Strivingforbetter

On 4/23/2018 at 9:03 AM, disco stu said:

Finally dropped 1 more pound after 6 days stuck at the exact same weight (which is in itself, kinda weird. Normally I bump around 1-2 lbs day-to-day) . I still don't understand why it's this slow, given that my eating is significantly curbed, and I hit the bathroom at least 5-6 times a day with frothy orange diarrhea; I haven't had a solid BM yet. I assume this is the new normal, and is the DS doing it's malabsorption thing

Also, since posting, I spent some time reading through a ton of older posts, and it looks like sleeve to SIPS revisions is more common on this board than I would have thought (Is this a clue to anyone considering sleeve vs SIPS that Sleeve alone has high failure rate?) Seems like the results of SIPS revision are generally positive, but more Tortoise then hair. It's feels a little frustrating compared to how fast I remember the lbs dropping initially with the sleeve, but then again, those came back after 6 months. So if the DS lbs come off and stay off.... totally worth it.

Something to note: My BMI was under 40 when I got this latest revision, which is unusual. As a result, the Dr gave me a longer channel than he would have if I was in the 50's. Also, a couple of people have noted that speed of weight loss is slower the closer you started to goal weight, so I'm probably in that boat. Just gotta be patient i suppose.

I started with a BMI of 40, so my doctor gave me a longer common channel also. I was losing about 8-11 pounds a month to begin with. Now at 10 months, I lose maybe 3 pounds a month. I'm 20 pounds from goal, but it's the hardest weight to lose. The weight is still coming off nevertheless. Hopefully, I'll drop faster this summer when I'm more active. The BM of a DS patient is always interesting. They will never again be what they were pre-op, but that's the DS doing its job of keeping the weight off (not diarrhea but always soft). Yikes, kind of gross but we since we were on the topic, I thought I'd add to it. My recovery was pretty much a breeze. I had very little soreness. The Lap-band was lot more painful.

18 hours ago, consuelo73 said:

Hi! So the DS is different than the SADI or SIPS or single loop DS? I’m kinda confused. I really think the DS might be a go for me. I’m just scared about the diarrhea and smelly gas. Do you know if that goes away or is that forever? That’s the only thing that’s giving me second thoughts. Please help. Thank you.

Yes, the SADI has a single anastomosis and the traditional DS has two. I don't have diarrhea unless I eat too many sweets or something greasy, and I haven't encountered a fart that didn't smell, either before or after the DS. The only time I have a gas episode where the gas just keeps coming is when I overdo my carbs. So, if I go out to dinner, I skip the dinner rolls. Those get me every time. However, I can eat a half a sandwich (or an occasional 1/2 burger) and don't have issues. I don't know what makes the difference because it's bread either way. I make it a point to get most of my meal from Protein and veggies. Lots of Water also helps me lose weight. I don't have any regrets, and I had the traditional DS.

I had the DS in June of 2017 and have lost about 75 pounds. I'm now a size 10-12. I originally went in for the sleeve, but my doctor recommended the DS because he felt I would keep my weight off better with it. The only time I have issues with gas is when I overdo it with the carbs. Otherwise, I'm like any other person out there. Some people do great with the sleeve and don't regain, but I only had one shot with wls, so the idea of revision surgery of a sleeve to a DS wasn't an option for me. I had one chance to get it right and wanted the wls with the best long-term results. I'm still losing. My goal is to get this last 20 pounds off and then maintain my weight.

Good advice from Creekimp12. Also, make sure you are taking your measurements. It is possible to be losing inches while nothing is showing up on the scale. This has happened to me many times since I had my surgery. Just keep on moving forward with the plan it you body will adjust. It's trying to figure out what you're doing to it.

I had the DS surgery on June 9, 2017. I started at 230 pounds (5'4"). I've lost 70 pounds and I'm now at a stall. This is totally my fault because I'm an emotional eater, so I've been eating too many carbs lately. I look and feel so much better, however, and have no regrets. The Vitamins aren't that bad. I chose the DS because I didn't want the regain. I certainly could have chosen the sleeve instead, but my doctor also recommended the DS.

And who wants to be on pills for the rest of your life?

The truth is after you have your surgery, you will still be able to eat what you want. You will have to maintain control of that by making choices every day, just like before your surgery. It's just that the surgery will help you to feel full quicker and longer. Having said that, make no mistake: the surgery is a lifesaver. You won't have any regrets. If more people knew how much it helps those who struggle with their weight, more people would elect to have it done.

I had this change about 3 months after the surgery. It's a major problem now.

I had the traditional DS with a starting BMI of 40. However, my surgeon gave me a longer common channel so I didn't get too thin. My BMI is now 27.

So proud of you! Congratulations. You look fantastic.

I absolutely love the peaches and cream Premier Protein shake. I drink the chocolate too, but it's always been a little strong and too sweet for me. The peach flavor is just right. I love it. I tried the Cookies and cream flavor too. It's ok, just not as heavenly as the peach.

6 minutes ago, Sosewsue61 said:

The herniated muscle on the rear wall of the vagina - it is lax toward the rectum so it 'pushes' in that direction during some positions and is uncomfortable.

(Also, not to be gross with tmi, but with pooping it pushes toward the vaginal wall and causes some strain there, esp if any Constipation - which is def uncomfortable. So....this surgery is likely to be covered by insurance I'm hoping)

Not tmi. It's good to help each other. It doesn't sound like my issue because I'm not experiencing that. Just very sharp pain.

