angelface811

You can overcome this!!! I have also battled major depression, panic/anxiety, and PTSD. First of all I hope you are working with a psychiatrist that you like and that respects you as a patient. Even though they may have the best of intentions a primary care physician just isn't trained for the job. If you do not like the person you are being treated by or you don't think their methods are effective it is your right to go see someone else.
--Another thing I would make sure is being done is that your Dr. is looking at your whole person and not just saying things are all psychological without doing any testing. Your thyroid should be checked, a Vitamin and mineral panel should be done and potentially your hormones need to be tested. Rule out anything that can medically make you feel this way or predispose you.
--I have treatment resistant depression so I have tried many treatments. I will not down any of them because like clothes one size doesn't always fit all. I think it dangerous to say this drug is bad when in fact it could be the one that works for you.
--Many medications take quite a while to work fully. But some can make you feel even more agitated or anxious. If that is the case look up akathisia. This happened to me on more than one medication. Sometimes they can counter that or they take you off the medication completely and try a new one. In this case it's not you it's the medicine.
--Another suggestion would be if that anxiety and panic are getting to you every day ask the Dr. if they might put you on something like clonazepam or Xanax etc. small doses throughout the day. I started at 4 small doses spread through the day and now I take 2 doses. This helped me immensely throughout the day. It doesn't have to be forever.
--Avoid stimulants like caffeine they will just increase your pulse thereby increasing the "anxiety."
--Work with a therapist whether it be a Christian one or otherwise. One that can connect with you...you will know. If you have an awful one first time around don't think you have to stay with them. Move on...I had to go through a few. Your chances of beating this improve when you have a doctor and a therapist on board.
--Become your own best advocate. Learn about the mental health portions of your insurance benefits. Educate yourself on your condition and you will feel more empowered. You will learn about a multitude of therapies that you may not have known about.
--Lastly, make sure you have a support system in place. Mine is my family. I can speak very frankly with them. There are support groups also but again be careful it may not be the right fit and you may have to try more than one. I give all the glory to God for helping me get through all this. I am utilizing all the different doctors and people he put around me. My tests became my testimony...I have had the privilege to help those who were suffering. You can get through this. It is possible. My life has been a tragic one but looking back I see how God has helped me get through it and use it. I have been stable for 10+ years. Not to say you don't have trials along the way that is just simply the human condition.
--I can hear the fight in your post you'll get through it! Sorry for such a long response.

I believe our collective wisdom can be priceless and because of that I would like to ask for your opinions/advice. I have been a successful RNY patient and educator/ support group leader for many years. I am 5'4 and started at 302 lbs and have lost 164 lbs and maintained. The only issue I have dealt with is Constipation from time to time. My gallbladder was removed prior to RNY but I have had no other abdominal surgeries. My labs have been excellent and I'm very disciplined with my food and Vitamins. Phew!
About 60 days ago I started to experience nausea, abdominal pain, and long periods of constipation. I also had to change my diet to solely liquids and puréed foods. Some days I am fortunate to reach 800 calories. When it first began I went to the ER and they did a CT Scan w/contrast to rule out a blockage. Everything looked great from their perspective but I knew something was wrong. I saw my bariatric surgeon and he suggested an EGD and if nothing was found an exploratory abdominal surgery. He also put me on protonix and sucralfate 3 times a day in addition to Zofran. The EGD came out beautifully. Fast forward to this coming Friday as I am preparing for laparoscopic exploratory surgery. The nausea is worse, always feel incredibly full, but hungry, bloating, weakness, headaches, inability to empty bladder fully and this is all occurring mid stomach. So imagine a belt about 5 inches wide centered around the belly button. The pain is solely there. As an educator I know about many complications that come with the surgery but has anybody else experienced this? No fever...labs from a few days ago look great except an elevated red blood cell count. I have lost a bit more weight and unfortunately muscle. Any opinions? Anything I might want to specifically ask or tell my surgeon? Help...and prayer would be most appreciated.

Absolutely normal...everyone's recovery time varies. Not that you are but try not to compare yourself to other people who have had the surgery. The best thing you can do for yourself right now is take the time to listen to your body. I have been a mentor/educator for almost 3 years, also a patient, and I have worked with a lot of fellow patients who ignored what their body was telling them. Such as lifting things that were to heavy to soon. Some developed infections under their incisions or hernias. Remember those incisions on the skin are just points of entry you have had a dramatic surgery. I often have to talk to spouses and children and explain this to them in hopes that they will be more helpful. Best of luck to you and much success.

