ewinslo

Hi, all! I have been lurking for a few months now but this is my first thread. I need advice and love from people that are going through or have gone through the same struggle. But first, let me back up... I am 24 years old and have been struggling with weight issues/various eating disorder issues since I was 13. My highest weight was around 275. On the day of my surgery (December 22nd) I was 263. I woke up from surgery in tons of pain. I was prescribed Tardil (?) but that was not cutting it. They ended up putting me on Dulaudid which did the trick. I did lots of walking but ultimately felt very, very sore. I felt Constantly extremely thirsty and bloated at the same time... And I could not wait to get off my saline drip which was making me get up to pee every 2-3 hours at night. I had to stay an additional night in the hospital because my oxygen levels would dip into the upper 80s when I slept unless I was wearing oxygen in my nose. They ended up sending me home on Christmas and said that the problem would fix itself when the swelling went down. During the hospital stay, I was drinking my about 40ish ounces of Water but they kept me on Clear liquids so I was not getting any Protein. Yesterday, since I was home for half the day, I got in my water and about 10-12 grams of protein. Today, I am on track to meet my water requirement and was able to get in 30 grams of protein. I expect to be hitting my liquid and protein goals tomorrow although I can already tell that it will be a struggle and a constant effort until I can add some regular food into the mix! Now to my concerns- since the surgery my temperature has been variable. For instance, it has ranged from 97.8-100.5 but it is spending more time in the 99-100 range than I would like it to. My doctor suggested I only needed to reach out at 101 and above... Did you find you ran "hotter" for awhile after the surgery? Speaking of, I am constantly having hot flashes. I am waking up about 1-3 times during the night in heavy sweat despite the fact that my room is about 62 degrees cool. Is that normal? Are hot flashes likely to go away? I did switch from Dulaudid to Norco today and am hoping that will make a difference. My surgery was laronscopic. I took my first shower today and changed out my bandages. I have 20!!! Black Stitches in 7 different places along my abdomen. I did not realize in the hospital (because of my big boobs and the lack of mirrors) that there were that many. Is that normal?? When do the stitches normally come out? Also, when can I expect the pain and swelling to decrease considerably? The pain has definitely gotten better each day but the swelling has not made significant progress that I can tell. Which probably explains why I have only lost 2 lbs so far. Finally, when should I break down and take some milk of magnesium? I started on dulcolax today and feel lots of gas (mostly burping, though) but I have yet to have a bowel movement. On the other hand, I am finding it so hard to bend over and wipe well because of the stitches so I don't want to push it too soon while I am still struggling with that. Thoughts on making this process easier? Also, I HATE protein flavoring. I can stand Premier shakes but 2 of them takes me the whole day to drink and they are already getting really old REALLY fast. I was thinking about a low cal/SF cream of mushroom or chicken Soup with 10-15 gr of unflavored protein but I am unsure if I will like the texture and I don't know what brand is best. I was thinking of doing the same with Jello, as well. Any other ideas? Thanks for allowing me to vent!

Pinkgirl- I am so sorry that you are feeling so bad! I was too until about 5 days ago... Hopefully, each day is getting better for you. I found that every single day I make small progress that is slowly adding up. I am sorry that you are struggling to get Protein and Water in! I got it in by creating a very detailed schedule that laid out when I would be drinking each of my Protein drinks and the water I needed (as well as when to take all my pills). Now that I am feeling so well I am having different problems. I am occasionally eating too fast and having mild/moderate dumping symptoms. I am also still craving things that my body can't handle which is frustrating. When I feel like cheating I remember how crappy the nausea feels when I've eaten the wrong things. It is both great and horrible to have immediate negative consequences.

YES you need to find some premier Protein shakes!! I don't know if I could make it through this liquid phase without them. I can't stand the way most shakes taste so I was so happy to find one I liked. I did not cut it with anything and have not had any problems. I drink 2 a day right now to get in 60 g. The only other thing that I have found and liked is the unjury chicken Soup powder. I mix that in with half a cup of actual cream of chicken soup (low fat/sodium). I have tried it mixed in with other types of Soups, as well. I like having a second option to help stave off some of the boredom. The other part of it I am going through is just accepting that, yes, having just 1-2 food choices is BORING. And that is okay because it is not forever!!! I have the date I move to puréed and soft foods circled on my calendar and I watch the days tick by. I remember that I want to heal so that I can move forward. When I am struggling, I talk to my family and say how much I am missing food and different tastes. They are supportive and will listen to me and understand. It also helps remind them to keep the lovely smelling food away from me and not leave triggering treats around. Another person to talk to is a therapist or on these message boards- like you did. Ultimately, forgive yourself. Luckily, you are okay and each moment is a new opportunity. Also, find a way to get the feelings and frustration out if you are feeling them (I sure am!) I am 6 days post-op... Not an expert... But hope this helps!

I have no idea why protein shakes wouldn't count as part of your water requirement. They break down in your body to hydration.

I would say that if your doc is the one who recommended it and would be monitoring it then it is a good idea. My experience? Phentermine- ehhh, I found that in small doses it had no effect on me. In larger doses my appetite decreased but I felt like my heart was racing. I was only on it for about a month. I lost 2-3 lbs. Vyvanse (extended release adderall)- works REALLY FREAKIN well. I took this for a year prior to my surgery because I had low energy to the point of struggling to get out of bed and a large appetite. My doc prescribed this and it worked like a miracle to get me out of bed, focused on work, and not over-eating. I lost 10 lbs in my first month on it and kept it off through the year. Over time I grew to hate taking it. It caused my heart rate to stay around 110 and I struggled constantly with sleeping at night. I came off the pills 6 days ago when I had my surgery (and good riddance!!!) Either way, if you take the pills every day they quickly stop being as effective. So, definitely not a long term solution... But I don't regret my time on them either.

Overall, I think you did well. You took a few risks but I am glad that you are back and can focus!

Thank you all for the suggestions! I was an additional 5 lbs down this morning... The swelling seems like it made great progress. I am definitely tracking everything- pain, meds, calories, sugar, fluids, breathing exercises... I have myself on a schedule while I get through the hardest beginning days!! Your success is so inspirational. WOW!

Surgery in the morning! Nervous and excited. I'm worried I won't be able to sleep tonight. Also, super duper hungry from this day before surgery clear liquid only diet.

Just got mine!! 22nd