Koofka

Hey all, Two weeks out today from a partial cholecystecetomy (gallbladder removal) and wanted to pass along a few words of warning regarding abdominal cramping post VSG. Around mid June, while on vacation, I made a particularly bad food choice - greasy burger, cheese wizish sauce. A few hours later, I began having an uncomfortable cramping just under my upper right rib cage. Cramping increased in intensity over the course of the next hour and kept it up for about four more hours. At the time, was thinking that this might have been dumping syndrome but, after returning home and consulting with my bariatric docs, I was told it was more likely a gallbladder issue and that they could help with it if I chose. Being about 6 months post VSG at that time, I was less then enthusiastic about heading down the surgery route again and took the news under advisement but didn't rush to get additional tests. The practitioner I was speaking with at the time did not seem particularly concerned and, taking their lead, I chose not to be. Three weeks later, the next set of cramping attacks happened consecutively four times over the course of as many days and prompted a call to the doctor and a prescription for an abdominal ultrasound. That scan turned up both gallstones and sludge in my gallbladder and I was advised that removal was the best option and scheduled for removal 2 weeks later. After a week of waiting, my last gall bladder attack occurred and lasted for over 12 hours and prompted a move up of the surgery date. I was uncomfortable with the thought of doing it on an emergency basis and without the surgery team I was familiar with. Went on a liquid diet over the weekend to avoid additional attacks and went back under the lapro-knife Monday morning. Post-op I was informed that my gallbladder was in about the worst possible condition - "acute gangrenous" - a life threatening condition that also made a full removal of the gallbladder difficult. It also extended the hospital visit from the expected same day return home to a 3 day stay. I suppose the moral of the story (and the reason for sharing here) is that several doctors have assured me that rapid weight loss was likely causal as to the poor condition of my gallbladder - though it may have been a undiagnosed issue for years preceding. They also assured me that if I had not acted quickly it would have quite possibly been fatal. So for all you bariatric pals out there, don't ignore cramping post-op. Particularly if it starts in your upper right abdomen before spreading further. Its a difficult condition to ignore, but I found out the hard way that even waiting the eventual month it took me from first symptoms to surgery could have been longer then I had left. Hope this helps out someone else who finds themselves in the same boat.

@@angierue - I passed a stone post the partial gall bladder removal and happened to go in for a blood test the next morning. Levels were 840 / 640 or so where 35 / 44 was normal. Nearly got rushed in for an endoscopic, but chose to wait it out since the attack had passed and my doc thought the levels may have just been related to the attack. Thankfully, its about a month later now and my levels are finally back to normal after doing weekly tests.

@@KittyChick Yes both procedures were laproscopic. Pretty much resulted in a second set of scars similar to the VSG. From my experiences, would say getting to a doctor for a checkup post-haste would be suggested. I read over most of the internet / homeopathic stuff out there. Only one that seemed like it may have took a bit was apple cider vinegar mixed into a glass of apple juice. That was mainly a homeopathic route for calming an attack in progress. One doc also prescribed muscle relaxers for the same purpose. From research and chatting with the doctors throughout the process, the gall bladder "flushes" that a certain segment of the internet pushes are bunk and could cause more trouble then benefit. Beyond that, avoiding foods with high fat content while you wait to get to a doc may help avoid attacks. Ends up being a pretty boring diet, but better then the attacks.

Hey all, About 7 months out of my VSG and have started having bouts of periodic cramping and gastric discomfort for about a month now. Started with a first attack in mid-June and at the moment has happened nearly each day for the past week. Had an abdominal ultrasound on Friday and the technicians initial assessment was that there are both sludge and stones in my GB. Conferring with my bariatric doctor, it is looking like I could be moved quickly into the surgery queue and have the GB taken out in another week or two. It seems like this is a fairly common post VSG condition ( assuming at least partially because a known cause can be crash weight loss ), but finding myself fairly worried about signing up for a bit of additional dissection. Wondering what folks here have to say about the post GB removal complications or if there are any suggestions for avoiding GB attacks for the moment. So far I have been trying ACV and apple juice after digging around on Google, but pain meds are really the only thing besides time that seems to dull an attack. Been considering going on a liquid diet for a couple days to try and calm things down because this past week has been rough. Anyways, thanks for listening and apologies in advance if this post is somewhat disjointed - a bit goofed on pain pills after waking up to GB cramps at 2a for the second night in a row. - K

Hey all, Recently had the parents out for a week long visit and came away from the time happy for having seen them but also fairly concerned by their physical condition. Both of them are having a variety of weight related joint issues, issues with stairs or walking for a sustained period, and issues with stamina in general. For myself, at 42 years old and 5 months out of a VSG in December, it would seem like WLS could assist them both better then the various medical Patches they are currently using for their weight related issues. The straw that broke the camels back for me with regard to deciding on WLS was a persistent knee issue last year when I was hovering around my peak weight. 5 months and 125lbs later, my knee barely twinges and the activity I am throwing at it is greatly increased. Suppose the question is that for them, being in their late 60's / early 70's - would the physical impact of a VSG be something that was unadvisable to suggest versus them staying on their current unhealthy path? Anyone out there have experience with VSG / WLS and older folks? Any advice appreciated. Thanks for listening.

Thanks for all the responses folks , appreciate em. Thinking I will broach the subject and then see if my parents are willing to get a professional opinion.

Hey there. Liquids are going to pass through your sleeve quickly and allow you to take in a fair amount of them. Think of them like your Water - which under my plan is at least 2 liters a day. My NUT provided a useful analogy to a similar concern - think of your new sleeve as a funnel. Liquids will filter through it fairly quickly while semi solids and solids less so. Sounds normal to me, wouldn't be worried - its a journey.

