mylighthouse

Hey there. Yeah, your tummy probably hurts because of drinking so soon after eating. You are going to need to be sure to wait at least a half hour after eating before you drink your liquids. Food and liquids together after WLS just do not mix well... it will definitely give you the bad tummy. I would eat a half hour earlier if you are hurrying to get meds and supper in at the same time right before you go to work at 6. Either that, or eat.... and then take your meds with you and down them with a drink when you get to work... in the bathroom, or wherever you're able to.

This was a very interesting article, thank you for posting it. Yep, chronic pain is horrible. I am tired of being on Tramadol, etc. every day (almost 4 years now). I found a nice little company that makes salves using the cannabis plant. The product doesn't contain any THC. I'm also using a hemp oil tincture that does contain CBD, but no THC. I've been getting a little relief at times from my pain, and it definitely helps ease my anxiety. It also seems to be helping me sleep better at night. I'm really would like to eliminate some of my prescription pain meds as well as other medications and go about treating my pain and other issues with natural things. Why am I always so amazed that natural products can help with different ailments, etc? I mean, afterall, that is all people had available to them oh so many years ago. I'm always interested in hearing about things like this.... thanks again for sharing.

People are lookin' and doin' good around here.... congratulations to EVERYONE on their progress and success!! My starting weight:334 lbs - Original (sleeve) Surgery date Nov 2016; As of Aug 2018 150 lbs and holding steady. Here are my progress pictures:

Wow...look at you!!! Yes, you are right.....those are tremendous victories! Doesn't that feel great and isn't it encouraging? There will be so many more victories in your future. Keep up the awesome work! Cute picture too!

Hello, Thank you for sharing Congratulations on your decision to lose the weight and get healthier! I needed surgery desperately, but my doctor wouldnt perform it until I lost 100 pounds. Through the help of the gastric sleeve, I was able to do that. I could of have had a lot more health issues than I did at at starting weight of 334 lbs and 46 yrs old. I wish you the best, sounds like you're on the road to a successful future and a happier life.

Wow!! You look fantastic! Awesome job...congratulations!

Congratulatons!! You look fantastic! I made it to my goal, but also had to have the revision due to reflux. My revision was on 5/29. Reflux is no longer an issue...yay! Plus it's a bonus that I've lost even more weight. Good luck with your revision.

Hello, I had the sleeve in Nov of 2016. I did great with that for about 8 months, then I started to get horrible acid reflux, etc, which eventually led to not being able to swallow any solid food due to pain in my throat and chest. Hospital stays, ER trips, gastro doctor trips, surgeon trips, endoscopies, barium swallow, and basically living off of pureeds for almost 5 months. Finally had my revision to bypass on May 29th. I did my revision strictly for the GERD probs, I was already at my goal weight. I also had a hiatal hernia that was repaired at the time of the revision to bypass. It's just over a month later and I'm doing good, overall. The main thing is that ALL of the acid reflux/swallowing/pain/ETC is gone! No more problems with GERD. What a huge relief. The recovery hasn't been so bad. My bruising is just now going away, but the pain lingers a little. The largest incision from the surgery was the most painful, but I was getting up out of bed by myself one day after my surgery. In fact, I was sent home 24 hours after surgery. Don't get me wrong, it was pretty painful and rough for awhile, but it was SO worth it! Don't feel like a failure, you're doing great! The revision may be just what you need to get you to the place where you want to be. Wish you the best.

Wow!! You look good! Happy for you.

Hello, 10 days post revision to gastric bypass. Long time constipation sufferer, tried many products. Miralax not working, neither is milk of magnesia, which almost always helps. Did a Fleet early this morning. Severe pain, feels like I'm sitting on a rock....it is right there....waiting to come out, just too hard and big. Sorry everyone. Refuse to do mag citrate, too harsh for tummy this early out. Considering trying Dulcolax, anyone know the size of the suckers? (Gel tabs to swallow). Can't take big pills, need to be hole-punch size or smaller. Thank you.

@AshAsh1thank you!

Ash, what is it that you take?

@AshAsh1yep, which is exactly why I haven't been able to do the psyllium the last several months.... had to up the fluid intake along with it and was unable to do so. Will be glad to be able and get back to it when I can hack the taste of it without gagging. My fluids are great at 10 days post bypass revision. Just waitin' for the taste buds to cooperate.

