beingdina

I'm 18 months post vsg. Lost 175 pounds, gained 10 back. I can eat a lot of slider foods but when I eat solids it makes me puke because I'm not eating slow like I should. I'm also eating candy again too. Today I've puked 3-4 times from eating too fast and now my whole esophagus and stomach are super irritated. For the next 2 days I'm going to avoid solids. I am totally on my own and feel like this is the hardest it's been for me so far. I never hit my goal but am only 35 pounds away. I still want to get there and know I need to find my way back to ketosis. Carbs and candy won't help me get there. I need to make some big changes.

I am right there too! I'm 18 months post vsg and seriously any time I eat meat outside of rotisserie chicken, or really soft chicken like thighs, I seriously can't keep it down. I know I need to aim for liquids for just a few days to let it all settle. It's awful. It's usually not like regular throw up, but a gross slime that fills up my entire esophagus trying to move the food. Beef is the absolute worst and my absolute favorite. It's a struggle. I will have to go back to eating smaller bites, chewing more, and probably avoiding beef, pork, and dry chicken. I doubt I have a crazy kink or anything like that, but I'm struggling for sure. I regained 10 lbs since Christmas, but am working to get it back off. I lost 175 pounds since I started pre-op, but then gained that tad bit back. I'm also trying to not eat like a bariatric patient for the rest of my life. I don't want to gorge myself, but eating 1000 calories forever isn't realistic, especially for someone who is 248, 5'9" and does Crossfit 3-4 days a week. I've brought protein shakes back into my diet 2x a day to help get my protein back in. But things like clam chowder, meatless chili, lentils with curry... those are the best things that I've found I can handle. Solids just suck.

Started pre-op (8/27/18) at my highest of 414.5, surgery weight I was 382 (9/25/18) and today I am 270.8 and so much happier! I’ve been working out 5x a week including a CrossFit class and jogging a little. Sure I have a major hanging belly and my arms are like wings and my boobs are flat saggy pancakes, but I feel 100% better! Proud of all of us for taking care of ourselves!

Today I just had my 4 month follow-up and asked about macros... basically she told me that at this stage, I don't need to worry about counting calories and carbs and fats. Just protein. She told me to aim high for protein (for me. 100+g) and unless my weight stalls for a month or I gain, we won't worry about that. She DID focus on the volume being no more than 4oz ever. So what fits in a 1/2c serving container. I've been about that, depending on if it's soft foods or something really chewy, etc. So I'm going to straighten up and focus on that. I have been eating about 1000 calories a day, with 50% of my macros as protein, 25% as fat, and 25% as carbs and have been losing about 15-20 pounds a month. So I'll button down and see how it goes. They want me to lose another 45 pounds by May 8. I'm going to work my butt off to hit that goal!

I'm 12 days post op, gastric sleeve, ate some soup that was thickened with potato 2 days ago, and it made my tummy VERY angry. Ended up with terrible pain in my lower esophagus (like a softball sitting in there) and my diaphragm muscle was really hurting too. My surgeon's nurse put me on clears for 24 hours, but I was so worried, I only got in about 30oz of fluids with 25g protein. Today I am back on regular liquids, but started getting that excessive saliva that was all foamy. Last night I had the "foamies" after a sugar free popsicle. I'm worried about a stricture, but sounds like it could have happened due to be overly irritated. I texted my nurse again, and I'm terrified she's going to say I need to have a procedure or something. I'd really like to know I'm fine and just need to quit on the fluids even though I'm barely getting any in. Also, I have a LOT of anxiety around medical stuff. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Also, I'd like to note that prior to the soup incident 2 days ago, I was getting in upwards of 60-70 oz fluids and 80g protein every day and no issues.

I know this is like 4 years later, but I'm having the same issues with the Barimelts! Does taking them right after a meal help?

I truly believe that was what caused my issued at 11/12 days post op. The soup I ate was thickened with potato. I'm 8 weeks post op now and have been able to eat 2-3 Tbsp of mashed potatoes a couple times without issue. Meats are still very heavy for me.

