Finally feeling better!

It's been a real struggle this past month or so with the constant nausea/vomiting and then the pain. Was starting to think I'd never feel better and wondered if I had made the right decision by having the surgery. I came very close to losing my job because I was out sick so much and when I was at work I basically stayed in the bathroom.

I'm finally starting to feel like my old self again now! I think what has helped me was eating more. I was barely eating before because I felt so sick. Last weekend I went to the beach camping with my parents. I didn't really want to go because I was feeling so nauseous! But my mom insisted and she made sure I ate something every 2-3 hours even if I had to force it down (which I did). Slowly the nausea started to disappear.

The only problem was we ate out a few times and I ate some things that I shouldn't have. I started out at 345 lbs and managed to get down to 299 lbs a week ago. Now I'm back at 303 lbs. And I know it's because I was eating things I shouldn't be eating....mostly carbs.

I refuse to gain anymore though and I did not have this surgery for nothing.....so this week I'm getting back on track! Started back on my protein shakes since I'm finally able to get them down again without gagging. Going back to strictly high protein, low fat, low carb foods and drinking tons of water! My dietitian said I no longer have to weigh my food and just to use my own judgement, but since I got off track a bit this past week, I don't trust myself so it's back to weighing everything.

So hopefully I can get back on my losing trend soon! I'm also going to start exercising more than just walking. I still get nauseated from time to time especially when I go too long without eating something, but it's much better than it was! I didn't realize how easy it was to get off track, but it really is! However, it's not worth the sick feeling I get (which I assume is dumping whenever I eat something I'm not supposed to). Anyway, back on track I go!

I'm so glad you're feeling better!

I agree that you should keep weighing everything. I notice a lot of successful veterans on here saying they still measure their food, even years out from surgery.

The exception I make to measuring is when a serving is, say, 1/2, 1/3, or 1/4 of the container. In those cases I just eyeball it, knowing that if I take too much this time I'll have less next time, so it all evens out. Otherwise, I weigh or measure it.

Glad you are feeling better and without pain, You should definitely focus on getting back on track, you're not even two months out and should be really taking advantage of this early period! Treat your protein, hydration and vitamin goals like they are your job! I would also continue to measure, I still do at 13 months and it seems to be a keystone habit of many of the vets!

Dumping is not a "sick feeling"... it's curling on the bathroom floor in the fetal position, cursing sugar with all your might. I didn't understand everyone saying "if you dump, you'll know" until I wound up curled in the ball.

Good luck and hope it's a great and successful week.

Oh ok, then it probably wasn't dumping. I'm totally clueless on this! Lol. I know early on I had really severe upper abdominal cramping that lasted for about an hour.....so bad I thought I was gonna have to go to the ER. And I have a pretty high pain tolerance. Not sure if that was dumping or something else. I have no idea! Lol Who knows? Lol

Thanks for your reply!

My best "guess" would be that you ate things your body was not READY for...

One of the best analogies I was ever taught, and it's been so long ago I don't even remember who taught it, so I can't give proper credit, was:

Your freshly post op guts are like a newborn baby. What would you feed a newborn baby? Steak? Vodka? Straight orange juice? Wine? Raw veggies? You get the idea...

PAPolly was correct...You WILL know when you experience true dumping - and I pray you never DO !!

Glad your nausea is better. I suffer from cyclic nausea and it is no fun. It certainly may be that eating smaller portions more frequently has been a factor in your improvement. Dehydration can also cause nausea and it may also be that you're drinking more as well which is nothing but good.

I'm super glad you're back on track. Please be very careful. The first year or so you'll lose weight no matter what or how much you eat, but around 18 month to two years your malabsorption will be almost completely gone and you're going to be right back at calories in vs calories out. It follows that the more you can take off that first year, the better.

Hopefully this doesn't come off as a reprimand. It's only my knowledge based upon over 10 years out and watching people come and go on these forums over that time.

Good luck, I hope you have great success.

agree 100% !!! I call this "the trained monkey , eating Snickers period"

No offense, but if your dietitian told you not to weigh your food AND to use your best judgement at less than 7 weeks out, I would question everything he/she is telling you. Maybe at 6 months out, but not at 7 weeks. Weigh/measure, protein forward, lots of fluids. That is what you should be doing at this stage.

Yeah I thought it was a bit odd for my dietician to tell me that, but don't worry, I'm still going to be measuring everything so I can stay on track!