Postop

Are there any tele support groups you could go to? Is your practice's nutritionist offering telemed? Perhaps either or both of these could help you get back to your "weight-loss mindset". The fact that you lost that 5 pounds says to me that you have nothing to be ashamed of. But something to be proud about. You know what you're doing. You could just use a bit of encouragement.

I have heard of other practices giving them to those who want them, too.

Don't beat yourself up too badly. We all have food issues. That's why we had surgery. I'm not sure which surgery you had, but can you eat protein instead of what you're eating? When I had cravings I would just eat and eat and eat protein. Now, your insides are still healing so I doubt a steak or hamburgers would sit that well, but I'd have to recommend it over what you're eating now.

Sent you a DM.

Every 2-3 months.

@GlamgirlYou haven't failed yourself. You've just had a small setback. The beauty of the DS is you can still eat and eat and lose weight. Eat steak, burgers, nuts, cold cuts, cheeses...don't deny yourself.

@Glamgirl If you're a traditional DSer, the best thing to do is eat lots of protein, low carbs and fluids. That should get your weight going in the right direction.

@Believe2021Traditional DS in 2005: I lost about 45lbs. in the first 3 mos.

I never had one.

I know she’s done the DS for a long time and has a decent reputation.

It can be distressing. I had the traditional DS 15 1/2 years ago and had all those concerns and still sometimes do. I, too, am religious about my supplements which will stand you in very good stead. If there are changes in your blood work you can tweak things with your supplements and head off issues before they become more serious. I am a good deal older than you and sometimes worry about what might be. What I did before the surgery was make a list of the pros/cons of having it. It wasn't a snap decision for me. I waited and researched for 2 years before having any type of WLS. Do you have any of your initial meeting notes that can show you why you picked the DS and why your health is likely to be better now and in the future than if you kept gaining? I think besides going over this with your PCP and surgeon (which I think is a great idea to really get the factual science behind your body and the DS); it's time to speak to a therapist to help lessen your anxiety. I remember the first year postop, I was extremely worried about pooping so much and was that bad for my body? My therapist and I went over the actual benefits of eliminating waste more quickly than holding it so I was able to focus in on that. That's just one example of things I needed to discuss those first few years.

@AllThatGlittersIsntGold Hi. Are you having the SADI-S or traditional DS?

Not uncommon. I was exhausted for a long time. And while my tastes never changed (except that everything either needed salt or tasted too salty) I'm now as I was salt-wise before the DS. As for protein, the rule of thumb is 30 grams at 30 days, 60 at 60, etc. Honestly, I couldn't do it. It took me 6 months to get to 60 grams. I had to do a shake 1x/day for about the first year, though, to try and get in protein as I just couldn't eat enough. At your stage, hydration is much more important than protein. You don't want to get dehydrated.

I didn't have a SADI, but I'd contact my surgical team/nutritionist and ask them what type of weight loss you should be expecting.

Whatever I'm wearing. I try and match it so if I need to spray my butt it won't conflict with what I'm wearing that day. I use something like this. https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Refillable-Atomizer-Traveling-Outgoing/dp/B07KS49CHM

@Camry Hi. I'd call my doctor to see what they think is going on. I remember I had to go to the surgeon several months after my surgery. I was having issues and they wanted to run some tests. 🌻

Sure thing. Nothing is really too personal as we talk about food, poop and gas a lot. 😁 I do experience a good deal of gas if I eat certain things . But after 15 years I pretty much know what I can eat and where I can eat it and not feel very concerned about gas and stool smells. However, if I do have a bit of gas, I always have a small vial of perfume in my back pant pocket. That way I can spray my butt as the smell will linger in my pants. I also have perfected the wall lean. If I feel a fart coming on I'll press up against the wall so it's as small as possible. The wall lean is similar to the chair squelch. I'll quickly sit down to squelch a fart if I feel one coming on in public. However, if I'm in a supermarket or the subway, etc., I'll pretty much let it go and just look around like everyone else, lol. Believe me, I was a wreck in the beginning. Now I take it much more in stride.🤣 Oh, and for gas, never ingest charcoal supplements. You can wear charcoal pads if you like, but DSers can't ingest charcoal. It has something to do w/absorption and impeding it. And we don't need more of that. Gas is mainly associated w/sugar/simple carbs. But once in a while I'll have it from something like tuna fish. But that's minor and I use the above methods to deal with it. My DS nutritionist once told me it was natural to have more gas in the evening as that's when the food settles down. I used to have more than I do now (at home in the evening). If you're worried about a partner, you'd need to let h/she know it's going to happen and is it a deal breaker? It wasn't for my husband. I use this for stool at work. I find it covers everything beautifully. Lots of trial and error and it's my favorite. Some like this, but it didn't do much for me. Others just say the heck with it and that everyone's poop smells. 😁

