TheGoodSwitchFromKansas

Hello everyone!
I am new to the group and I am planning on having the DS Surgery. I am in the process of attending information sessions for 3 different surgical practices so I have not yet decided on a surgeon. I live in the Raleigh / Wake Forest area. My insurance requires that I have 6 months of a medically supervised diet prior to surgery. I have heard that you do better if you can lose more before the surgery so I guess that will help me out and that the time will fly. I will likely have the surgery in May.
I hope to learn from all of you as I read your entries in the various forums. Please continue to post even after surgery and beyond. It really helps the "newbies" to see the support that is out there.

After struggling with my weight since middle school, I attended a seminar on weight loss surgery in January of 2015, fairly certain that I would have the lap-band procedure if I decided to go through with it at all. My weight has always been a sensitive subject for me, so I told no one that I was going, not even my husband. I listened to everything the surgeon said, including the issues that people with lap band were having, and that many people who had opted for lap band ended up getting a revision to the sleeve eventually. I left the seminar, impressed with the surgeon and his knowledge, but very embarrassed that I was even considering surgery. After all, I had known a few people that had surgery and gained all their weight back, and for me surgery meant that I was weak, and couldn't do it on my own. I immediately hid all the materials from the seminar in one of my dresser drawers and decided I would give losing weight on my own another shot. I decided to do a Whole 30 (for those not familiar, it's essentially an elimination diet where you get rid of all processed food, sugar, wheat, soy, alcohol, etc.) and I just knew that this time it would stick. I adhered to the Whole 30 program for the full 30 days, lost 18 pounds, and felt great about myself. Then, as is what always happens, I slowly reverted back to my old ways, and ended up gaining 25 pounds back. Just as I had every year, every diet, every resolution, every demonstration of will and determination, I had failed.
Flash forward to January of this year, when the time came to consider making a change again, I gave another thought to bariatric surgery. This time, I had examples of a couple of people that had surgery and were successful. I researched more on the sleeve, and began to see where it could work for me. I had a tough conversation with my husband about my decision, who wanted to support me, but was very apprehensive. The man, whom I adore but who has never struggled with his weight a day in his life asked "Can't you just try to diet and exercise? This surgery seems very extreme." I explained all that I knew about the surgery, and, for the first time with anyone, I was completely honest about my weight and my struggles with weight loss since I was a child. While still apprehensive, he agreed to support my decision and be there for me. I attended another seminar with a different hospital in March, met with the surgeon and made the final decision to have gastric sleeve surgery.
Everything was going well. My surgery was looking like it would take place in August. My insurance only required 3 months of supervised diet, I quit smoking as the surgeon required, had an endoscopy, sleep study (where I was diagnosed with sleep apnea), visited a cardiologist, was trying to do everything I was supposed to do. Then I called my surgeon's office at the end of June to check in and make sure I was still on track for an August surgery. The program coordinator got on the phone and told me that she was going to contact me, as the surgeon had made the decision to stop performing bariatric surgery, and I would need to find another surgeon. I was devastated. After everything I had done so far, I was going to have to start over. What was the point?
I allowed myself to wallow for a bit, then decided that I was going to get right back on track. After all, the worst that could happen was that I may need to start from the beginning again, but if I did, what was a few more months delay compared to decades of struggle with my weight. I wound up contacting the surgeon whose seminar I attended back in 2015 and made an appointment to see him. Fortunately, they were able to get all of my records and fast track me through. After an initial denial, my insurance approved on the second request, and I was able to schedule my surgery date for August 24th.
So, here I am, 5 days post op. The gas pain in the hospital was unbearable for the first 2 days, but that subsided. Right now I have pain in my upper right abdomen that is exacerbated depending on how I move or sit. Hopefully that will go away soon. I joked with my husband that this is probably how I would feel if I had stab wounds in my abdomen. I have only lost 1.5 lbs since my surgery, but I'm guessing that may be due to Fluid retention and lack of nutrients, as I am only now starting to drink my Protein and take my Vitamins. I am excited for what the rest of this journey will bring, and love reading about everyone else's stories.
Sorry for the long post, this is the first time I have ever sat down and wrote about what led me to this. I hope to have some positive updates in the near future!

