Blessd1

I know this may be a dumb question, but when will swallowing normally (not tiny sips) feel normal again? Any liquids are mostly fine, but I tried some stewed green Beans and there was discomfort even with over chewing them.

I’m 19 days post op and I’m struggling. But this is the decision I made, so I have no choice but to live with it. I’m taking my meds/vitamins and doing my best to get my Protein and Water in.

Will swallowing ever feel normal again? Will I ever eat normally again? I’m still on soft foods but mainly sticking to Protein Shakes and broth.

Thanks for taking the time to read and any info is appreciated. [emoji846]

Not a dumb question, I felt the same way! Ask your doctor about a prescription for Hyosciamine. It helps control the spasming in your healing gut and makes swallowing a little less painful. I'm 6 months out and still take it sometimes. The only drawback is that it might make you a bit drowsy, but you get used to it pretty quickly. But like others said, this too will improve with time!


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Thank you everyone for your kind words, this made me feel so much more at ease and brave enough to keep at it. I know we aren’t perfect, but sometimes my mistakes feel massive until a fellow soul (who truly understands) gives me a thumbs up [emoji106]
I am so grateful for these forums and all of you!! [mention=429492]Fred in Pa[/mention] [mention=329912]Hop_Scotch[/mention] [mention=257598]catwoman7[/mention] [emoji847]

Try not to be too hard on yourself, this journey is TOUGH! You're actually doing quite well, as others have said. My gastric bypass surgery was 3/29. I started at 204 lbs day of surgery, and I'm down 36 lbs as of last week. Very similar results and my team says I'm right on track. The Hair loss is devastating, I totally get it. Today has been the worst by far, but I have to keep reminding myself it's temporary.

Hang in there and stay with it - you are doing very well!!

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Thank you everyone for your kind words, this made me feel so much more at ease and brave enough to keep at it. I know we aren’t perfect, but sometimes my mistakes feel massive until a fellow soul (who truly understands) gives me a thumbs up [emoji106]
I am so grateful for these forums and all of you!! [mention=429492]Fred in Pa[/mention] [mention=329912]Hop_Scotch[/mention] [mention=257598]catwoman7[/mention] [emoji847]

Try not to be too hard on yourself, this journey is TOUGH! You're actually doing quite well, as others have said. My gastric bypass surgery was 3/29. I started at 204 lbs day of surgery, and I'm down 36 lbs as of last week. Very similar results and my team says I'm right on track. The Hair loss is devastating, I totally get it. Today has been the worst by far, but I have to keep reminding myself it's temporary.

Hang in there and stay with it - you are doing very well!!

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@Shellybelly I'm so glad to hear you are finally getting a meeting with your surgeon. Hopefully you get the answers you need. Also happy to hear you are beginning to feel better generally. Everyone's journey to recovery is so different, and you don't always know if you're on the right track. Please let us know how things go with your visit.

Here's a Site I especially like. I'm not yet out of soft foods stage, but I have made their recipe for homemade strawberry vinaigrette. It's delicious! I have that with couple ounces of chicken breast and feta cheese. Bariatriceating.com is still my favorite resource so far for ideas.

Best of luck and good health to you!

23 hours ago, ShelleyBelley said:

please please do let me know if you think I’m being silly deciding this though

I'm so sorry your recovery is not going well. It sounds like you're doing everything in your power to improve the situation. I agree with others who suggest going to the A&E, as unappealing as it is. These things are also true: 1) if this were one of your children suffering in this way, you would have already been to the A&E and any place you need to get answers. 2) You simply cannot continue to care for your family if YOU are not well. You will have to prioritize yourself. I don't intend to sound like I'm judging...I'm just sharing some hard truths I had to realize as a Mum over the years. Praying things get better for you!

4 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

My Fitness Pal, the premium version...which i keep meaning to cancel as i dont really need/use the extra features anymore. The free version would be just fine

Great, thanks so much for the info! My bariatric center has their own tracker app I have been using for a while, but it doesn't have the detail I'm looking for.

2 hours ago, ms.sss said:

another day another salad:

350 calories for the bowl.

