For Vets More so than Newbies

Thank you so much for your response Gina.  You know that I appreciate you so very much.  You are a blessing to all of us on here.

Again, thank you!

here we go. I get bad gas and horrid bm's when I eat white flour products. BUT, I can eat Julian's Low Carb bread without any issues.

I am 2 years out and haven't reached goal. I am a revision from 2 other WLS. I developed an contained leak about 2 weeks after my initial surgery. Was hospitalized for about a week and on TPN for about a month, I think.

I have always been anemic, so getting iron infusions was something I figured I would have to have anyways.

I take potassium pills as well as other vitamins ( D, E, Calcium Citrate, K and A). Oh yeah and a  multi vitamin. I am vigilant with my meds and my vitamins. And adjust according to my labs.

Tomorrow I see an endocronologist about low blood sugar, which I experience from time to time. Same problem I had when I had the RNY.

I try my hardest to eat properly. Drink my protein shakes, etc. And most days I am just fine. I stay away from pasta and sweets and keep the sugar content down in my tea.

I drink about a gallon of liquids a day, sugar free.

Regrets... Wish i was losing weight. It's hard when you suffer from anxiety and use food as a coping mechanism. I'm working on new meds for that and my BiPolar.

This journey hasn't been easy. And it's far from over yet, even 2 years out. I still have a lot to learn about emotional eating and dealing with my problems without food as a crutch. If I hadn't had the DS, I know I would be 400lbs again. So, I'm happy about my decision.

Therapy helps, this site helps and I believe that I'll get all of this under control one day. I've been thru too much to give up on myself. Things are tough right now, but I survive.

If there's anything you need to ask, ask away. I never sugar coat anything. 

My DS will work and is working for me. I just have to learn to work for it.

Dana

Thanks for your openness Dana.  My husband is bipolar, so I know the battles you fight.  God be with you.

 Just saying.... Not everyone has complications.  Maddie has been through hell and back and she is my hero. But there are a lot of us out here that have had a fairly smooth ride. I believe the vets that have had complications have been open and shared their experiences with us.  I think a lot of people drop format he board because they are having a smooth ride and living their life. The new life is a big adjustment and a lot of mind ##### going on.  However, this is how I am doing.

Early out i went through ALL the normal post op stages that you hear everyone talk about. The good and the bad. Pain, ketosis smells, yellow baby poop,nausea, etc.  Even terrible buyers remorse.  I kept taking my prozac and took a little bit of ativan to help with the tough days.  I tried to sip sip sip and eat little bits and take my vitamins very slowly.  It was not a race like a previous poster said.  You have to go at your own pace and it will all fall into place.

The only trouble I have had was "GAS and Farting"and constipation. other then that I have had a great time. The constipation has been fixed with mag ox, alternating cheap calcium citrate with Vitalady calcium citrate and 3 stool softeners a day.I started with vitadadys plan on the vista. took me a good month to 2 to get the whole regime in.  I faithfully drank min of one protein drink a day, but mostly 2.  At about 10 months out I realized the IDS protien was making me gassy.  DUH. I have now switched to champion.  However, the champion did not agree with me early out.  

I am 11 months out. Have lost 100% of my EBW. I have never vomited. I take all my vitamins. my D and A were a wee bit low and that has improved.  Ferritin low, will see how 1 year labs look. If not may try for the infusions. 

So I guess what I am trying to say is... not everyone has complications.  So don't be scared.  

Just hold on tight because this is all craziness and an amazing ride. It is my miracle. 
And to add. all the people on this board are my heros. They were all here for me every minute post op. Big shout out to Lori B, major Mom , and Julie. 

Have a great day

Thanks Donna!

Hi Diane,
  I had some pretty bad complications with my surgery (leak, blood clot, g-tube, TPN, it goes on....).  I don't ever mind talking about it as I, too, agree that everyone should be well informed.  Indeed, I have mentioned my complications more than once on this board when the question of complications comes up.  I will admit to not volunteering the information as I'm sure people get tired of hearing it, I only talk about it when someone asks about complications specifically.
  If you, or anyone for that matter, is interested in my story I'll be more than happy to share.  I actually was trying to find it in my past posts but I'm just too darn tired to find it right now  lol.  These night shifts really get to you sometimes.  In fact, it might even be on my profile.....Will have to check that!
  Have a great day.
  Wenda
  Oops!  Edited for:  In my signature it states I had a leak and shows that my repair was done ten months later 

Thanks Wenda, would like to know more about your complications and what caused them.  Will check out your profile and you can PM me anytime.

