dsdesigna

I am 6 years out from surgery.

I started out at 371. I am now at 234.
I’ll answer your questions in the order you asked them:

- What foods do you avoid? (Fatty foods? Carbs? Can you tolerate small amounts?)

Foods I avoid: Rice! and Carbonated beverages. Both have a very negative effect on my stomach even now. Rice seems to grow once it gets in my stomach causing it to feel overfull. Carbonated beverages are to be avoided anyway but occasionally it’s the only thing around to sip and never has there been a time that I didn’t regret it!

- Do you have diarrhea?

Occasionally but it’s rare and usually something I know is going to happen. Constipation is a bigger issue and my go to remedy is a slice of plain cheesecake. Seriously. It works better than anything else. To help keep things moving I am sure to add real butter to any carbs I eat. Sometime I use MCT oil to help keep things moving but be careful cause it can cause very loose stool.

- How many Vitamins do you take? Have you experienced Vitamin deficiencies? Have you had to get infusions?

I use PERSONA now for Vitamins They do an assessment that determines your Vitamin needs for me that is one Bariatric Multi, 8 Calcium Citrates spaced out in three doses, Vitamin D, and a Probiotic. I was seriously anemic and had to do Iron infusions until I had a hysterectomy July 2019. Now I’m normal and won’t need them again. I take powdered collagen in my coffee everyday to keep my hair growing, my skin from drying, and my muscle from aching.

- Do you struggle to maintain your weight loss? Do you feel like you are constantly on a diet?

Weight loss is a constant struggle, you will not lose on a smooth downhill slide. It will fluctuate and drop suddenly then rise and fall like ocean waves. Keeping the weight off is the challenge and with the DS weight gain is less likely it still is very possible if Carbohydrates are your source of comfort in times of struggle and stress. You won’t feel like you are on a diet, you will feel like you are a slave to your stomach. You’ll spend an hour making the most delicious meal and take two bites and be full. You’ll find that foods you once loved now don’t make your new stomach all that happy. But with all that you lose and all that is frustrating comes so much amazing stuff like feeling average sized. Shopping in a average clothing store, sitting in theater seats or airplane seats or really any seats and not worrying about what the person next to you might think. Saving so much money cause you can split meals with friends.

 - Anything else you wish you had known before surgery?

My words of advice: find a local support group or an online one if you can’t find one in your area and stay faithful to going to meetings and events for at least one full year but two would be better. Your family and friends will have no idea what you are going through and will say things that will be surprisingly hurtful but they won’t mean it that way, like “Wow, you look how small you’ve gotten!” (Internal thought: I must have been huge) You’ll need people who know not to say those things and instead say “You are making great progress! I am so glad to see you again!”

Good Luck!

It gets better!

Walk Sip Walk Sip

Never Trust a Fart! 😜

1 hour ago, onmyway11 said:

Have any of you long time SIPS patients had trouble maintaining? My surgeon says I will still need to be careful and vigilant over what I eat. Others in the practice (nutritionist and psych) say it’s impossible to regain bc your body won’t allow it.

It’s always possible to regain if you drink your calories and refuse to follow a healthy eating program regardless of which surgery is chosen.

You will need to work with your doc. NSAIDs are not recommended as they contribute to stomach ulcers.

There is a danger of anorexia, being unable to keep on weight, with both SIPS and DS. I would call a doctor and have blood work drawn to make sure you are not doing irreversible damage through malnutrition. You may need supplemental nutrition.

Regain stats with SIPS does not exist. For traditional DS it’s less than 5% so it’s unlikely you will be counting calories.

To help yourself out be sure your meals are nutrient dense. No simple sugar/carbs. Protein, colored Vegetables, Fiber rich Fruits. Also Bariatric Vitamins taken faithfully.

It sounds like you are doing well but it’s better to be safe consult your Bariatric surgeon and Primary Doc for blood work

good luck

Over eating can cause a number of issues for people a headache is one, hiccups, burping, excessive salivating, feeling over full, chest pain, shortness of breath.

