Born in Missouri

At first, I misread the name of the hormone ghrelin. My brain saw gremlin. I knew it! Those pesky gremlins are responsible for the changes involved with my senses of smell and taste!!

I did a little research: Researchers at the University Hospitals of Leicester looked at the relationship between taste, smell, and appetite among 103 patients who’d undergone gastric bypass surgery between 2000 and 2011. Nearly half of the patients polled reported their sense of smell changed following weight loss surgery and 73 percent noticed changes in the way food tasted. Topping the list for patients experiencing taste changes is increased sensitivity to sweet foods and sour foods. Reduced tolerance and cravings for sweets and fast foods are common changes are reported by many patients. Some patients may become so sensitized that even protein shakes and powders taste overly sweet and are difficult to tolerate. (Some tips that may help include thoroughly chilling the protein shakes to improve taste.) Food aversions usually develop immediately following surgery and may lessen or disappear over time. In studies, animal proteins top this list with patients steering clear of chicken, steak, ground beef, lamb and cured meats like bacon, sausage, and ham. Eggs, dairy products including ice cream, cheese and milk and starches such as rice, pasta or bread also ranked high on the list of disliked foods. Interestingly, very few patients reported aversions to fruits or vegetables. Some patients even report loving veggies like broccoli or cauliflower even more. Patients may feel turned off to foods for a variety of reasons including smell, appearance, texture or consistency. Sometimes a change in preparation method can help improve tolerance. Simple adjustments like stewing meat instead of baking or grilling and poaching eggs instead of frying may prevent the often-reported feeling of food “sticking” on the way down. While the exact cause is unknown, many experts believe sensory changes occur as a result of fluctuating hormones in the gut and their effects on the central nervous system. This gut-brain axis as it’s known and its relationship to bariatric surgery is a subject of much research and speculation. In a nutshell, the nervous system relays countless transmissions about your hunger, satiety and cravings each day between your GI tract and your brain. Because the carriers of these messages are affected by changes in weight and the removal of a portion of the stomach, it is highly likely they have an impact on taste, smell, gratification and other sensory perceptions. Leptin and ghrelin are hormones that are known to have a prominent role in the relationship between hunger and satiety. Ghrelin also plays a role in determining how much of what we eat is burned for fuel versus stored as fat. Weight loss alone results in an increase in ghrelin, which explains why we tend to feel hungry as soon as we restrict calories and begin to shed pounds. Surgically induced weight loss, however, in which a portion of the stomach is removed or bypassed, reduces the production of ghrelin while restricting the volume of food consumed. This unique combination explains, at least in part, why bariatric patients are able to eat less but not feel hungrier as a result. Leptin also plays an important role in telling your body when you are full and how calories are stored. It is believed that weight loss improves the body’s sensitivity to the messages leptin delivers to the gut and brain. This in turn may result in greater food satisfaction with smaller quantities and less flavor intensity.

I recall how much smell played a part in feeling nauseous during the first trimester of my first pregnancy. Just the smell of some foods set me off. It was as though my senses of taste and smell were amplified during pregnancy. This is the opposite of that. Everything seems dulled. Bland.

I asked my surgeon about this about two weeks post-op. He told me that my loss of appetite and differences in my taste perception are completely normal and will return to some kind of normal eventually. Hm. How long is eventually?

Miralax and Glycolax contain polyethylene glycol (PEG) 3350 which is a petroleum derivative; it’s essentially a liquid plastic. Additional inexpensive and kinder alternatives: Magnesium Citrate – Magnesium is nature’s muscle relaxer. If you’re constipated, magnesium really gets things moving. Blackstrap Molasses – A tablespoon of molasses before bedtime can ease constipation symptoms the next morning, due to its high levels of magnesium.

I'm flattered that you see a treasured friend in me. I think you're a gem, too. I loved your original word choice "darkness". That suits me just fine. I tend to have a dark sense of humor so I enjoyed that observation. Speaking of Diantha, I did inherit something from her. I'm in my late 50s and have yet to sprout a gray hair. I use cheap shampoo and pretty much just comb it. Diantha lived into her 80s and never had any gray hair. My adult daughter and younger sister didn't inherit what I did, unfortunately. They both have plenty of gray. I come from a family of blondes and red-heads. My hair is brown with reddish-gold highlights.

I've heard of Syrup of Figs. Even found a recipe for it. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/syrup-of-figs-for-constipation-2109755 My grandfather Adams was born in 1905 and lived to be 88. His father, Robert, died after he was thrown from a horse when my grandfather was just 5 years old. My grandmother, Diantha, was left with four young children to raise on her own. Illiterate and poor, she worked her fingers to the bone. They lived on a small farm in New Boston, Missouri. The youngest child, my grandfather's brother, William, become tangled in the ropes used to tie him into his high chair and died at 18 months. Sometimes we need to hear about the unfortunate lives of others to realize how good we have it -- constipation and all.

