LAN2k

Congrats to you I know it feels great when I am able to eat something without discomfort...good for you!

I'm 4 months out I can only say that for me it has only begun to get easier to injest solid food after about 2.5 months out. You need to take it very slow and easy but eventually chewed food moves through. Many times even after eating a half of a scrambled egg, I would need to get up and walk and stretch my arms up and tap by my esophagus. I was so concerned that I had my surgeon do an upper endoscopy to see if I had any strictures or obstructions and needed stretching. Everyone including my surgeon said it takes time and to have patience. At 4 months I am only beginning to feel "full" like a "normal" full would feel, actually in my stomach! When I tried to move forward sometimes and it got rough I'd just take a step back to mushies even full liquids at times and then slowly progress again with better results...because time passes and I guess the stomach and entire digestive process is adjusting. This was not a minor surgery. Best to you....keep trying and take it slow.

I would love to read the article in Harvard Mental Health. My email is lisnatoli@yahoo.com. Please put Vertical Sleeve Talk in the subject line so I don't mistake it for spam or junk mail. I still have the links you have posted and will be spending a good portion of tomorrow online and read what I can. Thank you so very much.

I am going to try to gather my thoughts together and start a thread about the negative emotional effects of the surgery. I just need to figure out how to navigate to the complications section. I also want to be sure that my readers understand that these negative emotions are not the norm. I do not wish to discourage anyone from going about weight loss through bariatric surgery if this is what they want to do. I was so thoroughly convinced that I was ready but in hind sight I really should have been better prepared psychologically. I am very glad to be a part of this vertical sleeve talk message board, it has helped me immensely. Thank you all for being here.

Thank you Bernadette, I will work on this until I get it right.

Thank you for understanding. As I am now sunken in a state of depression and anxiety, ( something I've never encountered to this degree before in my life), I am awaiting my new psychiatrist to analyze the labs she receives from my primary care physician and will meet with her in about 10 days to try once again another precription antidepressant. I myself can't believe this has happened to me. Thanks again I appreciate your will to be here for support.

Thanks so much for your interest. I mean to do this within the next couple of days. I will let you know and thanks again.

Thank you, because I feel so alone in this.

Thank you I will try to gather myself together later tonight and see if I can find the "complications area" and start a thread to sort out what in God's name has happened to me. But at the moment I can't stop crying and have got to get myself out the door and distracted. I'm just one big ball of sadness and fear.

Daisy can you tell me the dose of biotin that you take please, I'd like to try it before I am totally bald! Maybe it will preserve some of my hair. Thanks.

Thank you all for pitching in on this hair loss thing. If my hair keeps falling out at the rate it is now I will be bald soon. I wish there were supplements that really would help at least.

Tiffy, I tried taking Wellbutrin but for depression and anxiety. I stopped it after 2 days. Since you are further out of surgery than it may not have the anti-appetite effect that it had on me. I just couldn't even look at food let alone eat it. That may have been helpful had I not had WLS but could pose a danger when we have been sleeved and need to get in an adequate amount of nutrition. I am glad you want to stop smokiing, and trust God to guide you.

I'm amazed at how this surgery affects people differently. At 4+ months out I still can not tolerate sweets, like cookies, cakes, any baked goods whatsoever. Even fresh fruit turns me right off. I no longer can even drink most beverages not even a cup of hot cocoa. Nearly every flavor and texture just sickens me. I feel like I had a lobotomy along with the sleeve actually and it really is disurbing.

I am very glad you did not take any offense. I just think it is important to be ever so informed of life after surgery. From what I can see here most people adjust very well and are so happy they made the change. I wish you only the best in your journey. God bless and keep you every step of the way.

I would have gone for intensive pre surgery counseling with a qualified psychologist. One that has had years of experience in treating pre and post op patients. I was not ready for this operation and I'm paying a huge price psychologically (even though I am losing alot of weight). I'm not even excited about it and can barely find it in me to groom myself I'm so depressed. It's apparent to me that I'm the odd ball out here but I wish I would have really been prepared to make such a life changing decision. I'm am glad y'all are happy however and I hope and pray that one day soon I too will be glad I made this decision instead of living with despair and regret.

