Post-Op Week 3.....A Little Frustrated....

Hello All!  I am approaching my third week  post-op and overall I am recovering and adjusting pretty well.  I feel like I am doing "above average" and I am so grateful to have this surgery...I'm down almost 20 pounds....that still amazes me!

I AM, however, getting extremely frustrated with the whole eating thing.  I am still on the soft food stage and it includes many of my favorite foods.  The problem is as soon as I eat a couple bites, I am SO done with it....I'm talking don't want to eat it ever again--gagging at the thought.   So I've been through yogurt, cottage cheese, string cheese, refried beans, soups....can't stand them any more!   I am not eating too much, I've never gotten anything stuck , never thrown up etc.

When does eating become "enjoyable" again??   I really dread eating and do not feel good at all after I do so.  Today my Mom sent over some chicken salad (made very bariatric friendly).  I was looking SO forward to it but after a few bites....Yuck!  My stomach has been doing flips ever since and I can't even look at the rest of it!   The protein shakes are about the same but I can get down about 6 oz. two or three times a day.

Forgive my ignorance and I hate to sound like a whiner but can somebody please reassure me that it does get better and things will return to at least "semi-normal" soon?

Oh, it will get better and sooner rather than later. Give yourself some time. You may be right in the middle of ketosis when everything tastes bad but your head thinks it wants it. Keep your fluids way up to keep the ketones flushed out. You'll start getting your taste buds back in a few weeks. Hang tough.

--gina

I noticed your starting weight of 193. My weight is 182. Did you have the sleeve done? Did you pay for it or insurance. I'm seriously thinking about it. $10,000 is a lot of money. I don't eat a whole lot now, salads for lunch and dinner, fruit or protein shake for breakfast. I exercise 3-4 times/week. I have been dealing with this weight thing my whole life and I'm tired of it. I'm afraid I'll spend all that money and only lose 30 lbs, then what if I gain it back? I am a semi vegetarian. I would never want to go without salad. I heard some people can't eat salad. Any words of wisdom for me?

Hi Peg,
I had the Duodenal Switch (DS). It's the most malabsorptive WLS but I too had dieted my whole career and ruined my metabolism. I also had 6 comorbidities including lower back issues that don't lend themselves to cardio exercise. Insurance covered my surgery. I was 36.8 BMI when I applied. I knew I needed malabsorption to keep the weight off and the DS has excellent long term WL stats. If you want to read more about it and find surgeons that can perform it, see www.dsfacts.com  If I wanted the DS and was self pay, I'd look at Dr Ungson in Mex or Dr Marchesni in Brazil.  As a lightweight, you could discuss a longer common channel with the surgeon.

Good luck in your journey. I'd be happy to answer any other questions.

--gina
 

 Honey, 

Trust me it gets better. It gets much, much better.  Everything tastes bad at this point. 

You will enjoy food and you will enjoy eating again! Keep the faith, honey! I'm sending hugs your way.

Hugs, 

Hang in there Peyton!
I know how you feel!
I ended up with thrush and my tongue taste awful and so does everything I eat and drink.
Not to mention the nystatin I have to swish and swallow 4 times a day - yuck!
But as I have learned in life, nothing ever remains the same.
Maria