Oxycodone is part of my daily life, but I can understand your reservations. What strength is it? if it's 2.5/325 or 5/325, that's a good dose for someone who has no tolerance for narcotic meds. I'm assuming your doctor prescribed the oxycodone/acetaminophen combo. The number after the slash is the acetaminophen amount. I apologize if I wrongly assumed this information is new to you. Not to come off as a smarty-pants. It's just that my daughter is a pharmacist, two of my sons are medical doctors, and I have a background in the medical field too.

Good to know. It's always been hard for me to just accept a change in my body like this without trying to at least seek out a medical explanation --if one exists. I shall return ....

I've had a similar pain. I don't think one can ever have an exact pain. After all, how can anyone really understand another's pain?* I'm around 11 days gastric bypass post-op. I think it may be partly due to a prolonged sleeping or sitting position that puts some added pressure on certain muscles. Keep track of your symptoms, write down anything else that bothers you so you'll have a record to share with your doctor. I think our bodies are able to tell us when things are horribly and terribly wrong, but they can also just say, "ouch" when we're merely uncomfortable. *words coming from a chronic pain patient who has a problem with health professionals who claim to know all about someone else's pain and frequently dismiss its severity because it doesn't fit into their sphere of reality. Sorry... always gotta vent.

I googled some natural alternatives to Miralax, which over time can actually create a lazy bowel. I focused on alternatives recommended for children since they tend to be kinder and gentler. Some of the alternatives like flax oil might be too pricey, but there are plenty of cheaper things to try. Pears, lentils. http://www.healthyjasmine.com/ditch-the-miralax-use-these-natural-solutions-to-ease-constipation/ Coconut water, senna tea (cost?), castor oil, magnesium malate, magnesium citrate. https://naturalconstipationsolutions.com/50-alternatives-to-miralax-for-children/ Talk to a pharmacist. They can help you figure out other cheaper alternatives and let you know the dangers of relying on a particular source, like Miralax, for too long. And talking to a pharmacist is always free!

So happy for you, girl. I'll be thinking about you tomorrow. I've enjoyed our private messaging conversations. Thank you for being in my corner, too. You better know that I'm in yours. We'll be waiting for you on the post-op side of the finish line. The race is not over, more laps for both of us, but all of your friends will be right here waiting for your return. Show your scars like medals. Scars can show pain and suffering, but they also show a will to change and a commitment to something better for ourselves. Scars are our history, just as they show we've been through a battle of sorts, they can also show that we can heal from those battles.

Metformin use tends to cause runny stools. Narcotic use (or anything such as low fluid intake or lack of fiber) tends to cause constipation. Together these meds or conditions can possibly create a well-formed bowel movement. I'm 12 days post-op. This combination applies to me.

Has anyone experienced a difference in the way things taste post-op? I'm only post-op 11 days, but things that had a well-defined taste for me previously seem to be unusually bland now or have a strong aftertaste. We all have different taste sensations. I'm also one of those "tasters" who can detect a metallic-type taste when my IV is flushed with saline, for example. I've heard plenty of nurses who talk about the comments they hear from other "tasters".

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Oops. I see that Annie93 already suggested the peanut butter powder. So many posts to read. I missed that one.

@BrookeR Ask your dietitian if you can add peanut butter powder to your protein replacement shakes. I don't have a sweet tooth, so all the sweet-mimicking drinks that we are allowed to have, are beyond cloying for me. Wouldn't a chocolate-flavored protein shake with peanut butter powder taste like a Reese's Peanut Butter cup in liquid form? https://tinyurl.com/yc66esop (I picked this brand at random, just to show you the product.)

I'm one-week post-op today. My surgery was a success, even though my hospital experience wasn't. I'm happy for everyone who had successful outcomes all the way around. I feel cheated and still need to vent. I was soooo excited about my big day, so I have that I still fee bitter about the sub-standard CARING I received. Note the word CARING and not CARE. I expected to be treated much differently -- in a more compassionate and CARING way. Instead of being recognized as a chronic pain patient having bariatric surgery, I was treated like someone with ordinary pain. My surgery site was not the source of my pain, but I was treated as though it was. One mg of morphine for me is a Jell-O cup. I was not recognized as a whole person, and when I tried to get relief and mentioned the word GRIEVANCE, everyone turned into SAVE-MY-BUTT mode. There are details that don't give my story a bigger-picture perspective, so just try to imagine feeling dismissed or made to feel as though you had little value and had no right to expect better treatment. Help me release this anger, please! PLEASE!!! It's time for me to get on with my healing. I don't want to think about my grievances with the hospital any longer. I want to celebrate the new and improved me. I want to feel happy. Does anyone have a magic wand?

