Question:
HOW LONG BEFORE I START TO FEEL NORMAL AGAIN?

I AM ALWAY'S FEELING SICK EVERYDAY IF IT IS NOT THROWING UP IT IS DIRREA OR STOMACH ACH WHEN WILL I SEE THE GOOD PART OF THIS SURGERY WHO CARES IF I LOOSE WEIGHT I AM MISERABLE EVERYDAY AND SICK DID ANYONE ELSE FEEL THIS WAY?    — KIM B. (posted on April 7, 2002)

April 6, 2002
Kim, how far along are you? Which type of surgery did you have? Is the disturbance 24/7 or just after you eat? Do you have fever or any other symptoms that might help us determine what's going on here? I knew that this lady from work was suffering badly from diahrea. She took Immodium and it cleared it up. What are you eating? Could that be contributing to the nausea? I know that early on, if I ate fatty stuff I was nauseous as heck. You gotta try to figure out what is making your new tummy so miserable. It is not normal to feel so terribly post op. Good luck.
   — Jeannet

April 7, 2002
I suggest calling your doctor, maybe meeting with your dietitan. If you can zero in on what is upsetting you then stay away from it. For myself I found that most anything agrees with me provided (I'm 6 weeks postop) I eat it slow enough and chew it well enough. Another possibility is the need for antiacid meds (tagament, Zantac, Prilosec) until you new tummy adjusts to the changes. A freind of mine had hers 8 weeks ago and needed them for the first 3-4 weeks postop (because of how bad her acid reflux was pre-op) God's Blessings
   — Brenda F.

April 7, 2002
it's like the people who also posted here, how far out you are is the key, i had an open r.n.y. banded, and the first 3 months i constantly told my wife, "why did i do this,? i'll never feel good again,, well over 5 months out and the tide is turning, and being 140 pounds lighter now feels great and worth all the problems early on, everyone says it but with time it does get better, hang in there..
   — bruce M.

April 7, 2002
this question could have been mine!!!.. monday i'll be 4 weeks post op and it's just been the last three days that i've started to feel like there is HOPE to feeling normal again. the nausea is less.. the diarrhea cramping i've only had twice so i'm lucky there.. but the nausea everytime i eat no matter what i eat just sucked.. but friday i only had one bout of nausea.. and saturday only one bout.. so things are improving.. i can still feel my innards aren't healed yet and have accepted that i'm going to have to deal with this nausea for 6-8 weeks.. i absolutely have had "buyers remorse" regarding the surgery thinking i have mutilated my body for nothing.. thinking that being fat wasn't all THAT bad.. lots and lots of regrets.. but from what i've read this is normal.. so i have the thoughts and try to tell myself, at least intellectually, that it WILL get better.. i have to believe that.. and now i've had some slight improvement and i am hanging on to it for dear life.. hang in there friend.. think long term.. also, on a more practical, concrete note - i found hot cranberry tea was a LIFESAVER for my nausea (it's an old remedy my 95 year old grandmother told me about).. last comment - if i had it all to do over again i would PRESET an appointment with a counselor for weeks 2-6.. i called to set one up the other day and there is an 8 week waiting list everywhere unless you're suicidal (which i'm not).. but that is definitely one thing i would do differently... good luck to you.. and normal will come.. i just know it will!!
   — Ann W.

April 8, 2002
Have you talked to your surgeon about this. I am 5 weeks out and doing great, but their are a few things that can go wrong. One possibility is that the stoma has closed up. Another is that you are not tolerating what you are eating. Or perhaps are you not following the dietary restrictions during the healing phase? I would recommend you immediately report what is going on and that you need help. There are also medications that they can give you during the healing phase if you are experiencing too much nausea.
   — Dell H.

April 9, 2002
I'm still in the process of getting approved,but I have read everything I could especially about throwing up(I hate that,my worst fear about the surgery)I did read about one lady who had that problem and her docter diagnosed her as having allergies, wich was causing phlem to get into her stomach.post nasal drip they said sometimes can get worse when you get in the shower,the steam seems to loosen up the sinuses and they drain into your stomach.They put her on clariten d.Hope you feel well soon.Don't give up hope.
   — Lisa W.