Absolutely normal...everyone's recovery time varies. Not that you are but try not to compare yourself to other people who have had the surgery. The best thing you can do for yourself right now is take the time to listen to your body. I have been a mentor/educator for almost 3 years, also a patient, and I have worked with a lot of fellow patients who ignored what their body was telling them. Such as lifting things that were to heavy to soon. Some developed infections under their incisions or hernias. Remember those incisions on the skin are just points of entry you have had a dramatic surgery. I often have to talk to spouses and children and explain this to them in hopes that they will be more helpful. Best of luck to you and much success.

I am not supposed to ever chew gum on my program.

Gum chewing is not usually recommended post WLS. Even though you are not eating anything, the mouth starts producing digestive juices and the stomach prepares for the arrival of food by increasing acid. Heartburn is the normal result, but in extreme cases ulcers can occur. Of course, I am not talking about a one time deal, rather a repeated habit of gum chewing.

Congratulations!! You definitely need to be monitored much more closely for the safety of you and baby. So they may deem you "high risk" just because you require extra monitoring. I don't know where you had your WLS done but your bariatric surgeon could be an excellent resource. See how familiar your gynecologist is in caring for a pregnant WLS patient. A visit to the Nutritionist may be a good idea as well so they can suggest an eating plan that is good for the 2 of you. Hydration is more important than ever. I know you will do great! Listen to your body mama...

I also fully endorse the Quest bars. I suggest trying a variety. My personal favorites are strawberry cheesecake, apple pie and white chocolate raspberry. They provide an excellent amount of Protein and are low in net carbs. In addition most contain around 20g of Fiber which will help move things along. You will be hard pressed to find a bar that offers fiber like this one.

I also fully endorse the Quest bars. I suggest trying a variety. My personal favorites are strawberry cheesecake, apple pie and white chocolate raspberry. They provide an excellent amount of Protein and are low in net carbs. In addition most contain around 20g of Fiber which will help move things along. You will be hard pressed to find a bar that offers fiber like this one.

I agree some of the previous responses were too harsh. In the future hopefully you will be able to add the watermelon. Your body could have also been quite thirsty and watermelon has a high Water content. I actually experience some dumping with certain fruits but for the most part handle them very well. I am almost one year post-op. I reached my surgeons goal a while ago and am working on reaching a lower BMI and increasing muscle mass. Previously I saw that someone had said no carbs and no sugar ever. Incorrect. Our bodies need carbs and sugar for brain function and energy etc. We simply have to be quite a bit more restrictive with them. Also, as far as not being able to have pastries and such. Guess what? I make my own. Yep...they are many bariatric friendly recipes and I have been coming up with my own as well. I make delicious flourless breads and muffins which my family loves. You can absolutely live deliciously but it does require a bit of research and experimentation in the kitchen. People always apologize and say "oh I'm sorry you can't have that can you," pitying me. So, when the family gets together I make bariatric friendly dishes and don't tell them until after...lol. Yesterday I made an apple crisp (no sugar except what is in the fruit) and I made a buffalo chicken dip with Greek yogurt and reduced fat/calorie cheese with quinoa chips which have 8g of Protein per serving plus all of the Protein in chicken, cheese, and Greek yogurt. I told them after they ate it all up, as well as a little for myself, it was "bariatric friendly" and they were shocked. Don't pity me people of the world I can still eat yummy foods...lol...but that is the stigma that comes with the surgery.
My guidelines are also very strict. In my classes we had forever do's and forever don'ts concerning food and behavior. We never had to buy any shakes or foods from the University's Hospital I went to (personally I think it's a way to take advantage and make a chunk of change from patients) but in order to think the best of people it could also be because they care about what you ingest those first few weeks. Like it was mentioned before guidelines vary from program to program. Even from the most prestigious of places. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I think we can all agree we want the best for each other and want all to succeed. Sometimes we just don't put it as delicately as we should. But such is our dealings with the outside world as well. Don't let it scare you away please continue to share and contribute your triumphs and struggles. ????

