Hi all. I had gastric bypass last week on Sept 28. Surgery went well but I had one very bad day/night of nausea so I'm already basically a day behind. I'm in need of some encouragement that it gets better. When do I feel "normal" again? I understand there will be pain and my nausea seems unusually high but I can deal with it. But is it normal to constantly feel gurgling and movement (for lack of a better word) in my new stomach? Water tastes terrible... I have a hard time getting down the vitamins and protein shakes. I've only lost about 4 lbs. I feel like I'm far behind where I should be.

I have my follow up appointment tomorrow so maybe they will be able to set my mind at ease. I would just like to hear that I'm not failing and others have had the same response.

I'm 2 weeks post-op and I can absolutely promise you, it DOES get better. By the end of the first week, I felt like I had really turned a corner and my nausea and pain were nearly gone. I was getting more fluids down and felt more human again. Healing isn't linear though, so you really can't compare to anyone. You aren't ahead or behind, you are exactly where your body needs to be. As for the gurgling, I think that's a WLS thing that never really goes away completely My stomach makes all kinds of bizarre sounds now, but thankfully no pain or nausea anymore.

As for fluids, try using a sugar free water flavoring, jello, broth, or sugar free popsicles. Having a variety of options helps. Its extremely important to do your best to stay hydrated; right now that's your priority.

Give yourself lots of grace and remember that this is one day at time. You're doing great!

You're not failing; all of this is normal. You should ask your clinic for anti-nausea meds like Zofran. You can flavor water with Crystal Light or whatever other brand you like. 4 lbs is a lot in just a week! There are a lot of new sounds and sensations you will feel in your tummy. I could not tolerate the chewable vitamins. I gagged every time and they stuck in my teeth. I tried two different brands. After two weeks I switched to capsules, but I have sleeve not RNY, so talk to your clinic.

To get the water and protein shakes down, just keep it right next to you or in your hand and sip every few minutes if you can. It adds up. Focus on the water/broth/crystal light before the protein at first.

You got this!

2 hours ago, MissyBoo75 said:

Hi all. I had gastric bypass last week on Sept 28. Surgery went well but I had one very bad day/night of nausea so I'm already basically a day behind. I'm in need of some encouragement that it gets better. When do I feel "normal" again? I understand there will be pain and my nausea seems unusually high but I can deal with it. But is it normal to constantly feel gurgling and movement (for lack of a better word) in my new stomach? Water tastes terrible... I have a hard time getting down the Vitamins and Protein Shakes. I've only lost about 4 lbs. I feel like I'm far behind where I should be.

I have my follow up appointment tomorrow so maybe they will be able to set my mind at ease. I would just like to hear that I'm not failing and others have had the same response.

One thing that helped me early on was clear protein drinks (not shakes). There were helpful because they gave me protein and hydration at the same time (plus a few calories, as well).

Will you feel like you did before surgery? No. You won’t feel the same as you did because you’ve had pretty major surgery, changed your digestive system & you’re losing weight so every week you’ll experience new things you couldn’t do before. For a few weeks you’ll experience post surgical issues like rumbling, spasms, changes in your taste buds, nausea, discomfort, etc. but these pass as you heal & recover so you will feel better from that perspective.

You may experience low energy, low blood pressure, foamies, dumping, hormonal fluctuations, etc. Some will pass after a couple of months, others once your weight stabilises. You’ll also discover how your new tummy works & identify how long to wait between eating & drinking, what doesn’t sit well, gives you the foamies, etc. I still gurgle but I usually know why like eating dairy often causes it for me. It’s an individual thing.

During surgery, they pump you full of air & fluids so many people come out of hospital weighing more than they were the day they were admitted. You will lose at your own rate. There is not a single right amount to lose each week. There are average rates but some are naturally slow losers & some are fast losers. Losing 4lbs in your first week is pretty darn good. Remember, it’s not a competition.

You’ve never experienced anything like this before so feeling unlike yourself & anxious about things is not uncommon. It will be ok. Give yourself time to heal & recover & to work out your new eating plan, your tummy’s likes & dislikes, etc.

Like others said, give it some time, you are still very early on and things will settle to a NEW normal.

Water: i had pobs the first week with water…tasted so metallic to me. Found that in could stomach it if it was hot/very warm. Then a few weeks later, could only stomach it if it was ice cold. Now i can drink all kinds if temperatures. Further, the first couple weeks i could only get down tiny sips . Then suddenly I was able to gulp down lots (found this out by mistake when i was super thirsty and didn’t think to sip).

Gurgling: I’m one of the ones that this still happens to years out (ill be 3 years end of this month). Not as often and loud as before, but still. It sounds like i have a swamp thing living in there.

Hang in there, a year from now you can laugh at urself looking fab in a bikini.

Good Luck! ❤️

I am almost 7 months post op and my pouch (lovingly named Miserable Mildred) gurgles all the time. She gurgles so much that my team at work asks how Mildred is feeling today. ?

I promise it gets better. I had pain up until the day before I went back to work. (3 weeks post op) I was told by my surgeon I should not have been in pain. Drinking was never a problem, but I did grow intolerant to certain textures for a while. Just keep trying and sipping. It gets better.

The other posters are right, it gets better and this all sounds normal. The first week after surgery, it seems some people lose a lot and others not as much. You will see results soon. The water, protein & vitamins may be hard to get in the first few weeks, just aim to reach your goals the best you can. Hang in there, you got this! ?

Thank you all so much! I do feel better today and my follow-up appointment went very well. I was able to stomach some thinned down grits for lunch and that made my day. I've found several savory options and I have some unflavored protein powder to try some new options. My overall outlook is much better today!