Yep, I said it, my life sucks. I had my surgery January 24th, 2011 and the surgery itself was uneventful, the few weeks after, uneventful as far as I can tell. The rest has been DOWNHILL.

In a nutshell, I feel like crap, I wanna cry, I have no energy, my sense of taste is disgusting, and I am feeling serious regrets right about now. Yes, I have lost 59 pounds, but if it's at the price of not feeling well and healthy, I really don't know that this was all worth it. I have been to see my general doctor as I had my surgery out of the country, and she has tried to do as much for me as she can. I had a barium swallow and it showed that everything is passing through my system as it should, but also that my stomach is VERY small. I am at the end of my rope as is my doctor so I have been referred to a local bariatric surgeon who deals with people who have had surgery out of country. Sadly, it has only been a week, so I have not heard anything from them. In the meantime, I am now nauseated when I wake up in the morning. Instead of feeling better, I almost feel like things are getting worse.

I had a point where I was angry, now I am just heartbroken and just do not know what to do anymore. I pray every night that this will pass because this is no way to live I can tell you that.

If there are veteran sleevers who have walked in my shoes, please feel free to respond cause I could use all of the kinship I can handle right now.

BTW, I am depressed, I am on meds and this is not depression caused. I wake up each day hoping it will be better than the last, and occassionally it has been a better day, but for the most part, I have not been so lucky.

Being that this is irreversable I need answers, being that I have a full-time job, a husband that is having trouble with how I am feeling and a family that is worried sick about me - these issues need to be resolved sooner rather than later.

Thanks for listening

e

I really am sorry that you are feeling so poorly... I feel like you can't Celebrate the success that you are having at the moment... am I reading that right!

I am not sure what to suggest, but hoping that things will get better as time is a great healer!

Is there a particular food that you are eating that makes you feel sick, or is it food in general?

I hope you start to feel better, physically and mentally soon...x

Wondering do you get all the protein in? .The water? I know you need to nourish yourself to start feeling better. My first thought hearing how awful you feel is that perhaps you are not taking care of yourself because of feeling so bad- a vicious cycle.

you are right, i do not eat much at all. I cannot physically handle protein shakes, so those aren't an option and I can only eat about 1,5 oz of meat per serving. As for liquids, I think I have been doing pretty well, but have noticed that I am dry in the a.m. so that could be related to my morning nausea. It does almost seem like a viscious cycle, but I don't know what to do because when i eat or drink, i feel terrible.

you are right, i do not eat much at all. I cannot physically handle Protein shakes, so those aren't an option and I can only eat about 1,5 oz of meat per serving. As for liquids, I think I have been doing pretty well, but have noticed that I am dry in the a.m. so that could be related to my morning nausea. It does almost seem like a viscious cycle, but I don't know what to do because when i eat or drink, i feel terrible.

Have you reached out to your coordinator, surgeon, or aftercare doctor? The coordinator that I initially used works with Dr. Almanza and she indicated all her patients have access to an aftercare doctor named Dr. Romero.

Do you take any vitamins? I havent had my surgery yet but I see that everyone seems to take vitamins for energy.

Yes, I have contacted the coordinator and she wanted me to come back down there and possibly have them go in again, I think that is a little drastic when I have heard that they can often do an edoscope with a balloon to stretch the sleeve if necessary. i also cannot afford to go back down there right now. If I can get in to see a bariatric doctor where I live, there will be no cost to me. As for vitamins, yes, I do take them. I should also mention that I do have acid reflux and that I take pariet twice a day for it. It helps, but it has yet to be a cure.

I think you really need to figure out a way to get your nourishment. To h-e-double hockysticks with weight loss right now! You need to get energy, Protein, whatever you can. Heck- ice cream, pudding- whatever you can get in that your sleeve will take that will give you some energy! You wont feel better until you do that- you are starving and obviously on a downward cycle- it needs to be turned around. I hope the doctor can see you soon.

edited to add- some Protein drinks have more carbs and taste better- look for that- you can't worry about carbs and such until you get yourself back on track and into health.

How much Water are you getting in? Dehydration will cause a viscious cycle of nausea and then not wanting to drink. Have you tried to add an electrolyte drink to your daily water regime? If you need a private ear to chat with you can private message me and I will try to be of assistance even if it is just lending a sympathetic ear.

Hope you find the answers you are looking for and are on your way to feeling better.

Glad you will be able to get in to see a local surgeon. Having stricture I can tell you it hurts, I get the feeling of being stuck and went through a phase the lead to being hospitalized where I was unable to eat or drink anything. The pain was too bad and it made me too nauseous. I now see a GI who preforms my scopes, I've had two so far and go for another this week to close a small hole in my sleeve and then back after it heals to stretch my sleeve again. A scope isn't too bad, just make sure to have tons of throat lozenges for afterwards.

Eating to me now is just a neccessary chore, I no longer look forward to eating. I find that if I get too empty now I get nauseous so make sure you are eating on a regular schedule.

On the reflux, ask for another med. I started out on Prilosec and it did nothing for me. Now I am on Nexium and have Zantac that I can take if it gets bad enough.

Hang in there and just make sure you can eat whatever you can and get enough liquids in.

Honestly, the first 3 months were hell on Earth for me too, but for different reasons. My recommendation is obviously seek professional medical treatment. I had about the same type of restriction you're describing so I chose to stick to mushy food to get in calories/protein/nutrients.