Once you are healed and able to progress to normal foods you have countless options in regards to food. The key is proper education on nutrition before having surgery and not trying to "wing it" after surgery. Suggested post-operative eating after surgery in regards to all bariatric surgery is the same. Just because you have the RNY doesn't guarantee you will have dumping syndrome. There is a percentage of patients that will ingest sugary and/or fried foods and will not experience the syndrome.
Unfortunately, many patients think dumping syndrome is simply having immediate diarrhea after eating. Diarrhea is only one of the potential symptoms of dumping. Other symptoms of dumping can be abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, hot flashes, feeling faint, confusion. Reference the mayo Clinic's website they have a great description.
In addition some patients have reported dumping after eating certain fruits. I am one of them. After all fruit does have fructose a.k.a sugar in it. The truth of the matter is until we have our surgeries whether it be the sleeve or bypass we don't know how our new bodies will react.
I know this is lengthy but another point is that some of our loved ones think we can't eat very much because we can't eat the same foods they can. So they see us as poor deprived human beings who are being punished by having this surgery. We are choosing to live a healthier lifelong lifestyle. I love to bring bariatric friendly dishes and Snacks to gatherings not just so that I will have something to eat but to show them how many yummy foods we can have. Many people end up re-gaining weight after reaching their goal because they think I've lost it so now I can partake in everything or because they thought weight was the issue when in fact it was a symptom of something they haven't dealt with emotionally. Lots of things to think about huh? I am so happy with my decision to have gastric bypass and after losing the weight I continue to educate myself and others on nutrition and coming up with new dishes. After learning how to eat I don't feel deprived...I live deliciously!

You clearly know what you need to do to get things moving in the right direction. You are the only one who can make it happen so get on it.
not to be mean but you knew what you were signing up for. Why would you self sabotage so early in the process? You know exactly why you are not losing more rapidly or maybe not at all in the last couple of weeks.
You may not be suffering any complications right now but give it a few weeks more of not enough Protein and too much sugar. You have to have enough Protein for the rest of your life or you will actually become malnourished. You will not heal, your hair will fall out and you will get sick.
By the way, you crave what you eat. If you were eating good Proteins and good carbs your body would want that type of food. Because you are eating too many carbs, your body will crave it and it becomes a vicious circle.
The first thing I would do is get the crap food out of my house. Then I would go back to the liquid Protein for a few days, then start the soft Proteins and good carbs like vegetables and some fruit.< /p>
Only you can make this happen. The reason the rest of us are doing better is because for the most part we followed the rules.
You can do this but you have to take the right steps. If you do that, the weight will come off faster and you will get healthy.
Sorry if my words seem harsh but your post seemed as if you needed a kick in the behind to get going.
It's time for you to make some serious changes to your habits if you really want to be successful.
Good luck!

Hi everybody. I think we do a great job supporting each other on this site. I need your ideas. Our support group, which meets at the university hospital where we had our surgeries, is trying to come up with event/activity ideas for both pre-op and post-op patients. We have full support from the university hospital. We are planning a clothing exchange in an open house format. If you have any suggestions on how to be as successful as possible with this I would love to hear from you. During this event we were thinking of talking about or providing a handout on foundation garments for both men and women should they want to wear them (i.e. bras, thigh shapers, butt shapers, smoothing shirts etc). We have had quite a few people ask about masking problem areas and how to dress their new figures.
We are also planning a patients only event at the aquatic center to encourage exercise especially for those that have joint/pain issues. Any additional ideas for events/activities out there? Inquiring minds want to know...????

One thing I would suggest based on some things my surgeon told us is to take some detailed instructions, contact info for your surgeon and share them with someone in your travel party. Just in case you wind up with complications or need to go to the ER. For example, don't let another Dr. give you NSAIDs or Steroids.

You say Fluid won't be a problem, but read the hundreds of posts on here about how much of a struggle it really is. You have zero appetite and zero desire to put anything in your mouth at all. It's like a job to keep drinking, its truly hard! Luckily I don't get nauseous like a lot of others do and mine goes down without feeling stuck again like some other feel but it's still hard work. Also expect very low energy the first couple weeks and when I say low, I mean I needed a nap after I took a shower because that was too much for me! I'm not trying to scare you or say it's not possible, just saying expect that it might not be as easy or as relaxing as you hope.

Probably the biggest concern would be how weak you feel in that first month post op. In particular the first 14 days. The other thing would be making you remain hydrated which is very difficult to do under normal circumstances.
It really would depend on what your vacation is?

I think u will be fine. I wasn't in pain just a Lil pressure for the first two weeks.

I am 3.5 years out and yes my appetite is back. I think that is normal...
The whole idea is that the WLS helps us develop new habits, and even all these years later I really CAN'T eat as much as I used to as long as I stick to dense Protein first... everytime.
My advice is to go back to basics. Protein first. Don't drink with meals but hydrate really well between meals. Limit carbs - and don't eat junky slider type foods. dont drink your calories (soda, fruit juice, booze etc) and watch out for "healthy sugars" as they can trigger cravings too - examples are fruit and fruit juices. Watch Protein Bars as they are high calorie/high carb.
It is a lifelong struggle but I will say I am alot happier fighting it out in the 150s than I was fighting it out in the 300 plus plus range....
Hang in there!

