• American Bariatrics is a free online Bariatric Support Group. Register for your free account and get access to all of our great features!

Regrets, tired and frustrated

L

Lola12345

Member
Hello,
I am new here. I had RNY gastric bypass on June 28th - coming up on 8 weeks post-op. I went in at 212 and have been at 195 since July 14th. I understand about the stall but this has become very depressing. What I have noticed in the last week as I have been adding solid food (proteins) I feel no restriction. I am chewing well and getting my fluids, protein and taking my vitamin, etc. (following the plan) but I literally feel nothing. I find I am really hungry so I have been upping the amount of chicken, steak, cottage cheese, etc. and still nothing. I am just so hungry- how can this be possible? My stomach grumbles- is this normal? The chicken has been pounded thin then dipped in egg and sautéed with a little ghee spray in a nonstick pan- I then add a little chicken broth and lemon juice. The steak is prepared with tender tip cut up small and braised in my homemade red gravy, The only issue I had was overwhelming nausea for a few weeks after surgery and headaches that my surgeon refused to script me zofran to help me. Luckily I had a friend that shared- cleared up the issue within a few weeks. I also have been getting a Myers bag- IV by a private company which has been great. I am just very worried about no weight loss and my stomach is still bloated and distended. I also just don't feel good. Not in pain, but just really beginning to regret I had this surgery. And I have a therapist too. Anyone experiencing this?
 
Welcome! I’m sorry for the frustration you’re having. How is your water intake? Sounds like you’re getting a lot of protein. Have you talked to your surgeon or anyone on their team about how you’re feeling? Did you lose a lot of weight before the surgery? What’s your goal as far as losing? I ask those questions because sometimes weight loss can be slow if there was a greater loss before surgery. Also, if you don’t have a lot to lose, you might also lose slower. Someone who has 200lbs or more to lose could lose faster than someone who has 100lbs or less. How many calories are you getting a day?
 
4324
Also, according to this chart, you’re loss so far is about average. Depending on your calorie intake you might need to adjust things to see if that changes the scale.
 
wickerbuni said:
Are you exercising?
Click to expand...
Not really and I’m 10 months out. Exercise too soon can stall loss because it takes more calories than you’re bringing in which then makes you hold onto what you do eat…if that makes sense. When you do exercise, weight lifting is better because of muscle growth, which in turn increases metabolism, but I would take that slowly. I’ve always been told that weight loss is more about what you eat than how much you exercise.
 
3momchaos said:
Not really and I’m 10 months out. Exercise too soon can stall loss because it takes more calories than you’re bringing in which then makes you hold onto what you do eat…if that makes sense. When you do exercise, weight lifting is better because of muscle growth, which in turn increases metabolism, but I would take that slowly. I’ve always been told that weight loss is more about what you eat than how much you exercise.
Click to expand...
ohmygosh..I'm glad to know this too. I had it in my head that as soon as I could I was going to run to the gym.
I would love to be able to swim though. I know not until I'm healed.
I have a few other things going on with my health and have been told to swim. (one thing at a time) :)
 
3momchaos said:
Welcome! I’m sorry for the frustration you’re having. How is your water intake? Sounds like you’re getting a lot of protein. Have you talked to your surgeon or anyone on their team about how you’re feeling? Did you lose a lot of weight before the surgery? What’s your goal as far as losing? I ask those questions because sometimes weight loss can be slow if there was a greater loss before surgery. Also, if you don’t have a lot to lose, you might also lose slower. Someone who has 200lbs or more to lose could lose faster than someone who has 100lbs or less. How many calories are you getting a day?
Click to expand...
Hi - thank you. My water/fluid is pretty good- some days 40-50 ounces, some 60-80 ounces. I can't talk to my surgeon- I saw him at the consult virtually, then a month before surgery virtually then the day of surgery- VERY briefly- like I was on the table and he looked over and said "hi". I have been tossed around to his APRN, PA and nurses. Even my first post-op which was scheduled with him I never saw him- was his APRN. She tossed me back to my primary for my headaches. I don't feel supported by them at all.

