RE: lazer procedure to shrink stoma

[Guest guest]

I remember someone else had found a doc in the New England area,,,,I

believe,,,,that had tried that as a way to treat a stretched stoma. I have

since heard of it once or twice more, but everyone I have asked personnaly

about it denies such a procedure. I am talking professionals in the

bariatric business.

I have a stretched stoma and a pouch that any other surgeon will not touch.

I have never ever really been given a good solid reason why a procedure

cannot be performed to reinforce or remake the stoma. In my way of

thinking,,,,it totally reduces the effectiveness of a surgery that features

" restriction " as opposed to " malabsorption. " My pouch is still

small,,,,forgot what the surgeon estimated from an Upper GI, but the

radiologist said the stoma was at 3cm,,,,,that is 30mm when they are

normally formed at 12mm and expected to stretch to a max of 17 or 18. I

know why the pouch I have cannot be remade without risking my life. It is

made using the greaturer curvature of the stomach as opposed to the less

stretchable left and the staple placement on the left side of mine is so

close to the bottom of the esophagus that the blood supply has been/maybe

compromised.

Naturally, my first thought turned to,,,,,, " okay,,,,,why can the stoma just

not be remade and therefore restore my pouch function to what it was

intended? " No good answer from my surgeon, just a dismissal and told that I

was a non compliant patient who ate liquidy high caloric foods ,,,,etc......

That was my last visit to him. I have sought the opine of a couple others

but they run like hares and say there is nothing to be done. Makes me

wonder what the original surgeon does when someone gets in big trouble and

it is necessary to " take down " the surgery and restore the stomach. I am

not transected,,,,either.

Folks,,,,I gotta tell ya,,,,,this is the main reason I encourage anyone

contemplating this lifesaving surgery to LEARN what procedure will be

done,,,,,what version of that particular procedure,,how long will the bypass

be,,,,,etc. It has lasting consequences. Personally, I do not feel that I

got what I wanted when I set out to have the surgery. As hard as I worked,

I did not understand what questions to ask and think I just caved and went

with someone who would accept my insurance.

On the other hand, I have never had the first complication, never yakked,

never had one day of regret,,,ever. I lost all of my excess body weight,

not to my personal goal, but who cares! I also did a rebound gain, and I

fluctuate within my five lb range all the time now and have for two years.

But ya know how I look at that? The health gains from any surgery come with

the loss of the first 30% of excess body weight. I am talking here about

diabetes, sleep apnea,,,etc. Those comorbids. Bottom line for me is that

without surgery when I had it, I would not be on this side of the dirt

today! I am thankful, grateful and happy to work with what I got every day

of my life. Each one is a gift and I always feel like this time, each day

is borrowed time that God gave me as an act of Grace. Grace being an

unmerited gift because I certainly did nothing in life to merit any special

consideration.

Dan Slone

Surgery 5/2/2000,Yahoo Msg navwriter

AIM Navwriter58, ICQ 260890468

Re: lazer procedure to shrink stoma

In a message dated 6/27/2003 2:55:55 PM Central Daylight Time,

DivaSandy@... writes:

> I was wondering if anyone on this list has heard of a new procedure

> done with a lazer to shrink a stoma that has stretched. I read some

> about it recently, but can't seem to find the information again.

-----------------------------------

Have not heard of laser, per se. But remember hearing there's some docs who

do like a cauterization or " burning " of the stoma. Anyone remember that? Dan

Slone, maybe wrote about it? I remember hearing that it's considered pretty

risky for some reason. I'm interested too, as I suspect I may have a

stretched

stoma. Traveling to Wash state for a scope next month to check it out.

Carol A

[Guest guest]

Have not heard of laser, per se. But remember hearing there's some docs who

do like a cauterization or " burning " of the stoma. Anyone remember that? Dan

Slone, maybe wrote about it? I remember hearing that it's considered pretty

risky for some reason. I'm interested too, as I suspect I may have a stretched

stoma. Traveling to Wash state for a scope next month to check it out.

It was Rita in Vermont - said her doc was experimenting with this procedure!

Marjie

[Guest guest]

Kinda sorta the same deal with me Rita. Other health concerns, i.e., open

heart surgery just moved the stoma issue down on the scale of priorities and

I just decided I would have what I have and be very happy with it. I just

have to keep the carbs and sugars down, and when I am on track I am really

on track. When I am off I just gain to a point of total

disgust,,,,LOL,,,,then it comes back off. I think I am a normie, or as

close to a normie as I will ever be in my life. I never want to forget, nor

have anyone around me forget that I do not absorb like the normies,,,and

never will,,,,ever. Supps are daily affairs, so much a part of my routine

now I just stagger out to the kitchen and start the morning routine in fog

even, never have to consider what to do first, I do it the same way, every

day, every time.

Dan Slone

Surgery 5/2/2000,Yahoo Msg navwriter

AIM Navwriter58, ICQ 260890468

Re: lazer procedure to shrink stoma

My surgeon tried using a scarring agent to increase scar tissue to

reduce the size of the stoma. It worked for about 2 months on the 15

folks she did it on. It was a waste of time and money. On of my

friends had the scarring done and she lost 25 lbs in that 6 weeks and

regained it all over the next 3 months by making poor food choices.

If I eat dense protein first then veggies, I get full and stay

satiated, even with a stretched stoma...

Rita in Vermont

open rny 3/31/94

>

> > I remember someone else had found a doc in the New England area

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