2 Months Post Op and having issues

I am having trouble finding a balanced meal. I eat what feels like crap mostly cheese sticks, yogurt and some fish. I do not feel like I am losing weight but when I track my calories I am eating less than 1500 per day. I am also having trouble drinking enough water. The last few days I drank less than 32 ounces per day and have no desire to drink.

I am starting to feel very lost and discouraged and even questioning the surgery as a whole. I have nightmares about what I did to myself and now find it hard to sleep. I have spoken with the nutritionist and he says I am on point progress wise but I do not see any *major* results.  My clothing is lose fitting but I still cannot wear a 6XL, my pants sag but still I cannot find the right size. I am also falling back in to my old habit of being lazy and not walking like I should be. I am worried about all this but find myself in a deep depression lately or this operation and what I did to myself.

Also I suffer from constipation bad maybe going every other day if I am lucky and Duc-co-lax doesnt seem to help.

Yes I am seeing a therapist but have no support group any where n my area. he nearest one is more then 90 minutes one way and they meet at a Golden Coral of all places!

It sounds like you're doing the right things to me. You might consider using heavy whipping cream in a protein coffee to help with the constipation as well. Hold on to that therapist, you need some kind of support to help with this journey. 

Protein Coffee:
- brew a pot of coffee (reduced caffeine or decaf) You can also use chai tea or sugar free cocoa instead of coffee.
- in a blender bottle with wire ball, add 3 oz of heavy cream and 3 oz of cool water, and a heaping scoop of whey protein isolate protein powder
- cover and shake for 5 seconds
- top off the blender bottle with coffee or pour the cool protein slurry into a huge travel mug and add hot coffee to it. 
- gentle stir to blend

--gina

If you don't drink your fluids you won't flush out the pounds or the poop. Fluids fluids fluids. You will end up dehydrated, sick and back in the hospital. 

Jason, I'm sorry you are strugglling. Please remember that this operation creates profound metabolic changes as well as restriction and malabsorption, and for some people the recovery period lasts longer than others.

In addition to the therapist (which is great), are you taking any medications for depression? There are some excellent medications available nowadays for depression, and even if you have good reason for the depression, they can make a big difference. It might take awhile to find the right drug and the right dose, but it's well worth a try.

And do push yourself a little to do your walking. Exercise also helps with your sense of well being. I won't say that it's a cure for depression because that would be putting it much too strongly, but it may help somewhat. And work on the fluids as well. Being dehydrated feels crappy.

BTW, while I don't live near you, I am familiar with one person who is part of that Golden Corral group, and she's a terrific person. The group might be helpful, if you can make it that far. And believe it or not, for someone with the DS, Golden Corral is not a bad place to eat. You can choose whatever forms of protein you like and just pick away at them while you meet. No hurry, and eat as much or as little as you can manage. I love when someone else does the cooking for me.

Larra

Jason I totally understand how you feel. I have recently been there myself. But the good news is it does get better. I have had trouble finding things to eat, that agree with me. I have been very sensitive to smell. So some days if it smells funny I can't eat it, if it smells fine I can eat it. My stomach has been picky too. For a couple of weeks it was cheese and yogurt. I am now starting to eat a few other things, not many, but finally expanding the list.

I have been on anti depressants but I could not take them for a while and I started to crumple. I have since been able to start taking them again and am starting to get over the "WTH did I do". I think it is something a lot of people have gone through.  Keep doing what your doing, it will get better.

If you need to chat, message me. 

I have gone through the same problems.  Doctor told me to eat three meals a day....no snacks (this leads to grazing).....no fast foods.  He said if I would do this the weight would come off.  When I was having problems of not losing and not going to the bathroom....the group of DS'ers I meet with told me I was not eating enough fat......we need fat.  I sat and watched them lather butter on everything in shock.  I started adding fat back into my diet and things started evening out.  When I can't go to the bathroom now.....I eat something with real butter....this works everytime.  You have to get your water in......you will not lose without it.  Try mixing it with Crystal Light or other sugar free additives you might like.  I mix GENEPRO (30 grams of protein....no odor .... no flavor) with Crystal Light and keep it with me all the time.  I get in my protein and liquid at the same time.

why are you only eating "junk" as you say? Can you not tolerate meat,chicken,eggs etc?

it really depends on the meal/day. One day i am able to eat some turkey slices and the next time I try it makes me throw up. I am only able to not throw up cheese, some fish and protein drinks, everything else makes me sick. I can no longer even stand the smell of meat cooking. I have no idea why nor does the doctor?

It sounds like you could use some more support around you. I would suggest making the trip to the support group once a week, and maybe find a more general weight loss and / or depression group closer to your home.

I had the surgery 6 months ago, and I could not eat chicken or turkey for about 3 months w/o vomiting. Then I started to enjoy it again and now in moderation it tastes pretty good. I couldn't stand the protein shakes but eventually found a few I could tolerate, and I expect to use them forever.

Everyone's body and cir****tances are different so I would suggest you focus on the positives occurring. In my case, before the surgery if I wasn't losing weight (which I seldom did), then I was gaining. Even small wins now will add up over time.

Hang in there.