Multiple Questions (Please see if you can answer any of them) - Thanks in Advance!

I have several questions and will list them all here.
If you have an answer to any of them I would greatly appreciate a response.
I had the VSG 11/2011 I am going to meet with a new surgeon January 20th to see about the revision to the DS (or completion of the DS). So I have a few questions that I will be asking them but would like to see some of those answers from those who have went through the DS and are currently living the DS lifestyle.

#1 - If you had the surgery in two steps, VSG and then DS later, did you have to make a lot of changes between the two in regards to your diet?
#2- How is your everyday life since having the DS?
#3- What can and can't you eat?
#4- Do you think you lost "too" much, how can you STOP losing?
#5- Do you ever regret it?
#6- How much do your vitamins cost you on a monthly basis, what all do you have to take?
#7- What was your starting weight before DS, where are you at now?
#8- How do you get your protein in? I cannot eat eggs or dairy AND I have never been able to tolerate protein shakes and drinks. What do you do for your protein? What other options are there out there?
#9-How much can you eat at a sitting?

I am sure there is more but that is all for now.

Thanks in advance!

You might want to attend a DS support meeting with a local surgeon.  You can learn a lot from those meetings, and you will meet other DS patients.

The answer to your posted questions will be all over the place.  In the last year, I've seen people's reactions cover the full spectrum of 'No reaction, no problems' to "OMG, I need to reverse this surgery."   We are all so unique in how our bodies cope with the surgery and heal, and how we mentally cope with the first year of changes. 

I understand that which is why I am reaching out on this board. There are not any DS Support groups close enough. I am looking forward to all the different feedback and the different stages DS'ers are at.

There aren't a whole lot of two-part DSers on the forums. As a planned two part surgery, most discourage it. It can be a bit controversial and of course, there are reasons pro and con, for both.

Are you a true 2-parter? When you had your sleeve, was it with the knowledge that you would have the second part later? Or are you what some might refer to as a revisionist? In the latter case, you hoped the sleeve would be enough, ou have found it isn't, and therefore, want to have the DS.

In my opinion, the biggest difference between the two, is the question as to keep your sleeve the same size or resleeve? I would check the revision forum here. I would also do a search of "resleeve and DS" and "2 part DS" to look at others experiences. You are looking for a targeted audience, and they may or not be here right now. But the history is still here.

Read past threads working backwards too. Some of the items, like the monthly costs of vitamins, is common to all. I will guess mine at $60 month. Do a search of "vitamins and DS" for more specifics.

Your questions are pretty general and have been asked many times. When I had my surgery, I spents hours, lots and lots of hours, reading everything I could on the forum. You will get the most knowledge, from the most number of people, that way. Good luck.

I thought I was going to be a true 2-parter. And then I found out that my surgeon does not do it.
Anyways, thanks for the tip on visiting the revision board. I will post my questions there as well. I have done a lot of reading and research and just looking for those who were willing to share again. Thanks!

I can answer a few questions, I think.  : )

#1. I'm not a 2-part DS but I know that DSrs don't follow the traditional low fat diet I've seen posted for VSGrs. We normally do low carb, high protein and fairly high fat. We malabsorb quite a bit of the fat and oils we eat so we need to compensate or we'd dry up and blow away.

#2. I have a normal DS poo or 2 every morning. I do get gassy later in the evening especially if I'm not being careful with carbs and gluten.

#3. If I eat carbs, sugar and gluten I get gassy but I can plan for them and eat them occasionally.

#4. No I didn't lose too much and my body just naturally stopped within the normal BMI range. I was a lightweight to start with and had no problem losing too much.

#5. No regrets.

#6. Vitamins run about $90 a month and I follow Vitalady's plan. Check out her website for the plan. Once my labs started coming in after I started her plan, I just adjusted up or down on the doses.

#7. I stared at 195 pounds. I'm 5'1" tall. I'm 6 years out and hang around 120 pounds.

#8. I depend on protein shakes to get a minimum of 120 grams of protein a day. You would have to depend on beef, pork, fish, chicken, nuts, and beans. Early soft foods might be Wendy's chili and Taco Bell cheesy beans.

#9. By depending on shakes rather than dense food, I've kept my sleeve small. Dense food is difficult and I'm lucky to be able to eat 4-5 oz of meat in one sitting.

--gina

Thank you Gina!
How many grams of carbs do you stay around daily? I am shocked at how much everyone pays for vitamins differ. I can keep up $30 a month not sure about $90. I may have to wait until my kids are older so I can have more discretionary funds.
I appreciate all the info!

You're welcome. I try to stay under 70 but when I was losing it was under 50 grams of carbs a day.

Yes, with the DS vitamins are not negotiable.  You must take them or you die a slow and painful death.

--gina

I'm a 2 parter.  I spend ~$200 a month on vites.  I do the basic vitalady program plus extra calcium (Bone Booster Complex from Vitacost) and K2.

I was hoping the sleeve alone would be enough for me, but I started regaining by the time I was about a year out.

My diet is Atkins-esque - not so strict with the carbs as I was for the first year.  I didn't start protein shakes 'til I was 6 months out.  I guess meat, fish and nuts will have to be your main forms of protein.  I've heard of people trying pea protein, so you may want to look into that.

My life post DS is pretty good.  I can eat a restaurant size portion of food minus the sides/potatoes/rice, so I get to fill up on the protein.

My BMI was 30 when I got the DS and I made it to the healthy range, but only the top end of the healthy range.  I didn't get re-sleeved as my surgeon thought it looked OK when he got in there.

I'm grateful for the DS and I'm glad I got this surgery.

WOW! $200 a month on vitamins??? I think that is the highest I have seen so far.
Thank you for sharing!