Realistic Goals and Personal Responsibility

Scott, I agree 100%. You SHOULD have a few complex carbs with every protein you ingest. That is what any professional trainer has always told me and I trained with the best of the best, Lee Labrada. So this has been well known even back in the 80’s - 90’s and before.

@newwomanin2015 ……… OK, lets try to figure this out. I really FEEL for you and there are a LOT of BRILLIANT people here, so…lets nail this!

First of all, you sound a LOT like me, pre-DS, so, I know. I could NOT eat carbs hardly at all and was on a forever low carb diet at under 800 calories a day for 30+ yrs. IF I went over that, I would literally gain a pound or two per day. My metabolism was FUBAR’ed more than anyone else I’ve ever known.

I had my DS last Feb 10, 7 months, 3 days ago. You can go back over countless posts that I have written describing the instant metabolic change that happened and that I could feel the very next day after my surgery. My metabolism somehow, someway was “re-booted” and reset and it had NOTHING to do with WL, this happened immediately so it was 100% Bio-chemical related, some way, somehow. As BRILLIANT as everyone is here, there is not ANYONE, including our esteemed Diana or ANY DR or Scientist that can explain exactly what that mechanism is, which IMHO is the exact same or similar Bio-chemical related mechanism that puts diabetes in remission. My personal opinion is, is that there are a host of hormonal and other Neuro/Bio-chemicals that become “re-enabled” again to allow better cellular absorption, i.e., the opposite of what diabetes is which is insulin resistivity, (non cellular absorption) of all those Bio-chemicals. In essence, my cells were absorbing, reacting and COMMUNICATING with each other again in harmony, this I can tell you 100000% for sure.

So…back to you. That similar metabolic change may have not happened with you and that must really suck, BUT, there are many here that were/are in a similar situation and have still fared well with the DS. @Munchkin is one of them, she was/is a “Super Absorber” (highly trained and adapted efficient absorber of nutrients due to our being in the perennial starvation mode for years).

I have had stalls also, I could feel EVERY single GD one of them. My body slows down on peeing, urine turns yellow, you hold water, ALL so that your body can do this “Conversion” where it actually is turning on to be in the fat burning mode and not fat storing mode.

Yes, IT CAN BE VERY DISCOURAGING, BUT, your DS can NOT fail you, it just can’t, its pure math and science, you have a shortened pipe, period. When I had my first stall at 26 days, 3+ weeks, it lasted for almost 3 weeks. I have them regularly and can see/feel it and ALWAYS lose 3-4 lbs right after I come out of it and it happens 1-3 times per month.

@hilary1617 and @SHales SAVED ME, and told me that I was probably NOT EATING ENOUGH, both Carbs and protein. They BOTH recommended having a high carb day once a week or so and actually to start eating MORE CARBS….(SEE ORIGINAL POST BELOW)…EVERY single time I did, I would bust through my stall..so, IT FLIPPIN WORKED!!!! BUT was THE hardest thing for me to do the first time or two because you feel like your actually sabotaging your WL and you have conditioned yourself for SO many years to NOT eat carbs.

http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/how-does-one-fail-break-their-surgery.2709/

Anyway, sorry for the book, but, I just wanted to help and could really relate. Here are a couple other really relevant posts regarding the same subject I posted

http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/end-of-my-5th-week-update-some-crazy-stuff.2672/

Also here is Diana’s original post regarding the science behind “The Inevitable Stall”
Search The Inevitable Stall
By Diana C. (our own @DianaCox )

http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/the-three-week-stall.743/




Thanks for all the information and sharing your story. Hopefully, this will turn out to be a temporary stall like yours.

I do eat carbs, albeit a very small amount and only those in eggs, cheese and green vegetables. Oh, and the occasional small scoop of almonds. Having not eaten breads, baked potatoes, etc., I am not sure how my sugars would react post surgery. Before the surgery, it was shocking how much even supposed good carbs like kidney beans , for example, would skyrocket my blood sugar. It was not this way for the first 10 years or so of being diabetic, but, at some point, things that I used to be able to eat, I could not anymore without having to take an inordinate amount of insulin with it. Honestly, it may be that I can eat things like bread, fruit, etc. now that have had the DS, but, am very nervous about it because it has been wonderful to have blood sugars running from 72 to 119. This was impossible before even with eating so little in carbs and only certain types of them.

