angelface811

I believe our collective wisdom can be priceless and because of that I would like to ask for your opinions/advice. I have been a successful RNY patient and educator/ support group leader for many years. I am 5'4 and started at 302 lbs and have lost 164 lbs and maintained. The only issue I have dealt with is constipation from time to time. My gallbladder was removed prior to RNY but I have had no other abdominal surgeries. My labs have been excellent and I'm very disciplined with my food and vitamins. Phew! About 60 days ago I started to experience nausea, abdominal pain, and long periods of constipation. I also had to change my diet to solely liquids and puréed foods. Some days I am fortunate to reach 800 calories. When it first began I went to the ER and they did a CT Scan w/contrast to rule out a blockage. Everything looked great from their perspective but I knew something was wrong. I saw my bariatric surgeon and he suggested an EGD and if nothing was found an exploratory abdominal surgery. He also put me on protonix and sucralfate 3 times a day in addition to Zofran. The EGD came out beautifully. Fast forward to this coming Friday as I am preparing for laparoscopic exploratory surgery. The nausea is worse, always feel incredibly full, but hungry, bloating, weakness, headaches, inability to empty bladder fully and this is all occurring mid stomach. So imagine a belt about 5 inches wide centered around the belly button. The pain is solely there. As an educator I know about many complications that come with the surgery but has anybody else experienced this? No fever...labs from a few days ago look great except an elevated red blood cell count. I have lost a bit more weight and unfortunately muscle. Any opinions? Anything I might want to specifically ask or tell my surgeon? Help...and prayer would be most appreciated.

Thanks James you have replied to my posts over the years and I value your opinion. Thanks for your prayers as well.

Hi Irob23! Congratulations on this new life long journey. So I will put my 2 hats on answering this question. The first being my bariatric educator hat and that would be to defer that question to your doc and most will say stick with walking. At week 6, at which time you should be having another check-up and labs, you can ask him/her on the progression of what exercising should be next. My fellow patient hat would say walking, perhaps interval walking would be great. So normal paced walking with a short burst of faster walking intermixed. That will give you a higher caloric burn and boost that metabolism. Strength training and resistance is super important for us but that will probably be one of the last exercises you will begin. It took me 6 months to reach that point with anything that involved my stomach or trunk area. I would try and right away I would feel pulling and a little burning. Body saying not ready yet. Some people are able to progress very rapidly. Also, because of your limited caloric intake me mindful of hydration and nutrition. If you feel light-headed stop. Your body will strengthen in time. The best gift you can give yourself is an adequate recovery. Some of my first workout videos at home were Leslie Sansone videos. Which are great walking videos. I love your enthusiasm and mind set! Best of luck...

Absolutely normal...everyone's recovery time varies. Not that you are but try not to compare yourself to other people who have had the surgery. The best thing you can do for yourself right now is take the time to listen to your body. I have been a mentor/educator for almost 3 years, also a patient, and I have worked with a lot of fellow patients who ignored what their body was telling them. Such as lifting things that were to heavy to soon. Some developed infections under their incisions or hernias. Remember those incisions on the skin are just points of entry you have had a dramatic surgery. I often have to talk to spouses and children and explain this to them in hopes that they will be more helpful. Best of luck to you and much success.

Welcome lostvter! Our next support group is coming up this Monday October 10, 2016. It is held the second Monday of every month at 6:30, however, we have recently been having various exercise instructors come in beforehand for a 30 minute workout. It's being held at the Tom & Vi Zapara Rehab Pavilion. 25333 Barton Rd. You can call (909)651-7091 for more info or you can get into contact with one of the bariatric coordinators and they can verify the information. I am a certified support group leader there and we will be discussing a variety of things, also exhibiting some products (not selling) you may be interested in pre or post op that we were given during a conference we just attended. The support group is overseen by the doctor's right hand (wo)man. Hope you can make it. According to the last Stanford study on Bariatric patients we are 3.5 more times likely to succeed lifelong when we attend a support group regularly. However, if you can't and you would like to be in community I am personally launching an online support group where you can ask anything you would like. Feel free to pass the information along. Hope to see or hear from you.

Congratulations!! You definitely need to be monitored much more closely for the safety of you and baby. So they may deem you "high risk" just because you require extra monitoring. I don't know where you had your WLS done but your bariatric surgeon could be an excellent resource. See how familiar your gynecologist is in caring for a pregnant WLS patient. A visit to the Nutritionist may be a good idea as well so they can suggest an eating plan that is good for the 2 of you. Hydration is more important than ever. I know you will do great! Listen to your body mama...

