mezzomaybe

Okay, so background first before I get to my question: I was sleeved 10/22/2014 and, as of January, had lost 105 pounds. Which was great! I wasn't quite at my goal weight, but I was getting there steadily. I had absolutely no complications after my surgery; everything healed beautifully and I stuck to the diet. My surgeon always talked about how I crushed the statistics and how impressed he was. Then, just after the first of January, I got sick. Like, really sick. It started with just nausea and some abdominal pain and I wrote it off as a stomach bug, but it just kept getting worse. Basically, I've been unable to eat anything solid for over a month now. Eating or drinking ANYTHING causes extremely sharp pain in my upper left abdomen, which is worse with anything that has a sugar/fat content. I've lost 18 pounds in less than a month because I can't eat anything aside from broth (sometimes) and sugar free jello/pudding. I have to drink the Zero Carb Isopure (clear liquid) for Protein because I can't keep down regular shakes. I have to crush my pills and Vitamins again. I'm constantly nauseous and extremely weak despite the fact that I'm getting my protein and vitamins. I can't even get down my one flight of stairs without having to rest in the middle. After about two weeks and a trip to the ER for IV fluids, I went to my surgeon because I knew it wasn't a stomach bug anymore. He promised he'd figure it out and scolded me for going to the ER because they would have "no idea" how to treat a bariatric patient. Thinking it might be a blockage in my common bile duct from a stone, did a gallbladder ultrasound and a CCK HIDA scan. Both came back normal, even though the HIDA scan was absolutely excruciating. He referred me to a gastroenterologist for an upper endoscopy (which he was present at) and a barium swallow to make sure my esophagus was functioning correctly and that I didn't have ulcers or a stricture or something along those lines. Both came back normal. Basically, since then, his office has been telling me that I need to speak with the gastroenterologist in regards to everything, as it has "nothing to do with" the surgery. The gastroenterologist told me today that I needed to follow up with the surgeon, as he was "out of suggestions". In essence, both my surgeon and gastro have thrown up their hands and told me that they have no idea, so it's not their problem. Neither will give me the paperwork I need for work. I am in danger of losing my job and therefore my health insurance. My question here is how should I tell the office that I will no longer be visiting them for follow ups or for any other reason? Should I write a letter? Call them? I refuse to give them my business and what little money I have if they are willing to just give up on me and say 'it's not my problem'. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks guys. I'll have the office request medical records when I see a new doctor. I'll have to travel a bit, but it's better than going to a doctor I don't trust/feel abandoned by.

I'm three weeks out and I've only lost 10 or so pounds. I went back to work on Thursday. The last time these people saw me I weighed 291 pounds, which is before I started my preop diet. My coworkers didn't notice that I'd lost weight. Same deal with my hairdresser, who knows I had surgery. I hadn't seen him since I was heavier and he's always been quick with a compliment, but he didn't say anything. I have crippling hunger headaches all the time. I'm nauseous most of the time. I have no energy. I'm forcing down Protein drinks to get my 80+ grams a day and they make me nauseous no matter what I do, and when I'm not doing that, I'm forcing down Water. I'm supposed to go slow and I'm supposed to be eating pureed food three times a day but I just don't have enough hours in the day since I can't drink anything with meals. I don't know what to do. I keep getting yelled at for being negative, but all I've been doing today is crying because I'm so discouraged. I feel like this is all pointless and that I've ruined my life.

Okay, over a month later, I have to say: you guys were right. I've lost 60 pounds since I started my journey (45 since surgery!) and I feel fantastic. I stopped weighing myself every day, which helped my morale intensely, and I actually keep my 'before' pictures next to my mirror now to remind me how far I've actually come. You guys are awesome. Thank you all so much.

Thank you guys for all your support. I'm feeling much, much better now-- you're right. I'm doing this for me, not for anyone else, and I need to remember that. I don't know what I'd do without the support of this place!

Thanks. That does help-- I'm not doing this for the compliments. I just worry that I'm not going to succeed.

That's TOMORROW! Yipes. I'm beyond nervous. Excited, too, but anxious as heck. Anyone else approaching their surgery date and feeling really nervous?

Hey guys, just checking in. It's been almost two weeks! How are you all doing?

@@Josefina1210 Aw, I'm sorry it was rough! I hope you're doing better now. How are you feeling? I've actually been doing really well. My recovery has been super smooth with the exception of a really bad panic attack the first night when the anesthesia wore off. I did have some gas and heartburn problems but I'm home now. The most difficult thing for me has been getting used to constantly sipping fluids!

Update: Should be headed home from the hospital in a couple of hours. I've been doing great.

Yay, date buddies! Good luck!

I have to get a sleep study done. Now, I'm an insomniac, and I have essentially no sleep schedule. (Case in point: it's currently 2:30 AM and I haven't slept in about 25 hours.) Some days I'll sleep only an hour or two, and some days I'll sleep 10+ hours, and there's really no specific rhyme or reason to the whole thing, which is fine because although I'm a full-time student, almost all my classes are online. I'm going to get a sleep study at 7 PM tonight, and I'm nearly having a panic attack thinking about it. I find it nearly impossible in beds that aren't mine, and without the things that normally help me sleep (my laptop, my music, etc), I don't think I'll be able to. I've never been able to "make" myself sleep just by laying down and closing my eyes, and although I've very clearly expressed my concerns to both the sleep doctor and my psychiatrist (who is prescribing the sleep study), they both seem unworried. I'm nearly having a panic attack right now thinking about it, and I almost never have anxiety attacks. I don't know what to do. Help?

I'm less than a month out now (October 22nd). I think the waiting game is the hardest part.

So I get sleeved on 10/22, but here's the thing. I don't respond well to ketosis. It makes me angry, anxious, and generally makes me feel like I'm losing my mind. Now, the doc/nutritionist and I have already worked out what's going to happen pre-surgery (low carb, but not zero-carb diet) but I'm wondering if this happens often post-op?

Ugh. I'm supposed to be sleeved October 22nd, and the pre-surgery diet is killing me. The doc has me on a modified Atkin's diet to decrease the size of my liver and I've been on it for two weeks now and I hate it. I'm hungry constantly (I keep myself busy with stuff to ignore it) and I have absolutely no energy. It's so frustrating. Has anyone else had to do a modified Atkin's diet before surgery? How did you get through it?

Oh, I totally agree. I just wish I wasn't so darn tired all the time. It's making it hard to do exercise and concentrate on the schoolwork I need to do. Oooh, that sounds good. I love mushrooms and actually just had ground beef and mushrooms tonight! I didn't think of putting spaghetti sauce on them, though. I'll have to try that.

October 22nd! Good luck guys!