It also was a shock how much better I felt after giving up those foods, even though I still battled high blood sugars every day without those foods, I felt so much better and less like I was starving. So, may test eating those foods again, but, will have to work up the nerve first because hate the idea of that constant hunger coming back.

There have been big changes since the DS as the insulin requirements have gone waaaaayyy down, and the lower back pain when walking vanished within a couple of days. My blood pressure has been better, too. My husband and I noticed that I am more even keel mood wise, too, and this might be due to the constant fighting to keep blood sugars in control that made for a lot of irritability.

Am hoping this turns out to be a temporary stall. There was one before, but, it only lasted a week. This one has been over a month.

From reading I have done, there are some folks who the DS did not work as well for as these folks stopped losing after 6 months. Now, doctors consider a 10 percent drop a success. However, when you weigh 430 and decide to have a surgery, you are hoping for more than a 43 pound loss. The typical response was to blame the patients themselves (big surprise, right?) and researchers said they probably were eating too much, etc. However, having been told this type of thing myself for too long, I am not too quick to jump on this thought. Anyway, I read further, and found that some researchers speculated that those DSers who had liver fibrosis and iron deficiency tended to stop losing and did not feel they were successful because they stopped losing before a year was up. Thought there was a third hypothesis, but, tired old brain can't remember it right now. Also, have read that after 10-15 years the mucosal layer thickens in the intestines and that the mal-absorption ability of the DS starts to wear off. Though, 10 to 15 years is a long time and who knows if the excess weight pre-DS would have killed you before that point? At 430 pounds, the chance of possibly being able to lose 85% of excess weight was worth the risks. I have a good life, a husband and daughter I love dearly, and a wonderful job so want to hang around and enjoy this life for as long as possible.

They have learned so much about our complicated bodies and hormones, and sleep patterns and God only knows what else that hasn't been figured out, yet, and all the different things that can contribute to weight gain in recent years and am guessing that there is still much not known about all the reasons people gain weight. I read an article a few years back where a doctor who was considered the foremost obesity expert in the country said they really had no answers. She said that while she had obese patients who drank sugary sodas and ate a lot of junk food, she had even more thin patients who did the same thing. I thought God bless her for stating that and can we please put that on several billboards?!?
 
Your numbers look way better than mine. When I wrote that post I was 7 weeks out. I'm now 9 months out from my revision. While the loss is very slow...my % of excess weight loss is great. I was 196 the day of surgery (typo on my previous post said 195 lol) and today I'm at 151. Since Beginning of May I've only lost about 10 lbs. But in all its 73% of my excess weight.
I aim for 100g protein, 100g fat, and I stay under 30g carbs.
I threw it all out the window when we went on vacation and lots of fruity alcoholic drinks. Got home and the scale was up about 8 lbs. went back to eating on plan and it came back off.
I'd like to get down to 135 which puts me JUST at a normal BMI....but pie in the sky dream goal would be 125. I'm only 5'2" on my tippy toes.
I have no idea if my body will let me make that goal of 135 but I'm just steadily plugging along.


73% of your excess weight gone is fantastic! My pie in the sky dream would be 140 as I'm 5'5", but, would be happy with 200. Surgeon said he would be happy with 220, but, am hoping for more, if possible. A friend said even 300 pounds would be a huge difference in terms of health and really want to feel that way, but, still hate that number, you know? 200 sounds more like a normal person and really want to feel normal...to not be stared at by strangers...to not have things thrown at me when walking from moving cars (soda cans when walking to work one day)...to not worry about whether I will fit in a chair and countless other issues. I'm lucky in that I don't have knee or joint issues and still move well, despite my size. Just want to be more normal.
 
I do eat carbs, but, am very particular as to which ones. Eating only those in eggs, cheese, and green vegetables really has helped with keeping blood sugars as close to normal as possible and also helps me not feel hungry all the time.Well, at least before the surgery it did, not sure how I would react to breads, fruits etc. now. Have heard that carbs can cause some intestinal issues after DS.
I don't typically have any issues with carbs, but some people do with certain foods..it varies over time and everyone is different.. YMMV as they say but for me not too many issues with carb foods. Spinach is one that doesn't do well for me and too much lettuce as well.

I just ate a pumpkin bar with cream cheese frosting and no problems yet...that being said I am on two antibiotics that I took with it and those meds have wreaked havoc on my gut the last 2 nights so could be another rough on.
 
