Question:
2 & a half wks out & still feel like blah?

I get sharp stabing pain in my cheast when ever I eat or drink my water, (I constainly feel thursty )& my stomach still is quiet painful & although my nurse said this is all normal I still find it difficult to deal with. I have also been suffering from nausea & loose bowels. I was just wondering if anyone else went through or is experiancing the same things? How long will this last & are there ways do help the way I feel? I have been following what my nurse tells me but I still feel icky. I hope this feeling will ease up soon. Also my hubby said sit ups & stomach crunches will help prevent the loose skin issue. Has anyone heard of this? Does it work & how long after surgery do I have to wait till I can start with those type of exercise?    — JMerth (posted on May 19, 2007)

May 19, 2007
Hi Jennifer, exercise is good for you. I think you should stick to walking right now. I am 3 weeks post op as over 2 days ago. I intend to ask my doctor when i can start to do some type of ab exercises. I think it will help tone the muscle up in that area to do some situps or crunches, but not right now. i have notice when i am eating that when I get a tight sharp pain in my chest that my pouch is fill. It is really funny how two or three bites will make me full. How are you doing with your water intake and protein? Are you taking your vitamins? I think these are some things that might make you feel back if you are not getting enough. I am currently struggling with trying to get all my water in, but we will make it. God Bless you and I pray that you will feel better soon. Vanessa
   — Vanessa Dates

May 19, 2007
I didn't get the stabbing pain, but I did feel nausea and loose bowel movements. As for the nausea, my surgeon told us we could take gas X chewables. That helped me, and only one tablet helps. I was constantly thirsty as well, just always made sure I drank my water and whatever else I could tolerate that they said I could have. If you didn't rest a lot during the first 2 weeks, rest now, your body just had major surgery and is trying to repair itself. REST, WALK FOR EXERCISE AND DRINK DRINK DRINK (also get yr protein in) You might want to change protein--maybe that is causing nausea & loose bowel movements? I had to change protein powders as after 2weeks I could no longer tolerate the surgary taste of the protein. I found Anywhey tasteless protein powder was great (can be bought at GNC). As for the sit ups & stomach crunches helping with the loose skin, that depends on many many factors. How long you have been obese, how much elasticity is in your skin, and how old you are. For some no matter how much exercise they get for any target area, they still have loose skin. Right now just concentrate on resting and recovering from that major surgery you just had! The average "norm" wait time for starting a regular exercise routine also depends on how a person has recovered and complications etc. For most with no problems, one month seems to be average. For others a little more time. Your doctor knows you best and therefore he is the one that can give u the all clear. I hope you get to feeling better. Welcome to the losing side it DOES get better I promise! God Bless!
   — crystalsno

May 19, 2007
Are you using milk? Skim doesn't matter. Milk? That might account for the loose bowels. How much water? The exercise will put muscle under the loose skin, but it doesn't do much to help the actual SKIN. And of course, you're not thinking of doing these NOW, right? Plenty of water, protein supplement, dry form Vit E, your other vites... those are all things that will help your actual skin. The exrecise will make the muscles fill our the skin and help the whole body circulation, but no, it won't take off loose skin, prevent it entirely
   — vitalady

May 19, 2007
I had some sharp pains; nausea - you beat; diaherra - you betcha! The sharp pains went away in about 3-4 weeks once I started to eat soft foods; I have no idea why, but they did. The nausea - comes and goes to this day (3 months this week). It gets better, though. Not as often and not as dramatic. The diaherra - started in the hospital and was on and off for about 3-4 weeks again until I started soft foods. I did add the benefical fiber stuff and it did help a bit, but starting real food is what made me regular. RE: exercising. I did not have cleareance for core exercises until this week (at 3 months). You are still so new and your body is still healing. I would check with your surgeon, but mine was very strict with the no core exercises until the 3 month mark. Walk. Walk. Walk. Hope this helps you. BTW - all of this is normal and you think it sucks and it's hard and you think what have I got myself into; is it always going to be like this - the short answer - NO. Give it a few more weeks. You will feel better and better each day. Hang in there; the best is yet to come.
   — jammerz

May 20, 2007
Hi Jennifer: I'm four years out and still remember that feeling of fatigue and sharp pains. For me, they were attributable to two different things: 1) the fatigue meant I needed to up my iron a bit; and 2) the pains were because I was drinking my water and crystal light cold from the fridge. When I started drinking room-temp liquids, the pain stopped! Remember, at 2-1/2 weeks, your stomach is still healing, so don't "surprise" it with liquids that are too hot or too cold. Hope that helps, and all the best! Dawn (RNY 4/11/03, 296/204/166)
   — momstah

May 22, 2007
Yeah I also remember the sharp pains, and blah feelings...I think mine was the lack of nutrition/dehydration.. it got better with soft foods at 3 weeks but lasted for 3 months.... i really didnt feel like me again till about 5 or 6 months.....I still can not drink water........I am 9 months post op (348/305/203) I can still only drink room temp drinks.....
   — babs810