Zom B

Crap! I have been alternating between Viactiv caramel chewables and Bari Advantage chews for about 2 months now. Had no idea the Viactivs are calcium carbonate. That would explain why my constipation got a little better. Less calcium absorption 😕

Healthy Life Style, any updates? Usually no news is good news. I’m 10 months out and super struggle with constipation and anal fissures. I take one capful of miralax nightly and that has helped but if I slack on my water, eat extra salty that day or even get a sunburn I’m right back to straining and bleeding. Such a delicate balance 😬😔

Anyone find a Calcium product that doesn’t constipate? I’m struggling with it every few months and Hopi g there are supps out there that won’t cause this so often.

Anal fissure is back after having been healed and I am not looking forward to the next month of suppositories, bland eating, and pain

Also, I guess I just don’t understand why my surgeon has an expectation that I will not need any sort of GI help when it does to be so common? Does anyone else use a mail laxative or stool softener? I see Colace (docusate sodium) a lot but it did nothing for me.

Everything you’re telling me lines up with all the googling, pre op classes, and reading I’ve done. When I looked up pantoprazole it states that constipation is a possible side effect yet my Dr has not agreed to try a different acid blocker even though I’ve asked several times. I really appreciate your response because I was starting to feel like I’m going crazy. I kept telling him “I feel drained, like I drink and drink and drink but feel so dry” and he doesn’t listen when I say it isn’t my water or diet. I am super regimented and have had amazing results with my post op weight loss and energy gain m, however my body does not behave the way it used to. All the vitamins and supps confuse it. I’m only 8 months out so I am trying to be patient but it is hard when dr’s don’t listen and my body is sending messages loud and clear. Sorry for getting ranty, I didn’t sleep a wink due to bum swelling and discomfort after the milk of magnesia kicked in. Any suggestions for an OTC acid reducer I can suggest to my surgeon? I know he’ll want me on one until at least a year out because I’d had an ulcer due to a stomach opening structure that had to be surgically corrected at 3 months post op. Thanks in advance!

How long can the Miralax go on for? I was 5 months post op and my surgeon was very worried about me being on it any longer so he took me off but then I became constipated and have had to use a plethora of things to keep regular. Smooth move tea (worked for a month), prunes (worked for a week), psyllium fiber (made things worse), flax seed (did nothing), milk of magnesia (worked far too well), colace (didn’t work), probiotics (didn’t work), and fleets enemas (works well but quite a production and after care). Now I get cotton mouth and feel dry all the time even though I’m always on the toilet for a pee because of all the fluids. I’ve been struggling with an anal fissure due to the constipation for the better half of three months and my Bari team is not super invested in helping me figure out what’s going on. I hear the same thing, up my water and eat more fiber. I’ve done both but I still have dry mouth and hard BM’s. Feeling pretty low right now. Other than the usual calcium and a multi V with iron I’m only on one other thing, my PPI acid blocker. I exercise regularly and sleep well but my bathroom stuff is making me crazy. I was not prepared for this type of complication.

Deb, how’s the fiber going? I’m super backed up and having some major BM issues but I eat a ton of veggies and fruit. I’m getting frustrated with myself and my do. Doesn’t want me on stool softeners but at 70 grams of protein I need some major fiber.

Ladies, I’m 13 weeks out and I can attest that my body fluctuates 3-5 pounds during that week now. Before surgery it maybe bloated a little and fluctuated 2-3 only. On my period, I made myself a rule to only do a Sunday morn weigh in. It keeps me positive and less focused on an unstable number.

Been there. Save your fruit intakes like mashed banana and apple sauce for those times. When I need pick-me-ups I focus on fruit and walks. Worked for me. Also, premier protein makes a coffee shake, ‘cafe latte’ and it has a cup worth of caffeine. I stick with morning or afternoon only for those or they keep me up. good luck

Hi, Very curios if you have an update? Did you need further procedures? Did your body eventually acclimate? thx

For me, it was around 6 weeks before I could sit up, cough, sneeze, twist my upper body and wear high waisted anything without pain. Some folks heal super fast and some of us take time. one thing I did that helped me log my progress when it felt agonizingly slow was to write on my kitchen calendar. Day 6 clear pee Day 20 glue washed off Day 25 eggs came up, mashed p’s stayed down ETC. That’s really helped me remember the journey when every day was slow like molasses but a week flew by abs felt like zero progress. If I could go back, I would rest after my walks and listen to music more. Natural mood booster. Hope you’re incisions start to feel better.

