When I get scared...

Where is the best place to read positive stories of the DS?  I am still learning the site.  I am seeing Dr. Smith next week to see if he will do the DS on me and I am nervous.  I am MOST nervous about the possibilty of the room clearing gas and poo issues I keep reading about!  Really, I have hated my weight gain and am way less social because of it so I don't want to have the DS and then be afraid to go to friends'  houses, church etc and be nervous about that issue!  This concerns me so much that I have made notes of all of the things you all mention..Devrom, chloraphyl (sp?) the stuff you drop in the toilet first etc. 

This might not be as big of a deal for a man, they sometimes like to compete for the worst toots, but not me!!

I need encouragement and figure I better find out where on the board to read and where to avoid. lol  Also, I am a

Sorry I posted too soon.  I was going to say I am a Southern lady and we just don't toot in public.haha  My BMI is about 35 and I have high cholesterol and sleep apnea.  I just hope I am not told that the DS is too much for me.  I have watched family members really get large and I feel I am headed in that direction and want to be around for my kids and not keep gaining etc.
There is a history of strokes etc. in my family too.

Question: are there injections for vi

 

 

I would read everything on dsfacts.com for sure. Can you meet some of Dr. Smith's patients?

Hang out here. There are plenty of people who have perfectly uneventful DSes (aside from losing their excess weight, regaining their health, etc.). No weird poop or fart issues. That would be me. No weird poop or fart issues and I am three years out. So far, so good.

Take the good and the bad from this site. You do not know what you'll end up with until you actually are living with your DS.

Good luck!

Nicolle

I'll have to second what Nicole stated.  I don't have uncontrollable gas.  If and when I do have gas, I can excuse myself to a restroom.

I work full time and have yet been able to wake myself early enough to get my morning poo taken care of before I leave the house.  So I take my purse size body spray (body fantasies) with me to the public one at work.  I spray it into the commode and then do what I have to do.  There are no strong lingering odours.  I say this because the restroom I use has a steady flow of traffic and the ladies linger and chat.  And I have yet heard anyone complain.  I am strict with my carbs in the early part of the day, and I'm sure that helps.

 

Hi Mel,

I am in GA too.  I agree Dr. Smith has the best DS support in town, so that would be a good place to start.

Also consider all your surgery options. The vsg may be an option for you since your bmi is 35.  In fact, some insurances won't even cover DS unless the bmi is 50+.

There is no way to tell if you will be a gassy DSer or not. I am one of the lucky few that can eat pretty much anything and no gas.  Others are very sensitive. Even the sensitive opnes can usually control it with their carb and fat intake.  It is kinda a gamble. You just have to wait til you are out of the OR and see what happens.

Keep in mind too,  rny patients also report having bad gas, so it's not just unique to DS.

I know the lightweight DSers will likely flame me for this, but if my bmi were only 35 whan I started this journey, I likely would have gone with the vsg.

You can PM me if you have questions.

Also we are getting together Jun4 to meet Vitalady. Come out and meet all the GA wls patients. OH member FascinatedOne is organizing it.  There will be several DSers there.

I know the lightweight DSers will likely flame me for this, but if my bmi were only 35 whan I started this journey, I likely would have gone with the vsg.

I did consider the VSG for about 2 mins. But many insurance companies still do not cover it altho the list gets longer each year of those that do. Mine was not one of them.

As a LW whose BMI was 35.2 when I signed into my surgeon's office I had three options, the crapband, the RNY, and the DS. My first surgeon would not even consider me for the DS and I was originally going for the RNY, until I did more research. I saw too many threads on RH. I already have that and did not want a surgery that had that as a complication.

So I found a surgeon who would give a DS to a LW. Not many will, but common channels and stomach sizes can be adjusted. My common channel is a bit longer than typical. Most have 100 cc as theirs, mine is 175. Does mean I'll lose slower than I would have with a shorter one but it was best for me.

But there are many reasons a LW will opt for the DS. One being insurance, another is co-morbid conditions, and another is just knowing for yourself who you are.

