RinRin

Hi,

I haven’t been in this forum in a while (life got really busy and the hospital I had my surgery at has a Facebook group/monthly meetings) so I got distracted.

Just wanted some insight from others. I have an IUD and since I got it Oct of 2017, I have not had a period. Light spotting every no and again, but that was it. After surgery Dec of 2018, I had a medium period for two weeks following surgery. Seemed normal from everything I read.

Nothing in Feb, had a 2 week one in March, week long in April, 2 weeks early May. Then I went one week without one in May and have now had one for almost 3 weeks now.

My surgery was almost 6 months ago. Should this really be happening still with insanely long irregular periods? Especially since I have an IUD?

Not sure if I should call my surgeon or my OBGYN or something.

10 minutes ago, Excited for a new me said:

Just feeling a bit sore and tired, but for the most part feeling better then I expected.... god willing I continue feeling better each day!

That’s good! I wasn’t in pain after a few days (unless I accidentally used my abdominal muscles when trying to get out of bed or off the couch) and for the most part didn’t have any nausea (until I started getting a sinus infection and not eating/drinking enough).

I was very tired and napped/slept a lot for the first two weeks.

Keep on top of fluids and your diet and you’ll feel better every day!

On 2/20/2019 at 3:23 PM, elcee said:

All that from m something as simple as a sinus infection, wow. Glad they have got to the bottom of it and that you are now on the road to recovery

It was a mix of sinus infection, not eating/drinking as much as I should have, and being completely off my bipolar medication and being in a downward depressive cycle.

And thank you! I go back to work on Monday for half days and then back to full time the week after. I’m happy to have routine back.

49 minutes ago, FancyChristine15 said:

I'm glad that everything eventually worked out for you. Sorry that you had to go through all of that.

Thank you! It was a long, rocky road. I started all my medications after they started the TPN in hospital, so I’m also back on the full dose for my bipolar medication. I feel worlds different than I did a month ago.

The last time I was on here was January 28th. Be ready for a long, long post.

To recap, I was having some insane nausea, being unable to really eat or drink. On the Jan 25th, I had gone to the ER for fluids and then was able to go home. I had a CAT Scan, Ultrasound, HIDA scan, and Barium swallow test to make sure it was not my gallbladder needing to be removed and not any blockages that were causing issues. I have some gallbladder sludge, but my surgeon said he didn’t think it was the issue when I saw him on the 28th. They just told me to take my anti nausea meds (that were not working) and eat and drink what I could.

On the Jan 27th, I started staying with my mom, who had the bypass done about 13 years ago and had nausea issues and vomiting for the first year. It got worse and worse. I hadn’t eaten in almost 7 days at this point and was just dry heaving all day.

My mom brought me back to the ER Thursday (the 31st) because a single sips of Water started making me sick.

Long story short, I was admitted to the hospital that day and the following weekend was awful because none of the nausea meds helped at all and I was on fluids AND potassium via IV and it made me unable to sleep because of the constant dry heaving from it.

They put in a PICC line started me on TPN on Feb 6th. For the first time in two weeks, I hadn’t dry heaved or thrown up, I was able to talk, I was texting friends and my boyfriend, and responding to Facebook posts.

The doctors think I may have gotten a sinus infection around the 24th because I have had a lot of post nasal drip, which they think was causing some of the nausea. I also don’t eat much when sick, so I don’t think I even realized what was happening (since I can’t eat a lot anyway) and was most likely missing a bunch of nutrition.

I was finally discharged on Feb 8th. I was in the hospital for 8 days. I had a home health care nurse and was on TPN until Feb 12th. I finally saw my bloodwork and I was 1 point away from being severely malnourished when I was admitted.

I finally had the PICC line removed yesterday. After being at my mom’s for 3 weeks (including that 1 week in the hospital, I finally came home to my boyfriend yesterday. I found a Protein Drink I like (called Rockin Protein Builder. 30g of protein, tastes like a freaking milkshake. I think it’s a little high in sugar, but I’m able to handle it. I’m able to eat some solid foods and drink water and the G2 Gatorade. I’m hopefully going back to work Monday, hopefully half days so I can make sure my eating schedule will be okay during 11 hour shifts.