Drink some regular Gatorade or Powerade for additional electrolytes. Get some labs pulled, and see what is going on internally. Nausea can definitely be a culprit to you feeling horrible, as could Vitamin deficiencies.Your sleeve might not be ready for solids. I honestly lived on deli meat with cream cheese roll ups, chicken/tuna/egg salad, and I would overseason stuff just to make it palatable.

Are you taking a high quality adult vitamin, plus an additional sublingual B12?

B12 is one of the easiest Vitamins for VSG'ers to get deficient in along with Iron. We are missing the intrinsic factor in our stomach, and B12 needs that factor to be properly absorbed. Since that part of our stomach is removed that makes intrinsic factor, we have to supplement with either sublingual or injectable. Vitamin deficiencies happen especially if you are not eating properly, and not taking a good quality of vitamin. Gummies and most children's vitamins are not complete vitamins for adults.

Your reflux may never be resolved. Unfortunately, many sleeve patients need a PPI for life, others can wean off, but sometimes it is just NOT an option. Strictures and scar tissue is a concern with this surgery. I would recommend trying a different PPI such as Prilosec or Protonix (both are available via generic). Make sure you are taking it on an empty stomach, and waiting at least 1 hour before eating, or 2-3 hours after eating whichever is easier for you to manage with your schedule.

If there is anything I can help you with, please feel free to message me.

Wow, I'm really feeling for you. I don't have anymore advise to add to what has already been said here. I'm so glad you are reaching out. I hold hope for you that you will get better-I was sleeved about the same time and feel great. Keep nourishing yourself in everyway you can.

On top of all the great suggestions from everyone above I wanted to toss in there: Find a support group!

Lots of folks have gone through what you are struggling with. Get help and support from them too!

Hope you feel better soon!

So sorry you are feeling down and out! Lots of good advice here, I think drink and get in protein and vitamins however you can is great, one thing that might be an issue... hormones gone crazy. I have a bit of this, and I have been in menopause for a year! I would think drink drink drink... even if you think of it as one hour at a time... and see if after getting in enough liquids for a day or two, if it makes a difference. Hope you start feeling better soon!

So when you stuck to the mushies, what made you decide you were ready to move on to normal foods? What do you think eased your restriction?

I have had labs done and am good on all levels surprisingly. I am taking multi-Vitamins but not the b12, my doc said that if i wasn't deficient then i needn't take them. I feel like I am on the rollercoaster from hell. If it isn't one thing that is wrong with me then something else crops up! Should I be asking for an endoscope?

I had reflux before surgery but it has gotten a bit worse since the surgery, I assume due to the size of my stomach. I may have to ask for a change over, but it seems to be mostly under control.

I just feel so alone, my husband is frustrated with me feeling like crap for the past 3 months and my father is worried sick. I don't have any answers to give them and quite frankly, being selfish, I want answers/resolutions more than anyone.

I want to start living my new life and I am not convinced I will ever feel good again and that scares me to death.

So when you stuck to the mushies, what made you decide you were ready to move on to normal foods? What do you think eased your restriction?

I have had labs done and am good on all levels surprisingly. I am taking multi-Vitamins but not the b12, my doc said that if i wasn't deficient then i needn't take them. I feel like I am on the rollercoaster from hell. If it isn't one thing that is wrong with me then something else crops up! Should I be asking for an endoscope?

I had reflux before surgery but it has gotten a bit worse since the surgery, I assume due to the size of my stomach. I may have to ask for a change over, but it seems to be mostly under control.

I just feel so alone, my husband is frustrated with me feeling like crap for the past 3 months and my father is worried sick. I don't have any answers to give them and quite frankly, being selfish, I want answers/resolutions more than anyone.

I want to start living my new life and I am not convinced I will ever feel good again and that scares me to death.

I started trying just one meal a day of solid meats, and still chose to stick to super soft meat. Things like fajita meat worked really, flank and skirt steak are kind of fatty, so it helped keep them moist, and easily chewed down. I always added some sort of gravy/condiment/sauce to meat even if it was just a hint of steak sauce, or greek yogurt, it helped me transition to solids.

I know you're frustrated. The B12 will actually help with energy. I was popping one 2500mcg sublingual every day, and at my 18 month f/u appointment, my levels were double the high normal so my surgeon had me cut down to 3-4 times a week and my levels scaled down to normal.

Honestly, I had some outside life stressors that I think contributed to my "fear" or slow transition to solid food, plus I felt like sh*t for the first 3 months. I was hospitalized again around 6-7 weeks post-op, my husband was in a shithole of Afghanistan getting mortared every day, we went over 30 days with zero communication at one point so my life was pure stress with trying to fully recover before my husband returned was a top priority. I can honestly say that once my husband came home, life was so much easier. I still struggled with solids, but it seems that with that stress out of the way, things really progressed.

I know how you feel, I remember those days all too well even though it was so long ago. I also wasn't battling depression so I can not relate to that aspect of your recovery. I was just stressed to the max. I had to really become "Positive Polly" to get me through. Positive affirmations, and just really trying to "self-talk" myself into feeling better every day. I would ask for a scope, but don't surprised if they find nothing. I went through several contrast studies, watching different consistency of liquids move through, and nothing was wrong with my stomach.

Have you considered trying a Papaya enzyme to help with digestion? You add it to your food, and it helps break down meats. You could also be experiencing slow transit time. There are drugs for that as well. Bentyl is one that we discussed me going just this January when I was burping up food several hours after eating, and having some gastritis symptoms. I did add some papaya enzyme to my dense Proteins, and it did seem to help with digestion.

Please feel free to message me anytime if you need to talk.