Super Absorber: The Good, Bad & Ugly

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

Hi folks! so I said I would create my own thread, so here it is

I'm not sure what to include yet, except that life isn't fair haha. I absorb everything and it sucks. Dr K refused to revise me because I am 'healthy' and my DS was done "through the mesentery layer". I feel hopeless again. Not 644lb hopeless, but fat hopeless nonetheless. I was told that if anyone could help me it would be Dr K. He DID help me in that he fixed my crazy colon and I am no longer permanently constipated, but he refused to revise anything.

I'm sad. I'm envious. I'm disappointed. I am...ugh...on a constant yo-yo diet. Every time someone says "I didn't have the DS to diet" I feel a whole lotta stabby.

This morning I started keto + calorie counting. Do NOT dare tell me calories don't matter. I absorb like a normal person. I haven't taken vitamins for 3 YEARS...as a DSer with a CC less than 70cm. I still get labs every 6 months and part of me HOPES for a deficiency somewhere to give me hope my DS isn't broken. I am low normal in D and in ferritin...just like I was as fat person before WLS.

So that was the bad & the ugly....I like to end on positives:

I have no deficiencies! I am alive and can live through a zombie apocalypse without worrying about protein or vitamins! That's cool, RIGHT?

I have a really good job, a job I didn't need as I was a spoiled housewife. Privilege up the ass right there. I love having a purpose, I love being able to hold down a full time job. LOVE IT.

I have an actual crew here in Santa Fe. People who ACTUALLY LIKE ME! Like invite me out, think of me, bring me gifts on my birthday. Like ACTUAL FRIENDS. It's pretty great.

We are both vaccinated as are most of our friends so we kinda of have a social life again.

To close out the start of this thread: I am still grateful I was able to get the DS and would do it again 100 times. I do wonder if it is worth seeking out someone who could maybe fix my sleeve (always been huge if you read back to my very NON-honeymood period). The logical side of me thinks I would be pushing my luck seeing as my medical history is kind of scary, but I'm sad that even the best of the best wouldn't and won't help. In his eyes as long as I am under 315, I am 100% successful. That's a lot bigger than a lot of other DSers start weight. But like I said, life isn't fair.

I will do my best to keep this updated. I'm not always this grumpy and negative. Being active in DSer groups on FB has kind of triggered a deep self loathing within me.

 

[Munchkin]

The FB groups. UGH... I try not to go there too often.

So I want to be supportive. I want you to find a path that works for you. Worst case scenario with the keto/calorie counting, you maintain. Best case, it works. Meanwhile, have a plan. Figure out what you want to do/try/change next. Have a next step in mind. What are your goals today for carbs and calories?

I tried Fairlife for the first time today and it actually tastes good. Good enough to drink if you were not on a diet good. I was pleasantly surprised.

My sister is a superabsorber too. Her go to diet, pre and post DS, has been roasted turkey and mustard. And that's all she eats. She has probably roasted at least a thousand turkeys! I have always wondered if she sleeps better than the rest of us because of all the tryptophan.

I didn't have the DS to diet either but here I am. My life and my relationship with food is nothing like what I envisioned. Nothing like what I wanted and hoped for. But, I am still here and healthy like horse.

Never give up on finding your answer.

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

The FB groups. UGH... I try not to go there too often.

So I want to be supportive. I want you to find a path that works for you. Worst case scenario with the keto/calorie counting, you maintain. Best case, it works. Meanwhile, have a plan. Figure out what you want to do/try/change next. Have a next step in mind. What are your goals today for carbs and calories?

I tried Fairlife for the first time today and it actually tastes good. Good enough to drink if you were not on a diet good. I was pleasantly surprised.

My sister is a superabsorber too. Her go to diet, pre and post DS, has been roasted turkey and mustard. And that's all she eats. She has probably roasted at least a thousand turkeys! I have always wondered if she sleeps better than the rest of us because of all the tryptophan.

Never give up on finding your answer.

Thank you for understanding. I swear people think I am lying! I am waiting for someone to ask for my labs, and no one has lol. The do NOT want to know!