As a vet, I had a LOT of questions pre-op and looking back I posted some really long questions. Now that I'm over 2 years post op, I find that there is one reference I still find myself going to.
On YouTube there is an awesome show from the UK called Fat Doctor. This is REAL stuff. Shows a lot of the surgeries, lifestyle changes, etc. There used to be many more episodes but some were taken off the site. However, there are still a lot of great episodes. There are a few sleeve cases but mostly bypass. However, the struggles and the lifestyle changes are the same.
I've gained some weight in the past months and working to get it back off. Of course, I naturally went back to Fat Doctor and watch it daily for inspiration! Good luck to all the newbies here.

Are you a Sleever in maintenance? Having a hard go of it, even though you are following your plan? That was my experience, and why I have elected to re-sleeve and have the second phase DS, which promises to provide a level of malabsorption that will enable me to maintain. If you ar considering the sleeve, or struggling with the sleeve, I suggest you look at the Duodenal Switch, and get past the rumors and bad info you may have heard. DS is, by far, the most effective surgery!

While most people are familiar with lapband surgery and gastric bypass surgery, there are two other surgeries that are "gaining" popularity. One is the vertical sleeve. The other is DS surgery which is the most complex and is usually reserved for the most obese population. Some people have DS surgery in 2 parts (the first being the vertical sleeve) while others have it in one surgery. Some have an open surgery and some have a lap. approach.
So, to those who have had DS surgery and to those who are considering it, let's get this forum up and running!
Liz

I had my surgery 6/22/16 and my husband is scheduled for this Monday. We left some time for me to fulky recover, but we are going through this together, same surgery (DS) and surgeon. I originally had come to the decision, but he immediately said he should do it too. I just made it clear that he had to make his own decision for himself, not to make it easier for me or that it would be easier if we both did the same diet/surgery.
I think it would be extremely hard on us if only one of us did this, however. We are both looking forward to our new selves and planning trips for the next few years. Disney World, the Bahamas, and more.

MelanieSlicedThinner. I find her vlogs to be the most informative.
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I found the love of my life on POF. We have been together for almost 2 years and are now engaged to be married!
I never had time to meet anyone between going to work, the gym, and being a mom. I'm so glad I finally gave online dating a chance after being so afraid to try it for so many years. I am pre op and I just finished my 6 months of doctors visits and everything else that my insurance required for me to do to be able to get the gastric bypass. My fiance has been my biggest supporter through it all. I hope you have fun and enjoy dating and I hope that eventually you find your other half along the way. Best of luck to you!
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This is one treatment i swear by and literally the only thing i use other than Shampoo and conditioner.
Put half cup olive oil & quarter coconut oil in a small saucepan, heat it up gently until its just luke warm (not hot, you will fry your scalp)
Put the mixture throughout your hair, scalp included and then wrap your hair in cling wrap (plastic wrap)... leave for as long as you require (i leave it for 1hr)
Then wash as usual.... your hair won't be oily as long as you lather well.
I do this once a week, and everyone comments how beautiful and shiny my hair is...
I have also used egg or mayo for a Protein fix in the past, but i don't need it on my hair.

I found the love of my life on POF. We have been together for almost 2 years and are now engaged to be married!
I never had time to meet anyone between going to work, the gym, and being a mom. I'm so glad I finally gave online dating a chance after being so afraid to try it for so many years. I am pre op and I just finished my 6 months of doctors visits and everything else that my insurance required for me to do to be able to get the gastric bypass. My fiance has been my biggest supporter through it all. I hope you have fun and enjoy dating and I hope that eventually you find your other half along the way. Best of luck to you!
Sent from my KYOCERA-C6745 using the BariatricPal App