I know I can't be the only one...

[DianaCox]

I guess I'm lucky - I didn't have a huge sweet tooth before surgery, and afterwards, I have a weird thing where if I eat something sweet, the first bite is delicious, the second bite is really good, the third bite is good, and by the fourth or fifth bite, the sweetness becomes cloying and kind of gross, so it's pretty much built in that I don't overeat them. So sweets are not an issue for me, even though I eat some most days - e.g., 2-4 Milanos - which are plenty. I too will have a single scoop of ice cream, the high-fat delicious kind.

I also drink mostly diet sodas - I don't think they have any effect on me, at least not in terms of craving sweets. I mostly drink Sparkling Ice orange/mango, Fresca, diet Barq's and diet A&W cream soda - none of which are terribly sweet-tasting (either fresh/citrusy, or creamy tasting).

But one thing I can tell you - what you like/crave now, will change. I'm constantly having to revamp my diet when something that I could eat over and over suddenly is unappealing (usually right after I restock a bunch of it).

 

[Marquis Mark]

I guess I'm lucky - I didn't have a huge sweet tooth before surgery, and afterwards, I have a weird thing where if I eat something sweet, the first bite is delicious, the second bite is really good, the third bite is good, and by the fourth or fifth bite, the sweetness becomes cloying and kind of gross, so it's pretty much built in that I don't overeat them. So sweets are not an issue for me, even though I eat some most days - e.g., 2-4 Milanos - which are plenty. I too will have a single scoop of ice cream, the high-fat delicious kind.

I also drink mostly diet sodas - I don't think they have any effect on me, at least not in terms of craving sweets. I mostly drink Sparkling Ice orange/mango, Fresca, diet Barq's and diet A&W cream soda - none of which are terribly sweet-tasting (either fresh/citrusy, or creamy tasting).

But one thing I can tell you - what you like/crave now, will change. I'm constantly having to revamp my diet when something that I could eat over and over suddenly is unappealing (usually right after I restock a bunch of it).

Oddly enough my tastes have not changed since I was about 12 years old. Not even with surgery, except that I eat more fat now.

Other than gas, is diet soda bad for DSers? Does it stretch our sleeves, or anything else?

 

[DianaCox]

There are reports of some people having their sweet cravings triggered by diet soda. That doesn't happen to me.

Bubbles may make your stomach uncomfortable - but it won't stretch it. There are two outlets that are much easier ways for the pressure to go.

 

[DSRIGGS]

I am not that good at it - but I DO try to eat protein first, most of the time.

I'm just not eating enough ANYTHING these days, due to lack of appetite or something. So I'm losing weight, but more muscle than fat.

(But I'm trying, and I started exercising this week - swimming and bike riding, a little.)

I am not good at controlling csrbs either. They just don't cause me to gain weight. They make me feel shitty at times. That being said I make sure I get my needed protein although it still isn't enough as my total protein and albumin are creeping down. 5.8 on TP (6.2 I believe is bottom of range) and I am just in range in for albumin by a few tenths.

 

[Mystrys]

I've never really been a sweets eater. I have always preferred savory food...and obviously lots of it. In fact, my biggest obstacle fresh out of surgery was that everything I was given to get my protein in was sweet! Shakes, powders,bars, etc. I relied heavily on the Unjury and other protein broths/soups as soon as I could. And for the 5 years prior to surgery, I was either on a Low Glycemic Index or Ketogenic diet. So, not even much fruit for me much less sugar or sweet foods of any sort.
But now....I don't know what switch has flipped or if it's just all those years of deprivation catching up, but I want ice cream, sweets, candies, desserts,etc. I'm not saying I'm eating them regularly. But I am having little bits here and there. I get all my protein and fat in religiously and I eat veggies next in line. Don't really do bread much, no pasta and very little rice, like if it's snuggled up to my refried beans and cheese while eating mexican. An occasional french fry or potato/tortilla chip. But I think I'm going to have to re-evaluate my disease. My food addiction.
It's confusing and frustrating that one day I can have such a tiny tummy and literally not eat all day. To the point I have to drink 3 shakes between 5pm and bedtime just to get some protein in. But the next 3 days I spend fighting myself to stay out of the food every 2 hours!
The struggle is real. No one said it is easy (well, no one who knows what the hell they are talking about) and I'm not giving up, just frustrated and learning as I go. Hoping this stall isn't something I'm doing wrong and it breaks soon.

