Like so many "sleevers" I'm very grateful for my surgery. After struggling with my Lap-Band for years, I was so happy to have another surgical option to help me keep the weight off and continue living a healthy lifestyle.

I'm now 6-weeks post-op and, though I certainly don't regret my surgery, I'm struggling with the changes that my body is going through. Forgive me for being blunt, but I don't know what to do about all of the diarrhea that I've been having! After two days of not having diarrhea, I ended up in the hospital with a partial blockage in my colon. I feel like I can't win either way! I can't put my finger on what's causing the issues with my bowels; I've cut out artificial sweeteners, added fiber, subtracted fiber, and various other combinations -- the only thing that works is returning to clear liquids. Of course, this is not a long-term solution.

Honestly, the diarrhea wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't accompanied by major bloating and hideously loud bowel sounds! It sounds like there's a bathtub in my stomach that's trying to empty through a straw. I'm doing everything that my surgeon has instructed: taking my antacids, staying hydrated, being mindful of the types of sugars used in my supplements. It's just so hard to stay hydrated when the fluids that you're putting into your body come out faster than you can consume them!

At this point I'm just feeling very discouraged and alienated by these symptoms.

When I had my surgery, I was prepared to have to deal with people asking me why I'm not eating much or scrutinizing what I do (or don't eat) what I wasn't prepared for was the constant worry of embarrassing bowel sounds and the risk of having an accident in public!

I don't want this post to discourage anyone who is considering having the "sleeve" or any other type of WLS procedure. Frankly, I just needed to vent and get some of these feelings out. If anyone has any recommendations or has had a similar experience, I would be very thankful to hear about it. More importantly, does this get better?