One curious thing is my B1 is out of this freaking world high. I cannot find any info online as to why that would be without supplements but my body seems to be an oddity anyhow.

Keto and I have a weird relationship. I don't get keto flu and I find it quite easy to stick to....except by day 7-10 I become batshit crazy. Like a paranoid anxious mess.

I have to do this though. I am meeting my siblings at an amusement park in 3 weeks. I cannot bare the thought of doing the fattie walk of shame from a ride. Nope. Cannot do it. So here I am.

I do wonder why so many DSers would prefer to believe we are liars, secretly binging when they themselves quote studies about long term malabsorption (spoiler alerts, it is never, nor has it ever been 100% of DSers).

So far, what works for me is creamy coffee from wake up until lunch. Then it's eggs. For dinner is a salad with chicken and eggs.

I need to find my inner strength again, but I am so tired of fighting my body

 

[Munchkin]

Thank you for understanding. I swear people think I am lying! I am waiting for someone to ask for my labs, and no one has lol. The do NOT want to know!

One curious thing is my B1 is out of this freaking world high. I cannot find any info online as to why that would be without supplements but my body seems to be an oddity anyhow.

Keto and I have a weird relationship. I don't get keto flu and I find it quite easy to stick to....except by day 7-10 I become batshit crazy. Like a paranoid anxious mess.

I have to do this though. I am meeting my siblings at an amusement park in 3 weeks. I cannot bare the thought of doing the fattie walk of shame from a ride. Nope. Cannot do it. So here I am.

I do wonder why so many DSers would prefer to believe we are liars, secretly binging when they themselves quote studies about long term malabsorption (spoiler alerts, it is never, nor has it ever been 100% of DSers).

So far, what works for me is creamy coffee from wake up until lunch. Then it's eggs. For dinner is a salad with chicken and eggs.

I need to find my inner strength again, but I am so tired of fighting my body

I took me literally months to bitch slap myself into dieting again. And now it is almost 3 years. The worst part for me trying to do anything I don't want to do is the first step out the door.

Fingers and toes crossed for you.

 

[southernlady]

I know it’s hard for others to understand your journey. Give yourself some love. I know you aren’t where you want to be but you have literally lost two adult humans. That is awesome in itself. You also got new hips when the medical community could no longer blame your hips on your weight.

Take heart, Munchkin understands your struggle. Actually most of us do. We might not have been your size but we’ve all struggled with our weight even after the DS. It isn’t magic, it’s just the current best shot we have so far.

 

[Larra]

What southernlady said! The people on THIS group understand that even the DS isn't magic, that there are folks who do everything right and just don't get the same results as others. Life isn't fair. I have nothing but admiration for you and Munchkin.

 

[MsVee]

Trust me I get it. The DS is the best surgical weight loss solution, however everyone does not achieve ideal body weights. One thing that makes it so hard is watching the success of others.
There is a part of me that feels if I cannot achieve my goal weight with the DS then perhaps it is hopeless. I try to focus on what I have managed to lose and be grateful for the measure of success I have achieved. I ask myself where would I be without my DS? The images that come to mind are frightening.
I look at your journey Duodenalswitcheroo and I am inspired by your amazing success. I get it, it is not the perfect storybook ending you hoped for but I do believe you have earned your “happily ever after.”

 

[hilary1617]

Hi Roo! Nice to hear from you. I wish I could give you a big hug. If I could give on piece of advice it is be nice to yourself and try to view yourself through the same lens as your best friend would view you. Congratulations on the job, the friends, the half of your body weight lost. You are amazing .

 

[JackieOnLine]

I'm glad you came back, Roo.

I just wish you could be happy with what you have but acceptance is hard. at least nobody here doubts how hard you have worked.
but stay off the facebook groups!

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

Welp. Day 2 of calorie counting keto. I'm exhausted lol. Like sleepy exhausted. Trying to keep up on my electrolytes with gatorade zero. I weighed this morning as was up 5lbs lmao. I swear if weight gain was a talent, I would be a gold medalist! I know it's just my body throwing a fit, but hot damn. Isn't the first few days of keto when you are supposed to drop a ton of water weight? yeah, not me haha.

