Weak 2.5 weeks post op

[Laura M 10]

Hello All,

Looking forward to joining this very supportive group! I appreciate how everyone is so supportive and I hope to return the favor! I'm 2.5 weeks post op and feel very weak. It's not as bad when I'm sitting down but standing makes me feel dizzy at times and today felt like I was going to faint in the shower. Had to jump out and grab a towel to sit down. I'm hitting my Water and Protein (barely), and taking my supplements. Is this just my body adjusting? My surgeon said that last apporintment but I don't see a lot of improvement. I guess I'm just wondering what others encountered around this time. My main incision where they pulled my gallbladder is still pretty painful but I'm told that will get better too. Thanks for any advice you might have!

Laura

[SpartanMaker 1,465]

Do you have a way to check your blood pressure? This sounds to me like it could be low blood pressure (hypotension). It's not uncommon post WLS surgery.

There are of course other possible causes of your symptoms, but I'd start here since it's easy to check.

[Laura M 10]

Thanks for your response, yes, I did check. It was 120 over 70 today so pretty good. Any other thoughts?

[Tracyface 3]

Hi Laura! I’m still fairly new to this whole process also. My gastric bypass was on October 13th. I’m also struggling with weakness and also lack of energy. It definitely has improved since my 2 week post op but still am wishing I had more energy. I have been doing a lot of reading on this group and it sounds like what we are feeling is normal, but it is still hard to deal with every day. Any major surgery will take time to heal so I’m sure your doctor is correct. I guess I don’t have much for advice except keep the faith that everything we go through is worth the better health we get in return. Take care and know that there are many super supportive people out here that care about your progress and success!

Tracy

[SpartanMaker 1,465]

6 minutes ago, Laura M said:

Thanks for your response, yes, I did check. It was 120 over 70 today so pretty good. Any other thoughts?

Make sure you check it when you're actually having a dizzy spell. It may be dropping temporarily and then going back up. Also pay attention to your pulse rate when this happens. If it's really low (below 60), that too can cause fatigue and lightheadedness.

Some other common reasons post WLS:

• Dehydration
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Anemia

If it's happening a lot, it's definitely worth talking to your medical team.

[Laura M 10]

Thanks Spartanmaker, these are all good suggestions. Will be talking with my surgeon and nutritionist as well.

[Laura M 10]

1 hour ago, Tracyface said:

Hi Laura! I’m still fairly new to this whole process also. My gastric bypass was on October 13th. I’m also struggling with weakness and also lack of energy. It definitely has improved since my 2 week post op but still am wishing I had more energy. I have been doing a lot of reading on this group and it sounds like what we are feeling is normal, but it is still hard to deal with every day. Any major surgery will take time to heal so I’m sure your doctor is correct. I guess I don’t have much for advice except keep the faith that everything we go through is worth the better health we get in return. Take care and know that there are many super supportive people out here that care about your progress and success!

Tracy

Hi Tracy,

My surgery was about 3 weeks prior to you. Are you on solid food yet? Curious how many calories you are getting nowadays? My husband thinks I'm not eating enough or often enough. I'm at 500-600 calories.

Thanks so much for your response.

Laura

[Tracyface 3]

Laura My calories are anywhere between 450 and 750. It just depends on the day. Yes I’m on solid food. I can eat almost anything but a lot of things don’t taste that good anymore. And some things make me nauseous. Luckily I still love chicken! Protein is sometimes hard to hit but Water intake is going well. My husband wonders if I’m eating enuf also. Im just taking it day by day and do what I can each day. I go in for my six week checkup next week. Hopefully I can find out what I need to improve on.

[Arabesque 7,614]

You’ve had a pretty major surgery & are on a restricted diet so low energy, feeling weak, etc. is pretty much to be expected. Your body has been & is going through quite a bit. We recover in our own time but you will start to notice some improvement when your body has recovered more & is feeling stronger.

You may be experiencing a postural drop in blood pressure. That is your blood pressure drops on standing & then regulates itself very quickly (less than a minute). Hot showers can cause it to occur too.

If you are concerned or you think it’s going on for too long, give your surgeon a call.

The change in your taste buds, & sensitivity to some smells, is also very common. It’s temporary, but can make finding something to eat a bit challenging at times.

I would think your calorie intake at this stage is okay. I was eating way less than that but that was me. Check with your dietician, though, as all plans have different expectations around calories. Some are encouraged to eat more. Some aren’t given any calorie goals - I wasn’t.

[annakatherene 3]

Willing to bet you are having an electrolyte imbalance. I would try chicken broth and Gatorade/power aid. You are likely urinating all of your electrolytes out.