ange117

I'm just finishing a round of doxycycline for a bad ear infection. I'm about 8 months post op and this is my first round of antibiotics since surgery, but I haven't noticed anything! I do take them with food, but I've had zero pain or stomach upset. Hopefully yours goes just as smooth!

Although I've lost a lot of my butt in the sense that it's flatter now than before surgery, my hips and waist are MUCH curvier with an actual waistline than they were before! When it comes to the girls upstairs, I consider myself one of the unlucky lucky ones. I actually started at a 48DDD and am currently wearing a 40H! If I don't lose some of these babies during the rest of my weight loss, I'm seeking a reduction ASAP. My shoulders and back are killing me!!

Oh I need one now!!!

Once I got okayed for pills and not just chewables, I switched to generic Equate calcium citrate. My calcium numbers have been great!

I've been taking the pill for over a month now (surgery 4/4) and I've been continually losing weight the whole time!

At 3 weeks out, I was still on purees. I'm still not allowed rice at 8 weeks, even. That doesn't sound like dumping syndrome, but like you pushed your new system a little too far, rather with the rice itself, or the volume, or the speed. We're warned to be careful with rice forever because it can get 'stuck' at the stoma and cause a very uncomfortable blockage. I'm not sure if that's what happened with you, but I would try to get some water down if I were you, and if you're not feeling better by morning, call your surgeon.

I had mine 4/4, and I slept most of the time I was in the hospital! I'd wake up to sip fluids, do a few laps, and then crash for a nap. Your body is healing and needs the rest! Welcome to the other side!!

Pilonidal cysts sound WAY scarier online than they really are, take it from a first hand perspective. 3 of the 4 people in my office have had them and we all agree they're miserably annoying, but overall way less scary than they sound when you Google them. See your doc, and I hope it's something easier, but if it is a cyst, don't freak out! They're actually very common, a lot of people just don't like talking about them. Best of luck!

I'm calling mine the FrankenTum!

http://bariatrictimes.com/recommended-levels-of-carbohydrate-after-bariatric-surgery/ This study recommends 90g of carbohydrates for someone 6 months out eating 850 calories a day, so 50g does not seem high at all. At least on my post-op diet, I'm supposed to be eating about 600 calories a day right now, which would proportionally be about 65-70g.

Even with birth control or the morning after pill, your chances of a blood clot are quite low. They just don't want us to compound our risks because surgery itself increases the risk of blood clots. Take a deep breath and try to relax yourself. Call your doctor in the morning. If you get any distressing symptoms in the meantime, obviously call a 24/7 line or go to the ER like you normally would, but chances are you're going to be just fine.

This sounds like a pilonidal cyst than a sore from a 'bubble butt.' I had about 5 years back, had it removed, and haven't had any trouble since. I'd make an appointment with your PCP to see what it is for sure and then discuss what to do about it!

I think it's totally normal to worry that you're making the wrong decision. I know I did. But, like you, I did my research, and I knew that my chance of complications from the surgery was much smaller than my chance of complications from obesity. I thought: would I rather take Vitamins for the rest of my life, or diabetes meds, blood pressure meds, cholesterol meds, etc? The gas pain after surgery is not that bad. I had it pretty strongly, with pain in my back and shoulders, but it rapidly decreased every day. While you're in the hospital, you get lots of great pain meds. Please don't be scared of the gas pain. It's annoying, but by no means torture. In terms of 'missing food,' I suppose it depends on what you mean. If I see a commercial of a cheesy pizza, I sure think, "mmm that looks delicious." That's the point of the commercials. But... I'm really not hungry. Honestly, getting my foods and shakes in is kind of a chore. Sometimes it's a little tough when my fiancée has really good looking/smelling food, but sipping at my shake honestly makes me so full I can't even be upset that I'm not eating what she is. And frankly, this restriction is temporary. If I want to have a slice of pizza six months from now, I'll be able to. Of course, it's up to me to moderate how often I eat pizza and to decide if a more nutritionally round meal would be a better choice, but the point is I WILL be able to have it, if I choose. Try not to think of it as things you can't have, but things that you can have very occasionally while you change your relationship with food to focus on Protein and nutrition. This surgery is about change, and change is scary. But being healthy doesn't mean being deprived! I can have zucchini pizzas or cauliflower crust pizza to sate my pizza cravings AND get some good nutrition! Try to envision yourself embracing the changes your body needs and maybe even consider seeing a therapist if your relationship with food is concerning you. I see one for my anxiety, and being able to talk about the wls with her has been amazing! If you're willing to put in the work, there's a million resources out there to help you. Do your research, read the forums, talk to your doctor... And then make the best decision for you. Best of luck!

Agreed. If you can't get ahold of them, find a 24 hour urgent care. Wound infections may start small, but can become HUGE really fast!

Just to let you know, I still have to drink 2 shakes a day on my puree diet. Everyone's different, so you might not have to, but my program pretty much assumes you can't get enough protein on 1/4 cup servings, so we do 3 meals a day, plus 3 snacks, and 2 of those snacks have to be protein shakes. Maybe you could try some different ones until you find something you like better?