We’re basically complication twins, Hahaha. I’ll probably also be a Miralax lifer. When I say Dr, I mean surgeon as my PCP has little experience with WLS and prefers I defer to my surgeon. He won’t let me try fruit options like prunes to loosen my stool due to high sugar/dumping so I’ll def always be on something. YES! I was on Ursodil for weeks and it didn’t nothing to prevent my stone. Let me know how your CT goes. I ended up find out out I also have cysts in my lady region which might explain the terrible period pains I’ve been having. Best of luck to you too

Those sneezes and coughs are no joke! I wasn’t prewarned and had a rough allergy attack in late August. Day 1 - 6 were the absolute worst, I felt a shift around day 7 - 8 and got better and better. You’re already ahead of most if you’re monitoring your urine and electrolytes. Nice job!

Can you let me know how the prunes go? I’m really sick of miralax and enjoy fruit.

How are you feeling? Yesterday was my 8 week but I remember this first week well! Stay hydrated and take your meds. Everything else is small potatoes. 💜

That was a month ago. I saw my Dr and he put me on a modified BRAT diet, fiber, and Potassium. I ended up so constipated that I spent a day in urgent care and the next 3 days doing enemy’s and miralax multiple times. I have a hunch I have a small bowel blockage because the gas is painful and smells bad like post op gas. Same with BM’s. I had to have another CT and they found a 13mm gallstone so I have gallbladder surgery in my future 😕 My team has no clue why I’ve encountered so many problematic complications. I was supposed to be a slam dunk. Under 40, only apnea for pre existing conditions and took no meds before this. Guess we all got arrogant and the universe was like “Hey, catch!” LOL.

Do you get cramping from it? How much water are you taking them with too?

I saw my team and a surgeon recommended miralax daily in the morn. It hasn’t been working for me thus far though. I’ve also tried suppositories, stool softeners and high fiber fruits. Nothing has gotten me to a happy medium 🤷🏻‍♀️

Did fruits and Vggs help? I keep ping pinging between unstoppable diarrhea and bleeding constipation. I’m truly miserable.

Hey guys, I am 6 weeks post op and everything has been stable for me for about 1-2 weeks now. I’ve had some ups and down with my BM’s but got that under control. I have been walking and driving and doing some of my usuals activities. One thing that is still difficult that I’m not seeing a lot of on here is bending. Bending to sit on the sofa, bending to tie shoes or pick something up off the floor. It is tricky and feels uncomfortable. I happen to bend right where my bellybutton is and I noticed 2-3 days ago some discomfort in the incision that’s 2 inches to the right of my bellybutton, essentially right where I bend. It isn’t a stabbing pain, more of an ache or pinching. It was sporadic before and has become a slight constant annoyance now. Anyone know of a complication that happens in the right side abdomen near belly button that comes out later post op like this? I’m trying not to overreact because this is a long recovery journey and I need patience. thanks in advance!

I’m 6 weeks in a few days and feel the exact same, lol.

Foggy for sure! I was drained/dazed on the pre diet and the 2 week post liquid as well. Purées is when I gained clarity and energy. Soft foods felt like rebirth. Hang in there.

Yes, absolutely! I’m 6 wks out RNY and not only are tastes off, but smells are too. Eggs now have a slightly wet dog odor to my nose. I gag if I don’t cover them in shredded cheese. It feels quite similar to pregnancy where my stomach and nose were NEVER on the same page. Some consistency’s make me ill as well. Dry chicken, tuna and cod. If I’m honest, I have become a little frustrated with proteins as the more of them I try, the smaller my options seem. I have hope that after 8 and 12 weeks my senses will calm a bit.

The best advice I got pre-op and again post-op was to take things day by day. If I got stressed or was hurting, take things hour by hour. That really helped me get through the rough days when I wanted to focus on being healed and past liquids and such. You’re gonna do great.