Lilfootie

Thank you for your input everyone!!! Team said they don’t want to see me. I have no fever or nausea, so it’s not a leak, and it feels like they are saying “not my problem!” Never seen this type of attitude from my team, but in all fairness, all nurses, NPs, and PAs in the practice were sent to the ICU (COVID) except one, so I’m sure they are stressed and overwhelmed. They said to go to my primary, or the ER if my pain gets worse. I don’t think my primary will see me right now either, but I will reach out after New Years. This pain is really getting to me. It is now getting exhausting! I need to sit down because it hurts so much. I am hunching over, which makes it worse, but I just don’t have the energy to stand up straight all the time. I think it is making me a bit depressed ☹️.

The pain by my clavicle is a lot like my gas pains right after surgery, but it is not gas.

I have tried resting after your suggestion. Initially it helped a lot, but the pain has since creeped back in pretty bad without exercise.

Mine are like “Oh that’s weird! No fever, no need to check you. Go to the ER if the pain gets worse.” Terrible time to go to the ER. It does get worse with stress! Hmm thanks for the reply! Glad I’m not the only one.

I also started at 213 and am at 181 (was 183 yesterday lol), so we are about the same. Surgery was 10/19 and I am 5’3”

Hi! I had a few post surgery!!! Benadryl did not work for me either. Xyzal helped mine. Take it on time and religiously (never skip!). I read somewhere after feeling so defeated that newer antihistamines may work when Benadryl doesn’t, they just don’t work as fast. You might have to wait the full 48 hrs to see results. I was allergic to the Narcotic I was given and then had a massive reaction to the Lovonox injections. I still have about 20 scars the size of eggs from where I injected. But they stopped spreading about 2 days after starting Xyzal and stopped itching completely after about a week. I had been taking Benadryl for two weeks with no luck and everything getting worse. Hope you find something that works! Meds can have delayed reactions so definitely do your research.

Have your doctor write a note - reasonable accommodation. I have one (I work on my feet with people with disabilities) - it says that due to my recent surgery I need to be able to take enough water breaks to meet my water goals or I risk dangerous dehydration. It is for 1 yr. I was worried because of COVID and masks that I would not be able to get away to stay hydrated. You could have your doctor write something about lightheadedness- what they suggest you do and that it is a health risk. You could also apply for FMLA so that the days you fee lightheaded, you can take off and not lose your job.

In my support group last week, they said bypass patients should never have collagen protein, because it inhibits absorption of some nutrients (can’t remember which ones). I was surprised, and I can’t find any article anywhere to back this up, but maybe ditch it for a while, or take it 1-2 hrs after eating instead of with food or other vitamins. I have been stuck in the 180s for a while too. I am in a stall most of the time haha. I lose for about 1.5 weeks each month and then stall for the rest.

My brother is a GI doc and he says that Miralax is extremely safe! You can take HUGE doses and be ok. I take a double dose every day I don’t have a BM. If I go more than 3 days without one, I add a stimulant and take 1.5 doses of Miralax every four hours until I go. Before doing this I was going once a week, after taking laxatives (Colace and Senna) for 3-5 days. It was AWFUL.

How are you doing?!?! Any update? Did they figure it out? Thinking of you ❤️

Currently in the hospital. Nurse wants me to swallow Tylenol pills but I am terrified is it normal to be given oral pills?

Oh no! That sounds awful!!!! I am so sorry you’re going through this!!! What has your doctor tried? Have they done any diagnostic tests like an endoscopy or upper/lower GI? Have they ruled out intolerances? Soy/corn/silicon hide in almost every food and dairy is big post-surgery. Food dyes? Artificial sweeteners? I found that Erythritol made me so so so so sick when they first started putting it in everything (diarrhea for days), and it is in a lot of protein and “healthy” drinks/snacks. Malitol too. My daughter had a milk protein allergy that made her intestines bleed over time. It started out ok and built up over time. Resolved as she got older. Could you have Diverticulitus? Is it possible that you had celiac disease pre-op that you didn’t know about and it is now kicking your butt now that you have started to eat gluten again (if you are eating gluten again)? Have you taken a COVID test? GI symptoms are really big for some people. Do you normally get bad diarrhea from your menstrual cycle? I have read that a lot of women post-op have nasty hormone swings for a while as the estrogen is released from their fat cells. Forgive the brainstorming, I just really REALLY feel for you <hugs>. Hope you get some answers soon and start feeling better!!!

