4 Weeks Yesterday

This is what I posted on my blog yesterday - it may be TMI for some of you, LOL. I've been pretty tired the last few days, so I just copied it to post here and let ya'll know how things are going with me -

"Today is my one month surgiversary, and my first week back at work ended today. It went pretty well,although I was exhausted Wednesday, left work 2 hours early and came home and took a 2 hour nap, and then still felt tired. I think being there til 7:15 pm Tues. was too much but with the auditors there I needed to catch up on things they would be asking for. Thursday was fine, and then today was my short day, got off at 1:15 and again was real tired and came home and took a 2 hour nap. Hopefully next week will go well.

Last night I got the foamies!!! It was awful!!! I think I ate too fast or either the beef from the beef stew was not fine enough. Last week I had pureed it, but this time I just mashed it with a fork. It was very tender and moist but something went wrong. The pain is really intense and you feel like you want to throw up but can't. Really nasty slimey foam is all that comes up and it just keeps rising up and I had to keep spitting it out. Lasted about 45 minutes and then was better. I will try to make sure this doesn't happen again but worry that I often still eat to fast. Not from hunger, but just impatience to hurry up and get it out of the way. Toady I have had nothing but liquids and protein pudding and am afraid to have anything more solid. Pouch still feels a little sore from last night.

My 4 week check up is Tuesday and we'll see how Doc thinks I'm doing. My weight is still the same and I am trying to be patient and know losing will kick in soon. The scale did go down a pound today after I was able to have a BM. I had recently developed constipation now that the diarrhea had finally gone away. I finally decided this morning to have a cup of decaf coffee with spenda and a little creamer. NO PROTEIN POWDER this time, just the real thing. That has always helped me be able to go and it must have helped because a few hours later, success! Bought some benefiber so hopefully this won't happen again!

Well, 4 weeks out - would I do it again? Yes, I know that I will be successful and this will all be worth it in the long run!"

So that's what's been going on with me. Hope you are all doing well and everyone has a good weekend! Take care -

Rhonda

Rhonda, congrats on success.  Yes, the benefiber will help.  You are still healing from the stresses of surgery.  The foamies and no fun, had that a few times.  Seems to happen when I do not chew something well enough.  Thanks for sharing.  You are on the right track.  Hang in there, more losing is on the way.  Hugs

Thanks Kathy. Foamies are awful - I think it was the beef, I should have pureed it instead of just mashing, even though I chewed and chewed. I have felt so tired lately. I'm taking all my vitamins, but have not been taking iron and it may be that I need to go ahead and start taking that as well. I'm glad weather is getting a little better for you and you are able to get out and walk. I am so ready for spring too! Enjoy your day.

Rhonda

((Rhonda))

First of all, considering everything we went through and are going through, there is no such thing as TMI, at least not in my book.  I am having the opposite problem right now. I have been taking Dulcolax every three days which my mom says is too much and it's not doing me much good anyway.  I think I need something that I can take everyday, like maybe Benefiber or Metamucil.  I need to start investigating this.  Right now, my pouch feels a little hard, like I ate too much although I really didn't eat that much today.  I'm learning that all kinds of weird little things can and do occur.  For someone like me who has a tendency to be a hypocondriac, it makes for an interesting life.

I hope your foamies are gone real soon.

Colleen

Colleen, Miralax is a very gentle and safe daily thing you can take to help with the regularity. Just thought I'd throw that in here!

Thanks Colleen. I hope the Miralax helps you get everything straightened out. And yes, there are so many funny little things that can happen, you never know what might come up next. Keeps us on our toes doesn't it, LOL!

Rhonda

FOAMIES SUCK!!!!!!!  they are truely terrible.  how long are you supposed to be on pureed food?  i got on solid food pretty quickly. i had such a hard time at first with vomitting and the runs. that lasted for about a month or three. can't remember.  finally it quit.  i take benefiber in with my fruit salad so i get plenty of fiber. success about every other day.  you'll start losing again real soon!  hope all goes well with your doc. hugs, vick

Amen sister, they sure do suck! My doc's/nut's schedule is weeks 1 & 2, liquids including popsicles and SF jello, 3&4 pureed foods, and 5&6 and on onward, soft foods and add in others as tolerated. I had had the beef stew pureed the week before and it was great. This time I mashed it up, it was very very tender, but I think it was still to much for my pouch to handle (obviously!). I was actually not supposed to eat it like that until Friday, but I didn't think a day or 2 would make any difference. I'll learn,
The scale is creeping down, which makes me very happy. Creeping I can handle, it's the full stop for days and days that plays with my head even though I KNOW it's perfectly normal and common. 

 Take care,
Rhonda

Rhonda... Sounds like all in all you are doing fairly well. You are tired cuz you really needed to be off work for 6 weeks lady!  I understand you probably couldn't take that much time, but your body is still working hard to heal and needs the extra rest. So, thats most likely the culprit right now. BUT please DO take your iron..too many RNY patients end up needing iron infusions down the line. Don't wanna see this happen with you.

The foamies occur due to not chewing enough, and / or eating too much and / or too quickly. They can also occur when something does not agree with your pouch. (Remember just cuz it does not agree now, doesn't mean it will stay that way). Are you measuring your portions to be sure yu are not going over? Also, my surgeon told me that the portion size is a maximum, so that if I feel full before it is finished, to stop eating.

Take good care! You are right you will succeed! Always remember that, even in times of frustration!
Hugs! 

Thanks for the tip about the Miralax.  I've been taking 3 Dulcolax which is the maximum dosage and the last two times I have taken it I've gotten zero results.  I'm off to the drug store!

Colleen