Lap Band and exhaustion????

After reading several posts about why RNY patients experience postsurgical exhaustion, I see the logic in that.  But I'm a Bandit, eight week post-op, and I'm struggling bigtime.   My bloodwork came back fine two weeks ago; I'm not anemic or experiencing any crucial vitamin/mineral deficiencies.   I'm just exhausted. I can't even make it through an entire day at work now -- I have to nap at lunchtime or go home early and sleep, then work in the evenings.  My muscles feel entirely depleted, and by the end of the day, they're sore and achy.   I'm experiencing leg cramps, even though I'm taking lots of potassium supplements and tossing strawberries and bananas in the blender with my protein shakes (in addition to my B-12, iron, calcium citrate, and multivitamins). I've been fairly active, walking an hour a day, plus one of my jobs is physically strenuous.  For a while I thought maybe if I boosted my calorie intake to 1200 a day, it would help, but so far, I'm not seeing that.  Plus, that's caused my weight to plateau; I haven't lost a single pount in the past ten days.   What's the deal?  Argh!  

Most of the exhaustion is due to the anesthesia - so no matter what surgery you have you still have to account for that fact. Anesthesia is VERY hard on the body and can stay in your system for up to 6 weeks or so.  I know from previous surgeries that anesthesia makes me extremely tired as well as cranky :-) I knew the majority of what I felt post-WLS was due to that and not the actucal surgery.  As for the leg cramps - they can be caused by more than just potassium... the potassium suppliments really dont have a lot of potassium in them... check other high potassium foods besides the nanners and strawberries, I believe kiwis have more than both :-) you can also buy "no salt no"... its a salt alternative that is fortified with potassium. Calcium can be another culprit, as well as magnesium and dehydration. Make sure you are getting in your water, calcium and possibly consider a magnesium suppliment until the cramping stops.

Let me backtrack - I didnt look at your surgery date... you are a little further out.  Not sure if this would apply to you - I was told sometimes it takes others longer to "feel the effects" of the surgery, now I had the RNY so I am not sure if that would be the same for the lapband? Even thou you arnt deficient you are still eating much less than previously (I assume?) so maybe your body is finally feeling the effects of everything you had done? I struggled many times during my first year with low energy - my bloodwork always came back perfect but I was still tired. If you are doing just b-12 I would maybe suggest adding b-6 or switching to a bcomplex and see if that helps? If you are doing regular b12 maybe a sublingual would work better? I dont know much about the lapband so not sure what the surgeon would say about any of those suppliment changes :-)

Kim,  Are you getting AT LEAST 60 proteins a day??  How is your water level?  At least 60 also?  Are you taking your vitamin?  Check these things first because they're the essentials with the band.  As for the plateau, It sounds like you're body is going into  starvation mode, (I think that's what it's called.)  At first it looses and then it starts clinging to the fat because it realizes it's not getting the usual amount.  Shortly, it will start to move again.  Don't  obsess on the scale, put it away for a week.  I bet also with the exercising you are doing, you're loosing, but in inches.  Try measuring again.  Hope this helps some- just give it time. Nancy

Thanks for the feedback!   In my head, I know it's just a matter of soldiering through this time and just keeping to the checklist of what to eat and what to do; that's what works for everyone.  Of course, my head also says, "Oh, suuuuuuuure, that's what works for everyone ELSE; but this surgery didn't work for you.  Neener, neener, neener."  And I'm so worn out that it's hard to jumpstart the appropriate self-talk rebuttal. I'm definitely getting more than 60g of protein a day, usually 80-100.  And I get through 64 oz of water and Crystal Lite daily, too.  I use Morton's Lite Salt, which has potassium.  I get iron intravenously and just had a fill-up last summer.  I also get some other stuff intravenously, and get oral Vitamin A and intramuscular B complex at the doc's office. Of course, it's pollen season, and that may be contributing.  I noticed the week before last when I was starting to feel so tired that there was that hated yellow pollen on my car at the end of the day.  We had some rain, but now it's evident again.  So that might be part of the problem. I've been too tired the past few days to do much more than 20 minutes of walking, so I bought a new bicycle to get in a few more minutes of activity.  It arrived Tuesday, but I haven't had the energy to uncrate it yet!  Hopefully tomorrow or Friday, when my schedule is a little less crammed with evening meetings and extra work.  I really have no idea how I'm getting through from one day to another.  Thank goodness I keep a pillow in my office and can nap on the floor at lunchtime, or I wouldn't even be able to drive myself home at the end of the day.

Kim, if you're that tired you have to resort to napping on the floor at work, I believe I'd call the Dr.  He might need to run some blood tests and make sure there isn't an underlying problem.  Don't put it off, I woudn't want to see you passing out behind the wheel or something bad! Nancy

Usually when I feel a little run down, I eat nothing but protein all day and increase my sugar and water intake.  It works for me.  I have also hit a plateau, got a fill today.  Hope you feel better!

Hey Kim: I know exactly what you are talking about with the exhaustion! I am 5 weeks out and the doc had me come in last week and all blood levels were fine.   He explained part is anesthesia, part surgery and part is calorie intake.   He told me to keep pushing to build myself up but when i couldn't push anymore, to rest.   I get up at 5:30 a.m. so now i have resorted to being in bed at 8:15 pm and reading for an hour and lights out no later than 9:30 pm.  This has seemed to help me some.   I try to walk during my lunch hour as by the time i get home, I don't have the energy for it.    If we can get through this first six months to a year...we should be on easy street (i hope),   I know you have other health issues also....have you had those checked out to make sure all is well?    Take care, Pam

Hey there, Pam! It's such a strange feeling, isn't it?  There was all this euphoria after the surgery and while the initial weight was dropping off ... and now it's just blahhhhhhhhhhh, and so hard to explain why suddenly we can't even keep our eyes open by 7:30.   I did have my oncology bloodwork done two weeks ago, and it came back looking super!!  Nothing looked suspicious, my levels were almost all within a normal range.  No anemia or signs of underlying iron deficiency, and my hematocrit was the best it's been in years. I think everyone's right: I just need to have patience and work with things as they are, instead of fighting that.  It certainly wouldn't kill me to rest more and be more tolerant of my body's need to recover and readjust. Thanks so much for your words!

I know I lost 40 lbs but i feel like i am carrying lead in my butt and all my limbs!  lmao. Take care, Pam