Strivingforbetter

I also failed with the lap band, but have found great success with the DS. You'll find a whole new you staring back at you in the mirror a year after your surgery.

I lost 14 pounds the first month, which is huge for me. Weight steadily came off at about 2 pounds a week, but slowed to one pound a week the last few months of the first year. Overall, I lost 80 pounds in a year and have had about a 4 pound regain since having my surgery in 2017. Best decision I made for my health and well-being. I would recommend it to anyone with a BMI of over 40, which is where I started. Wish I could drop another 20 pounds, but this is where my body wants to be.

As you know, DS patients have been told that they will experience terrible smelling gas and bowel movements post-op. However, that's not what I want to address. What I've noticed is the overall odor of my body chemistry. Every single fluid that leaves my body has the same distinct, dusty smell about it. I can't describe it. It's kind of like dirty sand. My urine and everything else that's fluid that leaves my body has this odor. I'm wondering if my saliva also has this smell. Has anyone else noticed this? I'm 11 weeks post-op and honestly I can't stand this smell. Will this go away after I'm in maintenance? I've asked my family (specifically my husband) if they've noticed it, and they said they haven't.

You just can't eat that much. You'll know you're full because you'll feel a stabbing pain. I would also burp a little bit before I was full. I remember when I first ate a few solid foods I could only nibble tiny bits. Eating one scrambled egg was huge for me.

@kl4life2It's a big decision, but you're doing the right thing for your health and you've chosen the best surgery for weight loss. The first year your body won't like carbs or leafy foods, such as salads. They make you bloat up. After a year or so, your body starts to adjust and you can eat pretty much anything only in smaller portions. Really make that first year count because it gets harder to lose those big numbers after the honeymoon phase. Oh, and you won't die. I had the exact same fear. What helped me calm my fears was going on YouTube and watching videos of people who had the DS surgery and lived to tell the tale. I needed living proof people didn't die once their insides were readjusted. You'll be fine. I promise. You're going to have a better quality of life and you'll be around a lot longer.

@disco stuI agree. I feel the DS is the gift that keeps on giving. I'll be two years post op this June, and I haven't regained any weight since my surgery. That in itself is a miracle for me. I'm not a perfect eater, but the DS keeps the weight off. I have a handful of funny bathroom stories since having the surgery, but I have zero regrets. I love the fact that I'll never wear a size 2x shirt again. I wear a size 8 pants and medium shirts. I read about sleeve patients gaining 20 pounds to half their weight back their second year, so I definitely feel the DS was the right surgery for me.

I had the traditional DS a year and a half ago, and I don't have chronic diarrhea. Anyone who eats with me would never know I had weight loss surgery. Because of the malabsorption component of my surgery, it helps me maintain my weight. I don't have any regrets except I wish I had asked for my common channel to be shorter. Mine is 1.5 times longer than the average DS patient, and I think it made my weight loss slower. My surgeon felt this was a good length for me because I started out with a lower BMI than the average DS patient. Turns out, the body knows where it wants to level out (maintain) on its own.

Pretty much the case the first year, then things change but never back to what things were pre-op. Those days are gone forever.

Yeah, you just wait.....:)

Dr. Rodrick McKinlay in Salt Lake City, Utah is also an expert DS surgeon. He did my DS in 2017, and I would highly recommend him. He has also trained other surgeons in the procedure.

This has been widely discussed on this site, and you'll find that people have strong opinions for either keeping it a secret or telling all. I personally have kept my surgery private. Only my husband and children know. I don't feel obligated to tell anyone my personal medical history. I wouldn't expect someone to tell me they had a vasectomy. It's none of my business. I've changed my eating habits, so I tell them what my diet consists of but leave it at that. Too many people want to criticize another person for his/her life decisions, and I don't have time for that. I'm focusing on being positive and healthy and don't need the drama, especially at work.

Every morning, first thing after I wake up, I have to use the bathroom for a BM. Typically, this is the major one of the day with 2-3 other smaller ones throughout the day. But every once in a while I have a day where that's all my body wants to do and I have 4-5 that day. Those days I'm thinking, "What's going on?" It's nothing to be concerned about, just the body taking care of business.

Congratulations on getting your DS! You're in for some amazing changes in your health. The DS is hands down the best thing I could have done for myself. This will be a year of big changes for you. Enjoy the journey.

I started out weighing almost exactly where you started, and we seem to have lost the same amount. i'm also 5'4". I've had a few people ask me how much I've lost total, but I never tell them because I don't want them getting suspicious about how I lost it. Most people don't lose 80 pounds on their own. I've never had anyone tell me to stop losing, and I've maintained for the past 6 months. I think my inherited thicker legs must be the reason no one tells me to stop losing. They're a family heirloom (not one I cherish). I wear a size 8 pants and a medium top. Since losing the weight, my skin has tightened up considerably on my arms, butt, and under my chin. I feel I look normal and healthy now, not too skinny, so maybe that's why no one is alarmed I've lost 80 pounds. I don't look underweight, just normal. However, I do plan on losing another 10-15 before my tummy tuck this summer.

