2nd opinion was called in to confirm and then I went into surgery again and Botox was injected in my stomach to help keep food down. I don't remember any of this. I guess the Botox worked or maybe they gave me something else that's helped until now or maybe it's gotten worse. Who know! So anyone reading this who has this problem maybe mention to your doctor about Botox injections in the stomach.

I like my new Gastro Dr but he's not in the field of bypass and reversal patients and don't know if I have many options.

Your other questions - I forgot how long it took my stomach to empty, he did say it probably is never 100% empty because it is so ridiculously slow.

Years from the time I got my bypass to reversal was about 14 years.

Hope this helps more. I'll answer the best I can anytime!

Ever since I got gastric bypass in 2014 I have been in pain. I have been on pain meds ever since. I have had a couple ulcers in the anastomosis. However treatment didn't work. I just had exploratory surgery to see if they could find a cause of the pain. They thought they saw an ulcer in stomach part not used but aren't sure. My choices are to be on pain pump for the rest of my life or try to do the reversal to see if the pain goes away. I need advice. Would you do reversal again knowing what you now know

Would also like information on reversal if anyone has gone though the process and how did it turn out. Would it get rid of GERD?

Edited April 24, 20197 yr by Sugarblack
add more information

I am 8 1 /2 years post reversal. We all vary, for those of us who've had them.

I got gerd unfortunately, but I got rid of gi bleeds and nutrient levels so chronically low that even with iv infusions of ferritin and banana bags I have irreversible subcomplications from the nutritional defiencies.

If you want to email me at unstapledlisa@gmail.com for more info and/or support, feel free.