Thank you so much for your kind words. Thanks everyone! I am feeling MUCH better now and am almost back to my pre-issue liquid levels, but have been REALLY scared to try things like jello and yogurt and runny oatmeal and runny cream of wheat after that. I tried 1 ounce of plain 0% Fage yogurt with a sprinkle of dried sugar-free jello mix and that was ok, but was mucous-y, but not awful. I also have since tried some sugar free jello which was okay and only had 3 ounces over 30 minutes. Definitely sick of the protein shakes. Also learning that temperature plays a big role in how it sits with me. Room temp is GROSS, really warm like tea sits well, and ice cold sits well too. So strange. I have 1 week until I am allowed to start soft foods, and may do my own pureed foods week before actually going into the soft foods out of fear (babyfood style). Definitely going to try to stick to whole foods, except for some low/nonfat condiments and sugar free condiments). I am still dealing with some reflux (my stomach is downright sick and tired of not having real food to process I think, as I'm taking Pepcid twice a day). Overall, feeling much better. Thank you!

I’m 2 weeks post op today and got smacked with a wave of nausea this evening. Was doing great with liquids all day and then it just hit me. Hoping some peppermint tea settles it. Feels yucky.

I was sleeved 9/25 and doing fairly well. Believe after some soup that made my sleeve angry it caused some reflux so I’m behind in liquids and protein but starting to try to catch up after a couple days of TLC. Still makes me nervous anytime I feel anything because I’m sure it’s one of the horrible complications. Down 16.4 since surgery and 49.7 since I started my pre-op on 8/28. I miss eating but after the soup experience I’m fine holding off for another couple of weeks.

I started thinking about how I hadn’t “eaten” any protein really since Friday and so I braved 3oz of Premier and have to tell you the lump feeing is about 50% less. I am now absolutely convinced this is reflux or silent heartburn. I think after bad soup I haven’t had much protein and my stomach hasn’t had much to digest and has been actively looking for food. We shall see.

Me too. They have me on Pepcid x 2/day. I'm wondering if it's not enough for me and my body has just gotten used to that dosage. I feel little bubbles in the back of my throat too. It's not like heartburn though. There's no pain at all, no feeling of indigestion except for at the back of my throat just feels weird. I'll probably do the warm fluids for a couple days and see how I feel. What I'm really looking for is this feeling in my throat to go away. Like a hand around my throat almost. Lump in the throat feeling.

Yes, she's a nurse and the program manager for my surgeon's bariatric practice. I would only want to get my physician involved so it's all in my local record in case something were to go really wrong. Everything else will go through my surgeons office.

Well, I've read it could be reflux. I am taking Pepcid x 2 a day. Nothing is coming back up, and the warm seems to be helping. Imagine a hand wrapped around your throat feeling. It's not as bad in my esophagus now, but I'm taking it VERY slowly. Sipping warm peppermint tea and teaspoon size sips of broth every 5 minutes or so. I definitely don't feel like I need Urgent Care either, but since my surgeons office is 2 hours away, I need to go local for immediate care.

Today my nurse has me on warm fluids. We'll see how that goes. Room temp was not working well for me yesterday. If it continues or gets worse (like liquid actually coming back up) I'm going to go to Urgent Care.

I hope it goes away soon too. I've been trying to research it but sounds like it just needs to pass. If I'm still struggling or if the liquids truly start coming back up, I'll head to Urgent Care.

I'm 12 days out, looks like you are 6? This is a recent development for me. It's like whatever liquid I swallow wants to slowly just come back up, but not in a throwing up type of way. It sucks. I'm sorry you are having a time of it too. It's uncomfortable for sure! I'm not in any pain, but feel like something just doesn't want to go down and I've not eaten anything with any kind of chunks at all.

Yeah, I think it was the potato in there. I wasn't supposed to have any potato for another couple of weeks. It definitely hurt for like 12 hours, but that was Friday afternoon to night. All day yesterday and now today I feel like it's just not going down. I am urinating throughout the day 4-5 times so I'm sure you are right in that some of it is getting down. But it's super uncomfortable still. Before the soup on Friday, I felt 100%. I was having no issues getting my protein shakes, water, coffee, pudding, etc. And now it's like I've hit this huge roadblock. Like I've got 25% opening.

