I haven't posted on here in many years, but I recall enjoying reading posts from those who were quite far out from surgery.

I had the DS in March 2009. My high weight was 304, my surgery weight was 284. I'm 5'4". I was a size 28 at surgery.

Over the next 18 months, I went to 140 pounds and stayed there for a year or two. For me, that was a size 6. In the next couple years after that, I tended to bounce around between 150-155, a size 10. That brought me through 2013.

In 2014, I had my first child. After pregnancy, I was about 165-175. In 2016, I had my second child. I found myself unhappy in my marriage and overwhelmed working and caring for two small kids. I found myself turning to food again and just eating like crap. My weight went up to 195-200 and I was again a size 18/20. That was 2017-2018.

I got divorced and was determined not to be fat anymore. I cut out all junky carbs. I only ate when I was hungry, and if I was hungry, I did eat, but stopped eating two hours before bed. No eating in the middle of the night. I did have carbs in that I had 2 - 3 servings of fruit/day, always paired with a protein. Just no junky carbs. I lost 25 pounds the first month, 15 pounds the second month, and another ten pounds or so in the next month. That was 8 years post-op, so, yes - the DS will always "work!" You'll always have an advantage compared to how hard it was to lose weight before the DS. Over the next six months, I lost another ten pounds, when I got a fairly "physical" job (I deliver the mail). That was five years ago, and I still have that job.

I easily maintain my weight of 140. I fluctuate between 137 - 143. If I find my weight going up towards 143, I jus****ch what I eat more for the next 2 weeks and it comes right off.

I still don't eat a lot of junky carbs but I'm not super strict with it either. Probably 2-3 days/week when I am with my boyfriend, I eat super healthy because I don't want to be gassy, but that also helps to keep the weight off. The other days of the week, I'm more relaxed with what I eat.

I had a fleur-de-lis with a circumferential belt lipectomy in 2023. I chose the fleur-de-lis portion due to the amount of vertical laxity. It cost $18,500.

Unfortunately, the surgeon did not remove sufficient excess skin around my torso. Once laying down, it slid off to the sides so much that it was deceptive in looking flat until I stood up. He waived his fee to revise, though I had to pay $1200 for the at cost fees for anesthesia and the in-house OR room.

Since I was going under again, I also chose to have my "saddle bags" removed so that if I wear leggings or a tight dress, I have a smooth line. That cost another $6,000.

While I wish my torso was a touch flatter, I'm happy enough with the results. Fortunately, my breasts faired really well through my weight journey since I am a naturally small breasted woman and I tended to be the "pair" shape when heavy so they weren't proportionately as big as one might have expected while heavy. I'm now a size 4-6, though usually a six.

I gained a substantial amount of weight by the time I was 15. Had the DS when I was 32, and I'm now 47.

So that's my weight loss, gain, loss, and plastics journey!

you can try Devrom. Www.devrom.com

just don't get the chewable ones. Any sweetener ending in "itol"will cause gas for us.
any thing made with wheat flour , even whole wheat , will be a problem.

10 years out and still have smelly gas. What can I take to help.

Charlie,

Over 22 years here for me to! From 400 to 160 still. BUT you are so right that we have to stay on top of all of our Vitamins and Dr visits and other stuff forever, it's the deal we make when we do DS !! Woo hoo

Is dry the only form that works for DSers?