Looks tasty and a nice variety! Can you remind me again which app you use to track? Thanks!

I don't have a monumental update, but any progress is good progress in our world. 😉

I'm going on 6 weeks out from bypass & hernia repair. Ecstatic I can finally sleep on my side again! Lol. I'm down 19 lbs from day of surgery and 29 altogether from first consultation in January. I'm happy with the progress so far. I still want to lose 45 lbs, so we will see how the journey goes. I'm so anxious to get to regular foods stage, but I also understand the soft stage is one of the easiest food stages regarding choices. Just getting a little bored with it, but old favorites like blue cheese and feta cheese are rocking my world right now. 🤣

Kudos to all of you on here getting the job done and then some!

15 hours ago, qtdoll said:

I HIT MY GOAL WEIGHT! (Well, actually surpassed it) My goal weight was 135 & I woke up weighing 134! It's been 8 months since my surgery

Congratulations!! So excited for you!

1 hour ago, MelbaT said:

Hi Blessed,

My RNY was also on 3/29. I've definitely had my struggles and still do! I started on pureed foods a few days ago. The first few days were rough! I think I was so excited to start on them that I overdid it a couple times. Pretty sick after that. Felt faint-ish, weak, racing heart, VERY nauseous. Luckily both times were around bed time, so I laid down and after a while subsided and I finally slept.

I have given up the Protein Shakes as even to LOOK at them makes me feel like vomiting. VERY strong aversion to them now. I bought the Vital Proteins collagen Peptide powder someone on here (sorry I can't remember who!) that has 18 grams of Protein in 2 tbsp and luckily blends really well, especially in hot things like my coffee, so I start with that every morning. I have no appetite and have to go by when I start feeling weak to make myself eat. I'm sensitive to almost all artificial sweeteners so haven't been able to tolerate sugar free things. How about you?

Went shopping with the hubby yesterday and bought most of the things recommended by the fabulous people on here to puree. Great ideas. I'll try the white fish (we bought cod) tonight with thinned mashed potatoes. I was feeling nauseated yesterday after eating egg salad, so a couple hours later I was naughty and ate 3 saltine crackers very slowly which really seemed to help. I don't know about anyone else, but after I eat something, the thought of eating it again makes me ill. Did anyone else have trouble with that?

Going back to work has been tough. 10-11 hour days. I work in a very busy vet clinic, so trying to get in "snacks" has been difficult and I end up feeling crappy, weak, brain fog until I get to lunch. The last couple days getting in my Water while I'm there has been tough too. Everyone I work with is awesome and would allow me the chance to get a snack, but it takes so long to eat it that I feel guilty for having to step away for a bit to do that, especially since we've been short-handed. I just need to do it, though.

Next thing here is totally TMI, so skip if you don't wanna know. I've had a b/m almost daily, but never a complete one. They are very pasty and don't seem to want to evacuate my body well (LOL). I did start eating Activia with Protein Powder in it to see if that will help. Miralax and Dulcolax does NADA for me. Any other recommendations? My left side still has some pain- almost gas-like. I've taken the chewable Gas-x which doesn't do much either. I definitely don't like my bra sitting on top of where my stomach is, so off it goes at all times when I'm at home! Weird thing is that my hot flashes have seemed to return with a vengeance which a year before surgery had finally stopped. Bummer. Anyone else struggling with this?

I've been working with my shrink regarding my meds. We've had to adjust things a couple times already. I can't take Gabapentin at bed time anymore- makes me so dizzy. Also switching from Zoloft to Lamotrigine. I used to take all my meds at once in one big swallow. Can't do THAT anymore, so slowly it goes, which frustrates me a bit.

The good thing is that overall I'm doing pretty good. I'm only weighing myself once a week, so Wed. I'll reweigh myself. My body is totally changing tho! I still don't have a lot of energy, but hopefully that will improve over time. Some days are better than others. I did take some "before" pictures (but can't figure out how to edit out my boobs so will be for my eyes only!), just to help me see my progress if the scales don't show a loss. Clothes are much looser already tho!