Has anyone had a tummy tuck without muscle reconstruction? Due to an incisional hernia repair I had 22 years ago, I'm not a candidate for muscle repair. One surgeon said that in pulling the muscles tight, it would make the mesh covering my hernia repair act like an accordion and cause chronic pain. However, I desperately want to rid myself of my abdominal overhang for a slimmer look in my clothes. I realize I might not have as tight of a stomach without the muscle repair, but I think it will make a world of difference to remove "the blob." I'm going in for a second consultation with a different surgeon next month. Anyone have this same issue?

@Tink11 Such good advice! And I can relate to the rank smell of gas waking you up at night. Been there several times. I'm a year and a half post-op and currently maintaining, but I plan to go back on plan soon. The DS has worked miracles helping me to maintain since summer (my eating habits haven't been on point), and I'm so grateful for this tool. There's no doubt I would have gained by now without it, especially this time of year. It's a gift that keeps on giving. Thank you for the eating tips. They're a good reminder.

@deltagirl93 I like how you said you know your crowd. That's exactly the reason why I didn't tell anyone either. People at my work are dog eat dog, meaning they will throw you under the bus given the chance. There's no way I'd give them personal information so they can gossip. I also revised from the band to the DS. I lost maybe 8 pounds on the band and then started gaining. So glad I never told anyone about that surgery either. I don't feel obligated to share my personal medical history with people. Everyone knows weight loss surgery is an option, so it's not like I have the corner on the market. If they really want to be proactive, they can go after it like I did. I like keeping my world private.

And I rarely hear of other DS patients, which is the surgery I chose. It's always a good feeling to know you made a good decision and it's working for you.

When I was 220, I had one knee replaced that was bone on bone. I couldn't stand for longer than 15 minutes without having aching pain. It got so that I could barely walk from my office to the copy room. Two years after I had my knee replaced, I had the DS. Now I'm down 80 pounds and feel like a new person. Everything is so much easier. I can feel my other knee wearing down, so I know in a few years I will need to replace it because the damage has been done, but I still don't have as much pain in my feet, hips, and knees as when I had the weight on. The DS isn't done as much as the sleeve or gastric bypass, but I'm very happy with the results. Maintenance has been easier than I thought and I don't feel deprived.

I have a very supportive husband, but I agree with @Jingle123423. I would still do it if he hadn't been. Sometimes people just don't understand, due to ignorance, how much this improves a person's overall well-being. If they knew, they would be more supportive. Education is key. I wish you the best. I've lost 80 pounds and having this surgery was the best thing I've done for my health. I didn't give up. I had the courage to do something about the problem.

@@disco stu 250 cm seems way too long. I confirmed with my surgeon at my one year appt that mine was 150 cm. Anything shorter seems like you wouldn't have the malabsorption component. That's interesting. So are you saying instead of the DS, what you got was just the sleeve?

My common channel is 150 cm. A traditional one is usually 100 cm. I would recommend going with 100 cm because you'll lose weight faster and your body will find its lower set point closer to your goal. I worried I would lose too much weight, but now I wish I didn't have the extra length in my channel so my set point was lower.

You're going to rock that swimming suit and make your sister green with envy. Embrace the positive changes that are coming your way. You'll be a much slimmer you and you'll feel more confident. Loose skin is part of the weight loss journey, but that's something that can be addressed at a later time and is much less of an issue than being obese.

@Kat11929 I had the traditional full DS in June 2017 and have lost 80 pounds. I started with a BMI of 40 and have decreased it to a low 26. Another three pounds and I'll have a BMI of 25. Because of my lower starting BMI, my doctor made my common channel a little longer than most normal DS patients. I wear a size 8 pants and medium top. I only take 2 chewable calciums, two ADEK vitamins, and one B12 a day. I don't feel that's unreasonable and my blood levels are excellent. I have opted to include an additional vitamin D3 because we don't get a whole lot of sun year round here in Utah due to the inversion. I've never had a problem with constipation. I do get gas in the evening sometimes if I eat the wrong things. My health has improved significantly. While I didn't have any co-morbidities except being overweight, my quality of life is much improved. As Discostu stated, tying my shoes used to be a breath holding experience, and now it's no big deal. I'm no longer embarrassed to have my picture taken, which is huge for me. My double chin is gone, something that has haunted me for the past 20 years. Would I have the DS surgery again? In a heartbeat.

@Rosang3 You're starting at almost exactly where I started with my stats. I'm excited for you. You'll be amazed at how much you'll change over this coming year.