6 months post op... update and GAS

first off, this Friday I will be 6 months post op. But starting last night and all day today I have had such bad, uncomfortable gas. It doesn't want to leave via passing gas, but I've been burping when I'm lucky. Has anyone else experienced this? It was so uncomfortable I told my husband I wished I hadn't had the surgery and that I just wanted to feel normal!

i was 285 on Day 1 of opti. On surgery day I was 270. I am currently 184. I have lost 101 lbs since the beginning of opti and 86 lbs since surgery on October 27th.

NSVs: I can walk much quicker and go up the stairs much quicker. I can cross my legs and fit into 'normal' sized clothes. Everyone is saying how great I look

CONS: gas, I feel like my immune system is weaker, excess skin, droopy breasts, constantly have to 'test' what my pouch can handle, worrying if oral meds are being absorbed. I am tired of my weight being the topic of conversation all the time.

thanks for keeping the boards alive with your advice, experiences, and input.

I experienced the gas you described. Still do sometimes. That for me is a signal that I am getting really constipated- severely backed up. Like "full of ****".

I had BM every day, but as I found out the "hard way" - I did not have a complete BM. Things slowly were filling up my colon and up the small intestine. The more fiber I tried to eat - the worse my symptoms were. It was like putting sand in a clogged toikted hoping the pure pressure of the sand would push the things along.

Now - if I feel this happening - I try more liquid diet, plus more magnesium and miralax to help my body get rid of the "left overs". In the past it may taken me 2-3 days to get "empty". Now - I don't allow that to happen. My very first colonoscopy - I did not get "clean" even after 2 days of prep. My last one - 12 hours, like a normal person.

Taking probiotics, drinking a lot if liquids, giving my body a break with dense solid food really helps neehrn things don't move as well as I need them to move.

Gentle enema (just warm water,) plus abdominal massage to help move things along can start the process on that end, more magnesium or adding a serving or 2 of miralax really helped me.

Hey, you're doing great! Sorry about the gas; I get that sometimes too and it's a real bummer (pun intended, lol).

Like Hala said, try a miralax (or restorolax if you're Canadian) and go back to liquids.

Maybe you can find a new activity to enjoy now that you've lost so much? Something that will get you excited and make you happy?

Congrats - weight loss wise, you are doing great! I am sorry you're suffering through the gas issues and the other cons.

Something I wanted to comment on.. your mentioning that you're tired of your weight being the topic of conversation all the time. I was just thinking about that last night. I haven't had surgery yet (a week and a half away) but I was wondering last night if I was going to get real tired, real fast, of food, eating, and my stomach being such a huge (pardon the pun) thing all the time.

I can see how people would get tired of obsessing over all things WLS. I mean, yes, we really need to pay attention and keep on top of it, but there will be a point where I think I will feel "ok... I will log what I have to log every day, and make sure my levels are good... now can we get back to some more interesting things to focus on?!"

I hope you break though the current 'blahs' you seem to be feeling. Is there a big trip, even if years away, that you can maybe start planning for and obsessing over? An event you can host? Something to make you excited and happy that isn't directly related to your WLS?

Good luck, and again, congrats!! :)

Lucille, congrats on the weight loss and hitting 6 months. Like Hala said (she's very clever) keeping things moving, especially in the first year postop is a challenge, but very important.

I get that you want to feel "normal" again. People want to compliment you, encourage you, support you, so they comment on your weight loss. After a while you get very few comments because they are used to the new you.

Your pouch will become more accustomed to new foods, it takes a long time to heal. There are very few things I can't eat, but I avoid sugars because I have dumped in the past.

We all here deal with loose skin. The alternative is being overweight, joints aching, exhausted, not walking comfortably. Very few people were looking at my naked body before surgery and very few look at my naked body now (husband and health professionals excepted). I look better in clothes than I have in decades. All of that is wonderful, but nothing beats the feeling of being stronger, having more energy, being able to dance every dance. You still have many more NSV's coming your way.

I hear ya Lucille.

I too have the "gas" issue. So severe at times that I am in extreme pain for hours. I am now on a bowel "routine" but even so I still have those episodes. I'm actually going to chat with my clinic on the 5th about it.

Hanging skin - oh yeah. I actually didn't think I'd have as much as I do but c'est la vie. I've started a savings account and at some point I will have some skin removal but I won't be able to do it all.

Yeah, the thing about it being all consuming does become a bit much but it's all coming from a good place. I have let everyone know that they don't need to make accommodations for me with my diet. I either bring my own or I figure it out based on what's offered. The other thing I started doing is posting selfies on my FB page. I'VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE! I just thought that if I posted the pictures as I progressed that people could start processing the change now and hopefully it doesn't become the all encompassing conversation later. I'm just trying to get it over with now.

In the end, I do love the compliments and I find it interesting the number of people who want to know more about what I did, how it works, etc.