Hi,

I seem to be suffering from fatigue for an extended amount of time. I did see an improvement when I moved to mushies, but it seems to go up and down randomly. I always have a hard time in the morning. I can't do much exercise - I try and do a SLOW walk in the evening, but there is no way I could do more. Last night and this morning, I was so fatigued, my muscles felt like mush. On days like this, I can't get ready for work without sitting down and taking a break for 20 minutes or so. I am a low BMI patient and I wonder if that is a factor?

I almost get enough fluids in ( I can't seem to reach the goal - not enough time/space)

I almost get enough Protein (close to the recommendation, but usually fall a little short, but not oo much)

I am getting about 600 cals a day right now at 4 weeks out. I am eating every 3 hours to reach that mark.

My question is: for those of you that have been fatigued for a long time, how long does it last? Are there any "magic bullets" that help you out?

I want to know primarily because I might have to cut my hair into something that is more wash-and-wear because I haven't been able to blow dry or flat Iron since I came back from the hospital. Sounds trivial, but I work in a prefessional environment and the wet ponytail is not appropriate :-)

Thanks-

Lara

Hi,

I seem to be suffering from fatigue for an extended amount of time. I did see an improvement when I moved to mushies, but it seems to go up and down randomly. I always have a hard time in the morning. I can't do much exercise - I try and do a SLOW walk in the evening, but there is no way I could do more. Last night and this morning, I was so fatigued, my muscles felt like mush. On days like this, I can't get ready for work without sitting down and taking a break for 20 minutes or so. I am a low BMI patient and I wonder if that is a factor?

I almost get enough fluids in ( I can't seem to reach the goal - not enough time/space)

I almost get enough Protein (close to the recommendation, but usually fall a little short, but not oo much)

I am getting about 600 cals a day right now at 4 weeks out. I am eating every 3 hours to reach that mark.

My question is: for those of you that have been fatigued for a long time, how long does it last? Are there any "magic bullets" that help you out?

I want to know primarily because I might have to cut my hair into something that is more wash-and-wear because I haven't been able to blow dry or flat Iron since I came back from the hospital. Sounds trivial, but I work in a prefessional environment and the wet ponytail is not appropriate :-)

Thanks-

Lara

Lara I don't think anyone expects you to start running marathons right now. I think fatiigue is perfectly normal, and here is why:

Your body has a basal metabolic rate and a weight setpoint that it is attached to. This doesn't just have to do with your calorie intake, it also is locked into your endocrine system and your brain. Even though the sleeve bypasses the problem of the stomach not feeling full enough, a large volume of food, etc: this is not the only system that is in place to keep you from starving. It's like a nuclear reactor: it's a dynamic system. It has backups.

So first of all, when you stop eating, your thyroid banks your metabolic fires until it can adjust to a new, lower level of energy input. Your blood sugar typically stays low and that means your brain has very little sugar to burn, which can make a person feel spacey and weak. Part of the reason a lowcarb diet is good for this is because it pushes ketosis and forces your body to burn fat, which it does not like as much because what it means is that out there in the world there are not too many carbs out there, which signals *famine*.

On top of that, you just had a major operation. Getting holes punched in you, having your stomach cut apart, and going under general anesthesia are all deeply traumatic to the body and every calorie you have is going to your recovery.

So my personal opinion about this is that you should get as much rest as you can now and concentrate most of your focused moments on nutritiion. Take a nap if you need one, go to bed early, don't walk if you don't want to. You have the rest of your life to become ironwoman. I believe that if people push themselves too hard without adequate nutritional energy, they're going to get sick. Listen to your body and don't push.

About your hair -- you could be an old lady for a while. Go to the salon on Sunday afternoon after sleeping in and get a wash and blowout, which should last you through Tuesday. Tuesday night, shampoo and blow out before you go to bed. Just do less, you know?

Thank you so much for the thoughtful reply :-) It is truly appreciated. It's nice to know such supportive and understanding people are out there.

Thanks again Crosswind!

Lara

Lara I don't think anyone expects you to start running marathons right now. I think fatiigue is perfectly normal, and here is why:

Your body has a basal metabolic rate and a weight setpoint that it is attached to. This doesn't just have to do with your calorie intake, it also is locked into your endocrine system and your brain. Even though the sleeve bypasses the problem of the stomach not feeling full enough, a large volume of food, etc: this is not the only system that is in place to keep you from starving. It's like a nuclear reactor: it's a dynamic system. It has backups.

So first of all, when you stop eating, your thyroid banks your metabolic fires until it can adjust to a new, lower level of energy input. Your blood sugar typically stays low and that means your brain has very little sugar to burn, which can make a person feel spacey and weak. Part of the reason a lowcarb diet is good for this is because it pushes ketosis and forces your body to burn fat, which it does not like as much because what it means is that out there in the world there are not too many carbs out there, which signals *famine*.

On top of that, you just had a major operation. Getting holes punched in you, having your stomach cut apart, and going under general anesthesia are all deeply traumatic to the body and every calorie you have is going to your recovery.

So my personal opinion about this is that you should get as much rest as you can now and concentrate most of your focused moments on nutritiion. Take a nap if you need one, go to bed early, don't walk if you don't want to. You have the rest of your life to become ironwoman. I believe that if people push themselves too hard without adequate nutritional energy, they're going to get sick. Listen to your body and don't push.

About your hair -- you could be an old lady for a while. Go to the salon on Sunday afternoon after sleeping in and get a wash and blowout, which should last you through Tuesday. Tuesday night, shampoo and blow out before you go to bed. Just do less, you know?

Feeling the same and I was sleeved the day after you. Like the post above says, it's just a lot to recover from. Take it as easy as possible and try going to bed early each night. Good Luck!

I know no two cases are the same but I was sleeved on March 1st and also experienced A LOT of exhaustion. I can honestly say I have rebounded tremendously in the last week. I took the naps, didn't workout and focused on getting in as much Protein as possible during those weak weeks and I think it helped. I also added a little advocado to my diet to try to get some healthy fats in and I think that helped as well.

Best of Luck to you!

Amanda

really work on getting in that water, getting dehydrated can make you feel like cr@p. The only days I have felt really faint or week have been when I didnt get in enough water (that would be over 6 glasses a day)

Sublingual liquid B12 helped me a lot. I have it everyday and I noticed immediate improvement. I also increased carbs in the morning and mid afternoon when i was at my worst. maybe it can help you too.