Duodenal switch 12 years ago.

Question
I had a duodenal switch gastric bypass done 12 years ago. I lost 1 39 pounds. In this last 2 years, I have become incredibly hungry, and have re-gained back 46 pounds. I'm worried!..My stomach makes ugly sounds (like water running down a drain pipe) and the gas is very painful. My doctor had me take a blood test & test came back with no deficiencies. He said I had to change my eating habits & food. I am eating the same foods as i did after surgery , only in bigger portions. I do walk, take my vitamins. Turned 53 this year, am getting depressed, Any suggestions? Thanks Meg

Answer
Hi Maura:

Congratulations on your success.  I'm sorry to hear about your recent regain.  I'm glad your blood work looks good.  Usually with DS regain, people ask about protein intake (100 grams minimum), fat intake (remember fat is your friend--especially if you're trying to decrease your carbs), and carb intake (try to watch simple carbs.... what your maximum carb number can be and lose weight will vary, but 40-70 is a range I've seen quite often.)  I know a few people who like to start their day with a protein shake to jump start their protein requirements.

I have no idea if you could have any sort of bacterial overgrowth--but that seems to come up on DS boards, with the cure being Flagyl.  

Start by going to My Fitness Pal, Spark People, or one of the other free sites and just seeing where you're at.  If you're anti-tracking after way too many years of dieting, then for a few days, just track your carbs... and another few days, just track your protein.  Try to make it easy on yourself. Usually it will become very apparent where you're off a bit.

If that doesn't work, then try some of the pros on one of the DS boards...Obesity Help, the DS Information Zone (low volume these days), or the Weight Loss Surgery Pro Boards.

Hope this helps!
Karla

P.S.  Don't forget how far you've come and that you're still a great success if you never lose another pound.  You've still kept off far more weight for 12 years than you ever would have without surgery.

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