I struggle thought the day with creamy coffee and cheese sticks. My 'reward' for dinner is a bowl of baby spinach salad with eggs and chicken and glorious cherry tomatoes....oh how I wait all day for the red balls of delicious sweetness.

So far, so good. I'm not going crazy yet, but I am sure that will arrive around day 10. Poor mike lol

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

Back where I started on day 1 weight wise lol. I swear my dudes, my body has a mind of it's own.

I saw my hemo today because I am feeling like crap and my gums are white. I doubt he will infuse me because my ferritin is 45, 20 points MORE than it was in January....with zero supplementation.

I swear to all that is holy allyall, my body is not playing ball.

There have been some plusses to my keto excursion. Obviously, I have lost 0 pounds in the time most people drop 10 due to water weight, so THAT'S FUN, but I am less swollen in my legs and my abdomen is looking smaller....so there's that.

 

[MsVee]

You have inspired me to stop being passive and to get back on my weight loss grind. I am back to eating clean, weighing and measuring food portions so I know how much I am eating and moving more. We shall see what happens. Hey you can’t win unless you enter the race.

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

You have inspired me to stop being passive and to get back on my weight loss grind. I am back to eating clean, weighing and measuring food portions so I know how much I am eating and moving more. We shall see what happens. Hey you can’t win unless you enter the race.

Don't follow me, I may lead you off a cliff lol! I do welcome the company though on this tortuous route to health haha Good luck and keep us updated! More REAL shiz needs to be posted about the struggle of super absorbers.

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

So I just googled my fingers raw. I think I have figured some of it out.

Recently (in the last couple of months) I was diagnosed with PsA (autoimmune psoriatic arthritis) and me being the stubborn mule I have always been, I refused biologics (for now). Instead I dove head first into an anti-inflammatory diet. I lost 11lbs doing that and ended where I am now. THAT, whilst not super low carb or keto, may have been enough to steal my first week woosh.

Secondly, I'm not eating enough. I am drinking a shitton of calories (HWC with coffee) and as a super absorber, I cannot count on malabsorbing any of that fat I am taking in. So I need to stop being lazy and drinking creamy coffee from 6-11am every day.

So yeah. Starting tomorrow, I eat, instead of drink my calories. More protein, less fat.

It is kinda telling though that 200g of fat a day does nothing to my bowels.

Onward and upward!

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

Finally! For the love of all that is holy. 2lbs down from the start of this. I was beginning to think I would have to starve to death forever more.

Before my DS I could do keto without all the weird psycho effects it has on me. Now that I am...counts on fingers 7 years post DS and absorbing everything, I think it might work to my advantage a little. Sure, a true advantage would be NOT being a super absorber, but I got to work with what I have...is that it might not make me psycho.

Usually around day 10 of low carb (less than 30 net, 50 total) I go bonkers. Like paranoid, anxious BONKERS. I will fall straight asleep and wake up with my heart pounding and gasping....a straight up panic attack.

Now that I am absorbing more, I hoping I can skip all that. It's not fun taking a test drive of insanity.

Today I had no coffee (and I lived! lol it will be harder to skip my bean juice on work days though) and ate real food for brunch. I found these amazing sausages at Smith's-Cajun flavoured and 1g carbs. Yup, I had 2, with 2 eggs. My belly is happy.

I am starting to feel dehydrated. I say feel because I had some labs on Friday, my sodium and potassium are ok, sodium trending lower, but my anion gap is rising and that is usually when I end up in the ER for the hook up. I see my Hemo on Thursday so if he gives me the green light for infusions even though I am at like 45 something, I'm gunna ask for a bag of the good stuff as well.

My symptoms of dehydration are excruciating inner thigh cramps, feeling a little out of it and getting dizzy upon standing. I am drinking loads of water as well as gatorade zero. Why can't my body absorb water the way it does food???

It's a beautiful day here today and I am enjoying life throughly.