Hi DS people....I have had no surgery yet....lol...but have a question or two..
I notice most people only have sugar-free food/drinks...and, of course, I understand that reasoning as far as calories, etc.  I guess I just wonder if anyone has concerns about having aspartame so much - is it possible to have some items in their "regular" form (with sugar/fat/etc)....or is this totally taboo?
Also...what happens when you do consume sugar/fats?.....all the details would be great!

I don't have aspartame. I do other sugar free sweetners. Truvia, splenda. Agave ( though it is high in carbs)I think the thing about sugar is that we absorb 100%. It can keep you from losing weight and spike your blood sugar. It can also be a trigger for for a lot of people and cause you to go crazy with it or carbs. I know people who only use sugar but for me it is a really slippery slope. A lot of people get really bad gas with carbs and sugar. I don't have the physical issues but I can't stop once I start. When you are out of the losing weight phase some people are fine with sugar but most people agree that it is a bad idea while you are trying to lose. Fats are fine for most of us. We need more fat because we don't absorb much of it. Also, because all of the vitamins we have to take a lot of us get constipated. However, you may get "oil slicks" (just oil coming out in the toilet) if you have too much.

I was wondering the same thing.  I am pre op, but I currently use Truvia as sweetener for my coffee/tea.  I actually like it better than sugar!  So, Truvia/Stevia is ok post op?

I try to use Truvia and Splenda only, but you're right, with all the SF we eat it's hard and you have to read the labels carefully. :)

--gina

Yes indeedy! They are great post op. Actually, some studies show that truvia/stevia are best for you. I prefer truvia. Less of an after taste.

I mix it up.  I have to have my diet coke, and I've tried coke zero and it doesn't taste right.  That's my only aspartame.  I love splenda otherwise, or just plain sugar if it's in small amounts.  If I eat too much, I get gas.  If I eat a little - no problem. 

Fats - I enjoy as much as I possibly can.  I do NOT steer away from them at all.

thanks so much ladies - I guess I was just getting the impression all over the forums, that no one was eating or drinking anything "full" fat or sugar...which I was a bit skeptical about...

Everything I have read on the DS forums is that people eat full fat mayo, cheese, milk, etc.  Correct me if I'm wrong...

well, that's good - in my opinion....maybe it's the RNY peoples that don't want to have that stuff, I dunno...lol

 RNYers can dump on fat and sugar.  DSers malabsorb 80% of the fat we eat, so trust me, it's SO a non-issue.  Sugar isn't malabsorbed, so we need to be mindful of how much we consume, and some do get gas from it and flours.

I eat full fat everything!!!! I also drink at least 6 coke zeros a day. Aspartame doesn't seem to bother me. I don't search out substitutes for anything. Except splenda for the flourless pb cookie!!!!

interesting....is it the RNY then that end up with "foamies", vomiting, etc...because sweets/fat can't be tolerated? 

Some RNYers 'dump' on sugars---this is an insulin reaction that's very unpleasant. Some of them also react badly to fats as well, but this isn't true dumping---it's probably bile-related. But MOST people with the RNY avoid sugars and fat because of CALORIES, pure and simple.

As a DSer, I eat full-fat over low- or non-fat every time. When a food item has fat removed, that fat has to be replaced with something---and it's usually carbs. As a DSer, I'm only going to absorb about 20% of the fat I eat (and if I don't eat enough of it, I get constipated!), so why would I choose a higher-carb, more expensive, and (for me) less healthy alternative?

I don't do aspartame if I can avoid it at all---I dislike the taste of it, and it gives me headaches. I've NEVER done 'diet' sodas---if I'm going to drink soda, it's going to the 'The Real Thing' (yes, Coca-cola Classic!), not that I often drink soda. (I just don't like it like I did pre-op.) 

I drink tea sweetened with Splenda all day long. I avoid sugar alcohols, too---bad gas! I eat things sweetened with real sugar, but in moderation. I make home-made ice cream with Splenda and heavy cream---you can even add protein powder to the recipe!