Ok, sorry to ramble so long. I threw a lot out there, but that's kinda how I am. It soooo helps to know if others are going or have gone thru these same things! I look forward to and love the feedback. I hope you and everyone else are doing well!

Hi @MelbaT. thanks for your response! I can relate to everything you said...which is sad and comforting all at once. Haha

A few responses to your questions:

- I was the one who recommended the Vital Proteins...so glad it worked out!

- Regarding shakes, I feel the exact same way. I just choked down one more this morning, the rest are getting thrown out. Everything is sickly sweet and texture too thick. I'm finding herbal tea and broth easier. Definitely prefer savory or salt right now. All of this is normal! The only shake I tolerate is Fairlife chocolate with 30 g of Protein. Unfortunately, it's out of stock everywhere around here. I do have an Amazon shipment arriving Friday thank goodness.

Regarding the Constipation, it's also very common. My RD said I would probably only go every 3 or 4 days now, and she has been right. I take Colace and Benefiber every day and that seems to work. If not, my doctor recommends adding milk of magnesia. That should help!

My RD definitely recommends eating a mini meal every 2.5 - 3 hours (5-6 meals per day). This prevents hunger and keeps us from making less than healthy choices later in the day (a problem I had pre-surgery). They don't want us skipping meals. So, RD said eat/drink every few hours, even if it's a 1/4 cup of shake.

I too have noticed what I think are hot flashes, along with lots of cold shivers. Again. all normal considering how little calories we are taking in. I laughed about the bra situation 🤣. I feel the same issue and have been wearing a soft cotton athletic tank top type bra. Cheap for a 3 or 4 pack from Amazon.

I also have a lot of left sided pain, again to be expected. However, it is finally starting to improve. I'm better able to walk upright without holding my sore stomach half the day. Lol

I'm so excited for you that you're paying attention to the body changes. That's great progress, no matter what the scale says. I'm noticing something new everyday. It's mind blowing! I finally have boney elbows again!🤣

You're doing great, just keep going hour by hour if you need to. Stay in close touch with your team also - they have the suggestions that will help you most. Hang in there!

Hi all! I had my RNY 15 days ago. I'll be 55 years old next month. I'm 5'4 and my top weight was 248. Pre op I was 231 (lost weight with pre-op diet hell). Currently sitting at 222 lbs. Still on Full liquid stage with starting the pureed on 4/19. No real hunger pangs at all, just weakish. Weighing myself just once a week. I've always been hard on myself, so weighing once a week, I think, will keep things more in perspective for me. I'm down 9 lbs since surgery and trying hard not to tell myself it should be more! I'm Feeling pretty good. Was REALLY sore for that first week, but feeling more comfortable every day. I'm just bummed about the lack of energy I still feel. I can toodle around the house fine, do chores, etc, but when it comes to going to the store, short walks, etc, I get wiped out SO easily. Going back to work next Monday and dreading the 10+ hour days I do. Luckily it's just 3 days a week with another half day thrown in there (I average ~35 hours/week). Can't afford to take off any more work. Anyone else experience this? I'm averaging ~500 calories/day, which I know isn't much and that's likely the reason. Currently having 2 Protein shakes/day. My doc put a note into the dietician to reach out to me about all this. I'm grateful to have found this site! [emoji4] [emoji4] By the way, I can't seem to figure out how to have my "Weight loss ticker" show on my posts. Help?

I'm close to your timeline with similar surgery. I had RNY with hernia repair on 3/29. I'm 3 1/2 weeks out, down 14 lbs so far. I'm 5'2" and weight day of surgery was 203.8. I feel we are both well within "normal" range for progress. I'm pleased with the results honestly...it would have taken me 4-5 months to lose that much before the surgery. Lol.

My energy is also pretty low, I know how you feel. You start wondering if it will ever get better. But based on what I have heard from others, it definitely will. I'm still in pain on the left side and near the belly button. My surgeon ordered a CT scan this week, but it showed nothing significant. I just have to accept the fact that recovery will take longer this time. I've had 2 c-sections and this is most definitely worse. Lol

I stared back to work this week. Honestly, I'm grateful to have a desk job and work from home. But the mental fog and fatigue is real. I asked my manager to ease back into projects and such, knowing I won't be mentally sharp for a while. I move to soft foods at the end of this week. I can't wait to feel normal again!

