Post op questions Please let me know your experience so I feel normal.....

I just had surgery on the 17th of this month and I have to tell you I have been miserable every since.  It has only been a week and a half and I cant seem to catch a break.  I have stuck to everything the Doctor has told me to do as far as fluids and all.  I was having pain in my stomach and went back to hospital and they did a ct scan and said everything is ok.  I have broken out in cold sweats off and on the whole time.  Doesn't make sense because I shouldn't be having dumping issues with just drinking liquids.  The doctor said I need to get 900 cal in but I cant seem to accomplish that.  By the time I drink my three protein shakes and 64 oz of water I don't feel like having anything else.  I hate feeling like something is wrong with me.  I don't understand the cold sweats and sometimes I feel dizzy.  I go from feeling good for one hour to feeling horrible for most of the day.  Being that I suffer from Anxiety doesn't help the matter.  Because it really makes me feel like something is wrong when I start feeling like this.  Has anyone every experienced this?  What was your outcomes for this?  Please tell me it gets better........ So far I am really doubting that I should have even gotten the surgery.

You don't mention which surgery you've had. I understand your frustration, but I think that the 900 cal and 64 oz goals are things that you should be working towards meeting. Being as early out as you are, you should be concentrating on staying hydrated and taking the protein supplements as well as you can. The rest will come in time as you heal.

As for feeling crappy, please do not forget that you have just had major surgery. Assuming that whatever procedure you had was done laparoscopic, be mindful that the outside does not reflect the actual work that was done inside. Rest, take your pain/nausea meds as necessary, DRINK DRINK DRINK!!!!

Lisa

if you had the bypass,you can certainly be dumping onliquids  only. What is the composition of your shakes? Do they have real sugar? What liquids are you drinking? Fruit juices,etc have plenty enough sugar in them to make you dump. 

At 10 days out you are doing great to get 3 shakes and that much water in.

What is the brand protein shakes are you drinking?  How much (if any) sugar is in them?  What WLS procedure did you have?

900 cals seems high for where you are right now. Could it be it was a goal to get to eventually? Many sleevers stay at an 800 calorie range for most of their weight loss phase, and I personally didn't get to that point till a few months in.

The whole buyer's remorse thing... normal ;) Aim for better each day in water and protein... you'll get there. Then suddenly you will think am I eating/drinking too much. You aren't. It's all part of healing. This is major surgery and takes a while to feel "normal" again both physically and emotionally... for me it was 7 weeks. I got a bit of a system going with food & drinking & vitamins and I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

On the protein shakes... yeah watch the sugars, sometimes those grams are good then you add the milk sugars, then something in the shake and you have tipped the grams (this gets better too generally) Try a different milk or a combo of milk & water... sometimes its lactose intolerance versus dumping. Which may or may not stay long term post WLS... I had issues from the beginning with cow's milk, fine with cheese just liquid cow's milk made me nauseous, cramp, generally blah post op... switched to soy or soy & water or lately almond milk and all was well again.

On the anxiety... if you were on meds for that and you had a malabsorptive procedure you'll want to work closely with your Dr to adjust those and even if you didn't have a malabsorptive procedure as you lose weight you may find dosage needs adjusting.

Check in with your Dr on the cold sweats, dizzy... it is flu season and when we first have surgery we tend to attribute every pain, sensation, icky feeling with that for a bit but it could be unrelated. You were in a hospital recently... lots of sick people there ;) 

Hope all is well. Keep us updated.

Sorry I didn't elaborate.  I had the RNY surgery and I drink the Unjury shake powder with water.  Today I actually have felt a little better.  I was able to cook Thanksgiving dinner for my two girls without much pain or issues.  I feel tired this evening and a little nauseous but at least no cold sweats today.  Hopefully it will just take some time for me to feel normal.

Ditto to what everyone else said but just a little FYI:  hormones are stored in fat and as you lose weight those hormones are released causing hot flashes and mood swings.  I thought I'd started menopause early (49 when I had RNY) but blood work said not. THEN the Dr. explained about the hormones - it was not a side affect I expected and had to go on antidepressants to help deal until my major weight loss time was over. 

900 calories seems a high goal for calories early on. I am 4 months out and my calories are 700-900 a day give or take. Counting your protein grams and fluid intake is more important. Are you getting 60-80g a day of protein? I wouldn't stress over the calories. I don't see how you could be getting much food in on 3 shakes a day. It wasn't until I was reduced to 1 shake a day that I upped the amount of actual food I was eating. Maybe try a different brand of Protein shake. Good Luck

I had RNY on Nov 18th and can't imagine a goal of 900 calories a day. My focus is on protein grams with a minimum of 60.