Almost 6 years and counting

Hi my name is Donna and I had my sx in Nov of 2001, it will be six years this year . I have not gained any weight however I have been so ill with losing my iron and B-12 stores, two hernia operations and a bowel obstruction sx. I have lost 120 lbs to date down to a size 10/12 from a size 30/32, we are given a chance to lose but mentally we were not prepared for all that came our way, we need to be more educated on what to look for when to look for it and how to take the gift that we were given and make the best of it. I would like to hear from others who are post op 5 or more years

Donna I am also 6 years out from Roux en Y I have malabsorption of Vitamin D - which means I don't absorb Calcium - which means that my parathyroid is sending messages to my body that it needs calcium from my bones. Luckily I was seen an endocrinologist who had me do a 24 hour urine test. I was peeing out all that Calcium I was taking...etc. etc. etc. Who needs osteoporosis? Apparently there are a lot of things from the surgery that will show up 5 and 6 years out. Weight wise - I lost 100 lbs and have gained about 20 back -

Hi Barbara I am so glad to hear from others like myself, I am unsure about the calcium poblem at this time I have iron defency, I get ion infusions 2 times a month it is just like chemo just the side effects are not has bad, I have kept my weight low gaing a lb here hen losing it back, I don't eat hardly anyhting because I don't want to get sick or gain weight, I am getting realy sleepy so I will talk with you at another time Dona

Hi - I had a BPD-DS in 2001 and now have severe osteoporosis in my neck and spine. My local endocrinologist did not have a clue about WLS, so I found a great endocrinologist through Dr. Gagner in NYC and she has me on massive doses of Vit D2 (50,000 units per day) and D3 (3000 units per day) well as 12 calcium tabs per day. That stopped the calcium drop and the bone loss but regaining the bone density is almost impossible. Two broken bones so far. Weight bearing exercise is necessary. The big bummer is that I have just started gaining weight as well. For five years after the surgery I could eat anything - and needed to in order not to lose too much weight, but now I am grazing all the time. Seems like I am hungrey all the time. For five years I had diarhea so I guess the food went through so fast that I did not process much. No more diarhea, so now the gain has started.

Hi its been almost a year from my last posting and just was checking on people like myself I will be 7 yrs out in Nov and my Vit D is very very low, no broken bones yet howevr very depressed about the health issues I too have brgun to gain weight back I am hungry all the time and I to had diarhea the first 6 years just stopped this year and since May have gained 30 lbs, my biggest fear gaining all the weight back and all the issues that myself and others have had to go through is all in vain. I am also working on my third hernia surgery at the insioncal site, please keep in touch so that others who will be in our shoes will have an idea what is going to or may happen. we need more old timers (5 or more years out) to keep in contact good luck and I will be waiting to hear from others

Hi Barbara it has been also a year since we have contacted each other I  hope this finds you doing okay, the last year has really been rough, losing so much of diffrent vitamins, I am not very very low with my vitamin D, it will be 7 years next month and I feel that even though in the beginning there were alot of problems they get worse over the years we need to be the voice to let others know research reseach and wonder where are the people who are 5 yrs or more out how is their life going. I have gained 30 lbs since last year (hormone meds had a hysterectomy)  so this month I stopped taking the small dosages of that, plus I have another hernia which is in the same spot as the last one, mesh did not hold up my surgery for this is Nov 17, 2008 and I am really worried about another surgery I am really thinking being almost 300 lbs may have just been better than 7 years of meds meds and more meds, my iron infusions are now 4 times a year, and I am suppose to take 1000 mg of vitamin D, I have not seen an endoc doctor, do you still have contact with others who are 5 or more years out? we need our own forum  take care Donna  

Donna

I am sorry that you are going through a bad time with the surgery.  Some people like yourself have some problems after surgery.  after 9 years I still have times when I have to get rid of the food I put into my stomach.  And once in a while a still get dumping if I eat sweets on an empty stomach.  I also lost iron but just take a supplement of iron and a shot of B12 and it is fine now.  It is good that you have not gained your weight back and you can be proud of that.  If you eat right and exercise you will become more healthy.  Every patient is different when it comes to the results and some have more problems than others.  I never gained the weight back, however my daughter almost died from infection in her lower stomach and when she was better she gained most of the weight back.  Just remember always where you were before and where you are now.  Good Luck
Rinda