Ugh, can we talk constipation? :(
Oh OAAT! I feel for you! Just on Opti I've had problems so I fear I will be in the same boat post op too. I'm REALLY dreading it and like you I like to be as natural as possible. My poop was the consistency of broken crayons at points on Opti and I had bad lower back pain and was starting to freak out that my poo was becoming impacted. I took a fleet enema and it cleared me out. Like pooping out a bag of marbles!! Sorry for the colourful description!!
In any case I think if I'm having this much change just on Opti then post op will be a real challenge for me too. So solidarity!! I'm going to add real bone broth, probiotics, as much natural fibre as possible and start with the Senokot and Metamucil aids as a first line approach and of course WATER! Lots of water, herbal tea etc.
Good luck. I'll be sure to let you know if any of this works for me. Hang in there!!
Feb 17/16 - orientation TWH | March 3/16 - nurse | Nov 22/16 - Phone call f/u re-entry | Oct 18/16 - nurse | Nov 29/16 - nut class | Feb 16/17 - social worker | March 7/17 - nut apt | March 22/17 - psych apt | March 30/17 - team approved | May 5/17 - surgeon apt | June 8/17 - endoscopy | Sept 22/17 SURGERY RNY @TWH
Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear you're having problems. I only have sympathy... no words of advice. Gosh, what I took for granted in terms of regularity before!! I miss that. :)
Ok, let's fix this!!
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. Choose happy.
Opti -10 / M1 -25.5 / M2 -10 / M3 -14.5 / M4 -13 / M5 -10 / M6 -5.5 / M7 -9.5 / M8 -13.5 / M9 -0.5 / M10 -2.5 / M11 -2.5 / M12 +2 / M13 -5.5
Century Club and Onederland in month 7!!
Good morning,
I see you have had lots of responses, but I'll share my experience. I'm almost 6 months out (Friday) and I have only started having regular b.m.s for the past week or two. I had three bags of iron I.V. when I was in the hospital to get my blood levels up after the second surgery. I knew that would have an impact, and "impact" it did. I used Restoralax, stool softeners, Senekot - and still my b.m.s were hard, bumpy and difficult.
My iron levels went to 836 after surgery and are now down to 215. I am eating more vegetables and berries, eat up to 6 Mary's crackers a day (seedy and high in fibre), and continue to drink lots of water and move. I have gone from going once every two to three days, back to my old schedule of once a day and it is more "normal" than it has been during the past six months. I'm scheduled to send a sample away this week (Oh, Joy!), and am interested in what it will say about me - sort of a yucky personality quiz - lol.
Anyways, just wanted to share that like hair loss, dumping, and restrictions, constipation and/or diarrhea may be part of an individual's journey. However, so is weight loss, increased energy, lower blood pressure, less joint pain, getting off medications, no diabetes ... and so on.
I continue to wish you the best. This is temporary and your doctor can help.
Linda
Orientation: June 29th, 2016, Surgery March 22, 2017. Pre-surgery: 16 lbs, (Size 2x, 18/20), M1: 19 lbs. (Size 1x, 16/18), M2: 13 lbs. (Size 16, XL) M3: 10 lbs. (Size 14/16, large). M4: 6 lbs. (Size 14, large/medium). M5: 10 lbs. (Size 14, solid medium - lol), M6: 9 lbs. (Size 12, medium). M7: 8 lbs. (Size 10/12 and small/medium). M8: 7 lbs. (Size 10 and small/medium). M9: 2 lbs. (Size 8/10 - small/medium). Lost 100 lbs by Month 9! M10: 5 lbs. M11: 4 lbs. One year: 6 lbs. Total 111 lbs. lost!
Not really Jo; it's all good!
Orientation: June 29th, 2016, Surgery March 22, 2017. Pre-surgery: 16 lbs, (Size 2x, 18/20), M1: 19 lbs. (Size 1x, 16/18), M2: 13 lbs. (Size 16, XL) M3: 10 lbs. (Size 14/16, large). M4: 6 lbs. (Size 14, large/medium). M5: 10 lbs. (Size 14, solid medium - lol), M6: 9 lbs. (Size 12, medium). M7: 8 lbs. (Size 10/12 and small/medium). M8: 7 lbs. (Size 10 and small/medium). M9: 2 lbs. (Size 8/10 - small/medium). Lost 100 lbs by Month 9! M10: 5 lbs. M11: 4 lbs. One year: 6 lbs. Total 111 lbs. lost!
yeah natural fibre I'm sure helps me too. anyone *****ads the menu threads knows i have 2 chia puddings with fruit a day (i add 1 tbs of restoralax to each of mine). I get on average 35-40grams of fibre a day...
It is like being on vacation to be regular for the first time in my life. I had IBS before surgery and it is totally in remission now!
Band-RNY revision age 50 5'4" HW 260 SW: 244 (bf healthy range 23-35%) bf 23.7% (at 137lbs) cw range 135-138.lbl with butt lift and mastoplexy March 23, 2018...2.5lbs removed.