I pushed the limit on Friday afternoon when I ate 3/4c of the soup over about 45 minutes. About 2 hours later the pain started in my esophagus and diaphragm. By the next morning it was almost gone, but since then I haven't been able to really get past the feeling of having my esophagus full and not really getting to my stomach. Yesterday I had a total of 30oz of fluids. Total. That's over about 17 hours. Definitely wasn't overfull at any point. I'm working on 2oz of pho broth right now and I feel like every spoonfull is sitting in my esophagus and not my stomach. So we'll see what happens. I'll sip this over an hour in hopes that it eventually gets into my belly. My surgeons office is 2 hours away, so I have to be pretty certain something is wrong with me and that's where I'm really struggling. I'm not in any pain. Nurse says I would be very nauseous and have excessive salivation if I had a stricture. So I don't know.

Hi Russ, I definitely feel like I have something in my throat. No pain at all anymore since yesterday which is good. I've not started eating any purees or solids at all, except that soup that was just too many ingredients I think. I'm sticking to straight broth for the next few weeks. My biggest worry is that it's liquids that don't feel like they are going down.

That's scary! My nurse told me to stick to warm liquids and broth today. So we'll see how that goes. If it continues, I may make an appointment with my PCP to see what can be done. Fluids don't seem to go right down (I'm on fluids only for another 2 weeks at least), so I'm not sure what is going on. Hoping it's just swelling from overdoing it on Friday. I hope everything works out with the EGD. Sounds like that is usually all they need to do to open it up.

That’s fantastic Lynn! I agree it feels great to take charge of ourselves and not allow that food to take us over! Yay!

I am 1 week post-op today. Down 7.2 pounds since surgery (not counting the water weight I gained in the hospital and had to lose to get to pre-op weight). So I'm feeling good about that. Really trying hard to NOT compare my weight loss to anyone else's. I know my journey is my own, whether or not we've had the same surgery. Aside from that I'm feeling good. Bored at home, trying to keep moving to avoid clots. Have to give myself another week of injections (Lovenox) which I absolutely hate, but don't want a clot. My left major incision hurts when I try to lay on it still, but I can sleep comfortably on my right side so I've been back in my bed for a couple nights now. My drain incision has been bugging me a bit lately, but that drain removal the day after surgery was literally more painful than the rest of this. Per surgeons orders, I am back on my pre-op diet again until 1 month post-op to allow my stomach a chance to really heal. The only change is that we are allowed watery cream of wheat and watery oatmeal. Yesterday I tried Cream of Wheat and that wasn't good. Felt majorly gritty going down and caused diarrhea. I'll try that again in about a week or so. I really, really want refried beans with cheese and salsa and sour cream. I feel like I'll be able to eat that for every meal. Overall, I'm so glad I did this. I would be lying if I said I wasn't wondering why I didn't participate in some Mukbang before I did this though. I'm sort of mourning the fact that I won't be able to eat those large portions again. But at the same time, love that I can't. I've been wanting to be a "sleever" with a tiny tummy and a tiny portioned meal for a long time, and I'm finally here. I guess i t won't fully feel real until I try eating regular foods again. But I am going to a restaurant for the first time today, and I'm going to order French onion soup and ask for no bread or croutons and no cheese and then I'll just drink the broth. I can live a normal life even when on the liquid part of my diet.

I searched “post-op anxiety” and yours was the first I found. I’m doing that to myself right now. My first 3 days post op I spent away from home with my parents and tonight is my first night at home and I’ve been spiraling for about 2 hours. I can’t shit my brain off. A pill got stuck and that started the whole ugly mess. I wish I could recover with my parents for another week or two, but they live 6 hours away.

Hi Rosie! I had my sleeve done on Tuesday also! A little traumatic for me too. They couldn’t get a vein (blew 4 before they got a line in with the help of an anesthesiologist and ultrasound machine to find a vein), I started crying because it also got bumped up by about 45 minutes. Overall the pain is slowly receding and I only take the pain meds about twice a day.