New post surgery friends and ever pre surgery ones, please please please don’t wait like I did. Take super good care of yourselves. I was not taking my medications, was severely depressed and didn’t even realize I was sick with a sinus infection. Please reach out to people who care about you, especially your mom if you can, because hopefully they will do whatever they can to help you like mine did.

I’ve been having issues with nausea and vomiting the past week, but I thought it was due to dehydration. You know, because too nauseated to drink, not drinking causes nausea.

I did end up going to the ER (same place I had my surgery and my surgeons office is part of the hospital) for fluids Friday night/Saturday morning. I’m happy to say that I was only slightly dehydrated, but also unhappy to say that the nausea and vomiting were from something else.

They did a CAT scan and ultrasound because I guess bloodwork showed weird pancreas activity.

I have some sludge in my gallbladder. Talked to my surgeons medical assistant this morning and they fit me in for a HIDA scan to see if the gallbladder is emptying right. It’s not. I have an appointment with the surgeons physicians assistant tomorrow and it looks like they may be removing my gallbladder. I have been taking the Ursodiol they have me at discharge that’s supposed to help not get gallstones, so I’m upset that this happened to me, but I’m also glad that I followed my gut in going to the ER and had those tests done.

I’m still feeling sick and my anti-nausea meds aren’t helping. Please send good vibes my way. 💕

5 hours ago, Frustr8 said:

If they have a dedicated wing you might be fine, every time I go to my community hospital I end up doing a tutorial, they don't know what to make of a bypass patient, makes me feel like a purple-spotted giraffe everybody flocks to the zoo to see. So I go there for minor type things like IVs , that they can't mess up too badly.😛LOL

I can only imagine. I’m hoping that won’t be the case. My boyfriend has a timer going off and I’m supposed to be drinking every time it does to get me in a good habit again.

I feel a good bit better than I did earlier, but now I’m craving toast. 🤦🏻‍♀️

4 minutes ago, chellyvillen said:

Additionally, the hospital that I went to was part of the healthcare 'system' (University of Colorado Health) that my surgeon is part of - but they did not have experience dealing with WLS patients and I went through lots of unnecessary tests/xrays/ultrasounds.

Aaah that sucks. The hospital I was at has it’s own bariatric wing, so I planned on calling them specifically before going in.

I am 3 weeks post op and on soft/puréed food stage.

I had a tooth extracted earlier this week. Between that, which has been causing me to sleep way longer than normal, and not being able to drink while or shortly after eating, it’s been harder for me to get all of my fluids. I think yesterday I ended up with maybe 30oz total.

I woke up today, late as heck, feeling sick and dizzy. I don’t know at what point I should consider going back to get an IV (this was mentioned in my post op and my appointment with my dietician as what may need to happen after this week if I couldn’t get my fluids). My surgeons office is closed, but is part of the hospital I would be going back to. I’m already at 20ozs of Fluid today, so maybe I should see how I’m feeling tomorrow if I can get all my fluids in today?

4 hours ago, LadyHermit said:

Hah, thanks. Yeah, I was supposed to get this done back in oh...November or December, but things got kind of held up. The holidays rolled around, I was mentally prepared to do it but then...well. New years's came and it felt like I lost my nerve. Part of me wants to chicken out. I tell myself it won't be so bad and that I can do it. I talk myself up thinking how miserable it's gonna be and how bad it's gonna suck but really it's....not so terrible. I can do this. I guess it's normal to have some mixed feelings about it. I've never seen anyone that regretted it in the long term. I'll probably regret it in the SHORT term, but that....will pass over.

But see what I mean by the swinging emotions? I can't do this, I can do this....lol.

This is also why I got a therapist. 😛 To help me...navigate some of this post-op.

I’ve definitely had some emotional ups and downs. You can do it though!

The first two months are supposedly the toughest and worst part and then you start being able to eat more things.

1 minute ago, LadyHermit said:

Was unsure how to title this but well...I'm a newbie here, but a long time lurker. Thing is, I've been going through this whole process for over a year. Jumped through all the hoops. Have to go for another meeting with the nutritionist on Monday. Insurance hasn't approved me yet, so kind of in limbo.

My type 2 Diabetes is kind of a wild card, along with other myriad health issues. I know that this is the best for me. I need to lose around a hundred pounds.

