Will you play a little "what if" game with me?

If I hadn't had the DS, I might be dead by now? Who knows? I knew type 2 was right around the corner for me and the DS was the only answer to that one. I didn't want to end up blind or disabled due to amputations.

The VSG is just a diet with a smaller stomach, so not for me. I had more than enough experience with diets to know they don't work for me. I knew when I went into this that I needed the malabsorbtion. I knew I was a superabsorber. If I had to pick one, I would go with SIPS BUT I would go into it unhappy because I would know up front it did not really meet my needs. And with that last study that came out showing malabsorbtion of fat is gone in less than a year, I would be even more convinced it was not right for me.

superabsorber, that's me!
 
I guess it's not the quantity as much as times per day or knowing what I need to keep my levels up and the timing with food and other supplements. It feels like it might be all-consuming and complicated for the average person to decipher. I anticipate needing to do this without doctor help, so I'm thinking/planning along those lines. I do take a lot of things now, so I'm no stranger to supplements - Vit D3, iron, multi, magnesium, probiotic, krill/fish oil, blood pressure meds, diabetes oral and insulin.

Do people typically get their levels checked before surgery? I would really want to know where I am now.
It is smart to get checked before surgery.

Next... You have just stumbled onto one of my pet peeves. I am just talking about the DS supplements. Nothing else.

Some people get themselves tied into knots over this. Confused to the point where they quit taking their supplements. The very most important thing is to just take the pills. That's all 95% of us need to do. We don't have to sit and worry about what goes with what and how many hours between THIS and THAT. If you are a member of the 5% that needs to worry about this stuff, you already know who you are.

Consider normies. They eat what ever and never waste a minute worrying about what goes with what. So they consistently break the rules. They are all still alive and doing fine. They don't even KNOW that beets and kale compete for the same receptors in the gut. And it all works out fine. We take/ingest a lot more than normies and it all works out fine for us too. We take enough to make up for it.

Some of the DS groups, particularly on FB are bound and determined to make the DS seem like rocket science. They love drama and making people feel incompetent and poorly educated. They dish out advice like oracles but more than a little of it is crap. I think it makes them feel good to make others feel bad. If you followed all of their 'rules' you would need to live on a planet where there are 36 hours in a day and 9 days a week. They just make it all impossible. And some people have become so confused by all this they got into trouble because they quit taking what they needed. They were afraid they would self destruct if they screwed up.

Miss a dose? No big deal. It only becomes a big deal if you miss a lot of doses over a long period of time. You are not going to drop dead or turn to stone if you miss once in a while. Find what works for you and just do it. I take mine twice a day, morning and evening. Done. Don't make it harder than it has to be. The DS is supposed to make your life better!

Most of us have other things to do besides time all our supplements. Start with something good like vitalady. Use common sense. Adjust dosages up or down according to your lab results. Take a deep breath, and just take the pills. When in doubt, just take them.
 
I find the supposition of a reality that the DS doesn't exist hard to imagine since malabsorption is already a component of a different bariatric surgery. So I think it would at some point exist with a sleeve if I waited long enough.

Anyways, my DS is next week so I don't have the clear advantage of hindsight. But if the DS didn't exist I think I would prefer to stay obese for awhile longer.

I couldn't handle the very good chance that I would regain with sleeve because I'm physically disabled and have limited mobility. I'm probably going to need a wheelchair one day too so weight gain would be a reality. Also, not interested in the vomitfest that comes with gastric bypass because it hurts my back. SIPs good chance of regain and the long term is unknown. If I had a comorbidity like hbp or diabetes maybe I would do the sleeve or maybe not. Not if it all was just going to come right back again.
 
It is smart to get checked before surgery.

Next... You have just stumbled onto one of my pet peeves. I am just talking about the DS supplements. Nothing else.

Some people get themselves tied into knots over this. Confused to the point where they quit taking their supplements. The very most important thing is to just take the pills. That's all 95% of us need to do. We don't have to sit and worry about what goes with what and how many hours between THIS and THAT. If you are a member of the 5% that needs to worry about this stuff, you already know who you are.

Consider normies. They eat what ever and never waste a minute worrying about what goes with what. So they consistently break the rules. They are all still alive and doing fine. They don't even KNOW that beets and kale compete for the same receptors in the gut. And it all works out fine. We take/ingest a lot more than normies and it all works out fine for us too. We take enough to make up for it.

Some of the DS groups, particularly on FB are bound and determined to make the DS seem like rocket science. They love drama and making people feel incompetent and poorly educated. They dish out advice like oracles but more than a little of it is crap. I think it makes them feel good to make others feel bad. If you followed all of their 'rules' you would need to live on a planet where there are 36 hours in a day and 9 days a week. They just make it all impossible. And some people have become so confused by all this they got into trouble because they quit taking what they needed. They were afraid they would self destruct if they screwed up.

Miss a dose? No big deal. It only becomes a big deal if you miss a lot of doses over a long period of time. You are not going to drop dead or turn to stone if you miss once in a while. Find what works for you and just do it. I take mine twice a day, morning and evening. Done. Don't make it harder than it has to be. The DS is supposed to make your life better!

