tranquil_chaos

Hi Everyone! I don't post often, but I keep up reading this thread! I had my major goal reached this morning and I don't have anyone other than my partner to share this news with...but I reached ONEderland this morning! I can't believe it!

I'm still fairly newly post-op (2.5 months) and this is the first time I have experienced this and was wondering if anyone had this happen and what can I do about it? Last night around 7:30 I had my dinner which was chicken breast, about 3 oz. I went to bed and when I woke up this morning at 6AM, I immediately had to run to the bathroom and vomitted and a lot of the chicken came up. Some of it was partially digested and some was more intact. What is going on? Why hadn't it moved out of the pouch overnight? Is something wrong?

I eat chicken all the time and this is the first time that it's happened. It was a really juicy rotisserie chicken too! Maybe it's just one of those weird RNY things...like one day everything is fine, next day nope!

I had my 1-month appointment this week. My bloodwork came back great, except some minor elevated liver functions which worried me, but didn't worry my surgeon. They were pleased with my progress and told me that they measure percent excess weight lost and in 1-month that was 23% and they want 30% at 3-months, so they don't expect me not to meet that goal. I'm not sure what numbers they are using because they won't tell me a goal weight, but they have to have it somewhere! I was cleared for all foods but I've been having issues with meats so we will see how that goes. I had an episode of the foamies and it was terrible. That happened with chicken. Also cleared for exercise, although I get between 7-8K steps just at work, so they suggest 45 min 3x a week for now. NSV: I had a Zoom meeting today and it was the first time in such a long time that I didn't loathe how I looked on screen! It was pretty cool!

We all have different starting points and the more weight you have to lose, the more weight you will lose and it will come off faster. I know it's easier said than done, but it will drive you crazy if you compare yourself with others. Everyone's journey will look different.

Hi Everyone! I was officially 1-month post op yesterday! I’ve been on soft foods for a while and they have been going fine until two days ago :( I made some grilled chicken tenders and I tried some tiny bites yesterday and was in so much pain. My nose was running and I felt like I might throw up. I tried again today and it was even worse. Again, nose running and this time I did vomit and even though it was such a small amount of food, all this foam/slime came up. It was super gross. I’ve heard of “the foamies” before but was hoping I’d never get it. Here’s a good video about it: https://youtu.be/VQSAB41VSjw Anyways, I have my 1 month appointment on Monday so it’s going to be my major topic to discuss. I’m worried something is wrong. Previously, I was able to tolerate chicken but now, no. It’s weird. I’m down 32.5 pounds since my pre-op diet (20.7 after surgery) so I’m pretty happy with those numbers. I can tell a difference in my face and how my clothes fit. Protein goals have been much easier for me on soft foods. I do a shake in the morning, food for lunch and dinner and throw in a Gatorade protein water too. Plus regular water of course. I don’t have any hunger cues anymore which is a weird feeling. I have to set timers to eat my meals otherwise I’ll forget.

Something they didn't tell me (but they said they did tell me): about 10-14 days post-op you might feel intense pain on your left side. Like a pulling, twinging, sharp pain that gets worse when you bend over or try to sit or even move the wrong way. Totally different pain that the post-op pain. Apparently this is caused because all the swelling is gone and your stomach/intestines are no longer "cushioned" within that swelling so they move around a bit more and the internal stitches/incisions are moving around. Nothing to be worried about and completely normal (according to my office). But holy cats was it scary!!!! I thought FOR SURE something was wrong.

Now I'm worried about going to my 1-month appointment! I get close to 7K steps just at my normal work day...I didn't know that we were supposed to be taking things even easier than that. Last week was my first week back at work and I was exhausted. I've had to do the laxative thing twice already because if I hadn't, I wouldn't have moved my bowels since before surgery. It was getting really, really dire. I was very close to going to the doctor about it. But, the laxatives worked. I'm hoping that adding more fiber will help as I add more foods into my diet. I don't want to be dependent on laxatives for the rest of my life. They have had me on miralax in the AM and stool softeners since I came home and even that hasn't been working well.

I'm having some major issues with this too. I take Miralax in the mornings every day and 2 stool softeners every day and still NOTHING happens naturally unless every 3-4 days I go in and take a large laxative dose and/or a suppository. I'm worried this is going to be for the rest of my life and it's very depressing.

Something they didn't tell me (but they said they did tell me): about 10-14 days post-op you might feel intense pain on your left side. Like a pulling, twinging, sharp pain that gets worse when you bend over or try to sit or even move the wrong way. Totally different pain that the post-op pain. Apparently this is caused because all the swelling is gone and your stomach/intestines are no longer "cushioned" within that swelling so they move around a bit more and the internal stitches/incisions are moving around. Nothing to be worried about and completely normal (according to my office). But holy cats was it scary!!!! I thought FOR SURE something was wrong.

