Postop

So glad to hear you've made it home. Sorry you're in pain. Hope you're taking something they gave you for it.

Hi, DSers need at least 125mg. per day. Most eat more.

Here you go! Link I can also email you the documents my surgeons and DS nutrits. give us. They include sample meal plans, what to eat when, vits/minerals, etc. If you're interested, PM me with your email addy.

Hi @@Kim Smith. When your doctor says you need 150gr/protein/day; it doesn't matter how much your body is absorbing. We all need a great deal of protein each day. I probably eat about 150gr/protein/day and I'm almost 11 years out. I don't eat shakes, bars, etc. Haven't for years. Just food. That's the best way a DSer can get his/her protein in. I would be so hungry if I were doing shakes or bars to replace food. I eat every 2-3 hours (even at work). eclecticwingtips has a good idea. I cook every few Sundays: turkey burgers, inexpensive steaks, lamb chops on sale, hamburgers (80% fat). Then I freeze them and just heat them up in the microwave when I get home. I take tuna to work, or get a double meat sandwich in the cafeteria (I generally don't eat the bread, though; too filling and I don't want the carbs). I also buy a cooked roast chicken. It's isn't costly and I get 3-4 lunches out of it. I have nuts with me at all times. I keep Greek full fat yogurt (plain, I add what I want), cold cuts and cheeses in my refrigerator. I don't eat many carbs. Besides making me gain weight, I get foul smelling gas and I don't want that in public. When I do eat carbs and sugar (and I do!) it's done in the privacy of my apartment. Really, what you need to do is cut out those carbs and substitute protein. You'll feel better and lose weight. Try this: As I take classes, too; I often go to McDonald's or another ff place for a snack. I get a triple with catsup and cheese. I don't eat the bun (too filling and too many carbs) but I eat inside the bun. So I'm full, happy, satiated, don't feel deprived, etc. Also, when did you last do your bloods? You said you're not feeling well and it hasn't gotten better. You need to known your Iron, zinc, etc. As you said, you really shouldn't be giving plasma. I used to give blood 2x/year, but was told by my surgeons that ended with the DS.

These are natural thoughts. You might be angry when people look at your differently and/or say you're too thin. I certainly get that. [Esp. since the DS kind of redistributes the fat around your body on many of us.] I never had much of a bust before so that hasn't changed for me. But I have no butt. And very think skin on my arms, etc. (It does make it easy to draw blood which is a good thing. They never have trouble seeing my veins, lol.) My face is also very thin. Little fat there anymore. We're all different, but many often have a different fat distribution on their bodies. As for clothes, many use thrift shops or heavily discounted outlets during the heavy weight loss phase. It's true you won't be able to wear the clothes you have now (possibly some of the shoes -- I went down a full size and couldn't.) Regarding recognizing yourself in the mirror: most don't. They still think they look big. I've found it often depends how long you've been big right before you have surgery. For instance, I'd lost a lot of weight in the mid-90s (ah, Fen-Phen ) and kept it off till the early 2000s. Then I got really big again. So it was only about 5 years that I had it back on before I had the DS. Therefore, when I had the DS and the weight came off, I saw it right away and knew what I looked like. Still do. Others I know were big for 10, 20 years. They seem to have a much harder time realizing what they look like now, post DS. Just a theory I've floated around, but often seems to fit. Friends and family: it's hard to say. I told no one except my immediate family and physicians. Still haven't. It's a personal choice and certainly not one for everyone. POSTOP: Thanks for your reply, I sure appreciate you! I have been overweight for a good part of 23 years. I did the FenPhen thing to and dropped down to a size 6. I was running every day and although my weight was 145 I was skinny as a rail due to the exercising. As soon as I dropped the pills the weight started to creep up again. I was always trying this diet or that diet and never got back below 170. About 2004 is when I really started to creep up again and have been over 200 lbs ever since and as of about 5 years ago I creeped up even further to where I am now. I have been overweight so long that in the back of your mind you wonder if having surgery is going to be a quick fix like FenPhen again. You know the fear of losing it all and then so fearful you will regain it that you do everything to the extreme to avoid that happening again. I am so nervous right now and I am only 3 days out before surgery. I noticed you had surgery in 2005, can you tell me how has life been for you for these past 10 years? Has it gotten easier to maintain the weight and keep it off? And is there anything you can advise to a newbe to this procedure? You're in for some ride. Post DS life has been pretty good. I did have to have my gb removed (2008) and hernias done about a month ago. Right now I'm having some issues b/c I had to have an antibiotic shot with the hernia surgery and antibiotics are tough on DSers. I find it easier to keep the weight off post DS because I can eat as much Protein as I want. And I do. I eat every couple of hours; whenever I want. When I put on a few, I just eat more protein and drink liquids. The trick is to eat and eat and eat protein. It really helps you lose and keeps you satisfied. I always have nuts, cheeses, cold cuts in my home. Nuts are always in my bag, too. I will often go to McDonald's or some other ff place for a snack. I order a triple w/cheese & catsup. I just eat the insides and throw away the bun (too filling, don't want the carbs [usually], and the carbs give me gas & I don't want that at work, lol). My advice is be most concerned about hydration for the first few weeks. Sip, sip, sip. That's so important. I got dehydrated at about 6 weeks out. It's not uncommon. Food is less important. The week after surgery my Breakfast was 1 tsp. of scrambled eggs. That was it. Couldn't eat another bite. Nowadays, 3 eggs with cream cheese and salami (it takes 2 sittings to eat it, though). Also, try to walk. I walked around the floor that first night in the hospital. I walked 4x a day in the small garden near my apt. It was tiring, but important. Best of luck to you!