Most of us have other things to do besides time all our supplements. Start with something good like vitalady. Use common sense. Adjust dosages up or down according to your lab results. Take a deep breath, and just take the pills. When in doubt, just take them.

Thank you for this! I have a friend (who had a partial DS) tell me "quit borrowing trouble" because I'm always pre-stressing about things. It's how I've always made decisions, get the worst of the worrying out of the way and then once I decide I'm good. I also need to learn to trust myself more, I'm not someone who behaves carelessly and I am a bit OCD and quite anal about my health.
 
I take vitamins 5 times a day. I take my first dose right when I get up with my allergy meds then my alarm is set on my phone for every two hours for 3 day times doses then my last one is before bed with the only medication I take anymore.

I had all my levels done before having surgery to see what I need to start on before, my iron and D were low.
 
Yes, it's a good idea to check your levels before surgery and start supplementing now if you need to. But frankly, from the list you've given of what you're already doing, I don't think you'll have any trouble with the DS supplements, and if you do, there are people here who can answer questions. And what I've found is that when someone makes the commitment to doing it right, they find a way to make it happen.
 
Yes, it's a good idea to check your levels before surgery and start supplementing now if you need to. But frankly, from the list you've given of what you're already doing, I don't think you'll have any trouble with the DS supplements, and if you do, there are people here who can answer questions. And what I've found is that when someone makes the commitment to doing it right, they find a way to make it happen.

Thanks :) Do you DS vets every deter people from having DS based on what you learn about them from their posts?
 
Thanks :) Do you DS vets every deter people from having DS based on what you learn about them from their posts?
Oh yes.
Example, a friend of mine in real life ended up with the RNY cause it’s what her surgeon said. While I agreed she was no how, no way qualified for the DS, her other option was a VSG which I mentioned as her best option. I knew about her requirement for NSAIDS. Now, 2 years later, she’s pushing her luck using NSAIDS even tho told not to. Her diet has not improved from preop. Yes, she lost the weight. Most do the first 2-3 years.
 
Thanks :) Do you DS vets every deter people from having DS based on what you learn about them from their posts?
Yes they totally do and don't mince words about it! Just check out the threads in the DS section. Some people leave in a fluff because they don't get the saccharine responses they want! You're not going to get platitudes and false assurances because they don't want anyone doing it who's going to end up hurting or killing themselves. It makes the surgeon, the surgery and everyone else who does them look bad. If someone says "Oh I can't swallow pills." Or give up at the first sign of resistance they tell them straight out to not do it. This isn't a surgery for the weak willed.
 
Thanks :) Do you DS vets every deter people from having DS based on what you learn about them from their posts?
Yup! Two of my close friends are getting RNY and asked me about the DS. After our conversation they decided to stay with the RNY, I wouldn't have but I told them the truth.
 
It is smart to get checked before surgery.

Next... You have just stumbled onto one of my pet peeves. I am just talking about the DS supplements. Nothing else.

Some people get themselves tied into knots over this. Confused to the point where they quit taking their supplements. The very most important thing is to just take the pills. That's all 95% of us need to do. We don't have to sit and worry about what goes with what and how many hours between THIS and THAT. If you are a member of the 5% that needs to worry about this stuff, you already know who you are.

Consider normies. They eat what ever and never waste a minute worrying about what goes with what. So they consistently break the rules. They are all still alive and doing fine. They don't even KNOW that beets and kale compete for the same receptors in the gut. And it all works out fine. We take/ingest a lot more than normies and it all works out fine for us too. We take enough to make up for it.

Some of the DS groups, particularly on FB are bound and determined to make the DS seem like rocket science. They love drama and making people feel incompetent and poorly educated. They dish out advice like oracles but more than a little of it is crap. I think it makes them feel good to make others feel bad. If you followed all of their 'rules' you would need to live on a planet where there are 36 hours in a day and 9 days a week. They just make it all impossible. And some people have become so confused by all this they got into trouble because they quit taking what they needed. They were afraid they would self destruct if they screwed up.

Miss a dose? No big deal. It only becomes a big deal if you miss a lot of doses over a long period of time. You are not going to drop dead or turn to stone if you miss once in a while. Find what works for you and just do it. I take mine twice a day, morning and evening. Done. Don't make it harder than it has to be. The DS is supposed to make your life better!

Most of us have other things to do besides time all our supplements. Start with something good like vitalady. Use common sense. Adjust dosages up or down according to your lab results. Take a deep breath, and just take the pills. When in doubt, just take them.
I like how you think Munchkin! You just said the things I needed to hear to help me decide on my revision. We don't need to make a federal case out of this, do we? Thank you, love
 
Oh yes.
Example, a friend of mine in real life ended up with the RNY cause it’s what her surgeon said. While I agreed she was no how, no way qualified for the DS, her other option was a VSG which I mentioned as her best option. I knew about her requirement for NSAIDS. Now, 2 years later, she’s pushing her luck using NSAIDS even tho told not to. Her diet has not improved from preop. Yes, she lost the weight. Most do the first 2-3 years.
I'm certain lots of us RNY people take nsaids all the time. I know I'm not supposed to but I'm in constant pain because I'm nearly 300 pounds again. I take a chance nearly everyday.
 

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