 

[southernlady]

I've never really been a sweets eater. I have always preferred savory food...and obviously lots of it. In fact, my biggest obstacle fresh out of surgery was that everything I was given to get my protein in was sweet! Shakes, powders,bars, etc. I relied heavily on the Unjury and other protein broths/soups as soon as I could. And for the 5 years prior to surgery, I was either on a Low Glycemic Index or Ketogenic diet. So, not even much fruit for me much less sugar or sweet foods of any sort.
But now....I don't know what switch has flipped or if it's just all those years of deprivation catching up, but I want ice cream, sweets, candies, desserts,etc. I'm not saying I'm eating them regularly. But I am having little bits here and there. I get all my protein and fat in religiously and I eat veggies next in line. Don't really do bread much, no pasta and very little rice, like if it's snuggled up to my refried beans and cheese while eating mexican. An occasional french fry or potato/tortilla chip. But I think I'm going to have to re-evaluate my disease. My food addiction.
It's confusing and frustrating that one day I can have such a tiny tummy and literally not eat all day. To the point I have to drink 3 shakes between 5pm and bedtime just to get some protein in. But the next 3 days I spend fighting myself to stay out of the food every 2 hours!
The struggle is real. No one said it is easy (well, no one who knows what the hell they are talking about) and I'm not giving up, just frustrated and learning as I go. Hoping this stall isn't something I'm doing wrong and it breaks soon.

If I did not eat every 2 hours I would NOT get enough protein in.

Eat but make sure it's protein and fat first before carbs.

 

[Kittykatkris]

I know I am late to the thread but just wanted to comment, for me I had TWO major stalls. One last about 3 weeks the other for one and a half months!
Believe it or not I found that eating MORE triggers more weight loss for me. So I would force myself to eat every few hours and as much as I could, protein first then whatever I wanted. And within a few days bam weight loss!
I am one year out and I am in another stall. I was actually 132 and gained weight back up to 136. I do not exercise at all, which is bad I know. I am going to start lifting weights cause everything is soft and saggy. I am pretty sure if I start exercising I will loose another 10 pounds.

Also as far as sweets and such, I am the same as Diana. I can eat a few bites and then it starts to actually taste BLAH and turn my stomach.
Plus I have learned sugar gives me horribly smelly gas, the type that soaks and absorbs into the sheets and the mattress. So if I dont wanna be embarrassed around my fiance or just in general wash my sheets every few days I stay away from the sweets.

With soda the only kind that doesnt bother my stomach is good all classic coca cola, everything else just has carbonation that bothers me.
Sometimes I even let it sit in a cup and go a little flat. I take my vitamins with it, because taking it with anything else especially plain water makes me gag and almost choke on the pills.

Alot of things have changed with the DS surgery, my taste buds CRAVE good foods, proteins and veggies, and sometimes mash potatoes lol. But I rarely crave sweets since the surgery. Which is great it reconfigured my metabolism and my taste buds!

 

[Marquis Mark]

I know I am late to the thread but just wanted to comment, for me I had TWO major stalls. One last about 3 weeks the other for one and a half months!
Believe it or not I found that eating MORE triggers more weight loss for me. So I would force myself to eat every few hours and as much as I could, protein first then whatever I wanted. And within a few days bam weight loss!
I am one year out and I am in another stall. I was actually 132 and gained weight back up to 136. I do not exercise at all, which is bad I know. I am going to start lifting weights cause everything is soft and saggy. I am pretty sure if I start exercising I will loose another 10 pounds.

Also as far as sweets and such, I am the same as Diana. I can eat a few bites and then it starts to actually taste BLAH and turn my stomach.
Plus I have learned sugar gives me horribly smelly gas, the type that soaks and absorbs into the sheets and the mattress. So if I dont wanna be embarrassed around my fiance or just in general wash my sheets every few days I stay away from the sweets.

With soda the only kind that doesnt bother my stomach is good all classic coca cola, everything else just has carbonation that bothers me.
Sometimes I even let it sit in a cup and go a little flat. I take my vitamins with it, because taking it with anything else especially plain water makes me gag and almost choke on the pills.

Alot of things have changed with the DS surgery, my taste buds CRAVE good foods, proteins and veggies, and sometimes mash potatoes lol. But I rarely crave sweets since the surgery. Which is great it reconfigured my metabolism and my taste buds!

Don't be surprised if you actually gain a bit of weight when you start exercising, especially if it's load bearing exercise. It's just muscle and not a bad thing.

I do eat plenty. Basically, my tank gets refilled when it's about half down, so I rarely feel real hunger. It's almost always between half and full. So I'm not sure I could eat much more, even if I tried.

Wish I had the distaste for sweets so many here describe, but honestly, I could go through a 5 ounce bag of jelly beans OR 8 ounces of Ben & Jerry's OR two regular donuts in a few minutes.

The bowel issues have been the strangest thing to adjust to since getting the DS. Occasionally, I get painful bloating. That never used to happen. BMs in the morning are inconsistent. Some mornings I have a Clydesdale's output. Others it's a fairly normal amount. My gas can be worse than the Holocaust and 9/11 combined, but somehow my subconscious has a deal with my intestines and the urge usually decreases when I'm around people. As soon as my GF leaves, I can't stop. They're also "deeper" than before, sometimes I actually have to apply some pressure to get them out. Again, before surgery they just slipped out the back door. I've never had an accident and don't quite understand why I would. Are the muscles down there suddenly weaker or it just that the volume is greater and the sphincters can't hold it all back? Or is it just that it's softer?