I dunno, I try to be as informative as I can about what my DS experience is like; IMO much of what is posted here is always going to be slanted or colored by how the particular person views life in general. What I mean by that, for example is how I would see how eating carbs effect me compared to how others would view it. If I eat a lot of carbs; and I do mean a lot; I get gassy and more frequent loose stools. To me, this is not a complication or problem, it's just a natural consequence of deciding to eat things I know will effect me this way. If I choose to do this, there's no reason to post about because it's nothing new or out of the ordinary; it's a natural consequence and something every DSer should expect. But some people post about how bad their gas is and how they have loose stools etc. To me, this is just silly; everyone looking into getting the DS should have no question that this is a fact of life post DS. It's nothing to be surprised about or complain about; it's part of DS life.

I kept track in detail of my post op experience and difficult recovery and posted all about it on my profile page and I invite people to go there are read about my experiences. It takes time to retype the whole thing over and over and sometimes I really don't have time to do it here. So, I keep my profile public and anyone who wants to can read all about it.

I really think if people are getting the idea that the DS is a free ride, they're deluding themselves, there are plenty of posts daily about problems DSers are experiencing; if  pre-op is too lazy or blind to read about it, shame on them; it's not my problem, it's all theirs.

Being informed is my responsibility, informing you or anyone else is not my responsibility. I do what I can to help inform people, but it's all on them to find out the DS and what living the DS life is all about.

Kerry

" IMO much of what is posted here is always going to be slanted or colored by how the particular person views life in general."

I think you bring up a great point, Kerry.  Sia's post yesterday really got me to thinking about what I post here, and I guess a lot of the posts that I originate come off as life is all sunshine and roses.  I'll be completely honest...to me, NOW, life IS all sunshine and roses.  Why?  Because I am happy and healthy for the first time in like forever.  Becoming thin did not change who I am, but it sure did change how I view the world.  Little things don't bother me anymore...I now just believe that there are much bigger and better things to get myself all worked up about...like keeping myself healthy.  So yeah, my posts are colored by how *I* feel about my life. 

I, too, get bad gas and loose BMs if I eat stuff I shouldn't.  I know this is going to happen, I knew pre-op that this was in my control...not a complication, just a choice.  I take about 35 vitamins a day...when I tell people this, their jaws drop and they just can't believe I can "live like that."  Like what?  Healthy?  I have to take a PPI every morning as soon as I get up, and sometimes once or twice more each day...my GERD didn't get better after surgery or after losing all this weight...sometimes I think it got worse...but it's controllable, and it's something I've been dealing with for a long long time.  I have to drink two or three protein shakes a day to ensure I get in enough protein...can usually only eat a few bites of food at a sitting, and there are some foods that I just can't tolerate...again, "how can you live like that?"  Sure, it's a total mental adjustment.  Do I miss being able to eat like I used to?  Do I miss being able to eat all of the things that I used to?  Sometimes.  But mostly it just doesn't matter to me anymore, because my super food motivation that I had as a pre-op is also gone. 

You live, you (hopefully) learn, and you adapt.  The DS is a conscious decision, a choice and a chance at a better life.  There are no guarantees, but what in life is guaranteed?  Pre-op, I was guaranteed to keep getting bigger and to keep getting more comorbidities.  Now, I feel like I'm guaranteed to have a chance at the life I always wanted, and I am damn well going to do my part to try to take full advantage of that chance.  I read the posts about complications as the cautionary and informative tales that I think they are meant to be.  I read the posts celebrating successess and WOWs because the sap in me loves happy endings.  I tuck it all in my thinking cap and hold onto it for later, in case I need it.  But the rest of the time, I do my thing to take care of my needs in my situation...that's all any of us can do.