I keep noticing what seems to be a disproportionate number of forum participants from Missouri. Are you from the St. Louis area, the Kansas City area, or somewhere in between? "Kansas City" also includes cities like Overland Park, Olathe, or Shawnee Mission. Natives automatically know when we're talking about the Missouri or Kansas side. Missouri ranks 27 on this list: https://wallethub.com/edu/fattest-states/16585/ (I think it would be cool if BariatricPal created a graph or something to show where many of us are from, including our international buddies from Australia, the UK, etc.)

My surgeon explained both options to me and I chose the bypass. Even though it has greater malabsorption challenges, I prefer it because I don't like the idea of a piece of my body being permanently removed. The bypass is a rejiggering with nothing "harvested" from you. Your ulcer is definitely a good reason to have the bypass. A sleeve can actually give a patient reflux who has no history of it. (Like me). The bypass eliminates the whole reflux issue and will be kinder on your ulcer. By kinder, I mean your ulcer may be gone for good. Have no reservations. You are doing something wonderful for yourself. Push forward with that mindset.

I feel it when I sense someone else is hurting. Don't apologize for expressing heartfelt emotions. Those darn chips may seem like a trivial thing, but your craving for them is real. What was your last A1C? Are you a "pre-diabetic" (my endocrinologist hates this word; he says you are either a diabetic or you are not. Sort of like pregnancy.) Anyway, your A1C is a snapshot of your blood glucose for a period of approximately 3 months. Having a random high glucose result doesn't really say much. Kindly explain what you mean by your diabetes returning. Is your assessment based on one lab result? Taking Metformin is not a bad thing. 500mg 2x/day is the standard dose, too. I take Metformin as well and I am NOT a diabetic. Taking Metformin does not mean you are a diabetic either -- even though that's what others may wrongly assume. Do you crave one particular brand of chips? I feel sorry for your enabler husband. He means well, I'm sure. When husbands do things like this, it reminds me of a male penguin who searches the entire beach for the perfect pebble for his mate. Those chips are your husband giving you love pebbles. Unfortunately, you don't need three pebbles and probably not even one! Have you considered individual snack-size bags instead of the Super, Super Family-Size ones? You are not a whiner. Your words have value. Again, don't apologize. This forum won't help you if your brain keeps telling you that you are the only person with this "problem".

@countryrae2001. I sent you a private message. Click the word balloons in the upper right corner of your profile page.

I showed up at the ER of the hospital where I received my bariatric surgery. I didn't hold back telling the ER staff about my experiences. They were all shocked and angry. They all insisted that I file a formal grievance. I don't take blood thinners or aspirin, etc. I just tend to bruise. Heavily. My surgeon is very experienced and the surgery was a success. The disaster had to do with not treating me as a chronic pain patient and a bariatric patient in unison. I brought PAIN with me to the hospital, just like I brought my coconut Chapstick. Focusing on the bariatric patient in me and neglecting the chronic pain patient who shared my body was the tragedy. It was also unforgivable that my belly was never examined by my doctor or the hospitalist before discharge. I literally went from the recovery room to my inpatient room and was discharged the next day without seeing my doctor or receiving a discharge exam by the hospitalist, by a nurse, NOBODY. Apparently, the hospitalist only dropped by to discuss my pain-management grievance. I had a drain with my gallbladder or knee replacement surgeries (I can't remember), but not with this one. I suspect that my surgeon uses a different method. Different is not always bad. Again, the surgery was a success... but to make sure that no one else has to go through what I did, I was encouraged by several nurses at the hospital to lodge a grievance. My only goal is to see that protocols are changed. I don't want some nurse getting in trouble. The hospitalist was obviously trying to save her own butt, and, I believe, wouldn't hesitate to try and throw some nurse under the bus.

I was mentioning to another new buddy (privately) that my bruising is extensive. My whole belly is black and blue, and a few other colors! An outline of South America is on the left, and Africa on the right. I think I see Barbados somewhere, too. I had no drain, so there was nothing to remove. My incisions are coated with a clear seal of some sort. They are each about one-inch long. They are tender but they do not hurt. I'm going to visit my primary care physician tomorrow to look at my incision sites since no one at the hospital bothered. My primary used to be an ER doctor, so she is fearless! My daughter got me the hydration/electrolyte tabs you suggested. Thank you MUCHLY.

I hadn't thought about a scale. Terrific idea.