Hopeing to go from sleeve to mini bypass

Thanks G, bypasses are hit and miss - some people regain others became thin like u - everyone seems to respond differently - it makes me feel like it's more the luck of the draw rather than surgical skill. Scary stuff!

Dr Jorrie Jordaan at Pindarra private hospital on the gold coast.  A truly gifted man with a great bedside manner combined with an attention to detail that still blows my mind.  He does not take risks, is meticulous and so very committed.  I owe him my life as dramatic as that sounds.

Glenmaree - who was ur bypass Dr?

Hi tash

I am with Garfield on this one. Life after a bypass is no walk in the park!! Like Garfield I can't eat above mince consistency, don't eat out, struggle when eating in company because if I am talking and not watching every mouthful I eat too quickly then  just want to die from the side effects. I have food intolerances, have developed an auto immune disorder, constantly tired and struggle daily with depression and anxiety.  I work full time because I have too and am now considering an early retirement for medical reasons.

Yes, I am now thin and the co morbid conditions have gone but at what cost? My health is poor, I still have an unhealthy relationship with food and financially I am behind constantly because I now have all these other issues which I believe have been caused by the bypass and the complications.  

I also am a member of a group on Facebook for bypassers and can tell you that very few, my best guess would be less than 10 percent, have an easy walk in the park experience. Most have complications of some kind and face daily challenges. The risks go up if you have had previous weight loss surgery and as Garfield pointed out you can cheat with a bypass the same as any other surgery.  There is no guarantee that you will be able to avoid the bad foods high fat or sugar because of dumping syndrome and the malabsorption does not last forever for everyone.  

This is not a decision to rush into and I personally think the risks far out weigh any desire to be thin. Thin does not equal healthy or normal!!!!

Just my thoughts and view. You should do lots of research and talk with people who have been bypassed and only then make a decision

G

As a bypass patient, and I am sure Glenys and Suzy77 would agree, please please please look at other alternatives to the bypass if your only reason for wanting to get it is for losing weight.  I can honestly say my life SUCKS since the bypass.  It's always coming out one end or the other in dramatic fashion, I'm always tired, I can't eat in public, I can't tolerate majority of textures of foods and I'm always sick.  If I had the chance to stay with the sleeve I would of, but that option wasn't available as it was an emergency.

I suggest you read both Suzy77 and Glenys' diaries.  It greatly upsets me when people are so concerned about losing the weight they are almost eager to risk their lives for it not at all thinking how shitty their life is afterwards.  It is not like the sleeve at all.

If anything, maybe look into having the gastric ring and seeing a psychologist and a dietician to assist you with your eating habits?  Having the bypass isn't going to change your life for a positive by getting you skinny and therefore happy - you will have life long issues with malnutrition and possibly life threatening complications.  I have collapsed six times this year alone and I'm one of the lucky ones.  I live with constant reflux, inability to eat anything more then mushed up baby food and forget eating in public!  But all my tests have come back normal - normal bypass patient.

It is normal for the restriction to fade after a few years - it's only a tool, not a magic want and you have to work at it for the rest of your life or yes it WILL fail, lapband, sleeve and bypass.  You can't keep relying on surgery to fix your weight issues.  Sure I'm skinny - but I certainly don't look healthy, I can't work full time, I can't do exercise or even have much of a social life as I need to constantly rest.  Every day is a battle to get enough nutrients in.  Some days ok, some days I'm hovering around the toilet and carrying a plastic bag around with me so I can vomit up slimy salavia as I drive.  But at least I can get food down sometimes and don't live off a feeding tube anymore.

Hi I would  love to know everything !! I'm currently looking at bypass after having sleeve in 2012 I never got under 90 either and am now in 90s .

Well I just got a reply from Dr Rutledge in USA. He says: "Hello

I am sorry to hear bout the slleve but the MGB, although it works very well is not a good match for "Psoriatic Arthritis".
Look on youtube where I talk about ulcers and the MGB
Dr. Rutledge
Email: DrR@clos.net
702-714-0011"

I feel fine with this as I was concerned about the effect of my medications after surgery. So am seeing Dr Taylor in a few weeks to discuss other options.

Hi Tash, everything sounds promising. Please don't think I am being rude, are you seeing a pysch/counsellor re eating issues. I know for me it's all head stuff. THe sleeve helps but I can still consume heaps of calories if my head isn't thinkling straight, I might not like I use to but still would be enough where my surgery would seem not worth it, if that makes sense

Hi
I saw Dr Taylor today. will copy and past from the other thread what I wrote so I don't have to re write it.

Well I am home from seeing the Doc. I will be going for an appointment at the Metabolic Obesity clinic at RPA. I need to see them to get the OK to go to Concord Hospital for surgery. As my PHI will only cover me in a Public Hospital. It will all now depend on whether the doctor I see at the Obesity Clinic give the go ahead or not. It will probably be a few months before I can see them as it is a public clinic and the waiting times are long apparently. They will send an appointment to me in the post. Once I get the go ahead then it shouldn't take too long to get a date for surgery at Concord then. All depends on getting a yes. We discussed me having the Mini Bypass as the Sleeve is the first part of this op already so the next bit of re attaching the bowel at a different point is the only thing he needs to do now. We think this would be the best option as I may not get much benefit from a re sleeve and the risks of a leak are higher with the re sleeve although they are also there with the mini bypass. Then to costs. He said he will do it for $2000 plus I have to pay the anesthetist on top. He said he will ask him if he will lower his cost but he dosen't know. His cost is about $1000. I would get $250 back from Medicare. There is also a $300 cost for Dietician and Psychologist Reports that I need to take with me to the Metabolic Obesity Clinic when I go there. That seems to be everything. My last surgery cost a bit over about $10,000 all up. So this price is much better. It helps that my health fund will cover some of the cost. He is charging a low fee as he usually charges about $5000. If the Dr at the Metabolic Obesity Clinic says no then I can't have the surgery as I could not afford it. All depends on their saying yes. fingers crossed. I feel pretty optomistic about having this surgery and feel that it will get me back on track with a better chance of reaching a favourable weight. He has stressed that I need to work hard on my head issues as the surgery can only do so much. If I get this chance I will do whatever it takes to tackle these mental demons. Wish me luck.

PS has anyone else here had the mini bypass? thanks
I got down to 80 kg and am now back at 93kg.