hi everyone, im very new here, decided to join because i had the gastric sleeve about a year ago, September 17th, 2019, and since i left the hospital and went back home to Europe, im not from the states, i started losing weight pretty quickly. the constant not feeling a 100 wasn't a problem for me since i had decided before hand to give myself time and dedicate my time to only this, losing the weight and get myself back to normal. i ever quit my job since i have the possibility of being self sustained for a while. so i just went on, eating very little, resting whenever i could.

everything was going fine, since at the time of the surgery i was 310 lbs and now i am 160 lbs, so 150 lbs are down in a year. however a couple of weeks ago i started feeling faint,couldn't concentrate and i was on vacation at the time and had collapsed a couple of times before that, but i didn't think much of it. drove back home barely with no energy at all, did some house work when i got back ( always resting whenever i could always lying down whenever i could, mostly how spent the last year since the surgery, always saving energy but always aware, always conscious ) until i got a call from my ex boss that wanted me back to work 2 weeks ago. i didn't sleep that night because i started panicking about my future and wondering how i was ever gonna be able to work feeling as shitty as i did, and then i went to the meeting with him, had a coffee, declined his offer because i already decided that i needed to find some place new to work at, since that one was too toxic, and after an hour i felt how my brain felt before it wanted to collapse. so i panicked not wanting to faint in a public place and rushed to my car, got home, as soon as i laid down i haven't been the same since.

i have felt absent, any conversation feels difficult to me, like i am floating, but i am conscious , however not totally present. any physical activity is hell, even though i worked out three times a week before this and walked with no problems. so i went and got my blood work done and hormonal work done, i even got an MRI of my head because i had such bad episodes of feeling like i was literally gonna die, i thought i had a brain tumor. but everything turned out great, everything is normal. the doctors keep on insisting i lost too much weight in one year and that i need to find a balance now, a classic case of malnutrition and starvation. however my brain is still not letting me feel like i am healthy because all the time i am feeling like i am not present. the doctors say that now i am in a state of catabolism, where the body has drained all its resources and it will take time to recover, psychically and mentally. i started seeing a nutritionist that claims that she will help me. it remains to be seen. one thing is for sure i cant live and function like this. its hard for me to tell myself you are healthy , nothing is wrong when i can barely get through the day with ease. i wake up feeling like this, there is always a panic in my chest that i may never recover from this. the doctors even say i need psychiatric help, but i know that's not the case since i need to solve mt psychical state first. i need to tart feeling like myself again asap.

has anyone else ever experienced problems like these? sorry for the long post, i am very desperate for any good advise i may get. god bless you all. here is a pic of me exactly a year apart from surgery and this September, just before i started feeling like this.

7 hours ago, Luna805 said:

Congrats to you on the weight loss and sorry to hear your not feeling good. I just wanted to give some person to person advice. Have you had any type (and you don’t have to share) of trauma in your life? I ask because extreme weight loss can open up emotional wounds for some people. Some people deal with pain by over eating and when that’s no longer possible, past pain can resurface. This can be a time of revelations and anxiety when we go through big physical changes. If anything like that feels true I would definitely seek out help for emotional support through a psychiatrist. — if none of that feels true, then keep at it with the Doctor’s until they can
Help you feel better. Best of luck to you.

thank you! i did go to another neuro psychiatrist that once again gave me a diagnosis of depression and anxiety, saying that that aside from the physical aspect of the whole thing, i didn't have psychological help and support either, so she gave me xanax and some other organic calming pill in order to help me. honestly, not feeling any improvements, all the contrary, it keeps getting worse, however she told me to give it time. willing to try anything at this point. and as traumas go, the life in a 31- lbs body is never easy, so i was heavily bullied growing up, however, i always thought i dealt with it.maybe not. idk.

18 hours ago, Anna N. said:

hey, so i did another blood work and once again everything seemed to be perfectly normal, with the exception of the insulin resistance test that i insisted on doing, which showed that after they gave me sugar to drink i started feeling sick and faint again, the blood work showed that the insulin had dropped significantly. this test is done in three hours, and the way it works is they take blood each hour but in the meantime they give u sugar to drink to see how your insulin and pancreas react. so i need to see an endocrinologist once more, since the first one i saw laughed at me and told me i was perfectly fine.

Glad you got that test done and found out the problem! I should have mentioned before that I had that test as well and my insulin dropped so low that I ended up being in a bed for the tests because of passing out. Severe hypoglycemia! Anyway, it’s a learning process.... good luck!

Oh, and I did change doctors after that since my PCP never found it after several years of symptoms

On 11/8/2020 at 5:05 AM, MamT said:

I had similar issues and finally insisted on going to a hematologist/oncologist to look at my blood work. I knew something was wrong because I know my body. He was amazing and saw that I had no Iron in reserve in my body. I received 2 infusions and felt great. My iron levels were always a little low, but my other doctors didn’t think it was a big deal. But I knew something wasn’t right so I insisted. Don’t give up. You know your body! Good luck!

so all your blood work, even the iron was normal, ok maybe a little low, yet a hematologist saw that something was wrong and helped u?

they did find something with the insulin however they wanna fix it with the diet. i dont know why, since i keep telling everyone nothing changes no matter hat i eat. i still feel so absent, it gets worse every day. i cant function properly anymore. yet nobody is concerned. they have me on antidepressants that only make me worry less, but the brain fog, the fatigue, and the general disorientation get worse every single day. i dont know how i am gonna live like this.

