Best motivation ever, you will get really sick and maybe even die if you don't. Supplements are not optional for us.

Are you interested in going to work every day? Interested in changing a poopy diaper? Interested in paying your taxes? I already know the answer is no. But you do all these things, right? It's just part of being an adult. So just put on your grown up panties and take your vites.

On the occasion of my 13 year anniversary from a February 6 surgery in 2005, these are the things I've learned. (Warning, this is long and you can skip to the end.)

1. DS meant the end of a lifelong cycle of relentless weight gain and loss. I've stayed within 20 lbs of my lowest weight and have happily landed at 10 pounds over my lowest weight, which was too low. I can buy clothes and wear them year after year because I am in the same size. I lost half of my preop weight and stay at size 8-10.
2. The side effects of the surgery have been significant at times. Most days are great, but there are a handful of days over the years when I have had fecal incontinence, and relatively frequent episodes of putrid flatulence in the first 5 years after surgery, even with very careful eating. It is much better now, and i fart no more than the average person and it doesn't pollute the room. I use Imodium prophylactically when I am in a situation that might produce incontinence, and before situations where farting would be too embarrassing, like church, a job interview, or a wedding.
3. The health effects have been mostly good, with a few exceptions. Getting rid of diabetes, hypertension and joint pain is a blessing that probably saved my life. But I've broken two bones and have osteopenia, and have reactive hypoglycemia. The iron deficiency anemia has led to 5 iron infusions over the years. On balance, I am much healthier. My sister has colon cancer and when I had a colonoscopy, the doctor said I had a dramatically lower risk of colon or breast cancer because of the weight loss.
4. My diet is healthier, not because I feel like I am dieting, but because the foods I enjoy have changed. I am naturally on a keto diet, and I eat cookies now and then, cake at birthday parties, and candy once in a while. I don't feel deprived. I eat less than the average person, but I eat more often. I am not hungry all the time, as I was when I was fat.
5. Because I was warned of the risks, I am compulsive about my supplements and blood tests and haven't had problems with deficiencies, except iron.
6. Postop life is expensive. The supplements are probably $650/year, the grocery basket with mostly meat and dairy is expensive, and the infusions are quite costly. I am grateful for good insurance for the cost of those and the blood tests.
7. I wish I had done DS before 2005 so I didn't embarrass my then-teenage son, suffered the low self esteem of obesity discrimination, and missed out on a lot of fun swimming, at amusement parks, skiiing and horseback riding, among others.
8. I think I look better than I would have if I had stayed fat, but I look older than my age. I definitely have more wrinkles, sagging skin, drier skin and dry, thinning hair than my sister that is roughly my age.
9. I absolutely love my DS and it has changed my life for the better.

Sorry this is so long, but I hope it helps someone plan for the future.

Yes in the hospital they did an endoscopy and did the contrast to check my esophagus cause they were worried Id have some tears from the vomiting. They found nothing that led them to be concerned

I am 10 years out, have lost 300 pounds. My health is generally good...numbers are great except anemia sometimes and low Vitamin D from time to time I can address with prescription supplements. But in the last year my stomach issues have gotten increasingly worse. I vomit a lot. Now it's up to once a day after eating . I had a hospital stay in August related to it and they did a zillion tests and were like "eh, acid reflux?"

I have an appointment with a new gastro doctor this week but did anyone have a problem like this and is there something I should be having them look for that they are unaccustomed to cause of my unique DS makeup? My gallbladder and appendix are gone so nothing to do with them. My uterus is gone so nothing to do with that. Obstruction ? Hernia? I dont know. It's a mystery that they can't seem to unravel thus far.

First of all, don't beat yourself up. You're at the stage where regain starts to occur, around 2-4 years post op. The average regain long-term is 15-25% of the excess weight lost. You're only at 13%, so with that number, you're doing great and maintaining better than that average. I'm 13 years out and maintaining at 14% with no effort at all.

You probably feel like you're just not done yet with how much you weighed getting started. Yes, you can lose more, but you'll probably have to fight harder for it and you may work even harder to maintain that loss than you would settling comfortably and just eating as you should.

Some things you can try are yes, getting back to basics: meat/cheese/eggs/veggies. Get your carbs at 30-50g. Some people farther out find good results with intermittent fasting, too. That's where you're not necessarily dieting, but you're getting all of your calories in a smaller defined window, usually between 6-10 hours.