On Tuesday I will be 3-weeks Post-Op! I went back to work last week and OMG it was rough. I'm still not eating a lot, so I was EXHAUSTED by mid-day. I've been taking naps when I get home...like "If I don't lay down RIGHT NOW I'd going to fall asleep driving/standing up" kind of naps. Reminds me of the exhaustion during my pregnancy! Something they didn't tell me (but they said they did tell me): about 10-14 days post-op you might feel intense pain on your left side. Like a pulling, twinging, sharp pain that gets worse when you bend over or try to sit or even move the wrong way. Totally different pain that the post-op pain. Apparently this is caused because all the swelling is gone and your stomach/intestines are no longer "cushioned" within that swelling so they move around a bit more and the internal stitches/incisions are moving around. Nothing to be worried about and completely normal (according to my office). But holy cats was it scary!!!! I thought FOR SURE something was wrong. Water goals are FINALLY reached. Protein goals are still not being reached. I can't count protein shakes towards water goals at all, they count as meals. And I cannot drink an entire shake during 1 meal...it's split between 2. Vitamins are going well except the calcium. They have me taking TUMS for the first 3 months and I cannot for the life of me chew them and keep them down. I have to call them tomorrow to see if I can switch to something else because the TUMS make me so ill that I have stopped taking them all together. Had my first little "mini-stall" right on schedule during week 2. Lasted 3 days. I'm moving down again! I'm having a really, really big problem with constipation. I'm taking Miralax in my water every morning & 2 stool softeners daily and I still don't have any poop movement unless I take a mega-dose of additional laxatives. I'll go 3-4 days without pooping, then take the mega-dose of laxatives, have a really bad evening and then start over and do that cycle again. I've talked to my doctor about it and I don't think they are understanding what a big problem this is.

I hope everything goes well!! I had the same procedures; hernia + RNY on August 9th, so reach out to me if you have any questions!

I lost 11 pounds during my pre-op diet. Gained 7 back after surgery. I knew this was fluids, water and swelling but it still sucked to see the number go up. After I got home from the hospital I've lost weight every single day (except today!) so I'm down a total of 21.4 pounds (9.7 of it post-op). Same here! I am very rarely physically hungry (mentally, that's different!) and when I do eat things they are either: too sweet or just gross. I have to set timers to remind myself to eat otherwise I'd go all day without eating anything. The only things actually taste good to me are (all pureed): egg salad, the ricotta bake, runny sunnyside up eggs and Fairlife shakes. Yogurts and puddings all taste too sweet right now.

If you are in the puree stage, I highly recommend this! To add more protein, I added some pureed canned chicken. This is one of the better puree meals I have made so far. https://www.food.com/recipe/shellys-baked-ricotta-324036

It’s been a rough adjustment for sure, but since I had such a long wait time for insurance reasons, I slowly cut all caffeine out over the course of 7 months. Honestly, I don’t seem to mind all that much, but ask me again when we are on vacation somewhere with really good coffee!!

Jealous too!! My surgeon says no caffeine...for the rest of my life! ((cries in Nespresso))

Purée has been really challenging for me. I had a really horrible dumping episode during my liquid stage when I ate some pho broth and since then, I cannot even look at a broth without feeling sick. I'm still doing a lot of full liquids like shakes, yogurt, and protein puddings, but here is what I have added as purée: refried beans + taco seasoning + a sprinkle of low fat cheese chicken salad (canned chicken, pureed + fat free greek yogurt + low fat mayo + celery salt + pepper) mashed potatoes (the low sodium instant kind) french style scrambled eggs (really runny) + turkey sausage (pureed) + a sprinkle of low fat cheese sunny side up egg egg salad (same as the chicken salad, but add a bit of pickle juice; eggs are pureed) I'm not going to lie, getting past the texture & smell of the chicken salad was ROUGH, but it tasted good.

I had consults for almost a year before surgery and my surgeon told me as long as they weren't extended release tablets, then I could have them after bypass. Medications were high on my list on concerns since I have asthma and a mental health condition that I wasn't willing to mess around with. I've found there is so much variability among bariatric surgeons with meds, diets, etc. that it's so hard to compare experiences, but yeah, they were giving me pills at the hospital pre-op day 1.

Hi! Every doctor is different, but my program for the liquid stage was (3) servings of 2 oz per day...that's it. There was absolutely no way I'd even get close to any kind of protein goal. They said for this stage to focus on fluids more than food. But in my program, shakes count as food NOT liquid. If I could drink shakes as liquid + the 3 servings, I'd maybe get closer to protein goals, but nope. For me, they are food. Protein waters count as food too. I'm on puree now, but still nowhere near protein goals because even though I can have 4-5 servings of food each day, they are still only 2 oz portions. I haven't been able to get to 5 servings...I'm stuck on 4 per day. My body just doesn't want more and I don't want to force it. So, I've stopped stressing so much about protein goals and focus more on water goals right now. I know once the portion size increases and food consistency changes, I'll be able to meet those protein goals, but it's just not going to happen for me right now.

