disco stu

Hey guys, I'm at the 10 month mark and just got my third round of blood tests for vitamins done. Consistently, I am low in vitamin D3, which I have a hard time understanding. After it came up low last time (about 3 months ago) they gave me a prescription for 50,000UI to take for 12 days, and ever since then I've been taking three 5,000ui caplets EVERY DAY.... according to the bottle, one 5k caplet is 1250% of daily requirements, so I'm taking 3750% of my daily requirement every day! Seems like overkill. But my blood test showed my D3 was LOWER than it was 3 months ago. NOTE: I live in San Diego, so even though it's winter, I get more sun than most. I'm asking the question here because the bariatric department for my medical plan mostly deals with sleeve and bypass, and doesn't have much experience with DS, SADis or SIPS, so they can't really tell me if this is normal or weird or what. They're response is to have me do another round of the 50,000 ui prescription. So, do any of you DS'ers have any knowledge around D3 deficiency? Is this a common thing? or is this just specific to me?

Hey guys, This may be a tough subject, but if it can't be discussed on an anonymous forum where we regularly discuss our bowel movements and farts, were else can it be discussed? I've kind of hinted at this in a couple of my previous posts, but four weeks ago, my issues with alcohol had gotten to the point that I finally had no choice but to start attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as well as various addiction treatment options provided through my health plan. For background on what I'm talking about, see: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/popular-weight-loss-surgery-roux-en-y-gastric-bypass-linked-to-alcohol-problems/ According to some studies, the odds of a post-bariatric patient having alcohol struggles goes up 28%. Wow. I've done a couple of searches on this board for alcoholism, and come up with basically zilch. Given the increased odds, how can that be? I can't possibly be the only one on here who can directly correlate my increased drinking to the date of my surgery. I bring this up, mostly because it's what I'm living right now, and I have a lot of information to share and well as unanswered questions. NOTE: I'm 13 days sober since making a few key changes in my vitamin intake, which has me very excited. Would love to start a discussion and share with anyone out there who is struggling. PM is fine as well. -ds

Unfortunately, it's a life long problem. You can't ever be 'cured' of alcoholism. The only solution is to NEVER drink again. THat's a real tough notion for most of us.

GOod luck

The struggle is real. I just had my first 'slip' after 54 days of sobriety. Sucks. I would recommend speaking to a psych about anti-depressants...specifically an SSRI. You have to play Russian Roulette a bit to find what works for your brain chemistry, but it's worth it. Made things a lot lot easier once I found the right combo. (low dose Celexa for me, but everyone is different)

That sucks. Good luck. Is the malabsorption apsect of SIPS still working? ie. are you still in the restroom all the time? oil slicks? etc...? I think I've gained a bit too in the last few weeks, but that's mostly Coors Light. hahaha Still, 212 has got to feel a lot better than 290, no?

A year ago, I went in for a Lap band to SIPS revision, but there were complications with the removal of lap band, so the surgeon cut things short and only did the sleeve portion of the procedure. I was massively disappointed (especially since I was self pay), but wasn't much I could do about it. I had good results initially. I lost 50 lbs during the first 'honey moon' 4-5 months, then things just stagnated. I dieted really really hard, went to gym every other day, and even tried Intermittent Fasting, but my weight would just bump around the same 3-4 lb range. I just was stuck. This went for 2-3 months, until I finally gave up, at which point the weight starting coming back pretty fast. Kinda crazy (and very $$$$) but I decided to go back in and have the SIPS procedure completed. My surgery was a few days ago. I now have a ton of questions post-op, but for starters, I'm wondering if anyone else out there is Sleeve to SIPS revision. I figure there can't be too many of us... My #1 question would be: Will there be another weight loss 'honey moon'? Or - since my sleeve wasn't touched - will my eating habits remain pretty much were they were pre-op? I ask because I've heard that the Sleeve is responsible for losing the weight, and the bypass part is responsible for keeping it off. Just curious.

Wow. Yeah. I can't really explain it. Must have something to do with my total disregard for a clean diet, but yeah, I poop A LOT. Like, A lot a lot. Like, I should invest in Sharmen and Cottonelle flushable wipes. It's 3:00 and I think I've been in the restroom at least eight times so far since getting out of bed. Part of it is that I've learned from painful experience to "never trust a fart",. so some times it's just a whole lotta gas and nothing else. But in general, I should consider changing my screen name to "oil slick" , since that's my default experience these days.