But I'll be perfectly honest. I'm terrified. My emotions swing wildly and I feel...ambivalent. Yeah, I've got emotional eating issues. I'm addicted to soda (that's especially tough to give up) and the nutritionist is just....I basically have to give up EVERYTHING I like, it feels like. No more pizza. No more burgers. No more salami or sausage or anything with starches like potatoes or Pasta. Well...you get the point. I'll be consigned to boiled vegetables and chicken. That's what it feels like. I mean, I have to give up everything I like, basically. It's a hard transition. I'm hoping to be approved in February or March at the latest. I have started drinking the Protein Shakes, and found I like Atkins best. Premiere Protein shakes have a weird after taste that I don't care for.

I guess I'm looking for...I dunno. Encouragement. Support? Courage? Someone to tell me that it'll all be okay? I feel like I just...need a little hand holding. My emotions are....all over the place. Mostly it's terror of all I'll have to give up. It feels like such a big sacrifice.

Hello there!

I was sleeved about 3 weeks ago. It definitely feels like a big sacrifice, and is for a little bit. I was a heavy soda drinker and sweets eater before this and I can tell you, I have NO interest for that stuff right now.

With the sleeve, you can eat some of that stuff again once you are far out enough post op and based on how your sleeve handles food. I’ve nibbled on the crust of a piece of pizza (bread is awful at this stage right now though) and have had a few pieces of macaroni when my boyfriend had it earlier this week. I’m in the soft/puréed food section and my favorite thing to eat right now is mashed potatoes with some unflavored Protein Powder mixed in and string cheese.

My mom had the bypass done years and years ago and she will sometimes eat a small slice of pizza or have some Pasta. She’ll eat a portion of a burger sometimes when we go out.

The main thing to remember is that this is a tool to help you loss weight and get healthier. You’ll maximize all of that by sticking with the post op diet that your dietitian provides you with. But. You also have that option of having the stuff you love, as long as it is in moderation and you’re getting in all you’re Protein.

I honestly just went through the “buyers remorse” phase last week when watching my boyfriend eat French fries while we were out furniture shopping. But then I step on the scale and I’ve lost 30 pounds, my GERD is no longer making me cough consistently throughout the day, and I’m started to not get winded on the stairs. I like seeing myself in the mirror now.

You can do it! And you have this entire forum to help you. I would also see if your surgeons office has an in-person support group for patients, because that has also helped me a lot.

5 hours ago, Coexister said:

Today I have an appointment with my Dietitian and I am so excited to be finally be advancing out of liquid diet to puree diet / soft foods. I do worry some as to now we are adding in more foods will we gain weight? I was getting used to liquid diet per no brainier and no planning. Just the same thing over and over each day with maybe a flavor change. I love this site as I can find recipe ideas.

I’ve been doing a half soft foods/half liquid diet for the past week and I’m still losing.

I don’t think you’ll have to worry about gaining because even with soft foods, you’ll still only be able to take in a few hundred calories each day, if that. Your weight loss may stall (it does for a lot of people around weeks 3 and 4) because your body thinks you’re starving.

My dietitian said the most important thing for this first month though is fluids. Protein amount and calorie amount aren’t as important to her right now, as long as I’m hitting my fluids.

I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve had an upset stomach with a few of the “soft” foods, but I haven’t gotten sick from anything yet.

My mom has bypass like10-11 years ago and she has similar issues with a lot of the soft foods. Maybe give your stomach another week to heal and try again?

17 minutes ago, Screwballski said:

RinRin,

Another BiPolar here, with a whole lot of medicated years and surgeries under my belt.
A couple things could be going on...
FIRST, it is quite possible your body is simply having a depressive reaction the anesthesia. It doesn’t usually hit until about 5-7 days out. Then it grabs you! That is a fairly common thing, especially for folks who suffer from depression of one form or another. It can last for a few days or a couple weeks but it is just how some bodies process the drug after surgery. I found this out the hard way! When a relative/Doctor explained it to me, I couldn’t have been happier that I wasn’t actually circling the drain. It is most likely this temporary cycle. Keep reminding your brain that this is false depression and not part of your BiPolar Disorder! That keeps me sane! I usually snap out of it in 3-4 days.
(To you other folks out there, it can happen to anyone...you don’t have to have any history of depression. Stable folks experience this too.)

