Postop

Hello, Mike.

By 7 weeks I would think you'd be eating more. You say you're vomiting after eating and they tested for a leak. What about a stricture? Have they looked for that?

It's a modified form of the DS. Dr. Roslin of Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC is one who does it.

Sure thing. Any questions or help I can give , feel free.

Sorry, they should be visible in my signature right under each post. Maybe you can't see the link unless you're on a tablet or computer. The weight loss has been good. That, eating and maintaining are part of the beauty of the DS.

Take a look at my pics and you'll see.

Hello to a new DSer. First let me say I only took chewables for the first few months or so. After that it was 2 regular multis a day. (Of course, along with a whole lot of other vits and minerals). Personally, I didn't care for unjury. However, many do so it's probably worth trying. Since I couldn't eat enough for the first 2 years, I drank one shake a day. I didn't love them but they were palatable. I used Muscle Milk and Myloplex. They came in 4 packs and were premade. So I never had to use powder or mix anything.

Tremendous news.

I guess it could happen with any lap abdominal surgery. I don't know of it being common with the DS, though.

I sent you a PM.

Have you a surgeon in mind?

You sound like a busy lady. Are you looking to go back to Mexico to revise?

i know people who've had revisions if they've lost too much. If you don't lose enough some have had their sleeves re-trimmed.

I had the DS 11 years ago this April. 80-100 is the low end of protein. Most DSers I know eat 125+ a day. I'm constantly eating. I don't expect your daughter to do this now. Her stomach has been changed from a 21 year old woman to an infant's. She has to totally relearn how it works. It takes a while to figure it out. Right now at a month out she's not going to be very interested in food. liquids are the most important. That why a protein shake is so important. Liquid and protein in one pkg. I'm very glad she can add the fish. Gradually, she'll add more and more. It takes time. I couldn't do hotdogs or tomato sauce for over a year. We're all so different. Some people couldn't stand food smells and their tastes really changed. Yes, I take over 40 vits/minerals a day. It isn't that much in the beginning, but as you have your blood done (yearly or every 6 mos. depending on your surgeon) your vits/minerals are tweaked b/c you're malabsobing. That the beauty of the DS. The malabsorption helps w/the weight loss and keeping it off; however, you must be vigilant about your vits/minerals for the rest of your life! To PM me, go to the top right of the page and find the envelope.

Hi, You need to remember DSers don't count calories. We're most concerned with protein grams. The Cookies you're eating: the calories aren't the problem; it's the sugar grams. DSers absorb 100% of sugar and simple carbs. But that means we can eat tons of protein and fats. We can also eat constantly. There is no such thing as grazing for us. I eat every couple of hours. I always have nuts with me. I eat Swiss cheese and cold cuts on the run. Even a protein bar( < 8 g arms of sugar) might be good for you. Or how about this: I don't want to feel deprived. So I'll often (just did it) go to a Burger King or other FF restaurant and order a triple with cheese. I love it and the meat and fat do nothing to me. The more protein I eat, the more I lose. The trick is to eat inside the bun. I don't want the bun b/c it's too filling and I don't want the carbs. I'll get 2 if I want it. You need to try and start thinking like DSer again. Remember this is a great surgery for those who want to eat! Eat tons of protein ( I eat 125 grams+ a day and more when I want to lose ) and get your liquids in. You'll lose.

Double post.

I can forward to you (by email) documents if you PM me your address. My surgical team gave food suggestions, etc. The rule of thumb is 30 grams of Protein at 30 days out, 60 grams at 60, etc. However, this didn't work for me. I couldn't eat a lot for a long time. Therefore, she should try and have a Protein shake each day. Should have < 8 grams of sugar and over 10 grams of protein. Like Muscle Milk or Myloplex. This counts as protein and liquid. If I wasn't hungry I just forced myself. I had to do it for the entire first year and sometimes later on if I wasn't hungry or just couldn't get in enough protein. The goal is 125+ grams of protein as she goes on. It's great because you can eat protein constantly (I eat every couple of hours), feel satisfied and not deprived and lose weight at the same time. Hopefully, the lactose Intolerance is temporary. Many of us get it for the first year. I used lactaid pills and ate lactose free cheese/milk, etc. Once she can begin to try different things; If they don't agree with her, then wait a week or so and try again. Hydration is still very important at her stage.

100cc. It's been fine.

So glad to hear you've made it home. Sorry you're in pain. Hope you're taking something they gave you for it.

Hi, DSers need at least 125mg. per day. Most eat more.

Here you go! Link I can also email you the documents my surgeons and DS nutrits. give us. They include sample meal plans, what to eat when, vits/minerals, etc. If you're interested, PM me with your email addy.

Hi @@Kim Smith. When your doctor says you need 150gr/protein/day; it doesn't matter how much your body is absorbing. We all need a great deal of protein each day. I probably eat about 150gr/protein/day and I'm almost 11 years out. I don't eat shakes, bars, etc. Haven't for years. Just food. That's the best way a DSer can get his/her protein in. I would be so hungry if I were doing shakes or bars to replace food. I eat every 2-3 hours (even at work). eclecticwingtips has a good idea. I cook every few Sundays: turkey burgers, inexpensive steaks, lamb chops on sale, hamburgers (80% fat). Then I freeze them and just heat them up in the microwave when I get home. I take tuna to work, or get a double meat sandwich in the cafeteria (I generally don't eat the bread, though; too filling and I don't want the carbs). I also buy a cooked roast chicken. It's isn't costly and I get 3-4 lunches out of it. I have nuts with me at all times. I keep Greek full fat yogurt (plain, I add what I want), cold cuts and cheeses in my refrigerator. I don't eat many carbs. Besides making me gain weight, I get foul smelling gas and I don't want that in public. When I do eat carbs and sugar (and I do!) it's done in the privacy of my apartment. Really, what you need to do is cut out those carbs and substitute protein. You'll feel better and lose weight. Try this: As I take classes, too; I often go to McDonald's or another ff place for a snack. I get a triple with catsup and cheese. I don't eat the bun (too filling and too many carbs) but I eat inside the bun. So I'm full, happy, satiated, don't feel deprived, etc. Also, when did you last do your bloods? You said you're not feeling well and it hasn't gotten better. You need to known your Iron, zinc, etc. As you said, you really shouldn't be giving plasma. I used to give blood 2x/year, but was told by my surgeons that ended with the DS.