Tiffy gave you healthy answers. I'm not as far out as she so please consider this. After the surgery, after the liquid and mushy food period most of us are really only able to eat a very small amount of food. There is just so little room for the volume of food as we were used to consuming to fit. If your new stomach is 3 or 4 oz than that is about all you'll be able to get in and even that takes tiny steps. In my opinion things radically change and you need to be psychologically prepared for this change because once done there is no undoing it. Unlike Tiff I have a very narrow scope of what I can eat because since the surgery I dislike so many foods especially sweet things. Even crunchy textures and my former favorite cheeses seem to be history. I have lost all desire for chocolate, coffee, vanilla, strawberry. I haven't the slightest desire for a banana, orange, tangerine, apple, no fruit. I have been able to only drink one flavor vitamin water (tropical citrus) all the others which I formerly enjoyed sicken me...even plain water nauseates me. I weighed 132 pre surgery, lost 15lbs on the pre surgery diet and now I'm at 170. I am glad you are asking questions like this it is VERY important that you are prepared because life and relationship with food will change radically. I wish you all the best.

Hey guys I can't believe how much hair I'm losing. It's actually shedding all over the place and when I brush my hair brush is full of hair! If I keep losing my hair at this rate will I need a wig, will I lose it all? I'm taking in as much protein as I can maybe 50-70 grams a day. I just can't believe that this is happening at this rate and I wonder if and when it will level off and/or my hair will grow back. I need to wash and blowdry my hair and color my roots too and I'm so afraid that the stress of the process will take out even more hair. Any suggestions of things that have been tried and true will be seriously considered, Thanks.:smile1:

Welcome back. I wondered where you were...and I'm sorry about your mom, she's blessed to have you for a daughter. Hope your auto situation is resolved to your satisfaction.

What I really appreciate is your demonstration of quantity! That mean alot to me since at this stage in my journey there are days where I am only able to eat a couple of table spoons and other days where I can get in about 4 or 5 oz of soup or fish etc. Thanks Tiff for being so attuned to the needs we all struggle with.

Thank you kindly for addressing my complex question. I am on the hunt for a psychiatrist who will have ample understanding of this concept. I know this will take perserverance especially on my part but as I am sure you understand I am in a very difficult position as I can not afford to have any decreases in appetite, yet am in dire need of relief from the morbid thoughts and at times unbearable anxiety. Please inform me if you come across any additional information that may be instrumental in helping me to gain a healthy mind and functional life. Thanks again. Regards, Lisann

I see. Thanks Daisy.

Daisy can you tell me what exactly is an upper GI? I recently went to see a GI specialist due to excessive mucus, gagging and heaving every morning when I awake and am about to rinse my mouth/brush teeth etc. He said nothing about doing an upper GI. He told me I might need invasive testing like being wired for 4 days (at home) through my nose to esophagus or having clips attached to my esophagus!! I went out of there very concerned and afraid. He made no mention of an upper GI.

I have only learned recently that Serotonin is not only produced in the brain but that it is mainly produced in the stomach. Although my PCP, surgeon and GI doctor all concur, they do not know how this affects or connects with the brain and use of SSRI medication. I don't want to make this personal but I am 4+ months out of surgery (VGS) and have since day one been suffering with both anxiety and depression. I am under treatment with a psychologist and have tried 2 antidepressants, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft, both of which immediately raised anxiety and zapped my appetite. I was taken off both and am now on Trazadone before bed and generic Klonopin as needed during the day. Myself aside, can you clarify what is going on chemistry wise since my stomach is no longer producing serotonin. I am trying desperately to figure this out and get adequate help, as I am barely able to cope with my life since the surgery. Thank you.

Just curious to know about how long after taking the aciphex did your problem resolve? I am on it now for 4 days and I'm really hoping it will help me.

http://pfrc.med.nyu.edu/handouts/pdf/all/pfrc09-000041.pdf go to page 8 and it instructs to stop 1/2 hour before eating and can resume liquids 1/2 hour after. I have personally been okay with sipping a little 10-15 minutes at times before a meal.