I wish you all the best. Please give yourself grace, as others have said. There is no right or wrong way to heal...we just have to do what is necessary for our personal needs. Take care! [emoji8]

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I appreciate all the assurance. I guess I just misunderstood the healing time as explained by my surgery team. I had my gallbladder removed and a complete thyroidectomy in the past and don't remember either being this painful.

Had my gastric bypass and hernia repair surgery 3/29. I'm going through the exact same thing. I fear I over worked myself around the house and walking too long. The worst pain is near my belly button (probably referred pain from left incision). It's miserable right now. I can't stand up for more than a minute. I hope you're doing better!

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Hi All! I have been mostly quiet the past two weeks, but I wanted to give a quick update since a few of you asked. [emoji846]

So far, I'm healing well (18 days post op). There is still a fair amount of pain on the left side and where the nerves were cut. It has been a rougher recovery than I expected. I've had two c-sections, and I have to say this recovery ranks up there, possibly harder. Lol. I tire pretty easily, but I'm getting around better. Still can't lay on my side to sleep for very long, but it will get there.

I'm doing well with getting at least 60 grams of Protein. Still struggling with fluids, getting about 48 oz. I'm trying to push that, but it seems I'm always behind. Lol. I start back to work tomorrow, and I'm worried about the fatigue and not being mentally sharp. I guess all I can do is let my manager and co-workers know upfront. I'm very fortunate to be working from home, so at least I can rest if needed.

I'm down 20 lbs (10 lbs lost in pre-op, 10 lbs since surgery date). I'm very happy with that progress. Already back to onederland!! I'm a lower BMI patient and understand my results may take time. I'm still shocked by how quickly my body is changing! I feel or notice something different almost every day.

I hope all of you are doing well and hanging in there! [emoji3590]

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Pictures speak for themselves [emoji3590]

Wow, congratulations! Very inspiring!

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Can anyone recommend a good unflavored Protein Powder? I bought the Nutricost unflavored powder and it doesn't mix well at all. Very foamy, chunks of powder whether I use a spoon, shaker or blender. Very frustrated. Trying to get refund from manufacturer. Any other types you'd recommend?

I use the Vital Proteins with collagen. 18 grams of Protein with two scoops. It's a fine powder, unflavored, that can be mixed with anything. My only complaint is that it clumps a bit in cold liquids, but it completely dissolves in warm liquid. I do a lot of chicken bouillon with the protein powder, protein hot chocolate mix (zero sugar of course). It's on Amazon, blue container.

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4 hours ago, learn2cook said:

The first 2 days home were the worst. I stayed on each food level an extra week, and went back to liquids when I had an issue with food getting stuck. Just go slowly because it was a double surgery. I only used powdered Tylenol for pain meds because of allergies. Warm liquids felt better and moving often helped me feel like myself. (Communion wafers still get stuck and my doc said it was common 18 months post.)

Thanks for the advice and sharing your experience. Right now, I still have a ton of tightness with just Water. Patience is not one of my virtues, but I don't have a choice anymore. 😅

8 hours ago, Arabesque said:

Yes, very likely. Your digestive system is healing from a pretty major surgery (think of all those sutures & staples holding your tummy together) so swelling & inflammation is to be expected. You’ll find that you’ll randomly experience these types of symptoms for a while. First because you’re healing & recovering & then because you’re system is relearning & generally can be sensitive & fussy. Some times you eat something one day easily but the next it’s no way & then next week it’s fine again. Of course the how long, when, why & what of this is different for everyone but it gives you an idea of what you may experience.

Best advice is go slowly & gently. Follow your plan. Sip leaving a few minutes before the next sip then same with bites. If something disagrees with you avoid it for a few days & they try again.

