Question:
Do anyone ever feel like they are not going to lose weight?

I know I am only 3 weeks post op but for some reason I just feel like I am not going to lose much weight. I am now about 200lb and lost about 18-20lb but I just don't see the weight gone and I don't feel like I am getting any healthier. My blood pressure is out of wack because it is so hard to swallow my pills and then I really don't have much of an appetite because I have been throwing up. The last time I threw up my eyes started to bleed and now my left eye has a red spot. I have tried crushing my meds and putting it into yogurt but still is not getting my pressure down. Anyone have any suggestions    — Lovett (posted on May 6, 2002)

May 6, 2002
Hi. I can only share with you from my own perspective. You have so "little" weight to lose (comparatively speaking). Perhaps, it goes slower? Question: Why are you throwing up? Are you eating too fast? Are you overfilling your pouch? Do you have a medical reason, such as a stricture? Call your Dr. find out why and stop the vomiting. You need to heal your pouch and have it functioning properly. Crush your meds and stir in a little liquid and take your meds. I have been off my blood pressure med since the day prior to surgery & never needed it since :-) Be sure and get your protein & liquids in as much as possible....while your tummy pouch is healing, healing is most important right now. You really should rule out a stricture tho, unless you are eating too fast or too much. The weight loss will follow. All we have to do is take our vitamins - supplements - eat what and when we are supposed to - the rest will follow. Good luck to you, Barbara Beatty.
   — Barbara B.

May 6, 2002
Hi Tina... I can sympathize with you. I have a great deal more weight to lose but at about 3 wks post op I had lost 20# and then plateaued at about the same time I became very nauseous, sick feeling, unable to get protein & supplements in, not drinking enough etc. This has lasted on and off about 2 wks coinciding of course with my return to work which made it doubly bad. I was doing food but nothing seemed to sit well at about that mark. So I went back to basics...more soups, broths, jellos, etc., working on finding things with proteins, began drinking a lot: I found hot peppermint tea or chamomile tea or sf hot chocolate worked great. I keep a 20 oz mug glued to my hip all day long of one of those. In addition, I am taking my multi v. at one point in day, chewable (caramel or choc) calcium, sublinqual B12, iron and will be starting magnesium. I'm almost at the 64 oz of liquids. What has left is some of the exhaustion, the nausea and I'm actually functioning better. I too have that fear that I'll be the one person this does not work for but fear works like that. So my suggestion to you is go back to basics and avoid stressing that new pouch even more and gradually work up getting everything in. My best to you.
   — AJC750

May 6, 2002
If you have thrown up so violently that you have broken a blood vessel in your eye, call your surgeon NOW! That should not be happening. Whether it's a matter of eating too much or too fast or having a stricture is not as important as getting the vomiting under control. If you don't have a stricture, there are anti-nausea meds you can take to help.
   — garw

May 6, 2002
Don't worry about your eye. What you have is a subconjunctival hemorrhage, essentially a bruise caused by a broken blood vessel in your eye. It is often caused by rather forceful vomiting, and it's not uncommon (I have had it and so have friends of mine). It will take a while to fade out, and just as a bruise does, it will change colors (yellow in particular). I don't know if you were all that concerned, but I totally freaked out when it happened to me, so I thought I'd mention it. Good luck with everything!
   — [Deactivated Member]

May 6, 2002
Don't worry about your eye. What you have is a subconjunctival hemorrhage, essentially a bruise caused by a broken blood vessel in your eye. It is often caused by rather forceful vomiting, and it's not uncommon (I have had it and so have friends of mine). It will take a while to fade out, and just as a bruise does, it will change colors (yellow in particular). I don't know if you were all that concerned, but I totally freaked out when it happened to me, so I thought I'd mention it. Good luck with everything!
   — [Deactivated Member]

May 6, 2002
Dear Tina: I feel the same way. I feel the weight I have already lost is equivilant to the weight I have lost before on diets. Now I am on a plateau(expected). But I feel that this is all I will lose(like before) and that the next time I look, I will have gained it all back again(like usual). I have been assured by many that this will not happen, that I will continue to lose, but I will have to see it to believe it. Meanwhile I have upped the water, walked more, and started taking a protein supplement. I wish us both luck.
   — Nancy L.

May 6, 2002
I am only 4 weeks post op tomorrow and I am also on a plateau. I lost so fast up to the two week mark, then hardly anything for the last two weeks. I keep having those "neurotic moments" when I think I have gained, but then I put some jeans on or something and realize that I haven't gained, I haven't lost, but I have lost inches. Which is good too right? Ya' check on that vomiting. Try going to the store if you haven't already and buy some of those 3oz dixie cups. Only fill them half way with what you are going to eat. Then time yourself. It should take about 1/2 an hour! If not, you might be eating too fast. Well, God Bless, I just know you will do well. I still have 99 pounds just to get to where you are, so your weight will definately go slower. So just hang in there and don't over do it! Everyone said I would be off of my diabetes meds too, but I still have to take them. So... Good luck!
   — Kristen H.

May 6, 2002
We all feel this way at your stage... dont worry, you arent the only one! You dont feel back to normal yet and you havent lost enough to feel good about losing. One day in a few weeks, you will wake up and feel like you never had surgery and your favorite 'fat' pants will fall around your ankles. That is when you will feel confident about this surgery. I promise! You may want to drop back to soups and soft foods if you havent already... to give your pouch a break and go easy on it. Soup is very easy to eat and digest... black bean, lentil or potato... with a little cheddar or parmesan melted into it. The warmth is very soothing. You may be trying to progress too quickly and your pouch is protesting.
   — SusanMaria