I agree with the other posts. I would seek out either another opinion or clarification of your diagnosis and treatment. Antibiotics are pretty hard on the stomach as well. Best of luck to you. I hope you feel better soon.

I would definitely suggest to your doctor imaging on the pouch. It's possible that your pouch has developed small cul-de-sac type areas which allows it to hold more. Doing the 5 day pouch test is a great way to reset the mind and body.

I also fully endorse the quest bars. I suggest trying a variety. My personal favorites are strawberry cheesecake, apple pie and white chocolate raspberry. They provide an excellent amount of protein and are low in net carbs. In addition most contain around 20g of fiber which will help move things along. You will be hard pressed to find a bar that offers fiber like this one.

I agree...my first thought was an inguinal hernia but I also had hernia type pain, I am 13 months out, and it turns out I pulled a muscle after helping move my brother in law for 6 hours. The most lifting and twisting and jumping in and out of the bed of a truck since surgery. I had an MRI to confirm and it was checked by the radiologist and then my bypass surgeon. Did you do any recent lifting or new activities lately? Heat and rest should help. I don't think you can be to careful so I would call your surgeon and see how they want you to proceed. Best of luck to you!

Hi everybody. I think we do a great job supporting each other on this site. I need your ideas. Our support group, which meets at the university hospital where we had our surgeries, is trying to come up with event/activity ideas for both pre-op and post-op patients. We have full support from the university hospital. We are planning a clothing exchange in an open house format. If you have any suggestions on how to be as successful as possible with this I would love to hear from you. During this event we were thinking of talking about or providing a handout on foundation garments for both men and women should they want to wear them (i.e. bras, thigh shapers, butt shapers, smoothing shirts etc). We have had quite a few people ask about masking problem areas and how to dress their new figures. We are also planning a patients only event at the aquatic center to encourage exercise especially for those that have joint/pain issues. Any additional ideas for events/activities out there? Inquiring minds want to know...????

Wow! Great ideas please keep them coming! Really appreciated.

My only issue post-surgery has also been constipation which is very common but for some people, like myself, need to take extra measures. Miralax does not cause cramping it is a very gentle stool softener that mixes well in liquid or food. I purchase the generic version from costco and it saves me quite a bit of money if your insurance doesn't cover it. I take a full dose daily and usually that takes care of things along with hydration and getting in fiber and exercising also to prompt the bowels to work. However, I have also needed to use enemas every once in a while over the past year. Never let it go to long...take it from someone who has been impacted. They have also tried me on one medication to treat the constipation...Amitiza. Unfortunately it didn't work for me but for others it's been a miracle worker. Best of luck to you.

My longest stall came at 7 months after surgery and it was a little over 3 weeks. But I took my measurements pre-surgery and that has helped me see progress beyond the scale and also reflecting on what I have gained from the surgery. I think sometimes we forget that. I think although seeing the number go down on the scale is a good thing we can base our worth on it...or perhaps it becomes a high. But at some point, God willing, we will maintain a healthy weight in a healthy manner. Hopefully, becoming mentally stronger along the way. I think many of us have the mentality that if I only lost the weight, life would be rainbows and butterflies. But there is always something in our lives that will present a challenge...at least these are things that I have learned. I am currently a year out and I'm wearing size 4 jeans ????. Crazy thing is that I just hit a "normal BMI" a couple of pounds ago. I guess I just pack it in well...sorry I rambled a bit. As long as you follow the program your stall will pass and I would suggest taking measurements if you haven't and re-taking them every 4-6 weeks. I also kept the largest size pants I was in at one time and if ever I feel the need to put them on as a reminder they are there for me. Your gonna do great ????

I have found most jeans to have to much stretch or spandex these days. So an hour into wearing them they have stretched out and you look like you are carrying a load and then by the end of the day the thighs are stretched out as well. What has begun to be the best choice for me personally is to buy my jeans fitting tight. But also buying the correct rise and wearing the right undies. Trying on different brands is also helpful. It takes a bit of patience but when you find the right pair you will be styling ...such a staple in our wardrobe.

Wow! That's great...what a victory. I wish you all the best

I was in a lot of pain post-op as well. I had back spasms and a lot of tenderness and pulling/ burning at my incision areas. Couldn't stand straight up for a week or like you said lay on my sides. I had a large wedge pillow which helped behind my back. I also had an electric recliner (I know so spoiled) and I sat at a 90 degree angle. I did a lot of walking but also had a lot of down time and help. Stay on top of your pain meds and heat typically helps as well. I also had an abdominal binder which helped me out a lot. Stay on top of those pain meds and when in doubt call your surgeon.