 

[Mystrys]

Well...here we are...3 months later. Holidays and a vacation to Cabo again...all out of the way with no major issues. Well...

Except that I STILL HAVEN'T DROPPED ANOTHER OUNCE! Sitting at 188.2 and looking to see Boyce on the 21st of April for my one year follow-up l. Feeling like a shitty failure and not sure what he'll say.
I was hoping this "phase" would just pass, but apparently I AM going to the one this doesn't work out for.

Just figured I'd pop in and leave an update on this thread. Thanks for all you support. You guys have been awesome.

~K~

 

[DianaCox]

Where you are is where you are. Stable is good. How are your comorbidities?

I got stuck at 205 for 3+ years (from 293), and I'm 5'5". I was not thrilled. But then I lost some more - and then at 6 years out, after working out with a personal trainer, got down to 169, and had a first round of plastic surgery (face and arms) - and had a terrible psychiatric reaction to Reglan given post op to keep from getting constipated - panic attacks, suicidal ideation, depression - and I never had additional surgery, and the antidepressants put back all 35 lbs and I was back at 205 for several more years. The last 2-3 years, I've slowly dropped the 35 lbs again, and a bit more.

The important thing is that my blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc., have been excellent the whole time, both up and down.

 

[LivingTheDSlife]

My DS surgery date was 4/24/2016 so I'm 7+ months out. At thi point I have gone from 243 SW to 188, that was my 49% mark and since September I haven't lost a single pound.

I've tried cutting back to almost 0 carbs. I've tried increasing my carbs. I've tried increasing my calories....and decreasing them again. But the scale will not budge!
I've read here about stalls. I've read about the carb pitfalls. The only thing I can think of is to go back to liquids and the 800 calorie pre-op diet. I will say I am not feeling that great and have no energy by the time I get off work. I have no real exercise regimen anymore and I wonder if that isn't going to be my sticking point.
I know others have felt like they broke their DS somehow....I had hopes I wouldn't be one of them.
I'm at a loss to be very honest.

I am in your same boat, I had my DS on 1/6/16, and have been stalled since Sept at 188, I am wondering what to do too~

 

[Larra]

@Mystrys you mentioned somewhere in all this that you also felt low energy. Have you had your thyroid level checked? Hypothyroidism can interfere wit weight loss (or cause weight gain). In other words, maybe the problem is something other than your DS. Thyroid is just one suggestion, maybe it's something else. Or maybe there is no something else, but at least it's something to consider.

 

[southernlady]

Well...here we are...3 months later. Holidays and a vacation to Cabo again...all out of the way with no major issues. Well...

Except that I STILL HAVEN'T DROPPED ANOTHER OUNCE! Sitting at 188.2 and looking to see Boyce on the 21st of April for my one year follow-up l. Feeling like a shitty failure and not sure what he'll say.
I was hoping this "phase" would just pass, but apparently I AM going to the one this doesn't work out for.

Just figured I'd pop in and leave an update on this thread. Thanks for all you support. You guys have been awesome.

~K~

You do realize you won't actually see Boyce, but only his nut unless you specifically asked to see him? He doesn't often see patients once released from the hospital. He leaves that to his nurse and nut.

Also, everyone there will tell you to go low/no fat, wrong vitamins etc. All the WRONG info for a DSer.

 

[Settledownnow]

@Mystrys in your 6-month posting you described your daily intake as:

So here are averages:

Protein =160-180 grams a day
Fat=100-130 grams a day
Carbs=100-140 grams total a day

Have you been able to reduce the protein and carbs as suggested? I am only 6 months out and far from an expert, but my surgeon really cautioned me about eating too much protein out of fear I would stop losing or gain weight eventually. Since readjusting my protein back down to 100-110 and 50 grams of carbs daily, I started losing after a 4-week stall. I am just one of those people who have to watch what I eat and exercise to lose weight. Weight loss seems effortless for many of the DS'ers but not for me.

 

[KathrynK]

I am coming late to this party, so ignore me if this has already been answered. I see on his website that he refers to SADI as a "simpler version of duodenal switch." He is reserving the real DS to people with severe diabetes, smokers under 45 BMI, and others over 50 BMI. Again,you may already have clarified this with him, so it may not be an issue. But, the way SADI is being described is confusing to patients and the nomenclature should be standardized, and they should not use SADI in the same category as D S.

My experience was that weight loss after surgery was like walking down a staircase, with landings followed by more stairs, followed by another landing. It went on that way for a long time. Don't fret, you can only do what you are doing.