Hello, all.  I am considering finishing my sleeve to DS.  I am at my pre sleeve weight.  I have read all the info on this site and on DS Facts but am interested in peoples' personal experiences.  I have a few questions:

1.  If you were to eat a chicken breast sandwich, could you eat the bun?

2.  Can you eat potatoes?

3.  I have had reactive hypoglycemia since my sleeve...Will that get worse or stay the same?

4. I sometimes get diarrhea now after a meal.  Do you think this would get worse after the switch, and is it mostly caused by simple carbs  (sugar?) after the switch? 

5. How many times a day do most of you take your vitamins? 

I'm sure I have more questions, but will sign off for now.  Thanks in advance.

Welcome! :)

1. I have trouble eating chicken breast at all. Usually too dense and dry for me. I could eat fried chicken breast but it would have to be very moist. I probably would chose not to eat bread with chicken white or dark meat.

2. I do like potatoes and eat them at least once a week.

3. I would guess that your RH might stay the same if you eat or drink carbs and sweets. Low carbing is still a good way to go--keep sugar and carbs to a minimum but oils and fats are ok.

--gina

 

Thanks, Gina.

My sleeve is like having nothing, I have no problems eating a whole chicken breast.  I was very disappointed in getting the sleeve.

I just would find it easier to eat more meats with a bun or slice of whole wheat toast.  When I have tried very low carb eating in the past I felt very shaky, low blood sugary etc.

I'm only 9 weeks out from surgery, so I can't really answer your first 4 questions. I've got an answer for #5, though. I take vitamins 4 times a day. I follow Vitalady's plan for DSers & will adjust what I take after I get labs drawn in 3 weeks. Here's a link to the vitamin regimen for you:

http://www.gblcreations.com/Resources/Gina/ProgramDRNY_ERNY_BPDDS3-2010.pdf

Good luck with your research!

 Everything that major mom GIna said.  I can not eat chicken breast at all.  I have learned that carbs is what cost all of my bathroom problems.  With DS you have to remember that it is important to take your vitamins and remember that protein is important.  Sugar is really bad for you with any type of WLS.  I do not eat potatos because I feel bloated afterward.  I advise you to read and check out DS Facts.

Do you guys think your difficulty with chicken breast is due to your sleeve being small or the switch portion?

Sleeve is small. When you get the switch you may want to talk to your surgeon about decreasing the size of your sleeve if it's larger than he thinks it should be. The restriction part is just as important as the malabsorption part.

--gina

For me, chicken breast tends to "swell up" when I drink after eating it, making my sleeve feel overfull, and most often resulting in losing my lunch/dinner. I think that's what makes chicken breast such a problem for most DSers.
I stick mostly to dark meat now, but if I do eat breast meat, I've learned to eat smaller portions, and to eat it very slowly, to give it time to leave the sleeve and make room for more.

I still eat potatoes, but they have never been one of my favorites, so I just use them as a side dish occasionally. Rice is my favorite complex carb!

I have never had RH with or without the DS. The DH will firm up as you get further out.

I take vites 6 times a day, separating calcium from all other vites and minerals except D and magnesium.

 1)  I'll start with an article I dontated to dsfacts.com:

Many fresh post-ops have discovered that chicken breast might not be the easiest meat to eat. I've got a couple of suggestions for y'all, and some of them work on any meat, but the mention of chicken comes to mind the most as I just read about someone's struggles with chicken early out.

Best Advice Ever!
Pound your meat!! Place the breast filet between wax paper or in a Ziploc and pound it with a flat mallet or rolling pin until it's about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. This breaks up the fibers in the chicken, making it easier to chew.

Brine your meat!
I do this with chicken as well as pork. Soak in sal****er, garlic and spices (I also do Worcestershire) for about 30 min. It makes it nice and juicy.

Slow cook your meat!
Cook on low, poach, or bake with sauce.

Finally, as goes with any meat, add sauce, gravy or just plain butter. Some extra added stuff just makes it easier to eat overall.

2)  I enjoy potatoes a few times a week.  They're a complex carb so we dont absorb as much as simple carbs, but its exremely high on the glycemic index just the same.  French fries for some reason get caught up if I eat them too fast.  

3) no reactive hypoglycemia.

4) I take vitamins 4-5 times a day - most before lunch


 

I can already eat a whole chicken breast, but was wondering if I would be able to eat it on a small bun.

Thanks

 Probably not for a long time.  Today, some 7 yrs out, I'll eat a few bites of a sandwich to enjoy the complete creation, then I start to dissect it....even today.

1. If you were to eat a chicken breast sandwich, could you eat the bun?
I sometimes get a chicken breast sandwich at Wendy's...extra mayo...and I eat most of the bottom bun with it. Not something I would be able to eat quickly because it would sit heavy.

2. Can you eat potatoes?
*sigh* I wish I couldn't sometimes! I can eat potatoes for sure and love them.

3. I have had reactive hypoglycemia since my sleeve...Will that get worse or stay the same?
I'm not sure. I had reactive hypoglycemia with my RNY and my revision to DS actually cured that problem but that's because I got my pyloric valve back.