Hi! I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now. I’m sorry you’re going through this! Can you swap the treat with something else to gradually get off of the sugar? E.g. sugar free chocolate candy, sugar free hot chocolate, sugar free chocolate cool whip, etc. I often end my night with a decaf and sugar free sweet cream or a sugar free hot chocolate. It helps curb the chocolate cravings I get. I make the hot chocolate from scratch with sweet n low and cocoa powder. I have also found an egg white protein powder that is sinfully rich and chocolaty - Julian’s bakery. Other ideas could be finding a protein bar that feels like candy, sugar free chocolate pudding, dipping fruit in melted sugar free chocolate chips, baking with chocolate protein powder. You can still have your treats without beating yourself up! You are going to figure it out - it takes a lot of work and determination to get where you are now - you got this!

I did my 3 week stall at week 2, stalled until week 4, lost for 3 days and have been in another stall ever since 😭😭😭. I know it will come off, but stalls are the worst. NSV - I ran on the treadmill for the first time in 6 years this weekend! And I am down two pants sizes.

Oh my goodness! I just realized that cold may be an issue for me - lightbulb!!! Lol thanks for posting this. I drink so much faster with warm liquids.

Sorry you tell dealing with this! It can be so scary!!! I get burps that are “stuck” in my chest (I don’t know any other way to describe them). It’s usually when I drink too fast, but it happened a lot more severely and often during my first three weeks. It hurt in the beginning, now it is just a sign that I recognize. I tap my sternum firmly with a closed fist and it often helps them get unstuck. Drinking has always been hard for me - 64 oz is insane to me. I maybe hit it 2x/week! Another thing the nurse told me in the hospital is that the doctor has to move your diaphragm to do the surgery, so a good amount of chest pain and breathlessness comes form that early on. Does it improve if you take Tylenol? They make dissolve packs now (get them at Target) if you are nervous about swallowing pills. If you are still concerned, you should contact your care team or primary doctor. Hope it all works out!

Hi Everyone - I just finished my first month - yay! I see the dietician tomorrow. I also start my soft foods diet tomorrow. Since others have posted about their daily eating/drinking schedule, I will post mine (very soft foods and purées): -Start my day with a small drink (4-8oz). Drinking is still hard for me, but got a million times easier just in this past week. -Breakfast: 1 egg topped with nutritional yeast and 1 chicken sausage; or 1 egg and 1-2oz of hot cereal. -Protein Drink and water until lunch -Lunch: puréed dinner from the night before or tuna with a little olive oil mayo 3-4oz total. If there is any room I have a tablespoon of unsweetened applesauce or carrot/squash purée. -Protein Drink (usually just finishing the first one or drink half of another) and Gatorade Zero until dinner -Dinner: Usually chicken. I use my slow cooker a lot and have made a tomato basil chicken, honey mustard chicken, pork tenderloin. I also will sometimes split with a little veggie or protein mashed potatoes. I generally purée it, although I have had less need to lately. If I need sweet I do a tablespoon of unsweetened applesauce or baby food fruit mixes (lol). One of my tricks is keeping grits made and in the fridge. If I am proteined-out, I sometimes mix an oz of grits in with my chicken or tuna and it changes the texture, gives it a bit of carbs, and doesn’t change the taste. I hate the protein shakes so much at this point that I really try to get most of my protein from my meals. At the start of purées, I was drinking 2-3 shakes a day, and now I can usually get by with just one, or one and a half. Exercise is the tough one for me. I get 7,000-10,000 steps at work. I am a single mom. By the time I get home I am exhausted. I am having to nap for long periods on the weekend. I am trying to build myself up and pat myself on the back for the 10,000 steps, and remembering I only had surgery a month ago. My goal for month 2 will be 100-200 mins of extra-size (as my daughter calls it) each week My welts are about halfway gone, and it seems like my gross incision is healing, although its still gross, haha. I take my last injection on Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Best news of the week! How is everyone else doing? I love reading the updates!

