Question:
I am 2 weeks post op from a Roux nY surgery

I am 2 wks post op and am having in my stomach area this tight pulling sensations all throughout the day. It is very uncomfortable also I am not sure why I cry a lot. I am so emotional right now when I should be so happy to have finally my surgery .Also now the protien drinks taste horrible to me . If anyone has experienced this I would love to hear from you. Thanks a bunch    — ANGELEO (posted on June 6, 2007)

June 6, 2007
Dear Gail, What you are going through is completely normal! As for being emotional we have all been there. You hormones are out of wack; your whole body system is reconfiguring itself. I had problems with the protein drinks as well.. YUK! I now drink 50 grand slam from GNC; it is easy to go down. They have different flavors and it is premixed. You should only drink half at a time; because the body only can absorb 30 mg at one time. These things are all part of the healing process. Best wishes to your recovery. Welcome to the losing side, Judy R
   — ozlady1000

June 6, 2007
I can only help as far as protein. As for only absorbing 30 mg at a time, my nutritionist says that's not true. (along with the research I've done online) That's a common myth that needs to be stamped out! I had the same problem with the protein--could no longer tolerate the taste after about 2 weeks. I found out about Anywhey tasteless protein. You can buy it at GNC and it is almost completely tasteless. You can add it to any drinks like crystal light, light lemonade, tea, coffee, and it adds very little taste, but I can handle it. It's not sugary tasting so it's all good. It's the only protein I can tolerate. (besides food). You can also bake with it and add it to hot food and drinks! Welcome to the losing side and keep up the great work! Good luck!
   — crystalsno

June 7, 2007
I am scheduled for surgery on 6/12/07, so I do not have any personal experiences to share with you; however in regards to you being so emotional, I came across this section in an article that may help you through this: "Hibernation syndrome Two or three weeks after Gastric Bypass or Adjustable Gastric Band, the patient's body "figures out" that it is not going to be receiving its accustomed calories for a long time. In about half of our patients this results in what we call the hibernation syndrome, where one's body falls back on its built-in evolutionary response to a low food supply - the person just wants to rest and be as still as possible until the food returns. Energy level drops through the floor, and the patient can become emotionally labile (tearful or irritable). There can also be a component of depression caused by the loss of the previous relationship with food. This syndrome can be unnerving for patients because it comes at a time when they are just beginning to get over the pain and other effects of surgery - they believe they should be feeling better but they just want to curl up and go to sleep. The good news is that this is not a dangerous or unusual thing, and will resolve in about 2 weeks when the body figures out how to use fat as its main energy source." To read the whole article, here is the link: http://www.sabariatric.com/effects.php Hang in there, it will get better!
   — Ella_D

June 8, 2007
Thank you thank you thank you for asking the questions about what I have been experiencing, I had surgery 5/21 and have had the blues for about 5-6 days now...Glad to know that I am not alone!
   — ravenwing229

June 8, 2007
Good news ... it goes away! I was beyond tired and pretty irritable up until about 6 weeks post-op. Finally, I started feeling better and my energy level went up. My surgeon is not one of those that puts much stake in extra protein supplements, but I can tell you the biggest difference in how I felt (and feel) overall has been with hydration. You can be on the edge of dehydration all the time and protein inhibits hydration on top of it all, meaning you need to drink even more. So, try drinking extra water and see if it helps with all of the above ... good luck!
   — heloize