Don't want to be a Debbie Downer but Really Struggling-18 Days Post-Op

Hey Everyone-sorry in advance if I sound negative.....I'm just really struggling right now & looking for some support/advice.

I been having a bunch of issues since I've been sleeved & my doctor's office just keeps telling me that "it will pass". And maybe it will-I'm not really sure at this point.

I really struggle to get maybe 30oz of liquid down a day & I barely get about 6oz of soft foods down (I'm not overly concerned with the soft food but I already had to go back to the hospital once for dehydration & really don't want it to happen again)!! I have horrible acid reflux that wakes me up around 5am every day (I take something for it but it keeps happening). Some mornings, it makes me throw up. Every time I try to take my medications, I choke on them or throw them up, too. My throat hurts constantly & I always have a stomachache or nausea or both. I tried my chewable vitamins with my "lunch" today & almost threw that up, too. Everything seems to be a struggle.

Is anyone else having any similar problems or is it just me?

Thanks

Hey Everyone-sorry in advance if I sound negative.....I'm just really struggling right now & looking for some support/advice.

I been having a bunch of issues since I've been sleeved & everyone keeps telling me that "it will pass". And maybe it will-I'm not really sure at this point.

I really struggle to get maybe 30oz of liquid down a day & I barely get about 6oz of soft foods down (I'm not overly concerned with the soft food but I already had to go back to the hospital once for dehydration & really don't want it to happen again)!! I have horrible acid reflux that wakes me up around 5am every day (I take something for it but it keeps happening). Some mornings, it makes me throw up. Every time I try to take my medications, I choke on them or throw them up, too. My throat hurts constantly & I always have a stomachache or nausea or both. I tried my chewable vitamins with my "lunch" today & almost threw that up, too. Everything seems to be a struggle.

Is anyone else having any similar problems or is it just me?

Thanks

Sounds like you need a stronger PPI and you need to back up to full liquids. Your stomach sounds like it's still very swollen is taking it's sweet time to settle down. Get the reflux under control, and drinking will be easier. Try different temperatures for your water - warm and hot have always gone down easier for me. Chew on ice chips, popsicles, fudgsicles, tea, chicken broth. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

A friend who had VSG had a really tough recovery -- she was out of work for 4 weeks and had to stick to just liquids for about 6 weeks. If I remember, she was nauseous all the time, but she didn't want to take Zofran because it made her constipated. She'd text me to say she had just cried in the shower for an hour and wondering "why did I do this to myself." She's 10 months out now and doing great. I'd see about something stronger (or upping the dosage) for your reflux med. Hopefully it will pass soon! Everyone has a different recovery process.

So sorry you're having a tough time. Regarding your acid med, make sure it's a PPI like prilosec, prevacid, nexium, protonix, etc. (not an H2 blocker like Zantac) and take it regularly. As another poster said, you may need to cru**** up and/or take it in smaller bits. You may need to increase your dosage, switch to another PPI, or both. I went through four PPIs and upped my dosage before finding one that seems to be working long term. Supposedly they're all the same, but my experience has been, not so much. Stomach acid is not fun! And if it goes on for many years it can lead to greater illness.

As others have also said, stick to what works as far as food and drink. Drinking is much more important than food, although protein shakes count toward your liquid requirements. Once you've got the acid issue resolved, just sip sip sip, the size of a medicine cup every 15 minutes. If you do that all day you'll get enough liquids not to get dehydrated.

And yes, this too shall pass.

Thank you so much for the comments, everyone! I really appreciate it. I'll be looking into all of your suggestions!!!

You are in early days still. Recovery takes a long time. Be patient with your body as it adjusts and you learn to use your new tool.

It will get easier.

Call your surgeon and get a scrip for Zofran or other med to control your nausea. If you're taking something over the counter for your reflux, get your surgeon to write a scrip for that too. You have to be able to at least get your liquids down. Food and vitamins can wait a while longer until you get your current problems under control. Insist if the office tries to fob you off with more "it will pass." They're right; it will pass, but that doesn't mean you have to suffer more than you need to.

At day 18 post-op, I was cursing and calling myself every kind of fool for getting sleeve surgery. Dehydration, nausea -- yes, I remember those days. Not fun at all. If your recovery takes as long as mine, you will have at least 3-4 more weeks of tough times, but you'll start to notice improvements too. You're still in the rough early days. Take one day, one hour, one minute at a time. And get those prescriptions -- demand them if you have to! I had to do that to get them from my surgeon. They made a huge difference in my recovery.

psychoticparrot

Thank you, pyschoticparrot!!

I have definitely had moments where I have been beating myself up for doing this. I'm glad that I'm not alone. Logically, I know that it is the best decision in the long run and that things will get better (and easier, I hope) but the last few weeks have been torture.

I spoke to my Nurse Practioner today & she is going to increase my meds for the acid reflux. She thinks that that is what is making it so hard for me to get my fluids (and anything else) down.

Thank you for your advise & support.

Your biggest dehydration symptoms are fatigue and nausea. You're wanting to vomit all of the time and you feel dragged out, and you're struggling to get in 30oz per day. Your body needs...NEEDS 64oz per day. It's not pleasant to get that much in, but you have to. It's a full-time job. Find a flavor and temperature that doesn't suck. You won't be saying "mmmgood", aim only for 'doesn't suck' right now.

You may need to get an IV again to replump with fluids, and really force yourself to drink. This part is totally on you and no doc can help with it.