Reflections at 3.5 months

Hello OH Peeps -

I thought I'd check in and post another update. I've been doing this regularly since my surgery and I find it's really helpful to pause and reflect on this wild ride I've been on.

I'll be honest... despite the weight loss, which has been wonderful...more often than not I've become pretty weary of my new reality. Gas is a constant - not petite little burps (and farts...sorry), but more like something a sailor would be proud of. It happens when I eat, don't eat, go to bed and 10 burps in a row is my new normal routine as soon as I get out of bed. Most foods are hard to digest, despite chewing more and taking longer to ea****er still gives me gas and I miss my morning coffee. I want to drink more water in one sitting but I can't. Don't get me wrong, it's much better than it was 1 - 2 months out but is all still very frustrating.

On the more positive side:

• I'm down 50 lbs which I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around.
• I feel better
• My blood pressure is down significantly. Pre-op I was 135/85: not horrible but inching up for sure. At my 3 month check in it was 114/65...I was pretty psyched about that
• A friend told me she sees someone in the overweight category vs. obese
• Walking up and down stairs is so much easier.
• I like what I see when I look in the mirror and in photos (my mother sent me a photo of me she took the other day at a family party and for the first time in many, many years I didn't cringe when I saw it).
• Portions of food served at restaurants seem disgusting to me (how did I eat all that before???) and I love that I eat the portions - or less - than "normal" people. Of everything, I'd say that is the best part of all of this because I don't carry around shameful feelings around food anymore.

So there you have it. I've read enough posts here to know that I'm not experiencing anything new. I'm still very happy I had this done, since I really didn't have any other choice at this point. If I didn't lose another pound I'd be happy (although I'm looking forward getting firmly out of plus size clothing).

Thanks for listening,

Lisa

xo

To quickly get rid of the gas you have to have your head lower than your butt for a few seconds.  That lets the gas escape with no noise and no smell.

Gas rises and it is rising toward your head.  I can get my head to the level of my knees by bending down to pretend to tie my shoe or adjust my socks.

In bed you can learn to just lean your head over the side of the bed until it is lower than your hips.

I had embarrassing gas for years after surgery until I learned this simple fix.

Great tip! Thank you so much!!

I was wondering if you use a CPAP? If you do and you have lost a significant amount of weight, it could be set too high for you now. It can blow enough air that it escapes into the esophagus and puts unwanted air into your stomach. It could be an explanation of the morning burping. I did have this occur with mine when it was set too high pre op. I am 2 years post op VSG and have not heard or read many mention morning burping. It would make sense after a meal if air was swallowed or food eaten too fast. Most all of us have a noisy, talkative sleeve for some time. At three months out it was still very picky regarding what settled well, and what I needed to try again at a later date. I am glad you have so many positives to help counter the issues you are dealing with. I would suspect that as time goes by some of that will get better.

Hi Lodie -

Thanks so much for the suggestion. I thought of that as well...that I was swallowing air when I sleep. I don't use a CPAP, though I was tested a few years back and have/had mild apnea (my doctor didn't recommend a CPAP). This definitely wasn't an issue pre-op. My WL surgeon didn't offer any suggestions other than GasX (sadly).

I know that with WL apnea generally goes away. Might be a silly question but I wonder if it can happen the other way around. That would be a major bummer.

Thanks too for the positive outlook and congrats on your weight loss!

Lisa

I'm glad for all your positives! I have issues with gas too but definitely not as much as it seems you have. I think it might get better as you go? Do you take any gas-x or anything? 

Have you talked with your surgeon about the gas and digestion stuff?  

Otherwise - all of the improvements are great!  Way to go :)

Some foods are harder digest than others. I stop eating most raw veggies. Exeption are cucumbers, avocado, some tomatoes... Lettuce cabbage broccoli, etc etc ' I may eat but only a few bites and only cooked. With some fat. 

SA- any amounts - will give me horrible gas.  Check chewing gum - and chewable vitamins. I was following a very clean diet ..until I realised my vitamins had sorbitol... Ugh..

Burping and excessive gas - may indicate you are getting really constipated...backing up even with daily BM.  

I know that for me - even though I use Miralax daily- I know that when I start burping and my gas gets horrible - that I am getting "full of it". I typically add an additional serving of Miralax that day or 2 or 3...if I add Miralx and I don't get "more liquids" next morning...I KNOW I am constipated...- getting full of it..lol..

Totally love and relate the portion one. Its really amazing to see now, post op, that even though I had issues with food and overeating, I never really understood just how much I actually was consuming until now!