Obligatory 11 year post

I won't have time to do this later this week...so I'm posting it now.

About 11 years ago.....I walked into a hospital room....I was strapped down to a table....and woke up a few hours later with the DS. Once I recovered....I spent 1 year focusing all my efforts to get to goal. I lost 100 lbs in 3 months, about 200 lbs in 6 months and then hit goal just after 1 year. I maintained that weightloss for the entire 11 years pretty effortlessly. The DS is a bit different in that way. I did experience a 20 lb regain...which are on very very slowly. In the fall of last year, I decided I had enough of it. I started to exercise for the first time in 10 years...and decided to start eating "clean". I stopped going to McDonalds everyday and stopped eating a pint of ice cream every night- the weight came right off.

I decided this week that I'm going to keep eating clean....I realized that when I eat McDonalds and refined sugars....that my stomach does back flips and I feel bloated. I'm not sure that this was happening before ...but I recognize it now right away (like within an hour)).

Lessons learned after 11 years:

-Weight loss surgery does not solve all life problems, but being thin is easier than being fat (sorry that may be offensive, but it is). It is easier to move, it is easier not to have to worry about things like "can I fit into a seat", it is easier not to be a 500 lbs spectical, etc.
-The THRILL of weight surgery will wear off.....taking vits gets old, your skin will not be "perfect" and no amount of plastics will fix that. Even when you do get plastics- your skin will "relax" ....it is what it is.
-I am glad I had the DS. I recognize that I have issues with food....and the DS protects me from significant regain. Food was/is my drug of choice.


Scott


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Happy B (bariatric) Day Scott.  Even with the granddaddy of surgeries you have had challenges.  This just confirms no magic bullets out there and being humans we will figure a way to eat around anything we do to alter ourselves.

Keep on fighting the good fight and thanks for sharing your 11 years of experience with us.

Congratulations on your long term success Scott! You are an inspiration and a great source of information about DS. I recently found out that my surgeon does it, but reserves it for the Super morbidly obese. So they don't advertise it, but keep it as a tool when it seems most appropriate. 

I am not trying to mean, but I was here during the surgery wars and read a lot about DS.  People described having an odor of feces coming through their skin, having BM's and flatulence so bad that they were asked to work from home, having diarrhea all day long and wearing diapers for life. 

My sister is an attorney and had a client who sued his surgeon because the effects of DS caused him to be fired when others refused to work in the same building as him.  Then there were all the stories of malnutrition and loss of health and of various body functions. 

Those stories of DS complications really made me very afraid of that surgery.

Yeah, I've read those 'stories', but I can tell you that I've met 50+ DSers and none of them share any of those experiences.  Most of us have a giant poo first thing in the morning and that's it for the day.  Gas is usually caused by something we eat, however pinpointing that item eaten is challenging.

Then there were all the stories of malnutrition and loss of health and of various body functions. 

That - plus loss of life- death... 

DS is drastic surgery. Serious supplementation of vitamins and minerals is needed. And even that may not be enough... 

and i also heard stories of people was told to use a specific bathroom because they can't control the odor even if they eat right... 

with my RNY - once I realized what was causing my toxic fumes and remove them from my diet - I have no problem in that area... 

I've spoken to at least 100 DSers over the years (some in person some through online). A majority of us have not had major issues, we poo in the morning and go on our merry way. Flatulence is one of those things that can affect anyone with Malabsorption (RNYers post about stinky farts pretty often). I avoid drinking milk or eating ice cream-in general but especially if I have to go out in public. Same goes with most Whey proteins- and tuna with mayo (have no idea why this food causes me to be gassy- but it does).



ALL weight loss surgeries have the potential to have major side effects....with the DS you need to supplement or you will die. Not "may die", not "probably die"...you will die....a horrible and slow and painful death. But then again, I can take vits but not diet long term. I've read stories that some RNYers have severe Reactive hypoglycemia, massive regain, and severe iron and B-12 deficiencies. I guess with WLS you "choose" your poison- I don't think of the RNY or the DS as poison but it's certainly not as good as just being naturally thin!



Scott

Congratulations Scott,

You have done an amazing job!

 

   

Congratulations! I don't know much about DS, but it sounds like you are happy with the results, so that's all that matters!

And good for you for kicking the McDonald's to the curb... no matter if you CAN eat it or not, that stuff just isn't good for you... you could make your own Big Mac at home and it would be 10 times healthier!

 

YES! I actually bought an Instant pot and have been cooking at home for weeks. It's so much healthier (not from a weight perspective), but just from a natural food perspective.

Scott