11 hours ago, Sosewsue61 said:

@Charity G well they can do Lipo on the mons when they do the tummy tuck/LBL surgery. I plan on getting a separate vag rejuvenation from a surgeon that specializes in that - I have a herniated muscle on the posterior wall from some rough childbirth.... sometimes makes good ole missionary a little uncomfortable.

Sex is still great but my booty is now a flat textbook down the pants!!! Goes with the 'tennis balls in tube socks' titties!!! All going under the knife after stabilized goal weight - hopefully a year from now.

What does that herniated muscle feel like? I'm wondering if I have that. I delivered all of my children (4) via c-section, so they didn't travel through the birth canal, but something is seriously wrong.

On 2/26/2018 at 5:09 PM, AmylouRouxEnY said:

Everything gets smaller, including the diameter. I haven't really heard anyone else talk about it so I'm not sure if this is a common thing but I feel like a teenager again, lol!

Is that what's going on??!! It's been so painful for me for the past four months. Not a good change for me. Will this get better over time? I hope so.

Thank you, GenJones. I'm so happy with how much better my feet feel and how much faster I can move. I really, really want to get to a normal BMI, so I'm not giving up until I get there. I'm still in the "overweight" category according to the BMI scale.

Stalls also make us accountable. I just came off another two-week stall in my journey and took a hard look at myself. Once I started logging every bite that went into my body, it made all of the difference. I'm back on track. I'm determined to get these last 25 pounds off, but man is it a struggle!!

OH HELL NO!!!

I had the traditional DS on June 9, 2017 at a surgery weight of 235, height 5'4". I'm now down to 167 pounds and losing much slower than at first. However, the weight is still coming off. I have to limit my carbs or, just as a previous person stated, I get voluminous gas and my kids want to slap me. I think every weight loss patient needs to change his/her mindset about food or the weight will just come back on. Weight loss surgery isn't magic. The patient has to make permanent changes. I eat enough that I still enjoy food, but the amount I eat is much, much less and I'm still satisfied. That's what makes the surgery effective.

32 minutes ago, SIPS in Seattle said:

Congrats! I was so friggen happy to get rid of that torture device. So happy to get rid of the port and the aches and pains that it gave me.

You’re gonna love your SIPS!

Me too!! It was a relief to not have that port under my skin any longer. I lost more in my first week with my DS than I did the entire time I had my lap-band. That was such a stinkin' waste of money. I have absolutely no regrets with my DS.

Just keep being consistent. Your body is adjusting and wondering what's going on. Be patient. Your weight loss will start again. This happens to about 98 percent of people. Just scan the forum for older posts about stalls. There's a whole party going on about the three-week stall.

The only co-morbidity I had was that my knees and feet ached from osteoarthritis. I had normal cholesterol levels and my blood pressure was great. My BMI, however, was 39, and just like you, I was tired of being overweight. Diets were a short-term fix and then I'd gain the weight back. I wanted to lose the weight so my joints didn't ache with little chance of regain, so my doctor recommended the traditional duodenal switch surgery. I'm 35 weeks (8 months) post-op and SO HAPPY with my decision to move forward with the surgery. My BMI is now 28 and I feel so much better. It's a great feeling to be able to bend over and tie my shoes without needing to hold my breath. I can also shop in normal sizes again. I've gone from a size 18 to a size 12 and looking forward to getting even smaller. I hope to reach my goal in the next few months. - Just 30 more pounds to go. I would highly recommend weight loss surgery. You and your doctor can decide which surgery is right for you.

I had the same issue after my surgery for a few months. My body Fluid all smelled terrible too. I couldn't stand myself. The good news is that it goes goes away after a while and that terrible smell is a sign you're burning fat. I still burn fat, but I don't have the odor. I think it's because I upped my calories.

7 hours ago, Postop said:

I never feel deprived, either. I eat full fat foods and Proteins. If you had the full DS you can, too.

If you run into the problem of losing too much, remember many people have a small rebound after a few years. However, if you're just too thin, you can try adding more carbs. If that causes gas issues, than an enzyme like creon is usually recommended and that should stop the weight loss.

Thank you for your response. Yes, I had the full DS and eat full fat foods. I've got a ways to go before I reach my goal, but I'm hoping to be there by June or soon after. I never thought I'd ever worry about losing too much weight. I've never heard of creon.

I've still got 28 pounds to lose, so this isn't currently an issue, but I'm wondering how people stop losing weight once they reach their goal. I don't feel like I'm depriving myself or hungry. I eat lots of lean Protein and vegetables and snack on nuts, string cheese, and other high protein foods, something I didn't do before my surgery, but I feel like this is the new normal for me. I don't see myself changing this new way of eating once I get to a healthy BMI, so how does the body know to stop losing? I'll meet with my doctor in June when I have my surgiversary and I'm sure his nurse will go over this with me. I'm just wondering if a WLS veteran can give any insight into this. I'm curious.

This happens all of the time. In fact, I don't know anyone who doesn't experience a stall during their weight loss phase. I was at a stall the entire month of December, but as soon as January hit, the scale started to move. This week I lost 3 pounds, and I swear I'm eating exactly how I was in December. Sometimes the body just needs to take a breather. Now I'm wondering once a person gets to goal, how do you make the weight loss stop?