1 year out

Happy 1 year surgiversary to meeeee!!!   I am still absolutely thrilled and amazed by my DS.   I have been blessed to not have had any complications and have lost 146 pounds in one year.  10 pounds to go to reach a normal BMI and about 25 pounds to go before I reach my ideal weight.

It's funny how even reaching that ideal weight doesn't seem as important to me now.  I will probably reach my goal because I am eating my protein and watching my carb intake and taking my vitamins and drinking my water.  Don't get me wrong, I will be very happy to reach that goal but my focus has changed in the last few months.  I am no longer doing these things to loose weight  I am doing them to remain healthy and that is a big change for me.  I now need to focus more on exercise (again, just like a "normal" sized woman in her forties needs to do.  

I can't believe that after 34 years of battling my weight with round, after round of this or that diet plan, I finally feel like I am winning the war.  

I can't wait to see what new adventures await me in year two. 

Cheers

Congrats, you are doing amazing, I think it is great for you to be so close to goal. Life really is good with the DS.

Susan

Congrats! Loved reading this!

Loved reading this too!  Thank you for sharing.  Congratulations on your success!

Great to hear that your doing well, and so happy with your success....  This is the kind of post that can be so encourageing to others.  "Especially us newbies"....lol  

Happy surgiversary!!  

--gina

OMG!!!! Sooo glad to find this place!!  Congrats on your success!!  I decided to get Bypass just a few weeks ago. I've pondered for years (about 5), but what I came across for the traditional RNY just really sucked. I HATED the thought of DUMPING, the Ulcers, and ultimately resented the size of the pouch. 

I wanted the "CHOICE".  If I wanted some bread or a soda (both need to in great moderation), wanted to do so without the risk of being sick. Also all the other stuff, blockage, infection around the stoma and what not didn't sound appealing.  Keeping the pyloric valve just makes SENSE to me! . Anyhoo, a Good Friend had WLS a couple of years ago and I finally got the nerve to ask them what they did and how they came about it.

ENTER THE ENLIGHTENMENT!!  He had DS and told me all about his experience.  He Explained how he eats pretty much how he always has (even admitted its NOT the best way), but just smaller portions. Admitted his bowl movements are VERY smelly, but given that and his vitamins were the trade off for over 160+lbs weight lost he'd do it again in  a heartbeat!!

My issue is I can't find a surgeon in my city that does it. YES, MOST surgeons who don't perform DS,, BA**** (saddens me) and even regular RNY'rs tend to ba****   I live in Cincinnati, OH and I THINK I've found 2 really good surgeons in either Dayton or Bowling Green.

My only fear so far is just HOW BAD is the Bowl Movements, Diarrhea, and farting?  ALL the RNY guys talk about how fowl it is, but they just don't know. Can folks who ACTUALLY HAD the DS give me their input on this? Also any other adverse issues that you have come across.  

Hi Con,

I am a revision from RNY to DS. I had RNY in Aug 2009 starting wt. 340 Surgery Wt. 310 Lost down to 199 for like day..., I had broken my foot at about 3 months out which probably slowed my weight loss... the kicker and bad part is, I broke it so bad I had 5 screws and two pins my foot.. I was in a wheel chair for three almost four months... And I had to be on strong pain meds.... NSAIDS (big NO NO for RNY's but I cant stress the pain I was in)... fast forward .. I developed two Stoma Ulcers... very bad. Had to be placed on treatments for that. The Ulcers helped stretch my stoma. which in turn had me eating more, stretched my pouch. I then also developed reactive hypoglycemia...  I never talked anyone out of the surgery they want. I always say research and really weigh pros and cons for you. The Dumpimg I had was horrible. Think about the fact about No NSAIDS in a persons future... scary. and the amount of people I am finding that have regained or had bad dumping or Hypo is growing. Please do you research I can say I love my DS, I am 9 months post op as a revision already 100 lbs down (I'm smaller then my RNY) If I stay away from Carbs my bathroom problems are minimum. (that includes bread, I just do not eat it anymore) I don't really have gas but once in a while. I have no dumping anymore, Awesome. My hypoglycemia is in check, haven't had an episode since my DS. The cons of a DS are different for everyone. Research, Research, Research! And ask Questions :)

Thank you so much for your response!! I've been doing nothing but researching, almost to an obsessive level. I've even found studies from 2003, 2007, 2009, and 2012 that report greater long term weight loss for DS patients and a MUCH less ulcer complications.

It seems that the rub is, of course the surgery is MORE intensive. So, the upfront complications seem to be higher. Infection, hernias (if not done open surgery) and the like. BUUUUUT, if you are able to work with a good team to predict and mitigate those upfront issues. It seems that long term wise, you MUST stay on a good vitamin regimen and keep up the follow ups.

The only consistent thing that sounds bad is the foul bowl movements, the diarrhea and the bad gas. I'm just trying to find from ACTUAL DS patients how bad are those last three and get a since of any known common complications after surgery. So far, I've talked to 3 or 4 DS patients and they all say they love the DS and would do it all over again.  Looking for the first person perspective cause most of the info is negative from medical professionals who don't even do or know a LOT about the DS procedure.  :(   Seems to be a LOT Of misinformation about the BDP/DS procedure as a whole.  Awkward though since a LOT of countries outside of the US seem to heavily rely on this procedure for weight loss or a cure to Diabetes.

I am 4 months out. I don't think my poop or farts are any stinkier than pre op, but I definitely get more gas, now that I am starting to eat more carbs.  From what I have read, and am starting to experience first-hand, is that the gas can be controlled through intelligent food choices, i.e. very low (or no) simple carbs.  Still trying to get that part down.

My personal experience, though, was the severe nausea my first month post op.  I mean SEVERE.  Very little actual vomiting- I actually prayed I would vomit, just to get some relief from the nausea.  The day the nausea dissipated, though, was miraculousl  At 3 months, I turned a corner, and have felt fantastic every day since.  I'm starting to believe this is going to be wonderful!