Update, Info. Sorry for the book!

 Hi everyone!

As I've said before, I don't wish to be a chronic complainer.  But there are a LOT of things that I'm dealing with at 3 months post-op, and I wish I had known some of this pre-op so I wouldn't be so surprised now!  So I'm going to share - probably a LOT, I've been wanting to do this for a bit and things have kinda built up.  Bear with me!

First, I have lost 72 lbs since January 26.  That is astounding to me.  I knew it would come off quickly, but not this quick!  I'm happy with it, I feel scads better, and as I noted on my Facebook page I have been "shopping out of my attic".  I had forgotten I owned some of the clothes I do!  The flip side?  Losing so much so fast takes a major toll on the body.  I have days (today has been one of them) where I feel so exhausted I can't hardly function.  I took the day off work today and I slept most of the day.  I could go upstairs right now and sleep through the night.  This happens... oh, I'd say about once every 1 - 2 weeks.  The first couple of times it happened it scared me; I'm typically a pretty active person, so to feel so run down was a bit frightening!  But all of my blood work has been normal, so it's just fatigue from putting the body through so many changes.

Another issue: constipation!  As Vicki calls them, "touchdowns" are few and far between!  I have never had this before, and I hate it.  I'm drinking water non-stop, and adding fiber to EVERYTHING, and still only going once or twice a week.  (and TMI alert! I usually plug the durned toilet.  Ugh!!).  I never thought I could eat so much fiber powder and drink so much water and still be this bound up.  It's uncomfortable, and downright painful at times!

Now, let's talk diet.  I'm rarely hungry.  I have felt true physical hunger a couple of times (which I thought I wouldn't feel until at least 6 months out, but it is what it is!).  I feel nausea most of the time, and nearly everything I eat struggles to stay down.  Things I could eat on the soft diet are now not tolerated well - what's up with that??  Fortunately things seem to be improving a bit; I haven't tossed my cookies in almost 2 weeks now!  I eat slow, I take small bites, and I chew chew chew.  Pre-op, I assumed that once I was on a so-called "full diet" that things would be more easily tolerated and I'd just need to be mindful of not overeating; Deb (nurse) corrected me on that line of thinking, but if I had known then what I know now I may have been more mentally prepared for it.

I suppose that's it.  I struggle to get my daily protein (which I never would have guessed would be a problem for me at this stage of the game), I have no tolerance for most foods, and my blue eyes are probably turning brown because I'm always so full of __it.  But I'm exercising, I'm losing weight, and I'm feeling so much better, whether I'm so freakin' tired or not.  And apparently this is all pretty normal.  So if you're pre-op or newly post-op, be prepared.  It's one helluva ride!

Darlene, it will get better.  I went through what you are going through now.  I had to take a stool softner and mailax every day. Finally i got my colon cleaned out.  The nausa maybe caused from not a good BM.   I am 11 mos out.  I still have to take mrilax most every day.   Couldn't eat tuna for about 6 mos.  I  got by by eating mashed pototoes and soft fruit and cottage cheese and yogurt.  I promise it does get better.  Hope you get to feeling better soon.  Take care of yourself.  You have just had major sugery.  It will take several mos to get all your strenght back.   Good Luck, Annie

So your eyes are turning brown, mine were too for a while. I am the best fan of benefiber and miralax to deal with the slow bowel dept. Benefiber in my crystal light a couple of times a day, don't even know it is in there. yayyyyy for easy mixing fibers powders.

I have a day here and there too where the exhaustion wins. Take an extra nap on those days. If I have too many of the tired days, I made a point to get in a little more walking and that helps get a spring back into my step. Hugs

Some peoples pouches are much more touchy than others. Sounds like yours may be one of them, but it will improve tremendouly over time. There may be things you will never tolorate well, but most things you should eventually.

I second the miralax. Take some daily and you'll find relief. I don't know where you are in your diet or if you can have them yet, but I eat a handful of grapes every day. That helps me stay regular too I do believe.

I was an oddball. Within 1 week after surgery, I began to experience hunger. Not head hunger either, unless my head was in my pouch! I had true hunger pangs. Funny enough it stopped at about 2 months out not to return until around 5 or 6 months out. I only felt nauseated if I ate too quickly and did not chew my food well for the most part. If it was food causing the yucky tummy feeling, I would "know THAT feeling" that told me it would not sit well after the first or second bite, and abort that meal and go for something easy for a standby. Maybe some of it is ingredients in your foods, hidden sugars etc.. (they call sugar all kinds of things to try to hide it from us).  Are you on an acid reducer? I know we are not supposed to have much stomach acid after RNY, again, I am an odd one, and must take an acid reducer daily or I suffer. Perhaps you could try some Omneprozole. Thats what I take.. I think it is generic for prilosec. It is pouch friendly. Maybe you could try it and see if that helps with your nausea.

I still go through some tired days, BUT i am now recovering from plastic surgery still, which I had 3 months ago. And i do get tired out more easily since. but whenever i go through a losing weight phase, i am a bit more tired than usual. Part of it is the toxins that are released to be excreted from the body as the fat cells burn, part of it is the rapid weight loss. Part of it may be not enough protein in. Try crytal light with vanilla or plain protein mixed in, helps get in fluids and protein at once.

Hang in there lady! Its ok to vent your frustrations. This is NOT the easy way out so many try to tell us we are taking. There are definately challenges. But it will all level out and get easier over time and it is soooo rewarding in the later months as you are closer and closer to goal, and begin to feel better and better.

OHHH.. I know all about the poo issue.  Dr. Lalor told me to drink a glass of apple juice first thing every morning.  I have been using Motts for tots (40% less sugar than normal apple juice) and that seems to help a lot.  You might want to ask him about it for you also.. (just a thought)

Glad to hear all your tests came back good! I go back for my 2 month check up on the 24th.

Good to hear from you.. keep in touch!

Darlene,

There are lots of things that you can't really be prepared for even after tons of research, right? No matter how much we think we have prepared, we don't know how WE will do compared to those we have talked to or know. I have trouble with constipation only occasionally, but I still have lots of trouble at 3 months with what I can and cannot eat. I guess we have "touchy" pouches like Patrece said.
I also still get extremely tired sometimes. Worked late every night this week and had to go to bed early because I felt exhausted. I also feel like I spend a ton of time worrying about food/vitamins - am I getting enough of this? too much of that? did I take all my vitamins? etc, etc. But still, it is all worth it in the long run. I wouldn't go back to the way I was before for anything!
Hang in there and it will get better! (That's what everybody tells us, right? LOL! In the meantime, enjoy your fantastic weight loss and all the good things that come with it.

Hugs,
Rhonda