Try walking for about 10 minutes or more and try to stop eating before you feel full. Over chew before you swallow. One bite can make a huge difference.

Good luck.

It’s normal for one of your incisions to be more bruised and look different from the others. It’s where the largest instrument was inserted. It’s where things were removed like your gallbladder and portion of stomach. It should heal up fine. Mine are hardly noticeable and I’m 4 years out.

liquids and getting anything down is going to be difficult for a few weeks. Your new stomach is tiny and inflamed from surgery. Try warm liquids and see if your medication comes in a liquid form.

Hang inthere. It gets better.

I’m 4 years out from having the DS. I’m not sure where you heard that we have no hunger, it’s not true. At 205 I would not consider the DS as an option. It’s a huge life adjustment. The Vitamin regime alone is daunting. I take them three times a day!

If you aren’t already start using MyFitnessPal and track what you are eating. Make sure you aren’t drinking your calories. That’s the number one reason for regain with the sleeve.

If after a year of being diligent with your eating/drinking you have continued to gain then consider it. But be warned it’s very different than any other WLS.

Good luck.

1 hour ago, GreenTealael said:

I should restate clearly: I would caution anyone from using it strictly for weightloss without being aware of the Neurological implications and possible side effects...

I'm not advising anyone to go off med, I'm not a Doctor. I'm advising people research medications thoroughly before starting them (especially something that I'm familiar with) so that they are aware of the risk/benefits balance. I think it's important to be well informed. That's all.

Whether or not you intent to cause someone to stop using their medication your caution in taking it along with possibly negative side affects could in fact be enough for some to stop their medication. You are apparently not aware of the negative consequences of your opinions and I encourage you to keep them to yourself until you understand.

I say opinions because you are not a medical professional or you would know of what I am referring and instead just offer your own experience. If the medication caused you side affects then share that alone. Otherwise you could be scaring people unnecessarily.

13 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

Topiramate is used on and off brand for quite a spread of things. I would caution anyone from using it strictly for weightloss. Not worth the possible side effects. Not many prescribers choose this one for bipolar even if labeled under it's use. Google scholar can help you find med studies associated

Your opinion is appreciated however be careful when sharing. Going off medications because of something someone said online can have disastrous consequences. Topiramate is quite affective in assisting with weight loss. It does not cause it itself. It’s just a tool. Just like weight loss surgery. It’s not meant for long term use with regard to weightl loss and I personally always look at possible side affects of anything I’m prescribed.

14 hours ago, ummyasmin said:

Ta. It's used for bipolar and I was hoping to see if I could use that because every other bipolar med causes weight gain. *sigh * I'm currently refusing bipolar meds because of this issue although I'm well under control with being vigilant with my sleep and exercise.

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Have you been checked to Hashimotos? I was misdiagnosed with mental health symptoms for a decade but turned out my body was attacking my thyroid. It requires a special Thyroid Antibodies blood test, not a standard test.

Check out the symptoms of low thyroid! It’s crazy.

17 hours ago, Mikeyy said:

I know about bigger weight loss etc just curious as to why. Why is it different to RNY

It’s the bypassing of the small intestine that causes the severe malabsorption. It happens a little in the RNY but it’s nothing compared to the DS. Consider that the RNY can get away with taking a single chewable Multivitamin whereas the DS requires multiple doses of chewable vitamins everyday. I take mine 4 times a day.

Here’s a daily snapshot

(Celebrate brand everything)

Multi+ADEK 3x/day

Calcium PLUS 500 3x/day

Vitamin D3 3x/day

Iron + C 60mg 1x/day

Biotin 5000 1x/day

Zinc 220mg 1x/day

5 hours ago, ummyasmin said:

Did you get side effects from the topiramate?

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Yes. It made me nauseous, food had a metallic taste and I started smelling strange things like burnt dust or plastic. I had to stop taking it. I’m still on the Phentermine and it is working fine without it.

