8 WEEK POST OP UPDATE!!!! WHAT A RIDE SO FAR!!!!!

   Hello everybody, just wanted to take a few minutes to update all my friends on here and hopefully some newer members about my journey so far at only 8 weeks post- surgery. Well first of all, I am already down 66 pounds just since surgery!!!! This is nuts!! I seriously dont even seem how this is possible. On February 24th at my pre-surgery testing I weighed 476 pounds and managed to drop to around 455 on pre- surgery diet by surgery date of March 10th. So in all Im already 87 pounds down and dropping every day. This surgery has changed my life so quickly! I took my kids to amusement park for the very first time  last weekend and didnt feel overwhelmed with all the walking! It was great. I know there are many more people out there that feel just like I did just a short time ago, and more than anything I just want to say this surgery can and will change your life as well. Every morning now when I wake up I think about what adventure I am going to try to conquer instead or worrying so much about my health problems. I feel like each day truly is a blessing. I am already working 13 hour days out of town, in a high stress position and all of this is from a guy who had a hard time putting in 7 hours before surgery!

   Now for some questions to my vet friends. There have definitely been some issues that I wanted your help with since my surgery. First of all I am still nauseated almost every day, and seem to have tons of gas!!! My body absolutely hates sugar,seems like the smallest amount and I will be in the bathroom quite some time. My energy is also up and down. Im so happy with the weight loss but I also want to feel normal again on the inside and I don't know if that will ever happen. As far as vitamins I'm probably going to get slammed on here. so far my doc only has me taking 3 adek multi vitamins, some 12 and calcium. Thats it. And..... Im taking all chew-able vitamins from GNC which taste like they are full of sugar.Any help on vitamins as a newbie would be appreciated.

   As far as food goes that is easy. My body seems to hate it all. I have done some serious trial and error and end up with error more times than not. As I stated earlier I am working a ton of hours and out of town so I havent quite figured out the eating thing. This is where I still need help. I am only up tonight(2 am TX time) because stomach has been upset , happens mostly at night. So I will take any advise on foods!!! What the heck are you guys eating that your stomach actually likes!!!! I will try anything at this point. Kinda giving up on food.

   Thanks ahead of time for all of your help and support. I do appreciate all of you!!!- MIke. P.s. how the heck do you get pics to post on your profile.? Every time I do mine,it says tooo big!!!guess Im not so computer literate!!!!!

WOW!!! 66 #s in 8 weeks is incredible.  After almost 5 yrs out, I still start my day jumping out of bed and being excited to adventure into the day. It's a great feeling.

as for vites,  get on VitaLady's program. With what you are taking now, this maybe the cause of being tired at times. Our bodies use up fuel (read: protein & vitamins) so quickly.

be kind to your new designer insides. You are still healing. I was also one of those that kept an upset tummy. Probably almost 2 yrs. but that's not the norm.  Dense protein like chicken, hamburger would really tear me up. Then I started reading Major Moms thread - vites & bites every day. Gave me some great ideas.  Egg drop soup!! What a lifesaver. Try tuna w/ lots of mayo. Deviled eggs. See where I'm going here.... Soft squishy stuff for right now. And liquids. Lots of hydration dude.

I couldn't touch sugar, or bread for at least 2 yrs out, and still today, I have to be careful or my gas will peel the paint off the walls.

good luck. Enjoy the ride. Can't wait to read about your journey.

Thanks!!!!!

Vitalady's DS plan.  What you are taking isn't enough.

I am guessing you aren't on anything for heartburn/gerd.  Try taking Something a half hour or so before bed and see if that helps with the stomach issues.  Something like omeprazole(available OTC).

The rest is probably just time!

Thanks Patty!!!! I will try anything at this point! Miss my sleep!!! I will go get some

Good for you Mike. The whole amusement park outing is really the best reason to go through with the surgery. Just take time to enjoy your family and not
have to worry about if you can keep up or force them to change their plans because of you. 

More rambling ahead......

It sounds like you are pushing pretty hard for 8 weeks out. Try not to be too aggressive - just because you think you can. It's major surgery and there is still healing going on. Sorry, but you are still on the curve to finding out what your normal is going to be

Are you sure you are getting in your liquids?  Long days can make it tough to keep track. Dehydration would contribute to the nausea. You can try something like Prilosec OTC but you might want to touch base with the surgeons office about the nausea. At 8 weeks I think that should be easing up or they should be helping you find a way to deal with it. Am I right in thinking it is more of an evening thing? Have you tried making sure you had something in your stomach (piece of cheese, slim jim, hard boiled egg?) through the day? Try not to go too long without having something in your stomach.

Which brings me to that famous movie quote "sugar, sugar, we don't need not steenking sugar" or something along those lines.  Sounds like you 
might not be doing too well with the High protein / low carb early days or is it really artificial sweeteners giving you trouble?  in my mind sugar and carbs go together so maybe it is the carbs causing the gas although I have to say at 8 weeks I just naturally had a log more gas. Maybe look at a probiotic, greek yogurt, something to help the flors in your gut handle the new you. And don't forget to try the old reliables like Gas-X.

VIts - If the sweeteners are a problem at 8 weeks you should be able to start regular pills. Are you scheduled for 3 month labs or do they do the first set at 6 months? At this point I would try and add 1 or 2 regular multi-vits (centrum, Costco-Kirkland). B12 and calcium are good (how much calcium? and it should be calcium citrate). Most people break out their ADEK because the mult ADEK usually don't give you enough but  I think you can have that discussion with your Doc based on blood work. A and D are the big ones to watch. They seem to crash quicker and require bigger doses to get back in line.

You should at least see what the Vitalady schedule looks like. Over time you will probably head in that direction anyway. Some guys never need iron. I didn't until 9 months out and I've seen other guys that have just not ever found it necessary. Some of the others are kind of related to calcium absorption. May or may not be an issue for you. I take three batches of calcium though the day. 600mg for each dose.

I added K, Zinc, copper as time went on based on my labs. I added E because the other fat solubles were such a pain but most people don't really need the E based on their labs. 

It's got to be hard to get a handle on with the long work days but you won't be doing any work if your flat on your back because of a deficiency so take the time to track liquids and proteins. See if you can't post a few daily meals to vits and bites to get some feedback on what you are actually eating.

These are all just things to try. It's good that you are experimenting and trying to figure things out. Hard to do get good results before you have healed so just do the best you can and keep after it.

Easy foods - yogurt, cottage cheese, deli cheese and meat slices, chicken wings/thighs, broth and a couple of crackers, soup.

Pete