Anyone else experience really big inaccuracies? My protein shake is off by A LOT. I have submitted for a change 3 times, with photos, and there has been no update. This has happened with other foods too. I had a day that had one food each meal that was wrong. If you use it and have not been paying attention to accuracy, definitely go back and check! They might leave out fat content, fiber, carbs, wildly wrong calcium content or serving size. I am so tired of it and thinking of switching. Does anyone else have an app they like that has a bariatric focus? Any other app suggestions?

My doc says that carbonated drinks cause your stomach to stretch, so that is why they recommend not having them. I have Sunkist flavored water enhancer and they are amazing! 😂😂 they really taste like orange and grape soda! Takes me back to middle school for sure ❤️ I like the nuun enhancers too. They are effervescent, not carbonated, so they have a carbonated feel without actually being bubbly.

Me too! But I am 4 weeks this coming Monday. I think I stalled early, as I stopped losing at 14 days...or it is a reaction to all my antihistamines and meds. I had an allergic reaction to the narcotic they gave me - Aquagenic Pruritus, sooo bad - it is an intense allergic reaction to water and perspiration on your hands. Then I had one to the lovonox I was injecting, so I have been a swollen mess since the start and covered in welts - 22 of them each 2-4” in diameter on my abdomen and thighs). Finally all starting to go away. I put my scale away once I stopped losing and take it out only on Friday’s to weigh in.

Mine too!!! They are so cheap! Calcium is expensive, but I just keep my eye out for coupons and sales and buy in advance if I have to.

Mine started when I began taking all the Calcium. I have only been able to go once every 5-7 days after 3 days of laxatives (Colace with the stimulant) and Miralax. It is not fun. I have only had 4 bm’s since surgery. I am thinking of asking my doc for something stronger. I tried adding magnesium, which usually gets me going immediately, but it hasn’t made a difference yet. I feel bad contacting them all the time, between my allergic reaction to the narcotic, then the lovonox, and now the questionable incision. I feel really good otherwise! Lol

hi everyone - Three weeks out. Yesterday one one of my incisions started oozing yellow. I had a small green spot on the scab as of last week. I messaged my care team. I have a feeling it is infected. It looked wonky since the start and they told me at my last appt it looked fine. All my others are nearly gone now. Still dealing with the seriously itchy welts from the Lovonox allergy. They have not gone away or gotten smaller. I have one 2-4 inches in diameter every place I injected for the first two weeks. Literally covered in then. Between weeks 2-3 I only lost half a pound (I only weighed Sunday). Either the stall came early, or all the Benadryl and swelling from my rash is keeping me from loosing (Benadryl can cause weight gain when taken over time, and I was taking it 3-4x per day for a week). Pretty down about everything. I feel like I am missing a chance for major weight loss and just ridiculously uncomfortable.

I supervise a day program for adults with disabilities. I also have limited water breaks, as I am up and down from my desk all day and working program a lot. I asked my doctor to put that I need to sip water throughout the day on my return to work form so that it becomes a “reasonable accommodation” which you employer has to comply with by law. They said the reason was increased risk of dehydration. I have been back for a week and honestly it was one of my biggest worries, but it has been ok. You will be able to drink water faster than you think by then. I would save the protein shakes for when you can really sip them and try to get as much protein as possible from your food (I am getting in 2/3 so far and I am two and a half weeks out). Hope it goes well! When do you go back? Have you had your surgery yet?

I put my scale away until my next appt (Nov 17). Anyone else? I know I’m doing everything I am supposed to do and the weight will come off. I started getting frustrated, weighing multiple times a day and I got sick of it, lol! Last time I looked on 10/30 I was 203lbs (down 40 lbs from starting weight and 10 from surgery on 10/19).