Has anyone ever experienced having their RNY undone due to complications?

As I understand this is extraordinarily rare, sort of like a Politician telling the truth, and only done as an absolute last resort, and it carries a very high mortality rate, well dependent on how long ago the RNY was done, but no I have never heard of it being done, and even in speaking to my surgeon, who has been at this for 20 years, he's never reversed one, he said it's possible, but you would need to be on deaths door, and there are just so many other workarounds, for really anything that pops up that he's never done it.

Hope that helps

I've heard it's possible, but have never personally heard of an actual case.

My surgeon has had to do reversals on a couple of complicated cases (believe it had something to do with stomach cancer on the 2 cases I heard about). It is very difficult and requires an expert surgeon in doing so.

I had a friend quite a few years ago who had to have hers reversed because she became severely malnourished. (This person did not follow the food plan at all nor did she take her Vitamins ever)

This was in the 90's and at that time they did only open gastric bypass.

She actually got to a point where she could not keep anything down and would not listen to her doctors. She decided to have the surgery reversed. She weighed less than 100 lbs on the day of the reversal. She was 5'1" tall and started above 300 pounds.

She had the surgery reversed and it went well.

Within a year she was well over 200 lbs and on her way to back where she was.

I only know all of this because I took care of her 5 kids for both surgeries. I lived in her home and saw the garbage she was eating and trust me there was never a Protein shake, or Vitamin around ever. She had a rather large family to feed so they ate a lot of preoackaged foods like Mac and cheese with tuna and Soup in it. (Yuck!) I swear I gained 30lbs in less than a year living with her.

Honestly part of the reason I waited so long to move forward with bypass was because of what I experienced living with her. It took me going to classes and doing lots of research to realize how safe bypass is these days when you follow the plan.

Reversals are actually done a lot more often than you would think. I may be doing this by the end of the year. There are Facebook groups for gastric bypass takedowns and support. Lots of people have had mechanical issues and needed reversals. They are definitely high risk, however if they can take you apart, they can put you back together, although I wouldn't go to just anyone that's for sure!. I'm personally experiencing malnutrition, and severe weight loss (and no, none of this is my doing. I did all that I was supposed to over the last 16 years). Had a revision in September, and still having complications. Seeing my doctor again next week to discuss next step, which is most likely the takedown. They also do them on those who continue to get ulcers, or severe dumping (which I also get from everything I eat). In regard to weight gain from the reversal, it's one's choice to eat badly and put the weight back on, just like you can start making bad choices with rny and never expect to stretch your stomach. It happens in most cases. I learned a lot about eating well, healthy/organic, locally grown as often as possible. (wish I knew then what I know now, I regret my surgery a lot) I would actually give anything to eat a salad or a piece of fish right now, instead I am getting tpn through a picc line. So even though you follow the plan, like I did it doesn't mean you wont have issues.

Reversals are actually done a lot more often than you would think. I may be doing this by the end of the year. There are Facebook groups for gastric bypass takedowns and support. Lots of people have had mechanical issues and needed reversals. They are definitely high risk, however if they can take you apart, they can put you back together, although I wouldn't go to just anyone that's for sure!. I'm personally experiencing malnutrition, and severe weight loss (and no, none of this is my doing. I did all that I was supposed to over the last 16 years). Had a revision in September, and still having complications. Seeing my doctor again next week to discuss next step, which is most likely the takedown. They also do them on those who continue to get ulcers, or severe dumping (which I also get from everything I eat). In regard to weight gain from the reversal, it's one's choice to eat badly and put the weight back on, just like you can start making bad choices with rny and never expect to stretch your stomach. It happens in most cases. I learned a lot about eating well, healthy/organic, locally grown as often as possible. (wish I knew then what I know now, I regret my surgery a lot) I would actually give anything to eat a salad or a piece of fish right now, instead I am getting tpn through a picc line. So even though you follow the plan, like I did it doesn't mean you wont have issues.

Oh wow, I am so sorry to hear this! yikes!

please take care and periodically let us know how you are doing whether you have the reversal or not.

I wish you the best of health

Thanks so much, Heather:)

@@LColandrea

I guess I had missed the part where you said your surgery was 16 years ago. Today's RNY is nearly a completely different procedure than they were doing back then. Back then they were playing with the Roux limb length, 50cm and 75cm were pretty common, now 150cm is standard. Obviously the shorter the roux limb the less opportunity you have to digest food. Additionally, they found shorter Roux limbs led to an increase in dumping. You sound like you really fall into this camp. Takedowns are done a lot more commonly than people think, however, usually for a medical reason, so it's not a choice, that is why there is so little discussion about it. If you HAVE to have a takedown, it's done. No forum discussion. It is often to save your life and done many times as an emergency procedure.

I wish you nothing but the best of luck. Don't be surprised if your old stomach is a bit pissed to suddenly be included in your digestive tract again, lol.

Keep us posted, we are all pulling for you.

You're right about my old stomach! There's a risk on both sides. I have a 50% chance of developing gastroparesis. When I look back at all the problems I've had for years, and the quality of life I have now, having a reversal feels like the chance I need to take. Thank you for your post!

Also, I meant to say that that is actually not true for some. There are several people only 2-5 years out having the same issues I am, so people need to be informed. They haven't been doing the sleeve too long either, and I can't believe the mechanical issues they're facing with that as well. So even though it's been many years, the complication rate remains the same. Lots of experience, and years of research, so I hope that I can educate at least a few people. I certainly don't want anyone here to think I'm a rare case, or these things are happening because my surgery was so long ago. Not true at all. All the research in the world isn't going to tell you everything, or how it will affect you. So no, the length of limb doesn't matter. I know so many personally now to say that's false.

Edited November 22, 201510 yr by LColandrea