Ok, advice time...let me have it!!!

Well, you all may know that I am only 6 days out from surgery. Let me first tell you how that went....The night of surgery I spent my whole night throwing up blood!!! What a night from hell to say the least. The next morning it stopped, Thank God!!! Ok, then I had a problem not being about to pass gas or use the bathroom. They gave me something but it didn't help...I just needed to be home in my own bathroom. Well, as soon as I got home Saturday I started passing my gas. Sunday night was my next night from hell. My bowels started sounding like liquids was rolling around in there and my stomach was cramping. I felt like I stayed in the bathroom the whole night getting all this stuff out of my bowels. The doctor said that when I would finally go it would look dark and have old blood in it from when I was bleeding during surgery so don't be alarmed. OK well, not only did I stay in the bathroom all night Sunday but Monday as well and as soon as I got up this morning I grabbed a protien shake and started sipping. As soon as a sip went down, back to the bathroom I went. It is like everything is running straight threw me! This is getting VERY old and tiring!!!! I am trying to keep fluids in but it don't always help. Is all this normal and will it straighten itself out???....soon????....hopefully???? Some people can say right after surgery....."I FEEL GREAT!" Well, I am just wondering how long before I feel "GREAT"? My last visit with the doctor before sugery I weighed 264. The night before surgery I weighed 262. As of this morning I weighed in at 247......17 lbs. in less than a week???? WOW!!!!! But I feel like I am pooping myself to death and it is leaving me very tired. Oh, and by the way since the night before surgery I have not smoked a cigarette!!!! DO NOT WANT THEM....DO LIKE TO EVEN SMELL THEM!!!! My smells are all out of wack and so is my tastebuds but I know that is normal about this surgery. I just really need to know your tales of when you were first post-ops. And if you did have very lose bowels what did you do to help???? Thanks you guys!.... Lisa Strassner

Lisa - I am so sorry that you feel bad and hope you start to feel better soon. I do not have any advice I can offer because I am one of the ones who felt fine right after surgery and have never thrown up at all since surgery almost 8 months ago.... but I hope someone on here will have some good advice for you Jackie

Lisa, I am so sorry you're having such a rough time of it. I had a bit of the loose stool issue at first, but nothing close to what you are having.........straightened out right away too. Keep in touch with your doctor on this, you can't afford to get dehydrated. Just one thought I had though, are you mixing your protein drinks with milk or water? Milk can cause a major lactose reaction early out. If you are using milk, switch it to water.......way easier on our tiny pouches. Smells made me feel yucky too..........I was used to that though, as I had that issue with all 3 of my pregnancies. If you can get it past your nose, your body will accept it. Like I said, important to keep touching base with your surgeon, he and his staff with have ideas for you better than we will. It took me 8 full weeks to feel "GREAT", so hang in there. XOXOXOOXOXOOXOX Sharon

I had a very rough post op also I am 6 weeks out now and just beginning to feel normal. I had the loose stools and my doc said it was a form of dumping from the protein drinks so I have to dilute them and drink twice as much. I still can't do milk based protein drinks, I do the Isopure the blue and the orange but I have to dilute it with water or with crystal light or gatorade. The crystal light orange with the orange Isopure isn't bad. But straight Isopure makes my stomach cramp really bad but now I am constipated and can't go so that is very painful. Unjury powder works well, several folks just mix in a little of the unflavored to just about everything they eat like yogurt, grits, throughout the day so there is no large amount hitting at once. Congrats on no smoking your chances of blood clots just went down significantly. My tastes and smells have been affected also. I am so grateful my hubby is so patient, he has made me so many things only to have me take one bite and puke or gag. It is all trial and error. Good Luck

I spent the second night in the bathroom much like you except no blood. I don't know where it all came from since I hadn't eaten for so long. I guess that confirms what people have told me, that I'm always "full of it". I am 4 months post op and truly feel great. Unfortunately I am one of the ones that could not stomach ANY of the protein drinks, puddings, etc. So because my protein intake was so limited for so long, I didn't feel good for a number of weeks. I had no energy. Once I got to solid food I started feeling much better. I've lost about 60 pounds and can cross my legs and tie my shoes. Yippee. Life's simple pleasures are the best !! Jennifer