I lost 8 pounds before surgery. My goal is to be down around 135-140. The last 5 years is where this gain came from. I discovered in therapy I have been active my whole life, skiing, running, golf, tennis, etc. and as I got older I was not exercising as much, yet still eating the same, hence the gain. I have always eaten very healthy- just too much of it. I just feel like I can eat and eat and eat. I made that chicken dish with 5 four ounce pieces of chicken and had THREE last night- granted I chewed well and didn't scoff, took me 30 minutes but I don't understand this. My belly is bigger than before surgery! I just feel defeated and very tired. The IV Myers bag picks me up- but at $300 a pop not sure I can financially afford this ounce a week for much longer. Feel like I am in a boat on the ocean with no paddles.....
 
wickerbuni said:
ohmygosh..I'm glad to know this too. I had it in my head that as soon as I could I was going to run to the gym.
I would love to be able to swim though. I know not until I'm healed.
I have a few other things going on with my health and have been told to swim. (one thing at a time) :)
Click to expand...
This term needs to be parsed on an individual basis. Your metabolism is unique to you.

In general, sometimes people go nuts with exercise, believing it will accelerate weight loss. In general, it's not helpful.

If your life has, in general, been sedentary, suddenly changing can be detrimental.

It's good to increase activity for a lot of reasons. You want to keep your circulatory system running, flushing fat cells away.

Swimming is a great no-impact exercise that also happens to be the best calorie-burner. If you enjoy it, do it.
 
Elidh said:
Just curious - why are you getting iv fluids, especially since you are this far out and are drinking fluids?
Click to expand...
It seems to help with the chronic migraines and fatigue that have come about after this surgery. There are B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, etc. I sometimes add anti-nausea meds too. My surgeon/staff refused to give me a prescription when I left the hospital so I have a friend who is sharing theirs with me. I have no understanding for not prescribing anti-nausea medication me. A few days after surgery I called them and they said it would go away after a few days- I called again a week after that and they refused again. I called a third time a few days later and they still refused. I can't understand why any Doctor would want their patient to suffer. I actually just cancelled my 2nd post-op appointment because it will not be with my Surgeon- it will be with his APRN. I am not comfortable and do not feel supported at all.
 
My surgeon won't prescribe antinausea medication either. There is a reason for this. If something is making you nauseous they don't want to mask it with medication, they want to figure out what is going on to make you nauseous. Did you eat too fast, or something that you couldn't tolerate? There are a lot of thing that can be causing nausea, covering the symptom doesn't fix the problem.

I'm worried about you because you just had major surgery and are not following your doctor's advice. If you don't trust your doctor, you should get a second opinion. I don't think it's wise to share prescription medications, especially after your doctor refused them to you.
 
Kathi_S said:
My surgeon won't prescribe antinausea medication either. There is a reason for this. If something is making you nauseous they don't want to mask it with medication, they want to figure out what is going on to make you nauseous. Did you eat too fast, or something that you couldn't tolerate? There are a lot of thing that can be causing nausea, covering the symptom doesn't fix the problem.

I'm worried about you because you just had major surgery and are not following your doctor's advice. If you don't trust your doctor, you should get a second opinion. I don't think it's wise to share prescription medications, especially after your doctor refused them to you.
Click to expand...
Hi- So I do agree with you that you shouldn't be sharing prescriptions- so I am not advocating that. A little history- I was in the hospital for 5 days after the surgery and they were giving me zofran via IV. The first time (after being home) I called to tell them my symptoms- rolling waves of nausea, migraines, abdominal discomfort, etc. the APRN called in a prescription for pantoprazole right away and told me to talk to my Primary about my headaches. I was surprised about this. I kept asking if this would help with the nausea and my other symptoms, she said yes. After a few days everything got worse. It was then I spoke to my pharmacist, my primary and looked online at the side effects- nausea, headaches, etc. When I called back and said this wasn't helping it was making things worse the APRN insisted I keep taking this (in addition to two pepsid complete and 40 mg of famotidine daily). My primary said I never had headaches this bad prior to surgery so she advised me to stop taking the new prescription - which I did.

I am very careful to sip fluids and add things to my diet slowly. I have always been a slow eater- my friends say I chew like a camel- I've always been like that to aid with better digestion. So far I haven't had any food issues- with anything. I suppose I am at the point where I don't trust them which makes me feel sad. If they wanted to get to the bottom of the problem why prescribe me something right away that has side effects that are going to make me feel worse? And this medication primarily treats heartburn, difficulty swallowing and persistent coughing- none of which I have or had. This is why I am so frustrated. I asked specifically what this medication will help with and couldn't get a straight answer.
 
3momchaos said:
View attachment 4324Also, according to this chart, you’re loss so far is about average. Depending on your calorie intake you might need to adjust things to see if that changes the scale.
Click to expand...
Thanks for posting that. Makes me feel better about what I have lost so far. I am 6 weeks out, at surgery was 310 and now am 275 so I fall into the range. I am really getting frustrated that I am not losing more but I guess I am the right track.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top