Look you need to figure out why you feel this way. This is the hard part. But only you can figure this out. In the meantime, go back to square one, and follow the rules.

Hi carolx...welcome! Get ready to amaze yourself! Sounds like you have a lot of things and people to tend to. Just a suggestion, don't try to do to much to soon. I am also a mama of a young son. You know as a mom we don't get a lot of down time and we use our super strength arms to carry bags of groceries at a time plus a kid...while talking on our cell phone while balancing something else on our head...lol. Give yourself time to heal. Remember the incisions are just points of entry all of the handiwork is on the inside. Don't want to increase your risk of infection or inflammation by not taking the time to heal properly. Can't wait to hear from you again! ????

I agree some of the previous responses were too harsh. In the future hopefully you will be able to add the watermelon. Your body could have also been quite thirsty and watermelon has a high Water content. I actually experience some dumping with certain fruits but for the most part handle them very well. I am almost one year post-op. I reached my surgeons goal a while ago and am working on reaching a lower BMI and increasing muscle mass. Previously I saw that someone had said no carbs and no sugar ever. Incorrect. Our bodies need carbs and sugar for brain function and energy etc. We simply have to be quite a bit more restrictive with them. Also, as far as not being able to have pastries and such. Guess what? I make my own. Yep...they are many bariatric friendly recipes and I have been coming up with my own as well. I make delicious flourless breads and muffins which my family loves. You can absolutely live deliciously but it does require a bit of research and experimentation in the kitchen. People always apologize and say "oh I'm sorry you can't have that can you," pitying me. So, when the family gets together I make bariatric friendly dishes and don't tell them until after...lol. Yesterday I made an apple crisp (no sugar except what is in the fruit) and I made a buffalo chicken dip with Greek yogurt and reduced fat/calorie cheese with quinoa chips which have 8g of Protein per serving plus all of the protein in chicken, cheese, and Greek yogurt. I told them after they ate it all up, as well as a little for myself, it was "bariatric friendly" and they were shocked. Don't pity me people of the world I can still eat yummy foods...lol...but that is the stigma that comes with the surgery. My guidelines are also very strict. In my classes we had forever do's and forever don'ts concerning food and behavior. We never had to buy any shakes or foods from the University's Hospital I went to (personally I think it's a way to take advantage and make a chunk of change from patients) but in order to think the best of people it could also be because they care about what you ingest those first few weeks. Like it was mentioned before guidelines vary from program to program. Even from the most prestigious of places. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I think we can all agree we want the best for each other and want all to succeed. Sometimes we just don't put it as delicately as we should. But such is our dealings with the outside world as well. Don't let it scare you away please continue to share and contribute your triumphs and struggles. ????

My ring size went from a 10 to a 7.5...I am a woman by the way...large fingers. I have temporarily gone with fake bands as my size changes. There are some beautiful choices out there. I will wait perhaps another 6 months to get my real ring re-sized. I am just about a year out ????

I am so sorry sweetie...what a tough comment to receive. I think the previous comments saying that your mom just isn't use to the new you is right on the money. This seems to be the case with many of our friends and family. Stay strong and if you can't get support at home try a local support group or seek encouragement here. ????

My apologies drmeow I meant the size of my gastric pouch in cc's...as to the size of my stoma I do not know how many centimeters it measures. Especially upon any type of dilation that might occur...that's the thing about bypass we are constantly learning about it both on the patient and research side of things. Better surgical techniques, new approaches, impact upon the body etc. ????

At our support group meeting the other night we were given samples of protein pouches. Tiny...20grams of protein 0 sugar and 0 carbs. Look up protein pouches they look similar to applesauce in a pouch but smaller. Never knew they existed.

Even at 20cc which is the same size I began with when I had my bypass a year ago weight loss should have occurred. At my support group meeting the other day my surgeon said he creates the stoma at 20cc-40cc. It doesn't stay at 20cc's for long. Typically at the one year mark the stoma will grow to be between 5-9 ounces. You can try out the "cottage cheese" test to get an idea of the size of your pouch. There are other possible reasons for low weight loss . I would consult your surgeon. My aunt also had bypass about 13 years ago she lost half her body weight from 300-150 and regained 50 but she has managed to take it back off. My advice would be to get checked out and don't put it off. Best of luck to you.