Liz

I sometimes have bloating and gas in the upper abdomen so that my abdomen is firm and very uncomfortable.  At times I can look 6 mos pregnant

Sometimes I have painful gas, cramps.  It hurts

I sometimes feel urgency to get to a toilet Fast like I can barely hold it

Sometimes I have diarrhea

*sometimes* my poo smells bad but USUALLY it does not

I don't really fart any more often than I used to

I usually have a few bm's in the morning and then business as usual

this goes on for a about 3 or 4 days until I have a blowout and start all over again

It's diet related

eating lots of vegetables at one time (stir-fry)

or huge salad

eating Sugar

and probably things I do not even know what is causing it will make *bowel issues* worse

there are people who have no bowel issues. 

people who have a *little* bowel issues

people with constant bowel issues (but I can deal with it)  I am one of Those people

people with Terrible bowel issues and have to have their surgery revised (these people are rare)

The reason I am being honest is because the DS is a strong surgery and you MAY have bowel issues

You can control a lot of it by knowing what causes your symptoms and avoiding those foods

So some of it is within your control

BUT it is not something to go into lightly, and you are Correct for considering everything about the DS BEFORE you do it.

When I visit people I DO have to consider things

Will I have toilet available in the morning or will other people be using it so that I will have to Wait to use it.  No.. that is going to work out so I need to get a motel

Like I said lets say I have a road trip or visiting overnight somewhere

I just be very careful beforehand and on the way of my trip not to eat junk!

To eat the foods I know are Safe for me LOL

then it isn't a problem or at least I can deal with it

I suppose there are folks at each end of the spectrum

I LOVE my DS despite my *bowel issues*

I would do it again!

It affects my life ... the *bowel issues*

but the DS also cured my Diabetes, Cured my bad high blood pressure

I am physically able to be comfortable in my body now and can MOVE

all those things that give me a better quality of life

It ISNT without trade off (at least for ME)

I can only speak for myself

When I read your post I hear you saying that you aren't sure whether it would be *worth it* if you had to live with bowel issues the rest of your life

Only you can answer that and you are right to ponder carefully

besides that.. you must be committed to take your vitamins everyday for LIFE

to have your labs drawn regularly to check your vitamin and mineral levels

You need lots of protein because you don't absorb all of the protein that you eat

Everyone is different

there are no guarantees where you fall on the spectrum after your DS as far as bowel issues

Yes, everyone farts and poops

No matter what weight loss surgery you have .. that person will fart and poop

But it IS a reality that SOME DS patients do have continued bloating, painful gas and cramps, diarrhea

Just LOOK at the potential side effects of the surgery in respected medical journals and you will find .. that , in fact it IS a potential side effect

(just saying)

don't get the DS if you are worried about farting or smelly poo

Your food is not digested the same way in the body. SOOO bacteria in the food is what makes it smell different at times (compared to a Non DS-er)

Like I said I have NO regrets and that is with me Being one of the DS-ers that does have some gut problems

That says a LOT about the surgery that even though my DS is not without unwanted side effects..

I would DO IT AGAIN

just know what you are in for ..before you decide

Also like I said I have read posts here on this forum and people report they don't have Any of these problems LOL

My guess is that most DS ers fall somewhere in the middle with the smaller percentage having *issues*

I do not know what the research percentages are

as in what percentage of DS ers have this side effects or what not

Just sharing what is true for me

Best wishes

Loretta

Thank You Nicolle and Ann!

Loretta, My question was where can I read positive DS stuff.  I had seen so much negative about the bowel stuff.  I KNOW that can happen.  I was and am looking to read some more positives since I have read all about all of the negative things that can happen.  I did not imply that dealing with an issue would not make the DS  worth it..

As far as just the VSG, I would worry about gaining the weight back when I am older.  I hope my sleep apnea will go away and stay away. 

 Try reading dsers blogs when you click on their profile.

I'm a Smith patient who had a BMI under 40.  The DS is wonderful and my only regret is not having done it 30 years ago.

My poop/toot issues are 95% controllable by what I put in my mouth.

If you can do the vites, if you can be a strong self-advocate, and if you want the best chance of maintaining your loss for life then you should get the DS IMO.

~Becky