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Sleeping/discomfort/low energy



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I'm almost 3 weeks postop from VSG. My incisions seem to be healing just fine but occasionally I feel some pain under the one they used to remove the portion of stomach they cut. That incision (on my right) and it's friend on the left make it nearly impossible for me to sleep on my side still. What were some techniques that helped you sleep better?

So, I'm just not sleeping well. I don't know if this is causing me to be so low energy, if it's the extreme decrease in calories, healing from surgery or a combo of the three.

Also, I still feel like my abdomen is pretty bloated. Is that normal? It feels almost like it's distended, but at my 2 week postop the doc said it looked great.

I guess I'm just ready to feel like myself again.

5'2"

Preop 212

Surgery day 205

Today 188

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I felt pretty much the same as you three weeks out. By 4 weeks I was MUCH better and at 5 weeks I was pretty much completely myself again, so just keep that in mind. You're very likely almost through the weeds.

I'm a side sleeper and had a hard time with that too. I found sleeping with a pillow between my legs and hugged to my belly allowed me to sleep on my side more comfortably. You could also get one of those crazy pregnancy body pillows to snuggle with as well.

I'd say you're right on your suspicions about low energy. You just had surgery AND you're really not eating a whole lot to nourish you and give you energy. You will feel better in time, so just keep on keeping on.

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Regarding the lack of energy, I felt it for about six weeks post-op. Mine was due to low level post-anesthesia fog that persisted for several weeks after the surgery.

Quote

Fatigue after general anesthesia is very common and is secondary to the disruption of biological rhythms and the sedative effects caused by the drugs used for sedation. It can be felt for a few days to a few months in nearly one third of anesthetized patients.

http://health.ccm.net/faq/326-fatigue-after-general-anesthesia

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I'm 4 weeks post op today and I still can't sleep on my left side. I can lay slightly on my right side with a soft pillow wedged under my but I have not been sleeping well at all. I haven't slept through the night since surgery and it's really taking its toll.

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HOLLYGOLIGHTLYVSG: I was sor also on that side. Im now 22 days out and it is gone! Can u get a wedge pillow? That may help. Are u on full liquids still. I say that because i was eating a lot of milk products, protien shakes, cottagr cheese, pudding all which are milk based and that made me bloated and gassy. I was told to use unflavored Fiber and that seems to help. It will get better soon probably when u start eating more. Hang in[emoji5]


Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

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I'm 4 weeks post op today and I still can't sleep on my left side. I can lay slightly on my right side with a soft pillow wedged under my but I have not been sleeping well at all. I haven't slept through the night since surgery and it's really taking its toll.

It is. I'm so very tired. And that is making me more irritable. I just want a good nights sleep and to feel like myself again.


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HOLLYGOLIGHTLYVSG: I was sor also on that side. Im now 22 days out and it is gone! Can u get a wedge pillow? That may help. Are u on full liquids still. I say that because i was eating a lot of milk products, protien shakes, cottagr cheese, pudding all which are milk based and that made me bloated and gassy. I was told to use unflavored fiber and that seems to help. It will get better soon probably when u start eating more. Hang in[emoji5]


Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app



I'm on soft foods now, cottage cheese, refried Beans, etc. I can start moist fish tomorrow. I don't feel gassy so much as just bloated, but it could totally be gas. I just feel like my stomach is harder feeling than normal if that makes sense?


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3 hours ago, Hollygolightlyvsg said:


It is. I'm so very tired. And that is making me more irritable. I just want a good nights sleep and to feel like myself again.

I felt very weak & shaky for two nights at 7 weeks out, I realized that I hadn't eaten nearly enough calories & I felt like my body was shutting down. I made a point to up my Protein & stopped worrying myself to death because stress can hinder your recovery, I've slept at least 6-7 hours each night since.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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