On 10/14/2020 at 1:02 AM, Jeri Lynn said:

It’s has been well established that Bariatric patients can develop orthostatic Intolerance post Bariatric surgery. It is a complication of the autonomic nervous system. Just google Orthostatic intolerance after Bariatric surgery and you will find page after page of articles documenting this syndrome. All the symptoms you mention are there. Autonomic dysfunction is not well understood and many physicians are unaware. I have had this syndrome for 4 years and I have not had Bariatric surgery yet. I ran across all this information while looking for research about my illness. I get shaky, sweaty, nauseated and dizzy with brain fog. I have collapsed numerous times but have never lost consciousness. If I lie where I collapse lift my leg up in the air to allow the blood to return from my legs to my upper body I can get up and be alright for a little while. I specifically cannot stand in place. I must be walking or the dizzy collapse feelings hits me immediately. All my symptoms resolve when I lie down. I understand this has been noted to be a common post op complication of Bariatric procedures. Please take the time to do a little research. You may just be able to tell your physician what is wrong with you. I wish you luck. There is no cure but there are treatments to improve it. I was diagnosed at the mayo Clinic. This is a neurological condition and I was in the Emergency room 27 times before a cardiologist picked up up all this was happening when upright. I was fine lying down. I am a registered nurse and I was absolutely scared to death when I was told over and over you are alright, your test are normal. I did not feel normal and it was not anxiety/ panic attacks as many suggested. I had become very angry with the lack of concern for my symptoms. I was dizzy with a racing heart and all the symptoms you mentioned and more. I am so thankful that I ran across a physician that was knowledgeable of the condition and knew I needed expert care. I struggle, and was unfortunately completely disabled 7 months after my symptoms first appeared. I am so debilitated physically that I have gained 60 pounds and am pre diabetic. I am currently working towards the gastric sleeve. I am afraid it may worsen my condition but I have a glimmer of hope it may improve my situation somewhat.

I forgot to mention that I experienced the same situation when showering. The Mayo Clinic physician explained because of the blood shift and pooling to the legs and lower abdomen upon standing, that the hot Water in the shower acts as a vasodialator which worsens the blood return to the upper body. The dizziness is hypo perfusion of blood to the head. I get short of breath, with chest discomfort and dizzy. The heart begins to pump hard and fast to return blood to the upper body.

I have this too (even before my bariatric surgery). All the same symptoms and triggered by the exactly same thing. In fact, I had a bout of it today, while waiting in line at the bank. Suddenly I became aware that I was feeling nauseated, weak, I broke into a sweat, my heart was racing, ears ringing, vision blurry and when I looked at myself in the mirror my complexion was gray. I was fortunate that the line moved quickly and I was able to complete my transaction and then sit down and elevate my legs. Within a few minutes up putting my feet up, I was feeling better. My doctors diagnosed me pretty easily because my presentation was so classic. Along with all the other symptoms my blood pressure usually drops suddenly, so I have orthostatic hypotension as well. My doctors recommended two things that have helped a lot:

1. I normally wear compression stockings when I go out. I didn't today because it was just "a quick trip to the bank" and that was my mistake.

2. Making sure I never get even slightly dehydrated. Dehydration exacerbates the symptoms considerably for me.

When I do both these things, attacks are rare but as I saw today, they are inevitable if I fail to be consistent with both the compression hose and drinking frequently. Like you, I can't stand still at all. If I'm on my feet, I have to keep moving, even if it's just shifting my weight from side to side. It's a REALLY horrible feeling, it's honestly like you're dying. Fortunately a change of position usually sorts me out quickly but there are times when that's difficult or impossible.

I wear compression too and drink lots of water along with electrolyte replacement drinks like Poweraid. Sugar free of course. I feel for you, this illness has debilitated me. I have norepinephrine surges when I stand and my blood pressure elevates. I have Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome the Hyperadrenergic Type. No one could possible understand feeling this way unless they have felt it themselves. It truly does feel like you are dying but lying down or elevating your legs helps. It hard to live life lying down or having to have your legs elevated. Compression helps some but it is far from eliminates the problem. I wear 30-40 compression as well as abdominal compression per the advice of my doctor at the Mayo Clinic. I have learned a lot from this illness. My autonomic nervous system malfunction has also caused me the inablity to sweat. In the beginning it was drenching sweats out of the blue. I am heat intolerant now. I become weak, nauseous and very dizzy if in the heat for any length of time. The hot summer months are miserable for me. I was an out door person until this illness hit me.
Feel free to reach out If you need someone to talk to or just vent. I can personally understand and share your experience and fears.....?