These are natural thoughts. You might be angry when people look at your differently and/or say you're too thin. I certainly get that. [Esp. since the DS kind of redistributes the fat around your body on many of us.] I never had much of a bust before so that hasn't changed for me. But I have no butt. And very think skin on my arms, etc. (It does make it easy to draw blood which is a good thing. They never have trouble seeing my veins, lol.) My face is also very thin. Little fat there anymore. We're all different, but many often have a different fat distribution on their bodies. As for clothes, many use thrift shops or heavily discounted outlets during the heavy weight loss phase. It's true you won't be able to wear the clothes you have now (possibly some of the shoes -- I went down a full size and couldn't.) Regarding recognizing yourself in the mirror: most don't. They still think they look big. I've found it often depends how long you've been big right before you have surgery. For instance, I'd lost a lot of weight in the mid-90s (ah, Fen-Phen ) and kept it off till the early 2000s. Then I got really big again. So it was only about 5 years that I had it back on before I had the DS. Therefore, when I had the DS and the weight came off, I saw it right away and knew what I looked like. Still do. Others I know were big for 10, 20 years. They seem to have a much harder time realizing what they look like now, post DS. Just a theory I've floated around, but often seems to fit. Friends and family: it's hard to say. I told no one except my immediate family and physicians. Still haven't. It's a personal choice and certainly not one for everyone.

I eat sauce and meat and sausage. The Pasta is just too filling.

I drank a shake everyday for the first year. I couldn't eat enough Protein and my surgeons said to do it so I got enough. Haven't really had one since.

"...So, I am a little worried about making the right choice the first time, as opposed to having to potentially gain weight back and have a revision surgery...." You know what they say, "Think twice, cut once." So it's good you're thinking. As for vits/minerals: I take 40+ each day. Most of us leave ADEK's behind after a year or so and supplement with individual pills/capsules. Many DSers never even start with them. It depends on your surgical and nutritional team. The DS is many more supplements, blood tests, Protein, etc., than GB. They're constantly tweaked/added/subtracted after your bloods are done. It's something you must commit to for life. BTW, start keeping your bloods and all other test results now. It's important to have the pre-op test results so you can compare them to your postop ones. Get a big binder.

I never used protein powder. Have you tried the premade protein drinks like Muscle Milk and Myoplex? I used to buy the 4 packs of those. Maybe they'd agree with you and they're very easy to use.

Congrats! I wish they'd done my gb when they did my DS. I had to have it done 3 years post DS.

Hello.

I didn't do size changes, but in addition to pics and weight I did do measurements.

You'll need to try a lot of different things. Are you lactose intolerant? Have you tried a probiotic? Also, as time goes by you'll learn what to eat and when -- to try and reduce the emissions (esp. in public). For the bathroom, there a lot of things people use: scented candle different sprays Poo-Pourri It's a lot of trial and error.

You've gotten some good advice. All I can add is once you've had your DS, you'll be able to eat all the protein you want. So hunger won't be a problem.

I wanted to wear shirts tucked in. I do. I wanted to wear tons of bright colors and vertical stripes. I do.

Unfortunately, yours isn't the only case of this of which I've heard.

I know a surgeon who does it. His name is Rubino and he's at Weill Cornell in NYC. Maybe you can find some of his patients online.

I know Dr. K doesn't have it on his website, but I'd definitely call or email him. He responds pretty quickly.

Hi, One of the best DS surgeons (I'll be using him when I move back to CA). is Ara Keshishian. I don't know if he takes BC, but I'd sure make the call.

I go about 4x a year. There are many hospitals around that have them so I like to go to a different one every time. I also like online support.

I'm an other, too. I don't drink caffeine at all. The last time I had some was probably in soda many, many years ago.

You're welcome. Maybe I'll see you there sometime.

Glad to hear it's a bit better. Here's the support group link.

They meet on a Mon. & Thur. Have you called Sharon?