I am doing my 6 months time. Scheduled for Laproscopic DS on Sept 28th at the UofM with Dr. Leslie. I am a light weight with 90-95 lbs to loose. 

I have learned a lot the past two months on all of the DS sites and you folks are a wealth of information!!! I was talking with someone and they told me I should ask about a couple of things on here and let experienced people answer my concerns. They actually weren't concerns until this was brought to my attention. Here they are:

1. I have read in my few years of research on web sites, and was told at our info classes: I will have loose stools (not necessarily diarrhea) the rest of my life and will be in the bathroom 20-30 min after everything I eat. I do have one girlfriend this holds true to. No big deal for me I would love to poop a few times a day! But now I am being told this is NOT true?????????

2. I have chosen Lap DS Surgery. I was also told I should ask others about Lap VS Open DS Surgery.....risks, benefits, short term, long term. The surgeon did not discuss the differences and in my mind Lap is the way to go....less recovery time.

3. I was also told the UofM info is not correct. Especially the post-op diet and supplement info. 

4. I can't remember how many pills, vit, iron, etc. that I was told I would have to take everyday the rest of my life....12?

 My experience........ I don't have lose stool, and only go in the morning. About 3-4 times a week I end up taking Miralax so I don't get constipated.

I think most DS'ers are more inclined to get constipated, because of the amount of Calcium Citrate and also some irons we have to take.

My surgery was done open, better for the surgeon to see what's inside. But I also was a revision from the lapband. I recovered very quickly and had no problems at all. Out of the hospital in 2 days, back at the hotel and went shopping and sightseeing by day 4.

Our post-op diet I would call high protein, high/normal fat and low carb. We on average do not absorb about 80% or more of the fat we take in, we do not absorb about 50% of the protein we take in and about 40% on average of complex carbs. Simple carbs get absorbed t 100%. All that means, once you are healed you need to eat between 120-200 grams of protein, this is what counts the most. Normal food, like salad dressings, cheese etc should be eaten full fat, not low fat. 

For myself, I take Calcium Citrate 650mg 4 times a day, that's 8 pills a day.
                          Magnesium Citrate 400mg 4 times a day, that's 16 a day
                          Dry D3 50,000 IU 2 times a day plus one subligual of 10,000 a day
                          Dry A   25,000 IU 2 times a day
                          Dry E 400 IU 1 time a day
                          Vitamin K1 I have to take 10,000 mcg a day
                          Biotin, Boron, Multi Vitamin, Vitamin K2, Proferrin Iron, Rx potassium
                             plus a few others.
My blood work that I have done every 6 month so far has been real good, except for when my vitamin K1 had gone so low it could not be detected and I have to take large doses of the Magnesium and take postassium to keep foot and leg cramps at bay. 
So, I take around 30+ pills a day, but it's no big deal. 
I'm 3 years out from surgery, I've been normal weight since 11 month out. I feel great and have not regreted getting the DS, not for a moment. I eat well and enjoy life.

Good Luck 

Welcome!  I actually was at support group last night with a patient that had Dr Ikarmuddin from that practice and he said the same thing about the follow up there. He has switched to Vitalady's vitamin plan and is doing great. Here's a link to basic plan and some additional info. Once you start getting labs back you can ask for help here or on the Facebook private DS board with tweaking the vitamins to support any issues on your labs. Get copies of all your labs and keep going back for those.

www.gblcreations.com/Resources/Gina/VitaladysPre-op_ideas_11-2009.doc http://www.gblcreations.com/Resources/Gina/VitaLadysLabsandTargets_11-2009.doc
www.gblcreations.com/Resources/Gina/ProgramDRNY_ERNY_BPDDS3-2010.pdf http://www.gblcreations.com/Resources/Gina/ProgramChewable2-2010.pdf

--gina

Here's a good link for you to save and read/re-read. 

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/4280788/Repost-Request-Advice- for-Pre-Ops-with-Links/

Diarreah is less common than constipation.  Early on you will have diarrhea..everyone does.  But after you have healed?  Totally depends on what you eat, the supplements you take.

You need to follow Vita Lady's plan and get ALL the labs you need and adjust from there.  "Your labs look fine." is NOT an acceptable evaluation.  You need to have the lab experts here or on the other forum evalutate your labs.

The lap DS is still MAJOR surgery with major recovery.

1) Another tactic to "scare" future DSers into having the RNY!
Early out, you will have loose stools, because you will not be eating very much bul****il your surgeon gives the go-ahead.

Soft in, soft out.

I have three in the morning, two firm and one softer, and I'm done for the day, unless I eat something that doesn't agree with me, and at 3 years out, I pretty much know what those foods are. Gas from a disagreeable food is more of a problem for me.  Sugar does give me the runs, so I use Splenda or Sweet N' Low.

I don't know what the U of M is recommending in terms of post-op diet, but my instructions were soft foods for 4 weeks post op, then add amounts, types and textures according to the manual you are given, which covers the entire first year      post-op. 
 Except for the first year, when you're healing, there's not really anything that's off limits, except for simple carbs (white flour & products) and simple sugars (refined white, and "brown" which is refined white with molasses added).  You will absorb 100% of both of those,at any time during your journey, and that is what might hinder weight loss or cause weight gain, although, *nothing* seemed to hinder mine!
Protein contains L-arginine, which is a key biochemical for healing. In my program, it's 90-100g of protein every day, for the rest of your life post-op.

My surgeon is the only one in my state that performs the DS, open or lap, and I wanted lap, but she limits lap DS to those with a BMI of 50 or less.  Mine was darn near 70. I'm not trying to wear a bikini, that has never been a goal of mine, so the abdominal scar makes no difference to me. I tend to hyperpigment, so the scar is flat, but dark. 

Given the choice, I think I would have gone for open anyway, since the surgeon can clearly see the structures in an open abdomen. I have heard of more mistakes being made lap than open. 
I think it's a matter of what you have in mind as a post-op.  If wearing a bikini is your goal, lap is probably a better choice for you, but only you can make that decision in consultation with your surgeon.

I am almost 3 years out and I don't have loose stools. I use the bathroom in the morning, am very regular, and that's it.

Open, lap blah. Everyone has a different opinion. I had it done lap, and that was my choice, but is it a LOT better than open? No prob not. I think both have their benefits, but if I had to do it again, I would have it done lap again.

I don't think there is one set way you need to eat as a post op. You will find some very strong opinions on this site, and people who thing they know everything, but the honest answer is there is no one right answer. If low carb works for you, great. If lower calorie works for you, fine. If you don't diet as well as others, that's prob not going to be a huge issue. I didn't stick to a diet very well during my weight loss window. I tried, and did very well sometimes, but overall no I did awful. I am 115, so I must be doing something right. The most important thing is to get in all of your protein, the rest you can figure out as you go.

Vitamins - there are different thoughts on this. Regardless whos vitamin regime you initially follow you will alter it based on your labs anyway. Just make sure you take your vitamins and stay on top of your labs. This is the #1 most important thing a DSer can do.