My ears ring and my vision gets blurry as well.

Anna, what a wonderful accomplishment! Sorry you are having problems now. It is a lot of weight to lose in a single year. The brain fog— that could be from a lot of causes...I’m wondering, could you have a protein deficiency? Low Vitamin D levels can definitely affect your brain. They are finding it linked to mental depression as well as future Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. I’m wondering, did you take all of your supplements this past year. Could it be low potassium? I do hope you are able to solve this soon; I am sure it is a worry. The nutritionist sounds like a great place to start with. Keep us updated!

On 11/14/2020 at 1:54 AM, Anna N. said:

so all your blood work, even the iron was normal, ok maybe a little low, yet a hematologist saw that something was wrong and helped u?

they did find something with the insulin however they wanna fix it with the diet. i dont know why, since i keep telling everyone nothing changes no matter hat i eat. i still feel so absent, it gets worse every day. i cant function properly anymore. yet nobody is concerned. they have me on antidepressants that only make me worry less, but the brain fog, the fatigue, and the general disorientation get worse every single day. i dont know how i am gonna live like this.

No my blood work always showed my iron to be low. There’s different test to find exactly what is going on with the iron in your body that hematologist know about. He was a great doctor that sent me to other doctors to find exactly where I was losing blood in my body. I guess I’m just saying keep fighting and finding doctors that listen to you because you know there is something wrong and it takes a good Dr to find it

Oh honey. You just described anxiety. You have anxiety. It's not uncommon. And most likely exacerbated by your lack of nutrition. Do what your nutritionist says. See a therapist. Try some anti-anxiety meds. It will take some time but you're going to be ok. And when you get better you're going to be ok and TRIM! Hang in there.

Edited November 28, 20205 yr by MaybeMeow2

I wonder if your iron is low? Anemia is common after WLS. I had it for the first time in my life about 1-2 yrs out. Dr got me on a temporary iron supplement and it made all the difference. Now I’m just pretty conscious of my iron intact. ??‍♀️??‍♀️

On 11/28/2020 at 11:04 PM, MaybeMeow2 said:

Oh honey. You just described anxiety. You have anxiety. It's not uncommon. And most likely exacerbated by your lack of nutrition. Do what your nutritionist says. See a therapist. Try some anti-anxiety meds. It will take some time but you're going to be ok. And when you get better you're going to be ok and TRIM! Hang in there.

hey, yeah everybody says its textbook anxiety / depression. but its been almost 3 months now, nothing has changed. i will hit my 2 week mark with antidepressants tomorrow, but dont feel much difference tbh. they just make me numb, make me complain less. i feel like my head will explode, i still feel the absentness, i sleep like i am in a coma, and when i do wake up i feel like i havent slept for years. its a nightmare. the only thing i havent done still is a lumbar puncture. all the other results seem great, everybody keeps telling me that i am great. but i feel like i am dying, slowly, day by day. and it doesnt matter how much food i eat or how much water i drink. its horrible.

On 11/29/2020 at 8:05 PM, imadethelist said:

I wonder if your Iron is low? Anemia is common after WLS. I had it for the first time in my life about 1-2 yrs out. Dr got me on a temporary iron supplement and it made all the difference. Now I’m just pretty conscious of my iron intact. ??‍♀️??‍♀️

did blood work 2 times, the second time especially for anemia, everything is fine. even did an insulin resistance test, and i have hyperinsulinemia, but it doesn't explain my symptoms, my endocrinologist told me that my pancreas will get better in time without therapy, she said she could give me therapy, but that in time my body would fix that on its own. even did the ANA test for autoimmune diseases, it showed nothing. but i feel worse with every passing day. i just pray i get better now, cause i have no idea how i am gonna live like this.

1 hour ago, Anna N. said:

hey, yeah everybody says its textbook anxiety / depression. but its been almost 3 months now, nothing has changed. i will hit my 2 week mark with antidepressants tomorrow, but dont feel much difference tbh. they just make me numb, make me complain less. i feel like my head will explode, i still feel the absentness, i sleep like i am in a coma, and when i do wake up i feel like i havent slept for years. its a nightmare. the only thing i havent done still is a lumbar puncture. all the other results seem great, everybody keeps telling me that i am great. but i feel like i am dying, slowly, day by day. and it doesnt matter how much food i eat or how much Water i drink. its horrible.

Please check with the doc that prescribed the medication. Also, antidepressants/antanxiety meds take about 6 weeks to regulate your brain. A low dose SSRI should not make you feel so out of it. Hopefully they started you on a very low dose and work your way up rather than a higher dose and move down.....

2 hours ago, BriarRose said:

Please check with the doc that prescribed the medication. Also, antidepressants/antanxiety meds take about 6 weeks to regulate your brain. A low dose SSRI should not make you feel so out of it. Hopefully they started you on a very low dose and work your way up rather than a higher dose and move down.....

it is a low dose, starting to double it after tomorrow actually since i was told to do so after the 2 weeks, and i am taking xanax along side the antideressant.