Too funny you guys. Well.... I have some thoughts on a couple of things.... First, @AshAsh1appreciate your suggestions. Totally agree with you on the fiber. My best poopin' days were when I was drinking Whole Psyllium Husk mixed in water on a daily basis. Packing a very high fiber content, it helped me immensely. Unfortunately, I can't hack the psyllium at the moment. You know how sensitive our taste buds can be after WLS surgery.... for many people, anyway. And, prior to that, I couldn't get my liquids in very easily at all from February of this year, right up until my revision to bypass, hence ONE of the factors that propelled me towards getting the bypass. So yeah, will be very glad when I can throw back a glass a day of my psyllium husk again. As per your comment about the fiber gummies and supplements.... well, everybody is different. I see that they've helped Matt, and I know others that they've helped as well. ..... thank you @Matt Zfor the link to the fiber chewables that you're taking. It's very helpful, and probably a good route for me to go currently, since I can't knock back the psyllium for fiber at the moment. Also, gotta say something about the Miralax. Yes, I know that doctors say that you can take 3 or 4 doses a day, that's it's the safest thing in the world, that it works, etc, etc. Well, that might be true. I know they are doctors. However, does it work for EVERYBODY? No! I faithfully took the stuff like my gastro doctor directed me to.... 3 doses a day for about three months straight. Prior to that, I was taking 2 doses a day for a couple of years. No one quite seems to believe me when I tell them, it simply doesn't work for me. I am a difficult case though. Resectioned colon back in 2014. More abdominal surgeries followed. That is when my constipation woes really kicked in. My gastric sleeve in Nov 2016 just made the constipation probs worse for me. My surgeon says I just have a "lazy" colon. lol Guess I am throwing all of this out there because I want to say..... what may work for one person, may not work for someone else. What might not work for another.... may work for someone else. That said, I am ALWAYS open to help and suggestions, experiences, etc, from others. We can all use a little help along the way. We can try different things and see what might work for us individually. It's all good. Totally appreciative of all the help you guys. Also, when I try the chewable fiber, I will probably choose a certain color first and eat all of them first, before I go on to a different color. We'll see.

@Orchids&Dragons I feel ya. Been plagued with constipation issues for what seems like a lifetime! Best wishes to finding serenity.

@Orchids&Dragonsthank you. Hey, yes, it is reality.....no probs hearing what you had to say. Did try the Fleet. A flake fell off.....now who's being gross? Your answer actually confirmed my suspicions. Wondered about the good 'ol glove trick. Ha. Much appreciated.

Thank you, Matt. Yeah, water intake and other fluids are super, 88 oz a day. Checking out Colace OTC as well as Dulcolax geltabs. Too hard to tell how large the tabs are, but my guess is that your Colace prescription pills are smaller than the ones you find OTC at Walgreen's and the like. Wish my surgeon's office was open. Thank you for your help!

Hello Midwest Girl and welcome to the site I just wanted to share my story a little with you, and hope that it can help in some way. I had the sleeve (not band) back in November of 2016. I lost a lot of weight, finally reaching my goal weight in March of this year. However, in January, I started having trouble swallowing, severe pain in chest and neck when eating, etc, etc. It just got worse from there and did a barium swallow, which confirmed GERD and a hiatal hernia. It took months for my gastro and surgeon to try different meds, tests, endoscopies, hospitalizations, etc. They really didn't want to do another surgery, because I had already had a long and painful history with several abdominal surgeries.... these have left me with abdominal pain that I deal with on a regular daily basis. I too, had mesh from an open incisional hernia repair late last year. When my gastro and surgeon told me that I needed the bypass, I was concerned. Lots of abdominal surgeries and the mesh, etc..... was worried about it. Like yours, my surgeon is very experienced, he is so skilled and I just love everything about him. Completely trust my surgeon. He went over everything about the procedures a few weeks ago with myself and my husband. He let me know that he could successfully do the hiatal hernia repair and the gastric bypass at the same time, however, he also told me that there was a good chance that my surgery might need to done as an open surgery. If that were the case, he would need to cut through the hernia mesh in my abdomen, perform the bypass, etc, and redo the mesh and sew everything back together. He put that all out in the open. I was scared of another open surgery and the thought of complications, but at the same time, the GERD was so awful that I decided the bypass had to be done no matter what. Couldn't go on living like I had been. Well, guess what? Here I am a week out of hernia repair/bypass surgery and my surgeon did NOT have to cut through my old hernia mesh! I had my surgery done laparoscopically. My surgeon said things went so smoothly. For the past two days I have actually had REAL food, not liquids only, and NO PAIN from GERD!!! What a relief! I suggest that if your surgeon is experienced, you trust him, you feel good about what he is telling you, that you GO FOR IT! I know it is easy to worry, be scared, etc. But you can work through those things. I hope this helps you even just a little bit. Wish you the best.