ALCOHOL One last thing: If you have any history of alcoholism in your family, be very very careful. Dr's haven't exactly figured out why, but rehabs are filled with Bariatric peeps. Some reports claim your odds of becoming a alcoholic after bariatric go up by 80%. Eighty. Much easier to never start than it is to quit.

Sure. I'm at about 18 months. FOODS Not nearly as sensitive to foods are I was, but I still feel like avocados do me in. Ice Cream. Beer. Basically sugar, carbs, wheat. VITAMINS I take two normal chewable bariatric vitamin in the morning (dosage is two). That seems to keep me covered for everything except D and calcium. Based on advice from this board, I now take 50,000 iu of D3 every day in capsule form. NOTE: THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT AND TOOK A YEAR BEFORE SOMEONE ON THIS BOARD CLUED ME IN: After this surgery, anything oil based goes through you like **** through a duck. This is in general a good thing. I can literally eat a stick of butter at every meal and it will not show up on waistline. BUT, this means that any vitamin or other drugs that are "Gelcaps" run through you without effect and do not absorb!! Most D3 is sold in gelcap form so you need to find a version that isn't. (I dont know what brand im using offhand, but if you ask I will go upstairs and figure it out.) . SInce switching to non-gelcaps, my D3 is right where it needs to be. I've also had issues with calcium, which is common. I recently switched to the more expensive version. Haven't been re-tested yet, but will report back after my next test. Lastly, I take generic Prilosec for heartburn. I didn't need to before surgery, but now its a must. I take one more 'vitamin' for joint issues, but that IMO is unrelated to bariatric. THat's it. Not the fistful of pills you sometimes see others taking. But Im SIPS- not full DS - one of the advantages of which is less vitamin issues BATHROOM Yeah, that's still major issue. 12 to 20 times a day. Usually explosive. Not quite as smelly as the early days, but....yeah... i **** A LOT. I usually have to get up 3 to 4 times a night still. And It isn't pretty. I carry wet wipes with me at in my back pack at all times, along with poopouri. Also, having a toilet brush in every bathroom in my house is a must. Sometimes I have to do cleanup duty in restaurant or other public bathrooms, just because I feel guilty about the damage I have created. Its really really wrong NOTE: I still eat fast food and all types of garbage. If I cleaned my diet, I assume things in the bathroom would improve. But I like fast food, and I still keep getting skinnier, so I guess the trade off is worth it.

I probably don't count as 'long term'....I'm at 18 months.... but I eat pretty shitty and haven't regained.

Best decision ever. It's a little tricky to talk about actual number of lost lbs for me, since I'm a dude and I started working out on weights a ton, and getting semi-jacked. but what a difference this has made in my life. Transformative. You should feel confident. I deleted most of my "fat pics", but I attached something that should give a general vibe...

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20190620/drug_alcohol_deaths_soar_after_weight-loss_surgery#1

awesome!

Im glad you've enjoyed the thread. I still try to check in from time to time. You almost cant compare sleeve to DS; they work in completely different ways. Yes, you eat less with sleeve....for awhile... but then things stretch and you end up pretty much back to where you started. DS works at your intestines; not stomach. It doesn't limit what you eat, but what you eat doesn't fully digest -especially fat- which means it doesn't end up on your belly and thighs. The downside is that the food that doesn't digest has got to go somewhere, and that somewhere is the toilet, which you will be visiting 2x to 5x your current norm, at all hours of the day and night. Takes some getting used to. Regardless, the best decision I ever made. Bottom line: Sleeve can work for some people; but only those with discipline. DS just works, regardless. I cheat all the time. All. the. time. Haven't re-gained any of the weight. Mini update: I still haven't broken the 200lb mark, which is frustrating. At same time, I go to the gym 5 days a week and mountain bike about the same. My waist line continues to shrink, and all my friends refer to me as "jacked" or "ripped." Little bit of a pooch still just at my belt line, but some of it is loose skin. Other than the two particularly nasty scars the surgeon left behind on my belly, It feels pretty good to take my shirt off at the beach or pool. Good stuff.

Mini-update: This is kinda gross, but it's something that's been on my mind for awhile now concerning the difference between full DS and mini DS\SIPS. THere's an article floating around that purports that the fat mal-absorption aspects of the newer mini-DS alternatives fade after a year, compared to the full, old-school DS. Well, I'm 14 months out, and had Taco Bell last night for dinner. Let's just say there was ample evidence this morning that my body is not absorbing fat...