Its not just carbs, it's the size of the meal that influences blood sugar. One bit of advice I was given by another patient helped me. For the first 6 months, she said to eat 6 very small meals--no bigger in quantity than your fist--so your stomach heals small. Don't know if that theory has any basis physiologically, but it has worked for me. I still have significant restriction at 10 years, and I'm able to eat only a third of what my husband eats. I still eat 6 or 7 small protein-based meals a day, typically meat with a vegetable, cheese and an apple, or greek yogurt and fresh fruit. I might have 2 tablespoons of rice or a half of a small potato or a slice of whole grain bread with a protein, but I never eat pasta or white bread and do not drink calories. This diet keeps hunger at bay and helps control low blood sugar. I am not perfect about food choices, but I am consistent with the size of the meal. Hope this helps.
 
I don't typically have any issues with carbs, but some people do with certain foods..it varies over time and everyone is different.. YMMV as they say but for me not too many issues with carb foods. Spinach is one that doesn't do well for me and too much lettuce as well.

I just ate a pumpkin bar with cream cheese frosting and no problems yet...that being said I am on two antibiotics that I took with it and those meds have wreaked havoc on my gut the last 2 nights so could be another rough on.



Yeah, have had the antibiotic issues myself from time t time! What does YMMV mean?Spinach has not been an issue for me and one of my fave breakfasts right now is a crust-less spinach quiche. Though, the fitness app chides relentlessly about the fat in it! Nuts, before and after surgery can be an issue.
 
Yeah, have had the antibiotic issues myself from time t time! What does YMMV mean?Spinach has not been an issue for me and one of my fave breakfasts right now is a crust-less spinach quiche. Though, the fitness app chides relentlessly about the fat in it! Nuts, before and after surgery can be an issue.
Your Mileage May Vary

I think we have a post with abbreviations pinned somewhere. I will look but @southernlady would know for sure

I just checked it is pinned on the Main Forums Page
 
@DianaCox I would like some advice or opinions, suggestions whatever you can offer here. Great post up above.
I am a year and a half out and I have little to no restriction. My goal is to do 90-100g of protein, 100-120 of fat, 50g or less of carbs, of course a lot of times I am over that, but sometimes i get so hungry and me not being able to exercise is big problem for me too. I have bad knees and back. I am having to get injections for the pain and Fibromyalgia along with the Arthritis. I walk when I can, but can be very painful.
I was eating 30 minutes before and after and sometimes during. I have stopped that.
I have a appt to see my NUT on June 30th (earliest she had) just to get a grasp on things and address the restriction issue, but that is probably a question for the surgeon. @DianaCox I thought since you were a vet you might could give me some advice. Thanks for you time.
 
"I was eating 30 minutes before and after and sometimes during. I have stopped that."

I don't know what you mean. Do you mean drinking before and with meals? That's an RNY restriction, not DS.

Who's your surgeon? The NUTs almost always are USELESS. Don't expect much help from one.

Educate yourself here - read posts about maintenance and regain and learn what you need to do. But exercise of some sort is a must - what about water aerobics?

Perhaps your sleeve was cut improperly. I wouldn't go to my original surgeon for that diagnosis, because the surgeon will be highly unlikely to admit error. You need an independent assessment.
 
"I was eating 30 minutes before and after and sometimes during. I have stopped that."

I don't know what you mean. Do you mean drinking before and with meals? That's an RNY restriction, not DS.

Who's your surgeon? The NUTs almost always are USELESS. Don't expect much help from one.

Educate yourself here - read posts about maintenance and regain and learn what you need to do. But exercise of some sort is a must - what about water aerobics?

Perhaps your sleeve was cut improperly. I wouldn't go to my original surgeon for that diagnosis, because the surgeon will be highly unlikely to admit error. You need an independent assessment.
So, a DSer can drink while they are eating and 30 minutes before and after meals?
Is there a specific board for maintenance and regain?
Oh no! I would be devastated if my sleeve was cut wrong.
 
I think if you go to the ds (Duodenal Switch) forum the post that show pins and are at the top probably are the ones she's referring to.

I'll tag @southernlady she knows this site and where to find things backwards and forwards
 
I think if you go to the ds (Duodenal Switch) forum the post that show pins and are at the top probably are the ones she's referring to.

I'll tag @southernlady she knows this site and where to find things backwards and forwards
Y'all are in it....this thread got posted to the DS board.

@joyann1968 Read all the pinned posts you can around here. We don't have a specific board for maintenance...haven't really needed one. Or one for regain either. We tend to stick those topics either here on the DS board, the Vitamin & Labs board, the Staying on Track board, and the Main board.
 

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