I was never scared of the DS. I am almost 18 years post-op but I was also in my mid-40's when I chose to have WLS. I guess I'm the opposite of PattyL - I've had issues absorbing certain vitamins even though I am very compliant with everything related to the DS and have been since before day 1. I've been at my goal weight for 16 of those 18 years and have no trouble maintaining my weight. I eat a ton of protein but also eat a ton of carbs - it's finding the balance that works for me. Sometimes I feel like my life revolves around food but I'm ok with that ;)

I have battled iron deficiency anemia for almost the entire time. I was fortunate to find a great hematologist who understood malabsorption and has worked with me for years. The last infusion has lasted almost 3 years :) I also have osteoporosis. I don't know if it's related to the DS or genetics - probably a little of both. I've tried Reclast but that didn't work. I'm currently working with my doctor to try another drug. I take a ton of vitamins and now that I'm approaching retirement age, I honestly think about how I'm going to maintain this when I'm 85-90 years old.

Yes you are a lightweight. Interestingly I am 5'2" (I used to be 5'3" but the osteoporosis) and weigh about 150. I am "overweight" according to the BMI calculator. IMHO the BMI is BS - it means nothing. Outside of the saggy skin (I did have a TT and a breast lift) life is good. You're 1 inch shorter and only weigh 18 pounds more than I do. How low do you expect to go with the DS?

I hope you hear from others who are in a similar situation as you. What I've read on these boards and heard from others is that some people don't lose as much as they had hoped for when doing the switch in two parts. No one seems to know why. Some are successful (losing the weight they wanted to), but some are not.

You have to decide what is most important to you in life and then go for that. If you get DS, then you realistically have to accept all of the things that you wrote about. At 40 years old, there is a good chance that you will be living with DS for another 60 years.

Just my suggestion. Why not try to go six months with no white foods? No potatoes, pasta, cookies, cake, chips, bread, flour, sugar, rice, or cereal. Eat dense protein and high fat only. Also no fruits and only non-starchy vegetables. This is what you will need to do for life to be successful with the surgery.

You may not lose any weight, but you will see how well you can handle that type of diet. Surgery is going to give you the malabsorption, but also the vitamin and bathroom issues.

I am so terrified....

But also grateful for this forum and folks who have travelled this road ahead to report back both hope and sanity.

I had the VSG, weighing in approximately at 185 pounds back in 2015. I was almost 200 at 5'1, but lost about 15 pounds before surgery. I did great for about 3 years (125 was my home for awhile) and then increments of 5-10 pound shots, I rose up again and now weight 168.

I firmly believe obesity is a disease and that our bodies, maybe more nature than even nurture, hold onto fat much more effectively than others. I don't think it's just this simple minded "move more, eat less," equation that is the recipe for success.

So I decided, I could sit around at 40 years old and watch my weight skyrocket back to 200 and perhaps plus, or do something about it. Now, most people will say, start working out and eating right you lazy porker. But, not only have I done this (I recently started to work with a personal trainer 2 times a week as well), and I've found that the type of diet I would need to be on in order to stay in a normal BMI range is unrealistically unsustainable. There, I said it, I know most of America wants us fatties to "get our act together" and "just be more disciplined" and lose the weight. Diets do not work, but adherence to a different lifestyle vis a via the DS is obtainable, a hard road, but possible nevertheless.

But I am scared. I know, it's normal. The diarrhea, the keep-up with protein (hello carb junkies out there), focus on hydration, the surprise runs to the bathroom before you poop your pants (oh ****z we are in a pandemic, where is an open bathroom anyway if you are out and about in public!?! Yikes.), the vitamins. I am mostly scared I am making poor decision because at 168 (albeit a little 5'1 meatball) it's really hard for folks to muster any kind of real understanding for why someone not way way tipping that scale would DS it. You know? It's like "omg, get it together, how sad she has to mess with her intestines." (said in a very valley girl accent, without say)

The vitamin regimen scares me, the annual obligatory lab work, DS is not a set-it-forget-it lifestyle and from my research, really requires serious adherence. VSG is much more crockpot, but DS is higher level tool. I also don't hear from folks (I think, and correct me if I am mistaken, but the first DS was in 1988?) who are over 20+ out there. Life expectancy? Considering my BMI is not 40 and above (yet, I am aware this is a progressive disease), it is easy to debate this back and forth, agh...I am driving myself a little nuts and damn it...I am terrified.

Sound off with reassure (or not) should the post compel and time allow.

After surgery that changes your intestines, changes in your elimination occur. When I had my gallbladder out, my surgeon said he did not expect me to see any changes, because I did not eat any fats. When my sister had hers out, she had a bad time with diarrhea. She was used to eating butter and fried foods. She had to learn not to eat them.

After RNY, I have had problems with constipation and with diarrhea. I have Imodium, stool softeners, Dulcolax, Miralax, suppositories, Pepto Bismol, Citrucel, Benefiber, magnesium supplements, milk of magnesia, Ex lax, GasX, Smooth Move tea, and magnesium citrate.

There are periods where I am fine with one magnesium tablet, or a small dose of Miralax. There times when I need other treatments. I think of my body like a car that worked perfectly well until it was in an accident and repaired again. It has never completely worked like before the malabsorption surgery.

With DS, you are going to be eating a lot of fat. Because you have no gallbladder, you are going to probably need something to balance your system so that you do not have chronic diarrhea. You need to work with your surgeon and see what it will take to regulate your system again.

DS is a much greater change to your intestines than RNY. You will need to find out what foods and supplements keep you closest to normal bowel movements. Your new normal will probably be different than your pre-surgery normal.

People who have had DS can give you much better information than I can.

I'm 5 days post op after having GS conversion to DS plus gall bladder removal. Anyone experience this and how long was recovery and what are you able to tolerate in foods now? I'm having extreme diarrhea after any lil meal. I'm just eating Greek yogurt, unsweetened applesauce. I really want some egg's but I'm not sure they will stay. Any advice is greatly appreciated

GS done 10 years ago