UPDATE: Just got my latest labs back and my D3 has moved from 17 to 53. Woot! THanks @Postop for the recommendation and advice. In your opinion, should I continue to take 50,000 units every day, or should I back off from that now that I've got the D3 in the middle of the range?

I'm sleeve to DS (SIPs, actually.) . The recovery was a breeze. 1/10th that of sleeve. I was walking the same day and eating solid food two days later. Best decision I ever made.

Pros: It actually works, even if you're lazy and cheat./ Cons: It makes you poop a lot.

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY UPDATE: Wow. What a year. Bad news, good news. Bad news: I'm 3 lbs away from my goal weight. Bad news part II: It's clear that my goal weight was set to high. I need to lose at least another 10-20lbs. ack!!! Good news: Wouldn't change my decision to have SIPS in a million years. Yes, there are occasional "bathroom issues", but so worth it compared to my life beforehand. Bottom line for anyone still sitting on the fence: Unlike band and sleeve, SIPS works! And let me tell you why. I still have zero willpower, which is why I got fat in the first place and why after one year I have yet to reach my goal weight (although very very close). BUT. ... DS\SIPS gives me breathing room. If I wanna loose weight, I still gotta work for it. No free pass,. I have to eat healthy, and no over indulge. BUT.... When I'm can't take dieting any longer... I'm done with that **** and just want to eat pizza and wings and other yummy food....there are no consequences?!?!. I don't lose weight during these periods, BUT I DON'T GAIN THE WEIGHT BACK during these periods either. That has made ALL THE DIFFERENCE in the world!!!! Let's face it. I doubt there's a single person on this board that hasn't been able to string a diet together for a week, or two or six, only to finally give it up. And then see ALL the weight they worked so hard to lose come back... within days!!! ... or worse, and all too common, come back 3-10 lbs heavier than when they started the diet in the first place?!? Well, kiss those days goodbye. My weight loss is on me. But it's always a loss. never a re-gain. Wow! what a difference! For any of you out there contemplating DS\SIPS vs some other "less invasive" procedure - i.e. Sleeve - stop f**king around! This is the the solution. Go big or go home.

I encourage you to do some research on the connection between alcohalism and Bariatric patients. For some reason, it's not something people seem to want to discuss much around here, but it's a major problem and something you should be on the look out for...

Wish I could be more helpful. The "Duodenal Switch Surgery" forum on this site has been my go-to. It's a mixture of full DS and Sadi\Sips\mini DS'ers and doesn't get that much traffic, but the vets who regularly post here are informative and not Judgemental ( More than once I've gotten unloaded on at other sites by old school Full DS'er who seem genuinely pissed or threatened by Sips\Sadi\mini-DS'ers. Not pleasant.) I'd say something like 40% of the people on this forum are revisions from band or sleeve. I had both; Sips was my "third time is the charm" solution. Coming up on 1 year anniversary, and so far, so good. Regardless, I encourage you to post your questions, even if you're not sure this is "the right place." We'll do our best to get you the answers you need.

Odd question, but what the hey..... I'm 48 years old and have never been a coffee drinker. I always got my morning caffeine fix with a couple of Cokes (diet, but sometimes regular.) But this week I'm trying to kick the soda habit - for the 25th time - and as part of that, I'm thinking about taking up coffee. All of my loved ones are obsessed, so there must be something to it, right? Day one discovery: no way I can start with black coffee. Uggg! I've been fine - in fact enjoyed - Starbucks Frappicionos on occasion, but let's face it...those are basically milk shakes, with a ton of cream and sugar. Clearly sugar is a no-no for DS'ers, but what about the cream? Aren't we okay with fats, like butter? Would this mean that cream is okay? So day one, I got a black coffee and dumped a ton of just cream into it (or whatever is in the silver pitcher at Starbucks. I assume it's half-n-half? wasn't paying attention) and I was able to drink it fine. Purposely skipped any kind of sweetener. No sugar. No Splenda. My plan is to gradually lower the amount of cream, until I learn to enjoy it black, but that could take awhile. So, what's the verdict? Is cream ok for DS'ers?

No. RNY is different. https://www.dsfacts.com/comparison-of-ds-and-rny.php

@Postop I wanted to follow up on your comment about chewables. What's the issue there? Gummy vs non-gummy? I ask because I'm taking the Bariatric Advantage chewables now. The things are specifically designed for bariatric patients, but are you saying they're no good for DS'ers? thanks