Hello Marci, I don't have much advice to give you, except maybe try different things with the Kratom powder.... powerade zero? Crystal Light? Hmmmm.....maybe different 0 cal drinks. I definitely know what you are talking about with the pills, you won't be able to take them after the bypass. Your post caught my eye.... had never heard of Kratom before, and I am going to look into it for myself. It may not be right for me, but I am always interested in safer alternatives than the meds I am currently taking. I am on 1800 mg of Gabapentin for nerve pain, and it works some. I do not want to go up on my current dosage. I've been on the Gabapentin for about 8 months. In addition to that, I have been taking the maximium daily dosage of tramadol for over 3 years. YUCK. Also, I want to tell you that I had my revision because of major probs with GERD. Couldn't eat solid food without severe pain.... so I had been doing pureed soups since February, and towards the end (right before my revision), even those were giving me pain. I had my revision on Tues, the 29th. My doctor cleared me for "mushies" on day 5. Had my first scrambled egg yesterday morning.... lo and behold..... NO PAIN! Wow! I couldn't be happier with getting the revision done, even though I am only a week out. Things are finally looking up. I had met my goal weight prior to getting the bypass surgery. I am in the 150's, so not far off from you. I hope your revision goes well. I imagine that it will really help you a lot. Sorry that I can't be of much help with how to take the Kratom.

@Kimber628I just had my revision to bypass because of awful GERD as well. One week ago tomorrow..... surgeon has cleared me for "mushies" already, today was my first time in 5 months to be able to "eat" something that wasn't a full liquid without severe pain caused by GERD (and hiatal hernia). Looking forward to my life again. Sounds dramatic, but pretty true. I hope you get awesome results/relief from the GERD probs as well.

@Cindyjoyes, it's okay to get angry.I wasn't too thrilled about needing a revision due to all my pain, eating difficulty, GERD, etc. But let's face it, sometimes things just don't go as planned. Probably nothing that could have been done to prevent your stricture or my problems either. You do what you gotta do, it will all work out.

I really appreciate that!

Yep, I think we will be fine too! Come back to the site when you're recovering and let me/us know how you're doing.

I actually had this same question...was going to call my surgeon's office Monday, but it's a holiday. My revision from sleeve to bypass is Tues (29th). Have basically been on pureed soups for a few months....no solids, due to GERD. Planning on doing my full dose of Milk of Magnesia today, because like you, I have had major issues with constipation and for a long time. Was really concerned an whether or not I needed a bowel prep. Not a stupid question at all, thanks for asking it! Good luck with your revision on June 1st...we will be just a couple of days apart.

Yes, and no. The sleeve has been an absolutely wonderful tool in that it dropped my weight significantly enough to be able to have a much needed hernia repair. The hernia had me in pain all the time, and my surgeon told me "you need to lose weight", but he couldn't perform the repair until I did. After losing the first 80-100 lbs, I had my hernia repair.... yay! Also, knee pain went away after dropping the weight.... and even though I wasn't outwardly manifesting other health problems, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc., I know the sleeve helped me keep those things away. Also, the sleeve helped me become more committed in my endeavor to be healthy, lose weight and keep it off, change my eating habits, etc. For all of those reasons, I am thankful for the sleeve! Now, after multiple problems (GERD related), I wish I had been more informed about choosing which type of surgery best suited me. I had moderate heartburn/acid reflux issues before the sleeve surgery, but I was afraid to get "rerouted" and have the bypass. I chose the sleeve. In hindsight, the bypass would have been the best surgery for me. Revision to bypass date is fast approaching! May 29th!