Are you allowed juice? Many of us aren’t but plans are different. Are you on a PPI to help reduce your stomach acid production? Water can almost seem heavy to drink at first especially if you drink it cold. Try warming your shakes, Water, etc. or Hot Drinks (herbal or green teas are great) as they often are more soothing.

Thanks so much for your advice and suggestions @Arabesque. I'm sure it has mostly to do with the swelling and a need to take sips more slowly. My plan allows for diluted grape or apple juice (2 oz juice diluted with 2 oz of water) or diluted regular Gatorade in order to keep your blood sugar from dropping too low. Everything else is to be sugar and caffeine free.

I do take a PPI regularly but may ask about increasing the dose until things settle down a bit. I see the dietician today and have my one week follow up tomorrow with the doctor. Praying I'm still on track. The healing with incisions is going well thankfully. Thanks again for helping calm my thoughts. 🙂

I'm 5 days PO from gastric bypass and hernia repair and really struggling with fluids. Day before yesterday, I was doing ok but not meeting goal due to sleeping a lot still. Yesterday, I had diluted grape juice and strained vegetable Soup broth. I developed bad heartburn, experienced foamies for the first time along with belching and runny nose. Unfortunately, the heartburn was bad at night despite the bed being elevated. I think the juice and broth were too acidic. But even today, I'm getting the foamies and a feeling like a knot in my esophagus (pain in the upper back in the same spot) after drinking plain Water. Miserable at the moment and praying it gets better.

Do you think this is just swelling and inflammation or something more? I have a visit with the dietician tomorrow. Thanks in advance.

4 minutes ago, Possum220 said:

Third day post op I was still in hospital after having those things done. Day by day you will get better. Be gentle with yourself and stay on top of the pain medications to ease the pain. Try to keep those fluids up while understanding that your insides are swollen.

You may be more emotional thanks to the changes in your hormones and the anesthetic. Being aware of these changes can help you in this adjustment period. Be kind to yourself.

Yay, You made it out to the other side. 😊

Thanks so much for the reminders @Possum220! I have definitely already experienced mood changes. I was really sappy earlier today, wanting to tell everyone that I love them. Then I was a little annoyed in the afternoon by the smallest things. Lol. What a ride this is already!

I hope you are doing well and getting to a good place. 🙂

8 minutes ago, toodlerue said:

Your body has just been through major trauma & is still healing & adjusting to your new normal! It’s gonna take a couple of weeks. Listen to your body & don’t do too much too soon!

Thanks @toodlerue, I know you're right! I'm trying to acknowledge and accept that it's going to need time. I am learning what I can tolerate and for how long. Thanks for the advice. 😊

For those of you who had gastric bypass and hiatal hernia repair, how long did it take for the pain to improve to a level you weren't exhausted or needing stronger pain meds? I'm on day 3 post-op. I can feel things improving little by little but still really painful to walk around any longer than 10 minutes. I know to be patient, but of course still anxious to be in the world of the living again. 😅 Thanks in advance!

26 minutes ago, BabySpoons said:

Glad you're home and well. Good to hear positive before my GB on April 4th. Nervous but ready.

You will do great! Best advice is follow your team's instructions. Let us know how things go. You got this!

Hi all, I'm back home and beginning the recovery process. Surgery went well and they were able to fix the hiatal hernia as well. There are 5-6 incisions with the left being the worst since they had a tougher time getting things through there. Overall, my care team was excellent.

Right now, I'm trying to get fluids in. Lol. Using those little medicine cups. There is a lot of grumbling in there...😅 But, so far the gas pains aren't as bad as I feared. I'm also walking as much as I can. I'm sure I'll be back with questions for y'all later! Thanks for the kind words. 😊

Well, the long awaited day is tomorrow! I am having gastric bypass and hernia repair on 3/29.

Thanks to this forum and all the wonderful people here, I feel mostly ready and know what to expect. Still scared of course, but ready. I will be back with an update...and probably lots of questions! Lol Take care, all!

38 minutes ago, elijahbing said:

I’m having surgery on 3/29 as well!

Congratulations! I wish you a smooth operation and recovery. It will be here before we know it. 😉