Please help! I need advice!

My sister seeing my weight loss several years ago, said to me, "I'd have the DS, but I'm just not prepared to live the rest of my life without being able to have a bun on my hot dog or a cannoli."    Three years later, she had the DS, and has now learned that yes, you CAN still eat a bun on your dog or a cannoli!    One just learns that you can't eat the bun, the cannoli, a sleeve of saltines and four chocolate cookies all on the same day without some repercussions!         At seven years out, I can go out to eat and eat a really enjoyable meal.  Let's say we go to a good Mexican restaurant.   I can entertain myself with some chips and salsa for a bit, but just not devour the entire basket, because I know I'll be too full for the good stuff - let's say, some chicken enchiladas.    I will eat one or two of the three enchiladas, a bit of rice (rice really fills me up) and lots of the beans, because I love beans.    I'll put the rest in a to-go container, and often, it's eaten before midnight that night.    Now, I can eat lots of enchiladas, because they are made with corn and not flour tortillas.    Or let's say I go to a restaurant and get a steak.  I can eat salad, 1/2 my potato and 1/2 my steak.   I might even have a roll with dinner.   The average person, not knowing of my past, might say..."Oh...she's a litte woman with a little appetite."    As a matter of fact, I've had several people comment, "Oh, you eat just like the little bird you are...no wonder you're so tiny."  Little do they know, that I've been known to polish off the remainder of my "doggie bag" before I make it back home!!   We DS'ers can pack it in - especially if it's high quality,  high protein, high fat, lower carb food!

I love this!  And I can't wait.....  Do you know what I had for dinner last night?  1 meatball.  One.  That's it.  I was still full when I went to bed at 11.  I know I am still healing, and am just trying to enjoy the weight loss ride.  You give me hope, Julie!  Still figuring this thing out....feeling my way...

Your surgeon has made a wise choice.  The majority of surgeons are RNY all day long, because that's all they know. They  don't take into consideration what's best for the patient.

No sugar coating from me.  My first two months were not easy in terms of recovery and return to normal eating.  I had rehydration IV's twice, and it took quite a while for me to be able to eat enough dense protein (meat) to substantially maintain my needs.  It is still a challenge, so I offer this advice: *NEVER* completely let go of your  protein shakes. That's insurance that you get all your protein in every day.  I never gained from continuing to use protein shakes.  Some people do. YMMV.

As for maintenance, the diets are very different.  DSer's because they still have esophageal and pyloric valves to control inflow  and outflow of chyme (what your food is after it's chewed up and swallowed), can eat more dense proteins and more fibrous vegetables than RNY's.

I use  shakes  to supplement my protein intake, after I learned the hard way, and  had a short bout of protein calorie malnutrition. I caught it early, because I learned to read my own labs, and where the levels of each nutrient measured (and there are a lot for DSer's) should be. Also from the experience of a fellow DSer from the same program, who had a very hard time with PCM.

The vitamin regimen is much more rigorous than that for RNY's.  it is because the DS has more malabsorption.  My program's "owner's manual" really gave bare minimums for daily supplementation ( 4 multis, 8 ()1800-2400mg calcium citrate, 5000 IU B12 daily or monthly injections, 100mg B1 (Thiamine) weekly)  I'll be happy to PM you a list of what I do, but again, my way is not gospel.  Everybody has individual needs.  Vitalady's plan is the most comprehensive, but it is also quite expensive.    I did order her entire DS regimen for immediately post op, but I found the less expensive sources to replace according to her regimen as I ran out.

Potty issues - for many, they regulate during the first year, depending on common channel length.  The shorter the common channel, the more potty issues, but longer common channels absorb more.  Mine is 75 cm, the shortest my surgeon does. I asked for 50cm, and I'm glad she refused to do it any shorter. You will have to re-learn your individual body signals for urgency. They may change.  No, you do not have to go around wearing Depends forever, but early out, it's not a bad idea. Keep a change of bottoms and underwear in the car just in case. There can also be what DSer's call "sharts" (combo of BM and farts) early out, hence the Depends.  For me this happens most if I have too many siimple carbs or simple sugars in my meals that day.

The smell is going to be horrendous. You may have more of a problem with gas if you eat wrong (simple carbs, simple sugars), and the gas (flatulence, or farts, if you will) have an incredible "hang time", though I'm not sure why.

Invest in Ozium (14.5 oz can can be had online for the house) and you can get the small purse-size spray in the auto section of most discount stores and at auto supply shops. There are also good recommendations for air fresheners on this board.  Make sure your bathroom ventilation is top notch.

Utlimately, your choice of surgeries is a very personal,  individual choice.  I wanted a more permanent solution, after seeing so many people I knew with the RNY regain lost weight and then some, so I chose the DS, after finding out about it while researching other surgeries.

By the way, I'm 4 1/2 years post-op. 

Great info and advice thanks so much!

I think you got plenty of info about the DS but I don't see people questioning the history of your surgeon.  Who is he and how experienced is he?

In the right hands the DS is no more risky than the RnY.  But in the wrong hands it can lead to complete disaster!!!  Make sure your surgeon has a boatload of experience.  You don not want to be one of his first DS surgeries unless he is working side by side with another experienced DS surgeon (which is how our surgeons learn to do our complex surgery.)

Let us know!

`Becky

I grilled him to death and he has only performed a handful so far but his partner will be assisting and their mentor (who has performed hundreds) will be there as well. I'm comfortable with that