Congrats Will. The other day, finally broke the 300 mark myself on my 5 month anniversary and was pretty psyched about it too. Had found in my past attempts at weight loss, pre-wls, that 300 was a mental barrier that usually marked the end of my losing cycle. Found myself slipping back into that mindset and was half convinced that the barrier would still prove solid. But, like a few other points where I felt I may have stalled for good, its looks to be just part of the continuing journey.

Thanks wildgrits. About a half hour after posting, the feeling cleared up and I was able to get back to bed. So two hours of a fair amount of discomfort. Seemed like it may have been gas as a few final burps seemed to relieve it. Also sorry if the original post was a bit TMI, but was struggling there for a bit. Will be sure to try those SF Popsicles if it happens again.

Hey all, Woke up about an hour and half ago to the most uncomfortable gas and mild cramping feeling. Had eaten a fair sized steak 6 - 8 oz and a sweet potato about 5 hours earlier. Been able to tolerate that same meal previously - I am at 5 months out and have had little difficulty tolerating most anything besides a sip of beer I tried which was awful feeling. Been awake now and trying to clear the gaseous feeling to no luck. Took some pepto. Burping vociferously. Tried to throw up but only got back a few mouthfuls of pepto. Getting a bit dehydrated so taking in some Water, not sure if thats a bad idea. Haven't experienced the dumping syndrome i have heard about, but wondering if this may be it. Know that beef can be rough on us sleevers, but thus far it hasnt been for me. Anyone have a similar experience? Thanks for listening.

My doc provided a helpful analogy when I had asked similar questions about the capacity for purees or Water. Said to think of the sleeve as a funnel in that liquids and softer foods will flow nearly straight through it while dense foods will get stuck up and take longer to pass through. Same reason to not consume liquids with or shortly after meals later on in the diet as they will wash the content through the funnel and make you feel hungry / empty faster. Quantities that you are capable of will also be effected by swelling and that can vary from patient to patient. Think the general idea is that most of the swelling will have subsided by 6 weeks out which is when the restrictions on my diet plan were removed. HTH

Would check in with your doctor if possible. Was under a restriction post op to not lift more then 15 pounds for the first six weeks due to the possibility of damaging the sleeve. The potential damage and necessary fixes described to me were enough to keep me honest through to six weeks. Same sort of idea with sticking to the diet restrictions / timings. Hope everything is ok.

Thought it might be helpful to share something that has worked out rather well for me so far post-op. Got inspired by some examples I came across surfing the internet and figured once I had committed WLS it couldn't be a better time to build a treadmill desk. Since I already had the treadmill, building one primarily meant fashioning a desk add-on that could lock to the upper portion of the treadmill and support a keyboard / mouse. Secondarily was finding a decent media stand that could support the componentry desired and raise it to a functional standing height. Though it would be possible to do computer work on these, I primarily use it for gaming (Xbox / PC) and watching tv / movies while walking. Certainly helps the time go by and average about 2 hours a day on it currently.

Are you kidding me.....when I'm on the treadmill, people are looking at me like they might need to call 911. It's all I can do to remain standing..... Heh - at the moment almost primarily play a pretty heavily modded version of Skyrim on this. Gives a mildly VR feel when you are walking on the mill and walking around the virtual landscape.

Hey all. Sharing a small milestone on my WLS journey - hit one hundred pounds down today in a bit over 3 months since surgery. Have dropped in pant sizes from 58's to 46's over that period. Sadly, still have quite a long way to go and a bit uncertain I'll make it since I have hit a couple stalls over the last 20 pounds or so. But still felt it was a worthy moment to share. Thanks for listening.

Hey jkppt. On your question about what a treadmill desk is, mostly they are DIY type projects to setup a walking desk where you could potentially work or just use a computer / monitor for entertainment. There are all types of builds out there if you poke around Google. Mine was built around a treadmill I already had so the primary need was to fashion a desk that could lock onto the existing upper portion of the treadmill and support a mouse / keyboard. Fortunately have a friend who is a skilled wood worker and he was able to build a custom piece for it. Other main part was finding a stand that was the appropriate height and could contain whatever componentry you wanted access to. There are some commercial options out there, but they seem to be quite expensive versus what people can generally fashion for themselves. Attaching a few pictures of mine. Feel free to hit me with any questions. P.S. I also agree with previous posters, a fitbit, an Aria scale, and myfitnesspal are all a great help.

2 things come to mind for me. My Nalgene 32oz Water bottle with an aftermarket top for easier drinking. Pretty much my post-op security blanket as it goes most everywhere I do. My treadmill desk setup - primarily use it for walking while gaming or watching tv shows or movies, but it certainly makes the time go by pretty easily ( currently do about 2 hours a day on it ).

Thanks rbtnln. Funny too, I have been repeating that same mantra to myself every ten pounds, "Never will be in the 330's again.. "

My understanding is that the RNY is a more severe surgery that takes additional recovery and has a mortality risk above that of VSG. Also believe the long term food restrictions are more significant then the VSG. For instance, believe you are limited to liquid form medicines for good with the RNY. From my experience so far with the VSG, if you stick with the recommended post-op program its pretty effective.

Would think you would want to wait until at least 6 weeks out to travel. At least on my post op plan, there was a good bit to keep up on for the first six weeks that might be more difficult to accomplish on the road. At six weeks you should be mostly unrestricted as far as diet and which would seem more travel friendly.

Caught a pretty bad cold about 3 months out. The liquid Tylenol stuff seemed to help during the worst of it.