Hello all. I am awaiting a Surgery date for the Duodenal Switch Loop surgery. I was just approved by my insurance. My doctors appt. Is Sept 15th maybe sooner (I'm on Cancelation list). When I see my dr. He will give me date for my surgery. I'm not sure what to expect pre surgery..I've been delayed for a long time due to the Pandemic. So the sooner the better..trying to be really conscious of my eating before I go for appt. Any advice would be helpful.

Stay on track!!!… no matter what…every day counts!!!

1 hour ago, Mammysm50 said:

Hello all. I am awaiting a Surgery date for the Duodenal Switch Loop surgery. I was just approved by my insurance. My doctors appt. Is Sept 15th maybe sooner (I'm on Cancelation list). When I see my dr. He will give me date for my surgery. I'm not sure what to expect pre surgery..I've been delayed for a long time due to the Pandemic. So the sooner the better..trying to be really conscious of my eating before I go for appt. Any advice would be helpful.

Congrats on your upcoming surgery! I had the Loop DS 18 months ago. And in my own experience the bowel prep bit was absolutely miserable. And I felt like I got hit by a truck when I woke up from surgery, but I was up and walking after about three hours. It really helps with getting rid of the gas. Some people (myself included) vomit old blood after the surgery (it was only 4x for me, but super painful) so I'm telling you incase it happens to you because they didn't tell me it was a possibility and I freaked the hell out! I went home after three days in the hospital and I stopped taking pain meds at home after two days (so on day 5 post-op was the last day I took pain meds). The part where they take your stomach out will hurt the most, especially when you get up or sit down and you may need help showering (I did), but I was a lot better by week two. I struggled to get fluids in at the hospital and they almost kept me a fourth day because I was getting all my fluid in via ice chips so they weren't able to count so they gave me a bunch of 1oz cups and told me I had to drink a certain amount for them to release me (I didn't get released until after 6pm, so they seriously almost kept me another night). Broth tasted like heaven lol, but I couldn't eat sugar free jello at all because it made me feel like my stomach was flipping (I'm odd, I guess lol). It's hard to get the protein in (in the beginning) and the powder was wayyy too sweet, I had to drink the pre-made protein drinks instead so I had one in the morning that I nursed for several hours and then one at night, that I again nursed for several hours. Fluids were a struggle for several months for me, but some don't have the same kind of issue that I had. Also, they never told me, but there is something like a 3% chance that you can get either a wheat allergy or Celiac's Disease after surgery (this is for any WLS with malabsorption. So DS/Loop DS/Gastric Bypass). It's only 3% so only 3 out a 100 people so the chances are low, but my luck is terrible and I developed a wheat allergy so if you end up getting what feels very much like dumping syndrome when eating something with wheat in it... you might want to get tested (that's how I found out). My allergy has progressed to where I break out in a rash if I even TOUCH something with wheat in it like dried noodles that aren't even cooked or hand crackers or a cookie to my niece or wipe off bread crumbs while looking after my nieces (I always have benadryl when watching my nieces lol. My 12 year old niece is always asking why I didn't just ask her to clean up so I don't end up breaking out in a rash. I just clean out of habit).

Anyway, the recovery in the beginning can be tough and for the first few days I kept asking myself "why in the hell did I do this to myself", but things do get better and I'm sooooo glad that I made this choice for myself. I've reached my own personal goal weight and am hoping I can even lose a couple extra pounds before I hit maintenance! Try and stay positive and stick to nutrition guidelines you're given to the best of your ability and you'll do great, I'm sure! I wish the best in your journey and if you have any questions feel free to ask!

Thank you so very much for the up and up on the up coming surgery..its always nice to be fore warned...so there aren't any BIG surprises that could be scary if not engaged aware...Thank you for all the little tidbits about the surgery..I will try to keep it all in mind....people handle things different....I could ome up with what you didn't. But glad you are getting past all the downs of it..you were helpful o me..thx again. Donna

Thank you so much for this!!!!!