3 hours ago, Mikeyy said:

I've been looking all over my city. I'm in Australia I've only found one surgeon who mentions

BILIO PANCREATIC DIVERSION which I've come to find is the original name for DS?

AM I RIGHT or is there a little difference?

I was so keen on RNY but now found DS would work best as my BMI is over 40!!?

Both the “RNY” and DS are kinda of Bileopancreatic Diversions but they are vastly different in possible outcomes. You will get a bigger weight loss from the DS and better chance of no weight gain as time goes on. However you might consider that the Gastric Sleeve might be all you need if your issue is just Portion Control. And you can have that revised to the DS if your weight loss is not ideal. But you’ll be eating more normally but smaller portions.

3 hours ago, Mikeyy said:

I'VE BEEN LOOKING TO FIND AND THAT HAD THE BPD/DS

HELP

What do you need to know?

I had my DS in 2014. I lost 160lbs. The last 40 my doctor added Phentermine/Topiramate to help. I had stalled for more than a year. It worked.

9 minutes ago, LosingInNC said:

mine didnt change from prior to surgery

Just wait. It’s coming. BMs will become larger and have more odor (noxious). If you get constipated try eating a slice of cheesecake, seriously, it works better than medicine for the DS. Also simple carbs, like white sugar, will cause excess gas and possibly tummy discomfort.

This is the life! 👍

First thing you need is a good support group of other DS patients. This forum is ok but there are Facebook groups that are helpful and necessary to staying mentally healthy. Your family and friends will be important too but they won’t know what you are experiencing.

Next you will regret your decision almost immediately after surgery but remember “It gets better”. The healing process is different for each person. Be kind to yourself this is major surgery.

For the first few weeks/months the most important thing is Hydration. You should get used to carrying a large cup (30oz is a good size) everywhere you go. And Sip, sip, sip. When you get on solids you can start being concerned with Protein and such but keep hydrated, always.

Dont get down on yourself if you land back in the hospital for dehydration. It’s common and normal. Stay in contact with your surgeon and don’t hesitate to report anything happening to you that doesn’t feel right

Do NOT WEIGH yourself EVERY DAY!! Stop doing it now. Post Bariatric weight loss does not happen in a smooth decline, your weight will fluctuate and it will drive you nuts if you weigh constantly. Once a week is a good idea but remember the number on that scale is just your relation to gravity, your body will be changing radically and these things happen gradually. You will lose scale weight and size sometimes separately you’ll notice your clothes fitting different even though the scale hasn’t changed. This is just the process.

You may at some point need an anti depressant, hormonally you are going to feel weird and overly emotional. Don’t wait to get a little pharmaceutical assistance. It will help you get through the rough spots. There’s no shame in it.

Good Luck

Remember you are saving your life! This is a huge deal. But you are not taking the “easy” way (there isn’t one) and life is about to get very different.

It Gets Better!

I am 4 years out and have one rather large Bowel movement per day typically. Usually in the morning but occasionally other time of the day.

14 hours ago, bro4514 said:

Hi Everyone,

I’m a lurker here...first time posting. I’m 8 weeks out post op from my DS. I lost 25 lbs before the surgery; right out of surgery bc of the fluids I gained 11 lbs, - lost that and an additional 23 lbs for a total of 48 so far. I get very frustrated by the scale. I am seeing differences in my clothes and health, but I want to scale to move faster than it is. I was thinking the weight would come off quicker.

I basically eat 6 Snacks a day. Usually hit my 80-100 grams of Protein every day. Calories range from 700-900ish. I’m wondering if I’m eating too much? Is this normal?

Put the scale away. It’s a terrible way to measure your progress. Bariatric weight loss does not happen in an even decline. Your body is making a huge adjustment and you are better off using how your clothes fit as a guide to progress. If you weigh every day you will continue to be frustrated. Also stop counting calories. For the DS it’s a useless guide. Protein and making sure you are getting enough healthy fat into your diet daily is going to be key. Also stay away from liquid calories other than Protein Shakes.

