Just dawned on me...4th Surgiversary today, 2/25!

I've had a miserable cold/flu for a week, combined with a death in the family,  and I've just been slogging around...feeling yucky..and then..realized that it was 4 years ago today that I was blessed with the Duodenal Switch. 

I lost from 405 pounds down to 160 ( I have a ten pound bounce zone, so sometimes more!)  but for the first time in my entire life, I'm able to eat like a normal person, without gaining weight.

Many people who know of my surgery think I'm crazy, to have a surgery that demands such a stringent nutrition regimen, but for me, it's great!  I've entered a whole new world of "mindful eating", and I do read every single label of everything that goes into my shopping cart. 

I use mostly whole foods, frozen convenience foods are an occasional luxury or time saving method, when I'm going to need to eat a meal away from home.  I actually cook now, instead of relying on Lean Cuisine from the freezer.

Yes, I'm a snacker, but my snack choices are made with protein in mind, and I use protein bars for scheduled snacking as well as nutrition.

Four years ago, I ate whatever I could get my hands on.  Now, there is thought behind everything I put into my mouth.

Has it been a tough road?  Not really. Some would argue that the supplement regimen is brutal, but it's just like breathing for me now.

This is the best thing I have ever done for myself!

The biggest "wow" for me?  Being able to sit in a chair with arms, and still have room left over, instead of having flesh squeezing out of every available space, or perching on the edge because my butt just won't fit the chair.  I no longer scope a room upon entering to find a seat that I might be able to sit in.

I am eternally grateful to Dr. Margaret Inman and the entire  staff at St. Vincent's Bariatric Center of Excellence for this life-changing, life-saving procedure.

Now, if I could just get rid of this awful cold....

Happy 4th Surgiversary to me! 

Congrats on the weight loss and your journey. 

Happy 4th. Thank you for this. I have been questioning a little lately but this has given me new insight into a veterans life. =)

Libatina-

It might seem like it's a lot of hassle, and it might be in the beginning, especially with the supplements, but for me now, this is much easier than any diet I've ever been on.

Happy surgiversary!!  

--gina

Thanks, Gina!

Congratulations!!!  Can I ask, this far out, is gas an issue? 

TBIYTC-

Gas can be an issue...but it seems only to be major if I have simple sugar or too many carbs, either simple or complex. Sometimes very fibrous foods also create gas, such as broccoli, cabbage, collard greens...mostly the cruciferous veggies, because it takes so much work to break them down. Beans (the dry variety as in red beans and rice), can also create gas, but then, that hapens with everybody! 

I've found that using whole foods and cooking real meals helps tremendously,  as opposed to using frozen meals like Lean Cuisine, and I keep Devrom on hand (I like the capsules better than the chewables; the capsules can be ordered from the company, or if you have a really good pharmacy, they can order them for you) for social occasions just in case.

Also, Ozium is a great deodorizer to have around the house and in the car. It does come in large cans, I buy mine at the local car wash, but there is a catalog that sells them too.  I'll find it and post it here later. The car size small cans can be found at Walmart or just about any auto supply store.

Thanks for the info!

One caveat, though - my common channel is only 75cm, the shortest of  "normal", so I think that might have something to do with the GI issues.  it also has a lot to do with how quickly I lost weight.  200 pounds in one year and the other 45 slowly over the course of that second year.

The shorter the CC, the more "unpleasant" effects of the DS you will have.   I actually asked my surgeon for  50cm, but she said no way...she's doesn't do them anymore because she's  had to do too many revisions because of nutritional issues as well as GI/bathroom issues.  She goes strictly by the Hess Method now.

Many DSers I know have common channels more like 100cm to 125cm, and no Gi problems, or so they say.