What life after the DS has been like for me

Mar 21, 2010

This was my response to someone asking on the DS board what life after the DS is like.
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I'm nearly 3 years out and overall I'm very pleased with my DS post-op life. It has not come without it's share of issues for ME. In a nutshell, I had my DS performed open on 7-11-07. I had to have a hernia repaired at five months out, and a second hernia repaired at 10 months out. With the second hernia repair I had a tummy tuck which was amazing. I spent the first 18 months with an on and off "mystery" pain that baffled my doctors. My surgeon tried to go in at 18 months with the endoscope to see what was happening after multiple CT scans that came back with nothing, and we still had nothing. I suspect that my bowels were kinking (obstructing), and then unkinking on their own without surgical intervention. Over time, they just stopped. I still get those "twinges" from time to time, but no issues now for over a year. At 2 years out, despite strict compliance to protein intake, I went into protein malnutrition and lost lots of weight, down to 116 pounds which was underweight on the BMI scale. Before the protein malnutrition was discovered, I had to go to many specialists who were trying to figure out what the hell was going on with me. It was in my 2 year labs that my low protein was discovered, finally, and I drank 6 protein shakes a day to get my protein and health back in line. Before trying the multiple protein shakes daily, my surgeon had decided it was time to revise my common channel....thankfully that didn't have to happen!!!! I've been to the ER countless times with many medical bills, can't tell you how grateful I am for amazing insurance. (Thank you Cheesecake Factory!!!) So I guess my first bit of advice is to expect ANYTHING can happen, and not to go into this thinking it cannot happen to you.

Next, I think it's important to understand our procedure COMPLETELY so we can be an advocate for our own health when working with our doctors. You will run into many health professionals who are just NOT going to get it no matter what, so you MUST arm yourself with total knowledge and let your medical team know you want to be a part of the decision making in your healthcare. It can be very frustrating at times, but you adapt.

Now as far as day to day living. In the beginning, you're going to feel like a baby. Learing to eat, sip, and walk is a task that will almost consume your days. You're going to be confused about when to take vitamins and which ones can be taken together, and it's going to feel like a task the size of a mountain. But as you adapt over those early weeks, you learn to jive with your new life, doing a little more each day.

I'll give you an idea of a "normal" day for me now. I wake up and the minute my feet hit the floor, I have to poop. Three to five minutes is about all I can take sitting there before my morning is off and running with the three kids. I come downstairs and brew a pot of coffee. Once that has brewed, I make a double protein scoop of protein powder and make an iced protein coffee. I grab my vitamin box and dump my morning vites down my throat, and run around getting the kids ready for school buses. It takes me about 30 minutes to have my iced protein coffee, at which time, I always need to poop one more time to get good and cleaned out. (My system is in perfect time with the school busses leaving now, yeah)! I typically have a cup of coffee while showering and getting my preschooler ready, then make a second iced protein coffee on our way out the door. I always take a second dose of calcium with my second protein shake. Several times a week I meet my Mom for lunch, where I pull out my handful of vits when the server brings my water. I typically eat 8 grilled shrimp, a sweet baked potato, and about half of my salad. Around 2ish, I make another protein shake and have some more calcium with that. I eat a normalish dinner, usually fish or chicken with a veg. I have a handful of vitamins with dinner too. Homework, baths, cleaning, and then the kids are off to bed. I take calcium when they go to bed. At this point I typically have another protein shake. Sometimes I have some cheese and gluten free crackers or sausage ane cheese, and occassionally popcorn. Then it's time for my night handful of vitamins. Of course there are differences each and every day, but this is about the way it goes. Vitamins are a part of my day all day long. I have my alarm set on my cell phone to remind me. Works like a charm.

Finding your new norm takes time, but it happens!

Here's about a hundred hours worth of relevant reading for you! =) You'll like these links, take a look and bookmark them for the future!

Should EVERYONE have the DS? Edit