38 days post op and regretting it

[hollandm2]

Hello,

I was sleeved (4/19/2017) 38 days ago and for the last 3 weeks have regretted it. I am miserable all the time. The only thing that doesn't make me sick or my stomach go crazy is cottage cheese and protein shakes. I use baby spoons, chew, and eat from a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Anything new I try makes my stomach churn and ache for hours. Im pissed at myself and flat out frustrated. Most frustrating part is I don't know how to describe what the heck my body is feeling so I don't know what to do about it. I dont know if Im hungry or what. I obsess more about food now than pre op. Every freaking article I read online has people saying they love it and its been easy sailing or I read people "shaming" people for regretting having it done. Ugh. Has anybody experienced similar feelings at 38 days post op?

[blinky31]

My sister had the surgery also and she felt the same way ,its been over9 months since she had surgery and she says shes glad she had it done so ,she was so weak for 2 months she slowly started to feel better so i think you will feel better soon im having my surgery July 7 so its good if you read everyone's thoughts on how they feel then you will see your right in there with everyone else ,you will be OK .

[Christie13]

I did not feel that way but it does affect everyone differently. Most people who have complications regret it until they start to feel better. I am so sorry you are feeling so icky. Best of luck to you!

[Tommy1969]

Hang in there Holland it should get better as time goes by. Have you tried cream based soups? Are you on any special medications? Have you discussed any of this with your surgeon and/or nutritionist?

I found that "heavy" foods early on made me feel horrible. Had to stick with "pureed" type stuff for some time.

How about yogurt? Oiko's Triple Zero Greek yogurt has been a staple of mine.

I hope you feel better soon.

[Donald G]

Everyone heals differently it could be you are just healing very slowly. As Tommy asked did you talk with your surgeon about the issues you are having? If not I would strongly suggest that you do. You may just have to do the whole protein shake stage for much longer then most had to. For me I did the protein shakes for my first 2 weeks post op as I wasn't able to get my protein in any other way. Best of luck to you.

[GigiUSA]

I am sorry to hear you are having a rough time (hugs) I hope that you are feeling better very soon and are able to find support and suggestions here from others that have been through similar issues. Everyone is different. I hope in time and with healing you come to feel better about your decision for sleeve surgery.

[azladyrider]

I still remember at about a month out I was on the phone with a local gal who I had "met" out here and said I'd literally rather be dead than to live like how I felt at the time. She reminded me in no uncertain terms that I just had major surgery and it got better - it did and it took me 6 full months to feel energy and somewhat back to normal.

[DesertGal]

I completely understand exactly what you are saying. Here I thought the 10 day liquid pre op diet was hard. The last 2 months since my surgery I think were even HARDER! No... I KNOW they were harder. Everyone is different and handles it in their own way, but I had a very difficult time. I MADE myself EAT more than the piddly amounts I have been sustaining on, just 2 days ago, and I know NOW that I CAN eat more. And still drop weight daily.(And by "eat more", I refer to eating 3 oz of grilled chicken or lean meat, protein, no snacking foods.) The cream soups (with non fat milk) were a Godsend to me. Something my surgeon and nutritionist said to NEVER, ever have. (Along with other BS they have filled my head with.) I am 9 weeks out now, and finally feel I am on track. But those first 2 months for me have been something I would never want to relive again.

It will get better in time. Hang in there.

[azladyrider]

If your nutritionist said to never have something then why? Just curious as I never had one to consult - I just followed the post op directions I got from the medical place in Mexico. What other BS do you feel they filled you up with?

I completely understand exactly what you are saying. Here I thought the 10 day liquid pre op diet was hard. The last 2 months since my surgery I think were even HARDER! No... I KNOW they were harder. Everyone is different and handles it in their own way, but I had a very difficult time. I MADE myself EAT more than the piddly amounts I have been sustaining on, just 2 days ago, and I know NOW that I CAN eat more. And still drop weight daily.(And by "eat more", I refer to eating 3 oz of grilled chicken or lean meat, protein, no snacking foods.) The cream soups (with non fat milk) were a Godsend to me. Something my surgeon and nutritionist said to NEVER, ever have. (Along with other BS they have filled my head with.) I am 9 weeks out now, and finally feel I am on track. But those first 2 months for me have been something I would never want to relive again.

