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Hi Everyone,
Been a while since I posted but I just passed year 15 since my DS and I am still going strong.
I've followed VitaLady's DS regimen since surgery and my labs have alway been great with a few small adjustments needed here and there.
My weight has settled at about 205 lbs and that's perfect for me.
The only downside of the vitamin regimen is the 28 pills per day. My wife and I travel quite a bit and I look like a drug dealer with ziplock bags full of pills in my luggage for a 3 month trip. We're currently living in Ecuador and it's not too difficult to get my vits from Amazon. We just order 6 months worth and ship to a friend and pickup when we visit the states. No hassle as I have a doctor's note explaining the huge quantity of pills and we've never even been questioned.
We'd like to spend some time in Europe (6 months to a year) but it seems very difficult to find dry A (50K units), dry E etc. as most of the shops in Europe carry vits in oil, not dry an trying to find A in 50K unit pills is impossible.
If anyone is living abroad and has any insights, please sing out.
Thanks and hope everyone is doing well!
Jeff
Still the best decision I have ever made for
myself! I was right at 500 lbs and growing monthly when I started this journey. Today I am almost 70 years old and I am convince I would not be here if it were not for the DS. Today I float during the year from 280-295. Not sure why I have the gains and the losses but I do. If I were to give anyone considering this surgery some advice I would stress for them to do their research and to realize the surgery is a very small part of the journey. You must be prepared to be diligent in taking your vitamins and supplements daily with out fail. I stumbled here a couple of times and I paid for it. My protein level dropped and my calcium dropped to a point I was losing bone density. I have corrected this but it took time. My iron level dropped and I had to have 3-4 iron infusions to get corrected. And my potassium dropped so low I was actually admitted for potassium IV and other work ups at same time. All this was my fault for getting off track on my regiment. Also start and maintain an exercise program of walking and stretching. And make sure you have a PCP that understands the DS and is willing to monitor your blood levels monthly.
The benefits of this surgery are way too numerous to list them all. Prior to surgery I remember sweating with any exertion and I could never cool off. Today I stay cold and I don't think I have sweat glands. I dreaded booths in restaurants, hated the stares I got when I was out in public, and forget trying to find clothes that fit.
Today I stay active with my wife and grandchildren, I look forward to going to the office, I love planning vacations for the family, and just being alive! If I had to crawl to the hospital to have the DS annually I would have done so.
If you are planning to have this surgery or already have, find a great support group and surround yourself with those who will support you and who you can support. Make sure you are ready to a lifetime of vitamins and supplements and find a great PCP. And most importantly be ready to live life to its fullest abundance
I pray that 20 years from now, you will be just as happy as I am with the decision I made for me!!
May God Bless Each Of You Along This Journey!!
Charlie
l
This is correct.
Duodenal Switch/Lap -- Drs. Alfons Pomp & Michel Gagner - New York City
4/4/05: 265 lbs/BMI: 45.6
4/11/05: 256 lbs/BMI: 43.9 (date of surgery)
7/27/08: Gallbladder Removed
Thanks... I'll check that and start reading!
DS Part 1 (VSG) 11/14/06 DS Part 2 12/18/07
HW 430 SW 400 CW 210 GW 170 Blog: lifeisgood-mc.blogspot.com
A number of bariatric surgeons out there do promote the use of the GLP-1 inhibitors as a companion to bariatrics, particularly for regain or unsatisfactory post op loss. Dr. Rabkin has mentioned it in the support groups as being appropriate in some cases. You might want to peruse Dr. Keshishian's site; he has an extensive collection of articles and blog posts on a wide variety of related and DS specific issue, so he likely covers it there.
1st support group/seminar - 8/03 (has it been that long?)
Wife's DS - 5/05 w Dr. Robert Rabkin VSG on 5/9/11 by Dr. John Rabkin
For us high protein and low carb are healthy options but do not result in weight loss. The only way to lose weight is to consume less calories than we burn. To maintain 186 to 190 you are consuming 1860 to 1900 or more calories per day.
If you cut 350 calories a day you will lose one pound every ten days. Wegovy will cut your appetite and you will easily be able to eat less.
Real life begins where your comfort zone ends
Hi Everyone..
I'm about 17 or 18 years out from a 2 step DS by Dr. Inabnet at Columbia Presby in NYC. I was very active on the boards for the first few years and then life got in the way. I went from 430 and my current weight is 186. I go up and down between 180 and 190. I need to have some significant spinal cord surgery soon! And I'd like to be about 20 pounds less in order to rehab from it better.6
I tried the search feature in this forum for Wegovy, to see if anyone in this hive mind has any experiences with it. I'm trying to library search any papers on the effect with DS patients but haven't found much. I've been very strict in the past month with high protein low carb food plans but the scales not moving. (My 6 month labs are usually good and only need minor vitamin tweaking once in a while)
Anyone with resources on this to share? Or any practical info! And a very cheery hello if any other old times are still around!
Mary
DS Part 1 (VSG) 11/14/06 DS Part 2 12/18/07
HW 430 SW 400 CW 210 GW 170 Blog: lifeisgood-mc.blogspot.com
Oh Patty, I feel that completely! I had a bad car accident (hit from behind) in 2015, and had back issues since, but finally wound up with Cauda Equina Syndrome & had to have emergency surgery in late January. I've struggled with mobility since. Still using a walker and soooo frustrated!
I had Sleeve Gasterectomy 14 years ago, but waited until we knew we didn't want more children to do the "second part," and am getting my SADI surgery June 26th. I'm ready to "reclaim" my life, and the things I want are not numbers on a scale or inches, they're the ability to walk without a cane or walker, do stairs without dying, fly without a seat extender, go to concerts/hockey games and walk to my seat, maybe cross my legs one day!!! lol ?
Looking forward to keeping up with everyone on this same journey!!
Barbara
I had DS surgery in April 2020. I too am experiencing low calcium, low protein, low vitamin D and low iron. Working the last year I have finally got my Vitamin D up to normal and my iron, while a little low, my ferritin level is in high end of normal. I am taking BlueBonnet liquid Calcium 3 times a day and iron twice daily, but not with the calcium. I am having protein test later this week. I am praying the protein and calcium is approaching normal. I am working with an endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic. I am not sure why yours isn't getting to normal. But know you are not alone. Hopefully You and I will both figure it out soon.
charlie.