Oh I am sorry, I thought you were a sleever like me... it seems you posted in the bypass forums so I assume you had a different surgery. I suspect my advice/comments are similiar though regardless of the WLS type...

My longest stall came at 7 months after surgery and it was a little over 3 weeks. But I took my measurements pre-surgery and that has helped me see progress beyond the scale and also reflecting on what I have gained from the surgery. I think sometimes we forget that. I think although seeing the number go down on the scale is a good thing we can base our worth on it...or perhaps it becomes a high. But at some point, God willing, we will maintain a healthy weight in a healthy manner. Hopefully, becoming mentally stronger along the way. I think many of us have the mentality that if I only lost the weight, life would be rainbows and butterflies. But there is always something in our lives that will present a challenge...at least these are things that I have learned. I am currently a year out and I'm wearing size 4 jeans ????. Crazy thing is that I just hit a "normal BMI" a couple of pounds ago. I guess I just pack it in well...sorry I rambled a bit. As long as you follow the program your stall will pass and I would suggest taking measurements if you haven't and re-taking them every 4-6 weeks. I also kept the largest size pants I was in at one time and if ever I feel the need to put them on as a reminder they are there for me. Your gonna do great ????

My longest stall came at 7 months after surgery and it was a little over 3 weeks. But I took my measurements pre-surgery and that has helped me see progress beyond the scale and also reflecting on what I have gained from the surgery. I think sometimes we forget that. I think although seeing the number go down on the scale is a good thing we can base our worth on it...or perhaps it becomes a high. But at some point, God willing, we will maintain a healthy weight in a healthy manner. Hopefully, becoming mentally stronger along the way. I think many of us have the mentality that if I only lost the weight, life would be rainbows and butterflies. But there is always something in our lives that will present a challenge...at least these are things that I have learned. I am currently a year out and I'm wearing size 4 jeans ????. Crazy thing is that I just hit a "normal BMI" a couple of pounds ago. I guess I just pack it in well...sorry I rambled a bit. As long as you follow the program your stall will pass and I would suggest taking measurements if you haven't and re-taking them every 4-6 weeks. I also kept the largest size pants I was in at one time and if ever I feel the need to put them on as a reminder they are there for me. Your gonna do great ????

Started at size 18 bottom and 18/20 top by Lane Bryant sizes. Now I wear a 4/6 on bottom and xs-m shirt and still losing. Barely hit normal BMI. Not really shooting for a smaller size (but not complaining either) but I want to settle into a lower BMI and improve my measurements. Currently 34-30-38...working on the waist to a proportion I like on myself. Very happy with my progression and the way my body has responded.

I have found most jeans to have to much stretch or spandex these days. So an hour into wearing them they have stretched out and you look like you are carrying a load and then by the end of the day the thighs are stretched out as well. What has begun to be the best choice for me personally is to buy my jeans fitting tight. But also buying the correct rise and wearing the right undies. Trying on different brands is also helpful. It takes a bit of patience but when you find the right pair you will be styling ...such a staple in our wardrobe.

I actually utilize wonton wrappers and skim mozzarella. I cut the cheese in half and can roll it within the wonton. Or i place the wonton wrapper open faced in a muffin pan and fill it with healthy fillings like spinach and skim cheese or sautéed veggies. You can also go sweet with some mixed fresh fruit. It's an excellent vessel for placing healthy fillings inside and provides that crunch.

Oh my goodness...how did they find out? Or do I not want to know? The escargot? I hope you feel better soon...????

My body is so super sensitive to sugar that this sometimes happens to me when eating certain fruits. I am almost a year post-op. Sometimes it can take an hour sometimes a day to feel better. But it can also spark a chain of events if you haven't really experienced it. When I experience "dumping syndrome" I just flat out don't feel good I get hot I get palpitations I feel a little weird in the head...lol. I never have the diarrhea thing. I go lay down and take a cool cloth. It's happened maybe 3 times in the past year. But each time with a fruit because when it comes to the diet I am pretty hard core. It happened with plain sweet potato and apples. Each time it triggered my anxiety which makes sense with the symptoms. I don't eat sugar, breads, Pasta, etc. But I am actually thankful that my body reacts this way to tell me "hey girlfriend it might be fruit but it still contains sugar so just be mindful." I named my pouch Bob...yep...and he talks to me not so much in words but actions...lol...jk. It will be ok and if in doubt pick up that phone and call your doctor. Best wishes!????