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Gastric bypass surgery can be reversed if the effects of the surgery are complicating your life or threatening your health. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional to learn about your options based on the procedure you had performed. Be sure to get multiple opinions, review your options carefully, investigate your prospective surgeon thoroughly, and discuss your plans with loved ones before making any final decisions.
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| Gastric Bypass Surgery - BL's Story |
On 7 November 2003, we received the following story from BL. If you are considering jejunal ileal bypass surgery, we think you should read this first:
"I had the jejunal ileal bypass surgery in 1973 at the age of 23. The JIB surgery is similar to the DS surgery done today except that none of my stomach was removed and I had more short bowel bypassed. The complications of both surgeries are very similar as I've found out by following the various lists (Internet forums) over a year now. My starting weight at surgery was 242. I lost down to 160 and stopped. I then joined a gym, dieted, and got down to less than 120 but was sick a lot. I had my surgery intact for 13 years before I had it reversed.
Dehydration from all the vomiting and diarrhea was some of the complication. I vomited every day for 18 months. I developed anal fissures and hemorrhoids from all the loose BMs daily. I was always dizzy and had potassium deficiencies as well as B-12 deficiencies. I had to give myself shots. I was anemic and, at one point, had liver damage. I developed a kind of WLS-related to auto immune problem that gave me nighttime low grade fevers and an achy arthritis. I slept a lot and was tired all the time.
I was hospitalized more than once for anemia and specific vitamin B-6 deficiencies. With the small bowel shortened to cause malabsorption even with supplementation you don't get enough B vitamins. I had bowel blockage from all the scar tissue and adhesions. The biggest problem was that my body kept forming kidney stones... multiple stones in both kidneys. I had major kidney surgery when they developed the lithotripsy. I had many cystoscopies and many lithotripsies. At one point, I was urinating pure blood. I got septicemia and almost died. I was in the hospital for two weeks on IV antibiotics. I had so much scar tissue in my kidneys that my kidney function was becoming compromised and my urologist said that I was looking at kidney failure and death. I had never formed stones before my bypass. I made the decision to have it reversed in 1986.
I went back to my original surgeon to have the reversal. I told him because of what my urologist had said that I was interested in the reversal. He asked if I was ready to be fat again. I told him that I was. I'd rather be fat and alive than thin and dead. Insurance paid for the procedure. The reversal was simple. Since my stomach had never been altered and since my bypassed small bowel had been connected to a blood supply all the time, it was simple matter of reattaching it. The reversal went well. I was back to work in two weeks and immediately felt far better than I had in years. I did have to take a laxative for a long time, but, eventually, my bowels began to work on their own again.
I've never formed any more kidney stones since. I feel so much better. I am not tired all the time. My hair, skin, and nails all started to look healthy again. No more dark circles under my eyes. No more arthritis aches and pains. No more awful--and I mean God-awful--stinky gas and diarrhea. My stool was the consistency of thick mud and would float. It was almost impossible to get it to flush! I remember my first formed stool after my reversal--I just stood and stared at it. I was so proud. My body was finally processing my food normally again. I am very lucky that my reversal was successful and that I'm healthy now. Thankfully, no more kidney stones either. In fact, I've not been hospitalized since 1986 when the reversal was done.
The weight did come back. Your body is in a state of starvation for so many years so it becomes less efficient at digestion. Once you're hooked back up, it sucks up everything! My metabolism was damaged and I could gain weight eating a normal intake of food. I think if I had been a daily weigher and had gotten immediate nutritional counseling, I wouldn't have gained as much back. Hindsight is always 20/20. Now that I'm older and wiser, having been though it all, I realize there is only one smart way to lose weight and keep it off. Watch what you eat and move more. It really is as simple as that. I'm now on Atkins and going to workout at a local women's gym. I've lost 50 pounds in that last year and have never felt better. I've given up sugar, fast food, and pop (soda). I drink tons of water--my kidneys thank me--and take vitamins. I eat fresh salads and plenty of good protein. I feel so much healthier feeding my body good food."
B.L.
Garden City, MI
Read more from BL about reversal, weight gain, and spousal support
Read more from BL about dieting and her closing remarks to those considering bypass
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