It will get better in time. Hang in there.

[hollandm2]

Thanks for the reply. I see my surgeon next week. He just tells me to eat 6 meals a day.....pointless nonspecific advice. Im on omeprazole which has not decreased any of my symptoms. My nutritionist just tells me to take it slow, I do. Half of my anxiety comes from cookie cutter responses and non helpful interventions from the experts.I did start on Oikos yesterday to up my protein intake and that seemed to do okay. What are you considering "heavy" foods? The only foods I've other than pudding, yogurt, laughing cow cheese, protein shakes, and cottage cheese are tilapia and chicken and those are definite no goes. Sorry if I sound bitter all this is just getting to my head. I appreciate you advice

Michael

[hollandm2]

I have consulted my nutritionist and Dr. without any constructive advice.

[hollandm2]

Thank you. I needed to hear that some people have been in the same boat as me. Gives me something to focus on other than being miserable for the rest of my life.

[Tommy1969]

Thanks for the reply. I see my surgeon next week. He just tells me to eat 6 meals a day.....pointless nonspecific advice. Im on omeprazole which has not decreased any of my symptoms. My nutritionist just tells me to take it slow, I do. Half of my anxiety comes from cookie cutter responses and non helpful interventions from the experts.I did start on Oikos yesterday to up my protein intake and that seemed to do okay. What are you considering "heavy" foods? The only foods I've other than pudding, yogurt, laughing cow cheese, protein shakes, and cottage cheese are tilapia and chicken and those are definite no goes. Sorry if I sound bitter all this is just getting to my head. I appreciate you advice

Michael

I guess by heavy I meant dense like beef, tuna, etc. have you tried scrambled eggs too? I had pretty good luck with those. Also I drink hot green tea a couple times a day, seems to settle my stomach. I too take omeprazole daily, mainly because I also take Celebrex not for reflux. I am almost 4 months out. Just had a few shrimp and small serving of fried rice for lunch. Never would have tried that in first 2 months. I have even had a few wings in the past week. You'll get there!!!

[Ann2]

How you feel now is NOT how you will feel for "the rest of your life." There's nothing about 40'days post-op that resembles "the rest of your life."

Now, on to food ... have you tried refried beans with melted cheese?

[Shirl]

I guess by heavy I meant dense like beef, tuna, etc. have you tried scrambled eggs too? I had pretty good luck with those. Also I drink hot green tea a couple times a day, seems to settle my stomach. I too take omeprazole daily, mainly because I also take Celebrex not for reflux. I am almost 4 months out. Just had a few shrimp and small serving of fried rice for lunch. Never would have tried that in first 2 months. I have even had a few wings in the past week. You'll get there!!!

I was fortunate to experience zero complications post Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery, but that's not to say I didn't have discomforts. I experienced exactly what you are describing, sometimes I just imagined my tummy wringing and twisting when I ate. However, I was told by Bariatric nurses and my nutritionist that it may happen and it was to be a expected as the organ, after having nerve endings cut/severed, is healing. Those severed endings are trying to reconnect, so some of us if not most experience the discomfort you are describing in various ways. I was told it might feel like heart burn, which I never really experienced.

I was instructed to introduce new food one small bite at a time and to wait 3 minutes between bites to see how I'd react. It took a few wringing twists to stop me on my tracks and slow my eating. It wasn't fun at all, but just like I was informed it got easier the farther I got along. My understanding was that by three months post op stomach should be healed, for sure by six months and that's about the time I realized my stomach wasn't wringing and twisting at all.

I was eager to move through food stages, but when things didn't agree, like scramble eggs or creamed tuna, I just stuck longer with what worked. I was not able to eat eggs in any form until after 3 months, but funny enough I was able to eat lean (minced) meats way earlier than I was told. It made no sense then, nor does it still. I just figured it was part of physical process of the surgery. It was much easier than a root canal I went through 3.5 months ago! I'm still afraid to chew anything hard, like almonds, from the left side of my mouth.