Why do I feel so crappy?

[jleecole]

Okay so I am a little over a month out from surgery and I am starting to get really down about the whole thing. I have lost 37 pounds which is great, and I'm not going to complain about that! But it seems like the last week or so I either feel hungry or I feel uncomfortable. I am doing okay with my protein - not great but probably averaging 70g a day. I can't drink water to save my life - I probably only drink 24 to 32 oz a day. I feel like I am getting depressed - it's like I don't have food to look forward to anymore to make me feel better - all it does is make me feel crappy. I am hoping this is all temporary and I guess I just wanted to vent a little.

[Kimpossible318]

Have you tried flavoring your water with sugar free kool-aid or Mio or crystal light? How about drinking iced herbal (non-caffeinated) tea? I very rarely like to drink water by itself, but I don't mind if it's flavored.

[jleecole]

I haven't been able to come up with a good mix of crystal light/mio and water. It seems like it's either too much and way too sweet or not enough. I have tried crystal light, mio, sf Hawaiian Punch, propel, diet snapple raspberry iced tea. I even bought some Isopure blue raspberry water/protein and it was horrid. It seems like only plain water is good but I just can't gulp it like I used to and sipping seems so unproductive.

[Kimpossible318]

I've heard Isopure is nasty from many people. Such a shame. Maybe Powerade Zero...mixed with water? I'm sure I'll have similar issues in a month when I'm post-op! Sorry I couldn't help.

[Kelli D]

No worries! We have all been through this! Hang in there the giving up of foods and your old life style are still fresh and it takes some time. I remember crying on several occasions over this and I promise it does get better!

[LadyAngela]

Hi and I hope things get better, perhaps your suffering from post sleeve blues! I have gotten tired of the same post op week 5 soft food diet, but I have to commit because I dont have a choice! but we!!! can get through this phase and like you I truly realized how much I was addicted to carbs and junk food, and my own laziness that not only affected me but my family, meaning stopping and getting fast food 2 to 3 times a week cause I didn't wanna cook or was to busy to prepare a healthy meal for my family but now I am on a different page in life, to be healthy and to help my family to be healthy, as a Mother we truly are the head of or family's right? and I must lead by example, because are children are or future right? and I surely dont want my son to be struggling with his weight and diseases that go along with Obesity! sorry It may sound really deep, but by me expressing my issue with food and water perhaps it may encourage you and others to keep it pushing! and keep moving forward! we gonna win this race and beat this disease called Obesity! so you keep sipping your water if that's how you have to do it because every little bit helps the body, oh have you tried Watermelon or other melons there loaded with H2O...I just felt compelled to reach out to you because we are all like neighbors right and if I can say one thing to be a blessing and encourage you are someone else, then I must. Best wishes always...

[Gothikim]

The food breakup is hard. It is depressing, and the first several weeks post-op are even harder because of all the food/drink restrictions. At a month, you're getting out of the most restricted phase, so things are looking up!

Dehydration can cause general crappiness, as can B12 deficiency. It sounds like your protein intake is good, but your fluid intake needs work. Do you like iced tea? I find that weak caffeinated or decaf tea with no sugar or with a little artificial sweetener is more satisfying than water. AND you can control how sweet the tea is, as compared to Crystal Light and the others.

A little post-op depression isn't abnormal. Consider all the weird hormonal stuff going on because of the quick weight loss, along with the food funeral, and getting blue and feeling cruddy seems almost normal!

If it doesn't let up soon, check with your doc. Maybe some bloodwork is in order...

[Tanya1219]

Everything tasted weird for me for a few months. Things that I used to love were nasty. THings that I never liked before I started to. So try things that you didnt like before and you may surprise yourself. Im happy to say that after about 3 months my taste buds started to return to normal. Powerade Zero has been my life saver!!

[LonesomeDove]

my surgery was 7/16 and i'm having the same down feelings as you
the low just kicked in in last 2-3 days
went out to eat w/sis yesterday for first time and didn't enjoy the food
didn't eat bad or too much, just tasted nasty and it depressed me
ty for helping me realize why - can't use food as a crutch anymore
but that is a GOOD thing lol
need to adjust my thinking now that i realize....
on the water/protein issue, try ISOPURE again
mix it half w/ cold water, it is much easier to drink, actually quite good
grape and apple melon are very good this way
good luck and ty again

[triedeverything]

Hi, I'm a bit further out than you.. nearly 14 weeks post op now and I am truly starting to realise what a massive thing we have just done.. and in a really GOOD way. I also went through the stage you are describing really missing food and feeling stressed about what I could and couldn't eat. That's starting to pass now and I'm starting to really feel a massive sense of relief as I get used to is, that I am no longer able to rely on food or look forward to food, or plan my life around food, commiserate and celebrate with food... we have been freed from our addiction and that is a huge huge thing. It takes a while for your head to catch up with your body on this. I now feel really and truly liberated that for the first time in my life I am using food as a fuel and that's all not as my whole reason for existence. It will come soon!

[stephanie81]

I felt that way but its hard to remember now BECAUSE I am so happy now and wouldn't change it for the world BUT I felt horrible for a long time and I ate anything that my stomach would allow me to eat I had to try all sorts of stuff that made me sick (things I loved) I never got enough fluids and I felt terrible. Never drank a protein drink but it does not get better until your stomach really heals and I really think about six months it slowly started getting better. I changed my diet not because you want to because if you wanted to you would not have surgery because you could just go on the diet and lose the weight..... but because I had to because I can no longer eat what I want or how much I want. I am no longer the boss of my food, my stomach is. I had to try lots of things to finally find things that I like but also that my stomach likes as well. There are many many things my brain and my taste buds love but my stomach will not allow without you paying or being miserable for having it. It has not been easy but it has been very successful and think you are going to snap right out of that depression when absolutely nothing fits you anymore and you have so much energy you don't have any physical pain associated with being heavy. My biggest problem now buying clothes is convincing myself that yes I really am that small throw those Lane Bryant catalogs away because you wont be needing them anymore and pick yourself up a Victoria's catalog because guess what you are going to be able to fit in everything in that magazine. Very soon! Cheer up its not easy but its so worth it