Small meals are key and it appears you are doing well. You’ve lost 34lbs in 8 weeks. That’s an average of 1.6lbs per day. That is fantastic no matter how you slice it. Try to focus on changing your eating habits and staying active. Try to at least walk 30 minutes per day, it helps with keeping everything loose.

Protein first, then veggies, then carbs if you have room. Stay hydrated and active. There’s not much more you can do. No two people have the same rate of weight loss, try not to gauge your progress by looking at others.

You are right on track! Keep it up. In a year you’ll wonder where the time went and wearing a much smaller size!

3 hours ago, Matt Z said:

Work to cut out all added and extra sugars.
Work to reduce your caffeine needs.
Work to increase your Water intake shooting for 128 oz +.

Best mental trick for me. Remember all the reasons you want the surgery. Understand that things will get tough, but you will make it through.

Physical, this one is tough because we mostly all started out pretty heavy, unhealthy and inactive. Starting to get into the habit of using the stairs, or going to the gym beforehand can help.

Best emotional cooping, I faced all my "issues" head on, knowing that down the line, I'm going to be around things I used to be able to eat but can't anymore, that my comfort foods might not be viable, facing down the issues for me helped me get over them, I'd be faced with something like, the candy isle at the store, I'd walk down and look at all the goodies and I'd think, "that's tasty, but it almost killed me. That's my favorite, but it helped make me fat and I don't like being fat." Stuff like that. It's not easy, but it worked well for me.

Look for swaps. Things that will replace certain food items to help you with cravings. For me, Ice Cream is a must, but eating a pint of Ben and Jerry's doesn't fit into my diet nor should it, but Halo Top does. I can't eat the whole pint any longer, but even if I did, the Halo Top is max 320 calories, where as those Ben and Jerry's are upwards of 1300. Finding little changes from unhealthy to healthy really do help. I snack on Protein based Snacks now, for sweet cravings, Fruits do the trick, etc etc.

128 oz+ Of Water could be toxic for some people. I would consult a doctor before attempting to ingest that much water on a daily basis. 64oz is normally the recommendation given for any Bariatric patient. Hydration is important but water toxicity is also a real risk as well.

Shoulder pain for me definitely was from gas. Once I was more careful about simple sugars the excess gas subsided and the pain went away.

You are making a huge change in your life. If you weren’t a little scared that would be more concerning. This journey is so worth it but it is chaotic for some time. It’s perfectly natural to feel anxious but you are about to open a whole new world for yourself and it will be amazing.

Take a deep breath, try to still your mind, find ways to distract yourself, get out of the house, watch a good movie, visit with friends but don’t talk about the pending surgery, read a good book.

Be proud of yourself.

I don’t know how far out you are from surgery or what labs your doctor is ordering but we have many in our support group in town and all of them within two months of switching to patch Vitamins had significant decline in lab results. Neither my pcp, who is also Bariatric, or my surgeon recommend Patches. They simply don’t have enough SPECIFICALLY for the Duodenal Switch patient.

vitamin patches will not be effective for you. Look for chewable, not Gummy, Bariatric formulated Vitamins. It’s so very important. If you have trouble getting them in just stagger them. Remember don’t take Calcium and Iron supplements together.

At this early stage for you the most important thing is to STAY HYDRATED! Second is to get as much Protein in as you can and then get your Vitamins. There are liquid vitamins but it’s difficult to know what you are getting with each dose. Don’t fret over what’s happening on the scale, your body is going through a rapid and dramatic transformation, it is chaotic.

I use Celebrate Brand Bariatric vitamins but Bariatric Advantage is good too.

https://www.dsfacts.com/SADI-SIPS-Loop-DS-not-same-as-duodenal-switch.php

Please Read this article before making a decision.

7 hours ago, Payup23 said:

If you don't mind me asking what was your surgery weight and you look amazing you have done such a great job keep it up

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Thank you I’m very happy with my progress. Start 371. Current Weight 245. Went from a size 4X to an XL. Don’t have to shop in the Plus department anymore.