4. I sometimes get diarrhea now after a meal. Do you think this would get worse after the switch, and is it mostly caused by simple carbs (sugar?) after the switch?
Not sure but I would think it would at least stay the same if not be worse. Too many simple carbs at once, sugar alcohols and lactose seem to be mentioned here as triggers.

5. How many times a day do most of you take your vitamins?
Big batch in the morning, calcium 4 times a day and small night batch.

I'm sorry the sleeve has been a disappointment, I know how frustrating it is to have a weight-loss surgery fail you.

1. I can, and often do, eat a whole sandwich, complete with bun. I'm not a big fan of chicken breast meat, unless it's cooked in a sauce, or cooked by KFC. (*grin*)

2. I eat potatoes frequently, but I eat them with lots of butter and often with cheese, too.

3. I have no experience with RH, and I have no idea whether adding the Switch will help.

4. Again, no experience with this. The only diarrhea I've had post-op was the result of food poisoning.

5. I take my vites 4 times a day.

Are you planning on getting reSleeved, as well as adding the Switch?

Actually, I would like to get at least a barium swallow to check sleeve against post op
x- ray....Don't know if he'll be willing to do smaller sleeve, but that would be awesome, for sure.

Thanks for responding, Ms Batt, maybe I will still be able to eat sandwiches, too!

My sleeve certainly doesn't seem to compare with others' experiences.

ooooooo the chicken.... lol

i can eat it but very slowly and with lots of fluids. if you don't chew and eat slow it can hurt:( i like dark meat better since it tends to hold grease more:) honestly though lots of other easier and yummier choices when it comes to meat..... prime rib comes to mind mmmmm

I've never liked the dryness of chicken breast--now KFC's Grilled thighs---mmm!! I'm in Heaven! Also, I've never much liked fast food buns. Like Val, I dissect my sandwiches, or order the burger without a bun.

I like potatoes, but I can't eat them if I am in public---make me gassy!

No idea on the RH. I guess that I am very lucky there.

No diarrhea for me. All the calcium I ingest plugs me right up.

7 x a day on the supplements, but I have poor calcium uptake, thus have to keep a steady feed on it.

Susan

 1. I have eaten an occasional bun and/or bread with my meal but the white refined flour in most buns give me bad gas and sometimes I end up using the toilet frequently the following day.  If I do indulge in high carb bread I plan for it.  One thing I have concluded is that foods effect DS'ers differently from person to person. Just because I have a problem with gas and runs with white flour doesn't necessarily mean that another DS will have the same issue.   

 I didn't start eating simple carbs until I was close to my goal weight but this was my personal preference. Just remember that the more refined the carb the more calories are that are absorbed.

2. Yes, I love potatoes and I eat them pretty frequently now in all forms. Potatoes don't bother me at all so I try and eat my protein first and have my potatoes.  I love a baked potato with a lot of butter and sour cream!

Like the bread I didn't start eating potatoes until I was closer to goal weight.  I know that potatoes could eventually catch up to me and either start bothering me like white flour or that I could put on some weight due but for now I eat them pretty freely.

3. I don't have any experience with RH.  Hopefully the DS surgeon you consult with can better answer or question or one of the vets has some words of wisdom for you.

4. I had IBS prior to the DS and I still have some issues with it but it seems I can control it by cutting out simple carbs.  I have noticed that earlier this week I started having issues with beans which I have not had in the past.  I hope this passes soon since I tend to eat a lot of beans with my meat. 

5. I take my vitamins in about 6 doses throughout the day.  I was never a diligent pill taker prior to my DS surgery but I am now and it has become second nature.  I really benefit from having a monthly pill organizer and can now take a handful of vits in about two mouthfuls washed down with whatever I am drinking. 

When I started my WLS journey I was set on the sleeve.  Due to insurance issues I was not eligible for the sleeve so I started investigating the DS.  I am so happy that I did, after a year living with my DS I now know I don't think I would have been very successful with just a sleeve.  There are many days I feel like I can eat the same volume of food that I did pre-op.  Is the DS for everyone?  No, but it was the best option for me and my particular needs. 

Thanks for all the help and good information!

 1) I have trouble with chicken. Unless its really moist - usually shredded in a sauce. For sme reason, I can also eat chickfila nuggets. I can eat a few bites of a bun on other things like hamburgers, but if I eat more than a bite I pay for it later with gas. (no pain, just smell)

2) yes I eat potatoes. Usually just a few bites (or a handful of chips) because they're really filling! 

3) I don't have any experience with RH. 

4) a lot of sugar can give me really loose stools. Not really dhr, since it isnt out of control but definitely loose & urgent. again no pain but annoying. Sometimes I plan for it if the sugar treat is worth it.  

5) I take vites 4x a day. 

1.  Yes, I eat the bun.  Not so for a few years but now I do.  I can eat a few fries with the chicken sandwich too.

2.  Love potatoes of all kinds.  No digestive problems with them either.

3.  Not sure of this one.

4.  I've had diarrhea so few times with the DS, I really try to eat good for the most part.

5.  Ideally it would be 3 times, most of the time it is a big batch in the morning and evening.  Never do I miss those 2 batches.

I also kept my carbs really low until I reached goal which was about 1 year after surgery.