These are natural thoughts. You might be angry when people look at your differently and/or say you're too thin. I certainly get that. [Esp. since the DS kind of redistributes the fat around your body on many of us.] I never had much of a bust before so that hasn't changed for me. But I have no butt. And very think skin on my arms, etc. (It does make it easy to draw blood which is a good thing. They never have trouble seeing my veins, lol.) My face is also very thin. Little fat there anymore. We're all different, but many often have a different fat distribution on their bodies. As for clothes, many use thrift shops or heavily discounted outlets during the heavy weight loss phase. It's true you won't be able to wear the clothes you have now (possibly some of the shoes -- I went down a full size and couldn't.) Regarding recognizing yourself in the mirror: most don't. They still think they look big. I've found it often depends how long you've been big right before you have surgery. For instance, I'd lost a lot of weight in the mid-90s (ah, Fen-Phen ) and kept it off till the early 2000s. Then I got really big again. So it was only about 5 years that I had it back on before I had the DS. Therefore, when I had the DS and the weight came off, I saw it right away and knew what I looked like. Still do. Others I know were big for 10, 20 years. They seem to have a much harder time realizing what they look like now, post DS. Just a theory I've floated around, but often seems to fit. Friends and family: it's hard to say. I told no one except my immediate family and physicians. Still haven't. It's a personal choice and certainly not one for everyone. POSTOP: Thanks for your reply, I sure appreciate you! I have been overweight for a good part of 23 years. I did the FenPhen thing to and dropped down to a size 6. I was running every day and although my weight was 145 I was skinny as a rail due to the exercising. As soon as I dropped the pills the weight started to creep up again. I was always trying this diet or that diet and never got back below 170. About 2004 is when I really started to creep up again and have been over 200 lbs ever since and as of about 5 years ago I creeped up even further to where I am now. I have been overweight so long that in the back of your mind you wonder if having surgery is going to be a quick fix like FenPhen again. You know the fear of losing it all and then so fearful you will regain it that you do everything to the extreme to avoid that happening again. I am so nervous right now and I am only 3 days out before surgery. I noticed you had surgery in 2005, can you tell me how has life been for you for these past 10 years? Has it gotten easier to maintain the weight and keep it off? And is there anything you can advise to a newbe to this procedure? You're in for some ride. Post DS life has been pretty good. I did have to have my gb removed (2008) and hernias done about a month ago. Right now I'm having some issues b/c I had to have an antibiotic shot with the hernia surgery and antibiotics are tough on DSers. I find it easier to keep the weight off post DS because I can eat as much Protein as I want. And I do. I eat every couple of hours; whenever I want. When I put on a few, I just eat more protein and drink liquids. The trick is to eat and eat and eat protein. It really helps you lose and keeps you satisfied. I always have nuts, cheeses, cold cuts in my home. Nuts are always in my bag, too. I will often go to McDonald's or some other ff place for a snack. I order a triple w/cheese & catsup. I just eat the insides and throw away the bun (too filling, don't want the carbs [usually], and the carbs give me gas & I don't want that at work, lol). My advice is be most concerned about hydration for the first few weeks. Sip, sip, sip. That's so important. I got dehydrated at about 6 weeks out. It's not uncommon. Food is less important. The week after surgery my Breakfast was 1 tsp. of scrambled eggs. That was it. Couldn't eat another bite. Nowadays, 3 eggs with cream cheese and salami (it takes 2 sittings to eat it, though). Also, try to walk. I walked around the floor that first night in the hospital. I walked 4x a day in the small garden near my apt. It was tiring, but important. Best of luck to you!

These are natural thoughts. You might be angry when people look at your differently and/or say you're too thin. I certainly get that. [Esp. since the DS kind of redistributes the fat around your body on many of us.] I never had much of a bust before so that hasn't changed for me. But I have no butt. And very think skin on my arms, etc. (It does make it easy to draw blood which is a good thing. They never have trouble seeing my veins, lol.) My face is also very thin. Little fat there anymore. We're all different, but many often have a different fat distribution on their bodies. As for clothes, many use thrift shops or heavily discounted outlets during the heavy weight loss phase. It's true you won't be able to wear the clothes you have now (possibly some of the shoes -- I went down a full size and couldn't.) Regarding recognizing yourself in the mirror: most don't. They still think they look big. I've found it often depends how long you've been big right before you have surgery. For instance, I'd lost a lot of weight in the mid-90s (ah, Fen-Phen ) and kept it off till the early 2000s. Then I got really big again. So it was only about 5 years that I had it back on before I had the DS. Therefore, when I had the DS and the weight came off, I saw it right away and knew what I looked like. Still do. Others I know were big for 10, 20 years. They seem to have a much harder time realizing what they look like now, post DS. Just a theory I've floated around, but often seems to fit. Friends and family: it's hard to say. I told no one except my immediate family and physicians. Still haven't. It's a personal choice and certainly not one for everyone.

I eat sauce and meat and sausage. The Pasta is just too filling.