@SAsurgery Hi. I'm 15 1/2 years out from a traditional DS. - What foods do you avoid? (Fatty foods? Carbs? Can you tolerate small amounts?) I eat fatty foods. It helps to "grease the wheels" so to speak. For instance, I buy 80% chopped ground beef as I need the fat. It does generally takes me 2 sittings to finish a meal. - Do you have diarrhea? Sometimes. My doctors classify diarrhea as going too much and/or going liquid. I'm more in the too much area. This will occur if I eat junk and/or too many simple carbs. That's why I eat them pretty much only at home. If you have diarrhea and you're not sure why, it can signify it's time for a dose of Flagyl. Many DSers I know take it yearly and I probably should, too. Just to keep things even. - How many Vitamins do you take? Have you experienced Vitamin deficiencies? Have you had to get infusions? I take over 40 a day. It's second nature. As a matter of fact, when I wasn't permitted to take them while going through gb surgery, I went a little nutty. I'm just so used to it after so long. I've had some issues with my bloods. Sometimes the numbers are too high, other times too low. My surgical group has me do them every 6 mos. so tweaks can be made to what I take. The only infusion I take is Reclast. But I know a good many DSers who need iron infusions. That's never been an issue for me. - Do you struggle to maintain your weight loss? Do you feel like you are constantly on a diet? No and no (and we don't count calories). I kept a food log for the first 6 mos., now I have a protein ticker in the back of my head that just checks off protein grams. I eat 125-150gr/day so I'm constantly eating protein. Just had my mid-morning snack which was cheese and nuts. I also keep it low on the simple carbs. I don't want the weight gain or the gas/stool issues. I'll probably grab a triple cheeseburger w/catsup from McD later if I'm hungry in the afternoon. I just eat the meat. First, bc the bun is too filling and I always eat protein first. Second, bc I don't want what will come with the carbs. - Anything else you wish you had known before surgery? Do a Dexa scan preop. So you can have a baseline. Keep all your blood work. I have it since preop. It allows me to look for trends (esp. the last 3 draws) and also can help out if there's an issue. Some DSers I know have made a spread sheet for their blood work. I've never missed a day of supplements. I expect as a Dr. you won't either. 😊

It's very personal to each individual. For instance, I have to take a good deal of zinc (and then copper to balance it out) bc I had terrible itching, colds that wouldn't leave, etc. Not everyone has malabsorption in that area, but I do. Strivingforbetter is very fortunate. Many DSers I know can't take ADEK after the first year or so. It's just not enough. They have to separate A,D,E,K into separate pills. As Strivingforbetter references, it's all based on your bloods. 😎 Looking at your title again, yes, the DS is a drastic surgery. Probably the most in the WLS arsenal.

Definitely find out which DS it is. There is a difference in how much you could possibly lose, the side effects, the amount of supplements you'll need each day, etc. With the newer single DS you have fewer side effects, generally need fewer supplements, etc. I buy vitamins/supplements every 6 mos. after my bloods (in case I need to increase/decrease my order after the bloods are read and I tweak the amount I take). I buy them pretty much online at a variety of places. I'd say I've gotten it down to about $700/year. Considering what I spent on the junk I ate fulltime before WLS I'm saving a ton of money. 😀

I'd be curious who your doctor is and whether he is recommending the traditional DS or the modified one that is more commonly done today. I was smaller than you 15+ years ago when I had the traditional DS. A couple of doctors didn't feel I needed it. After doing the research and a lot of thought, I believed it was best for me. But it's a very personal decision. One factor in my decision making process was I wanted a procedure that was known for letting you lose the most weight and have the greatest chance to keep it off. I have done that. However, there are negatives you learn to deal with. Such as when to eat junk and/or complex carbs. I don't eat either in public or during the day. Those are done at night so if I have gas or stool I can deal with it at home. What I appreciate is I eat every couple of hours. As a binge eater, this appealed to me. I eat protein (as much as I want). For a snack I'll have a triple cheeseburger with catsup. I don't eat the bun bc: 1. I always have to get in my protein first and the bun is too filling; and 2. I wouldn't eat those carbs unless I was at home. What I like about being able to eat much and often is I don't feel deprived. I constantly snack on cheese, nuts, cold cuts, peanut butter, etc. There is no counting calories w/the DS. Only protein grams (I average 125-150 day) and complex carb grams. That is what was and is important to me. but everyone has their own deal breakers of what they can't live with or live without. It took 2 years postop for me to decide the DS had been right for me. I didn't want WLS, I wanted to do it on my own but I finally realized I couldn't. I stumbled onto the DS at the end of 2004, when I was going to seminars at different hospitals in Manhattan. I'd never heard of it, but realized if I had to have WLS this was the one I felt would work the best for me in the long term. I do take 40+ vits/minerals day and have my bloods done every 6 mos. Some doctors require them done yearly. It depends on the doctor. Often after the bloods are done, I have to tweak my vits/mineral intake up or down. I've never missed a day of supplements as this is something you must commit to for the rest of your life if you have a DS. I'd suggest a Pros/Cons list to figure out which (if any) of the WLS is the best for you. I found it very helpful when making my decision.

@sunseeker I had the traditional DS 15+ years ago, which if anything, is sometimes reputed to give more gas and diarrhea than the SIPS procedure. It's controllable by what you eat and when. For instance, I don't eat simple carbs like bread or cereal during the day bc I don't want the gas at work. I eat them at home. Same with ice cream or chocolate. For a snack or perhaps lunch, I'll eat a triple cheeseburger or two from McDonald's but I won't eat the bun. Mainly bc it's too filling and I need the protein first but also bc I don't want gas or stool issues. What happens is you learn what you can eat and what will cause problems and you adjust when you eat what accordingly. I also carry a small vial of this for when I go to the bathroom. It works wonders. And I carry a small vial of perfume in the rear pocket of my slacks in case I do have a bit of gas. I just spray the bottom of my pants to ensure no smell remains.

Have you had milk or cheese or something w/lactose?

@jackins12 Hi. Did your surgeons give you an eating plan? And don't panic. 🙂Feel free to call your surgical team if you're worried. I can also give you a copy of the plan for sleevers my team provides.

Agreed. I only weighed at the surgeon's office that first year so I never saw ups, downs, plateaus. That was what worked for me. But if you feel you need to weigh more often, then go for it.☺️