More Newbie Questions...

I am three weeks out. I am really weak still. I had two granddaughters over this weekend. Ages 6 and 11 with ADHD. I was so exhausted I couldn't chase after the older one and I started shaking and crying and had to call their mom and have them come sooner to get them. Then I laid down and slept for 2 hours. I am so so weak!!!! 

Is this common with Bypass? I am eating right, drinking protein, taking vitamins, drinking water, doing everything right. I am losing weight well but I really don't feel "normal" at all. I feel weak and sometimes light headed. Does any of this sound normal and typical with bypass? 

I had lapband for 4 years and had nothing like this at all. I know this is much more than lapband but I need some assurance things are okay. I am going to the bathroom, etc and there is no pain, except under one of the holes from surgery, it feels like a pulled muscle deep inside. Not severe. Only when I move a certain way. So I don't think it's a problem with the surgery. 

My fear right now is that I will die from this weakness and tiredness. It has been over 3 weeks. So is it normal? Tracy

You've just had major surgery and you're eating about 400 calories (I'm guessing). Maybe a bit more if you are 3 weeks out. You are bound to have a certain lack of energy under those cir****tances!

Everyone recovers at different rates so it's hard to say what's normal but I found that for the first 3 months I would have bouts of energy followed by bouts of extreme tiredness. I would go ride a bike and feel GREAT. And come home and take a big nap! I took a LOT of naps. I also got very tired in the afternoons, especially at work.

The main thing you want to see is gradual improvements. Even if you have a bad day, do you feel that overall your energy now is more than it was when you first came home from the hospital.

Also, make sure you are getting a lot of protein. You need the protein to heal and for energy. No matter what your program says, you want to get at least 70 g (some of them just don't emphasize the protein like they should) and more is better, especially if you have low energy.

The other thing is to make sure you aren't having episodes of low blood sugar or low blood pressure. For the former, make sure you don't go for long periods of time without eating anything. The for the later, don't get up quickly from sitting or laying down and, if you are on blood pressure meds, check if the dosage needs to be adjusted now that you've lost weight.

I didn't start feeling normal until close to 6 weeks.  Nothing severe but I was in bed at 8:30 and slept 11-12 hr a night, night after night.  Did you get labs done before surgery?  If so, check to see what was low and may not be catching up yet.  I know my D was low before surgery and I think my energy level came up as my D did.  The lightheaded makes me think if you are on BP meds, they may need to be adjusted.  Some folks come off meds very quickly.  Get your protein in, eat every 2-3 hrs, get you fluid in, check meds and vit levels.  It really does get better.

Along with what has already been said, make sure your fluid**** a minimum of 64 oz every day.

Mild dehydration (and we dehydrated SO easily) can make you lightheaded as well.

Thanks to all of you! I do have better days and worse days but overall I am better over time. I think I must have overdone it with two grandkids over for the whole weekend. And they aren't the best parented kids, so they are harder than my other grandkids (if you know what I mean). They are super sweet and I love em to death but especially the ADHD (unmedicated) makes things difficult. 

I am so thankful to have people to ask these questions. I am not on BP meds and the lighheadedness doesn't feel like that. 

I am also coming off narcotic pain meds after being on them for over 15 years. They were long acting and they didn't work after surgery, so now I am taking short acting and it is so different I hate it. I am taking so much less than before surgery I am sure some of my discomfort must be from that. Not pain at all, just weird head stuff. I remember coming off paxil, maybe it's more like that. More like head zaps. And who knows how long that will last! I am going to talk to my pain doc to get an idea of how long that will take. I am excited to be getting off of them though. 

I bet that is putting more pressure on my whole body while dealing with the bypass issues too. Yesterday I was crying and shaking and I felt so alone! I called my grandie's mom and she talked me thru it. Sweet. I HATE feeling weak and unable to totally care for myself!!!!!!! I have been here 5 times before with back surgeries and that weak feeling is so uncomfortable for me. I am used to being a take charge person. "I can do anything!" Haha. Maybe it's time for me to pray! LOL! Thanks everyone.

How do I get rid of one of those trackers? I thought I deleted both????

God bless you, sounds like you have a right to be tired after babysitting all weekend.

I second what others have said:  get at least 70 grams of protein, use protein shakes to make sure this happens.  make sure you are getting at least 64  of liquids.

I took a 2 to 3 hour nap every afternoon for at least 3 weeks, it really helped. 

I only had the sleeve which is much easier to recover from

I had the exact same pain you are describing, and it gradually went away.

i would guess you have a follow up very soon with your surgeon, mention to them how tired you are, they may order some labs.

Anne

One of the things no one has mentioned is that hormones are stored in fat and as you lose fat, you release hormones and your mood swings are all over the place.  My surgeon suggested everyone go on an antidepressant for 6 months to help with that.  Lots of folks have horrific mood swings after surgery and that could be playing into you issues.

Tracy,

I would say yes, it's normal based on your current caloric intake and that you probably overdid it a bit ( you are ONLY 3 weeks out, remember) and Price beat me too reminding you about all of the extra hormones, specifically estrogen floating around in your system from the fat loss you are experiencing!  I was a hot mess for a few weeks there, omg, my kids were like "mom you're mental" lol . . . and my response was "yes I am, so don't mess with me dammit"  (there's more than one way to manage teenagers )  

Anyway, I was really tired and it took me a while to build my stamina back up probably closer to 8 weeks or so and I was back to working both of my jobs and I was dead tired.  I would fall asleep at the table eating.  It does get better.  I had that same pain too from where the band was; it was like a deep muscle ache.    

Definitely keep up on your protein intake and your fluids as the others said.  Mention it to your surgeon if you are really concerned or if you feel that it is interfering in your daily activities too much.  Oh, and get as much sleep as you can!!!!

~ Stacy ~

Thanks Stacy and everyone else again. All good ideas and good to know it's normal to feel tired. 

I did talk to my pain doc. I am also going thru an unplanned withdrawal from narcotic pain meds after over 15 yrs for chronic pain.And my head is feeling zingy and dizzy. That is added to feeling weak. I can't imagine how hard this is on my organs and whole body. I am going to be very good to myself! I am eating protein, vitamins, reading up at the websites you all have mentioned. I have some protein I don't really care for but I want to use it up. 

My pain doctor told me the feelings are normal too for quitting morphine. Going off slowly but still...she prescribed some clonopin to help get thru it. 

Thanks again!!! Tracy