Long time no see! - 13 year update

I realized the other day that I hadn't been here in awhile and talking with a friend about the types of people you see on boards early on that scare you into thinking Orange Juice will ruin your life post-DS surgery I thought "I need to go back and tell people what it's really ilke to live with the DS."

I'm 14 years out of surgery. I had it in April of 2009. I was 453lbs at my highest weight. I have not been so much as over 165lbs since that first year of weight loss. I also had a 150 CC and my doctor was Srikanth at the Fife Bariatric Center of Excellence here in Washington.

In the beginning I was strict - but also kinda terrified - in my diet. Egg and cheese crust pizzas, eating only the meat off burgers, it was an okay life especially to lose weight quickly. But now I don't much care. I stick to the rule of "Protien first and less sugar and volume eating in my day than I used to."

The things I eat would never tip someone off that I had a weight loss surgery - a snickers bar, a doughnut, white rice, a glass of juice, whole milk, creamer with sugar, mashed potatoes, an elephant ear at the fair. But it's far far less. The DS taught me to listen to my hunger and satiety cues so I don't over eat. I might eat HALF a donut or one donut. I'll have a cup of rice as opposed to four. I'll eat half a pint of Ben and Jerry's not half the quart. Now I would laugh in your face if you tried to get me to eat an egg and cheese only crust pizza. No thank you.

The best part of surgery is that all of my four kids - One born post weight loss - weigh less at their respective ages and so far throughout their lives than I did at those ages. I grew up in a household where everyone got their own large pizza with their own toppings. Now I buy one for a family of five. Everyone gets two slices. If your hungry later have a PB and J. Again, learning to listen to their actual hunger cues has been an invaluable gift and the real working tool part of my surgery.

I know my DS still "works" I get vagus nerve irritation and get sneezy full when I eat something too quickly and fill up too fast.

But basically I just live my life, I never get on a scale, I take vitamins, and get my levels checked. I don't drink any extra protein.

I got the Duodenal switch to have a "normal" relationship with food - because I fu*king love food. And I still do. I love pasta and good bread and to bake cookies and have sundaes for dinner with my kids. And that's what I get to do and I couldn't be happier.

Thanks for sharing your story! It's great to see long-timers come back with experiences. Glad things are going well for you.

Hi Nopenname: thank you so much for your post. I am approaching one month from my surgery date of having a DS and I am nervous about the first six months in particular. Since you've already gone through it and have come out the other side successfully, will you give some advice on how to get through the first six months?