It could be, too, that there has been so much trauma to your system, your meds are having trouble keeping up. I had an addition surgery in August, not related to my May sleeve. By Oct, I was mildly manic. It had nothing to do with absorption. Just one system trauma after lead to weird chemical production in brain. First time in 5 years we had to adjust doses. 🙂

Our road is normally complex. Things like this can really throw a wrench in the works.
It wouldn’t hurt to have a specialist who can monitor your long term sitch. BiPolar is a tricky beeotch! 🙂

I hadn’t even thought about that! Thank you. My psych of 13 years recently retired after having open heart surgery and the lady who bought his practice wanted to take me off of my meds because she believes in the lifestyle change fixes all things. So I haven’t found a new person as of yet. Definitely soon.

Thank you for your replies.

May post op appointment is on Tuesday the 15th, so I’ll be talking to them about it then. Hopefully they can suggest a psych that has experience with bariatric patients. If not, I see my primary later that week.

I’ve felt a lot of stress and anxiety that I can’t find the triggers. It’s also possible I’m starting a manic phase because I know mine are triggered by extreme stress. My moms picking me up for a “mani/pedi” day later, so fingers crossed that helps. 🥰

So I’m about 2 1/2 weeks post op. I do have bipolar disorder where my mood is more depressive with short swings in to manic phases. I take locate for it and it works just fine. I was fine emotionally up until a few days ago and I’ve just been on and off crying since.

The other night it was waking up at 3AM to cry and last night my boyfriend had me take my full dose of lorazepam to calm down enough to fall asleep. It seems like it’s getting worse because I woke up this morning and have just been really weepy, pretty much since the moment I opened my eyes. I don’t have a psych that’s treating me right now, my primary is the one filling my lamictal.

Just not really sure what to do considering that I might be returning to work soon. I can’t be like this there.

It’s normal! I almost started crying in the pre-op waiting area after that hooked me up to the IV!

The first week is rough, but you can do it! Being able to look through the forums here and talk to be people helped immensely. You’re not alone!

It’s only been two weeks, but I took a picture of my face without doing any angles to hide neck/face fat. First time is 5-6 years I’ve looked at my face and not been embarrassed from seeing fat rolls there.

I don’t think it matters much, but I got the go ahead to the soft/puréed food stage. I ate an egg with a pinch of salt and pinch of cheese and felt good after. Not stuffed, but my body just seemed so thankful for an actual “meal.”

i noticed on my meal plan for this stage that I can have “1/2 slice of toast”, which seems odd. Has anyone attempted a small portion of bread like that? Because I hear it’s usually the worst thing to get your stomach to take again, even months down the line. Everyone seems to have issues.

9 minutes ago, AprilAL said:

I don't know if you've tried this one yet, but I just tried Syntrax Nectar in chocolate Truffle flavor, and it blew my Premier Protein out of the Water. It's the best one I've tasted so far. Also very fine, so you can stir it in milk with just a spoon and not a lot of effort. Tasted almost exactly like chocolate milk to me.

Thank you! I’ll look into that one if the powders I ordered let me down. I should have it this weekend at the latest. I’ve spent so much money trying to find a tolerable shake that I’m trying it one at a time now to avoid overspending post Christmas time.

I’m one week post op and have off currently until 2/1.

Unfortunately we’re moving next week and even though I have a desk job, it’s phones, so my only off the phone time is lunch and break. Not super good for constant liquid drinking and needing to pee all the time. I’m hoping I’ll be back on some regular foods by 2/1 when I go back.

I’m also still exhausted and I work a 10 hour shift so Im just going to enjoy the rest.

Hello, this is my first post here, but I’ve been lurking through the forums for a while. I’m sorry to hear about your mom, I can’t imagine.

I had my sleeve done Dec 26th, 2018. I was 227 at 5’1 before surgery, 221 day of, and was 209 today, so at least there’s progress.

i have yet to find a Protein Shake I can actual handle. The two I liked pre surgery taste awful now, and I’m awaiting the unflavored powder I ordered to arrive so I can try to mix it with stuff. :c