Pre-op-16lbs (size 18/20...244) M1-16lbs (size 18...228) M2-15.6lbs (size 16/18...212.4) M3-10lbs (size 16..202.4) M4-11.4lbs (size 14...191) M5-10.8lbs (size 12...180.2) M6-8.4 (size 8/10...171.8) M7-6.4 (size 8...165.4 lbs) M8-11.6 (size 6...153.8) M9-5.6 (size 4/6...148.2) M10-5.8 (size 4....142.4) M11-4 (size 2/4...138.4) Surgiversary -1 (size 2/4...137.4) M13-2.6 (size 2/4...134.8) M14 (size 2/4...134.8) M15 (size 2...135) M16 (size 2...131.4) M17 (size 2...135) M18 (size 2...135) M19 (size 2...138) M20 (size 2...135) M21 (size 2...138)
Wow. That's amazing! Great fibre count. I assume that's not counting the Restoralax.
Do you make your own chia pudding?
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. Choose happy.
Opti -10 / M1 -25.5 / M2 -10 / M3 -14.5 / M4 -13 / M5 -10 / M6 -5.5 / M7 -9.5 / M8 -13.5 / M9 -0.5 / M10 -2.5 / M11 -2.5 / M12 +2 / M13 -5.5
Century Club and Onederland in month 7!!
restoralax is not fibre to my knowledge so i don't count it as such. Yes I make my own pudding. use vanilla premier protein to do it. Let me know if you want my recipe to try.
Band-RNY revision age 50 5'4" HW 260 SW: 244 (bf healthy range 23-35%) bf 23.7% (at 137lbs) cw range 135-138.lbl with butt lift and mastoplexy March 23, 2018...2.5lbs removed.
Pre-op-16lbs (size 18/20...244) M1-16lbs (size 18...228) M2-15.6lbs (size 16/18...212.4) M3-10lbs (size 16..202.4) M4-11.4lbs (size 14...191) M5-10.8lbs (size 12...180.2) M6-8.4 (size 8/10...171.8) M7-6.4 (size 8...165.4 lbs) M8-11.6 (size 6...153.8) M9-5.6 (size 4/6...148.2) M10-5.8 (size 4....142.4) M11-4 (size 2/4...138.4) Surgiversary -1 (size 2/4...137.4) M13-2.6 (size 2/4...134.8) M14 (size 2/4...134.8) M15 (size 2...135) M16 (size 2...131.4) M17 (size 2...135) M18 (size 2...135) M19 (size 2...138) M20 (size 2...135) M21 (size 2...138)
Yes please! Thank you. :)
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. Choose happy.
Opti -10 / M1 -25.5 / M2 -10 / M3 -14.5 / M4 -13 / M5 -10 / M6 -5.5 / M7 -9.5 / M8 -13.5 / M9 -0.5 / M10 -2.5 / M11 -2.5 / M12 +2 / M13 -5.5
Century Club and Onederland in month 7!!
Makes 2 (if earlier post op you may need to divide into 3 or 4 portions depending on capacity)
- 3 TBS Chia seeds
- 2 TBS vanilla protein powder
- sprinkle of cinnamon
- (I add 2 TBS Restoralax which is obviously optional)
Stir the dry ingredients and add
- 1 liquid premier protein shake (vanilla).
stir well and divide into 2 containers (or however many you use)
It takes a couple of minutes to start thickening. While it is doing that I usually cut up fruit to add.
Some favorite combinations:
Caramel apple: sprinkle of caramel flavoring and chopped apple
Summer fruit: fresh peaches, blueberries and strawberries and a sprinkle of crystal light (peach raspberry or pommegranite
Winter fruit: switch to frozen mixed berries or just strawberries (warning adding frozen fruit thins it out a bit because of the added water/juice from the berries when they thaw.) but I love it.
Band-RNY revision age 50 5'4" HW 260 SW: 244 (bf healthy range 23-35%) bf 23.7% (at 137lbs) cw range 135-138.lbl with butt lift and mastoplexy March 23, 2018...2.5lbs removed.
Pre-op-16lbs (size 18/20...244) M1-16lbs (size 18...228) M2-15.6lbs (size 16/18...212.4) M3-10lbs (size 16..202.4) M4-11.4lbs (size 14...191) M5-10.8lbs (size 12...180.2) M6-8.4 (size 8/10...171.8) M7-6.4 (size 8...165.4 lbs) M8-11.6 (size 6...153.8) M9-5.6 (size 4/6...148.2) M10-5.8 (size 4....142.4) M11-4 (size 2/4...138.4) Surgiversary -1 (size 2/4...137.4) M13-2.6 (size 2/4...134.8) M14 (size 2/4...134.8) M15 (size 2...135) M16 (size 2...131.4) M17 (size 2...135) M18 (size 2...135) M19 (size 2...138) M20 (size 2...135) M21 (size 2...138)