Hey there! I had RNY with hernia repair on August 9th so I can totally feel how you are feeling right now. I felt really horrible my first week home and I'm feeling slightly better this 2nd week. I felt pretty good at the hospital, but that was because I had constant IV fluids & they automatically gave me a variety of pain meds to manage pain (I was in a lot of pain). When I went home 2 days later, WOW, it was a shock to my system. I was exhausted all the time, probably because of the lack of fluids. Getting fluids in is HARD at this stage. Forget about trying to "eat" any liquids. It was a rough first week. Plus, I was so swollen and retaining so much water. My advice is rest as much as you need to right now. Don't feel guilty about resting. You just had 2 major surgeries (remember the hernia repair counts!!). I'm one of those people who is extremely active, so just allowing myself to lay down and rest was a challenge. I did too much one day and it was bad. My partner said I was the worst patient ever because I wouldn't listen to him and just REST and take the pain meds. Also, don't feel guilty about taking the pain meds either. I know society has made out these meds to be the big, bad guy (and they can be) but think about what your body has gone through...someone had opened it up, cut it apart, pulled stuff out, and stitched things back together. It's going to hurt even though we can't see it. I took the pain meds every 6 hours for at least the first week home. I'm on week 2 now and I take them less, but I still need something to manage the pain. During the first week, I did get up and walk every couple of hours just to prevent blood clots. But, it wasn't like I was hiking or anything. Just circles inside my house and very slow, short walks outside with my partner. I am on 6 prescription meds (all pills) and they gave them to me at the hospital, but I was only allowed 2 at a time so it took all day to get those 6 into my body. I'm following the same schedule at home + all my new vitamins (it's a full time job!)

I am also 1 week post-op today and feel the same way. I'm overwhelmed, exhausted, in pain, timers are constantly going off...it's getting so hard to keep track of stuff even with apps. Just thinking about going back to work next week has me in a panic. BUT, I know it will get easier and easier and the pounds are coming off so no real regrets now. I just wish I was someone who bounced back a bit quicker.

Much happiness and good thoughts to everyone who is having surgery this week! I'm officially 1 week post-op RNY (with hernia repair)! Here is what I've learned this week from my surgeon, my partner (who is a nurse) and myself: 1) If you are in pain, take your meds. There is no shame in taking pain meds for a major surgery. Everyone's pain tolerance is different and I have been in a fair to high amount of pain since surgery. I'm not sure if it's the RNY plus the hernia repair that is causing this level of pain, but I took whatever pain meds the nurses gave during my hospital stay (there was a combination) and then every 6 hours after I was discharged for the first 3 days and now I'm only taking them when I feel pain, but I still feel pain, so I'm still taking them. 2) Rest. I'm a person who is always on the go and it's been difficult for me to just REST. It's driving my partner (the nurse) crazy. He keeps reminding me "It's only been ____ days! You just had two major surgeries! Rest please!! Sit down! Take a nap!" Don't feel guilty about resting your first week (or weeks) home. 2) PLAN PLAN PLAN. Once I was on full liquids I was shocked at how low the protein value is per BARIATRIC SERVING and quickly realized if I didn't plan what I was going to eat and when I was going to eat it, this will get out of control really fast. Yes, a container of protein greek yogurt has 20 grams of protein in it (a 5.3 oz container), but if you are only eating 2 oz servings at a time, you have cut your protein down to 7.5 g per serving. I've added Isopure to almost everything I eat and I do 5g Isopure per 2 oz food which adds another 4g protein. 3) It's extremely difficult to get your 64 oz of water in. Pre-surgery I was like "that will be easy." Nope. Not at all. First, your new pouch will only hold a sip or two at a time. Too much and it will hurt. And once you are eating full liquids or purees, you have to stop drinking 30 min before, 30 minutes after (and another 10/15/20 to actually eat your food) and if you are eating 3-5x a day...this becomes a full time job. I know it will get easier, but it has been overwhelming right now.

I'm a teacher too and I totally get what you are saying about it being more stressful to take more time off vs going into work! I'm a teacher so I have to be there when school starts. I hope I get stronger every day, but if not I can have my teaching assistants do a fair amount of work for me for a couple weeks. I think I may have overestimated my recovery rate, but this was the earliest I could get the surgery done, so 2 weeks will have to do!

I go back to work next Monday and I'm scared!!! My surgeon wanted me off work until Sept 12th and OMG would that have been amazing! Mostly I'm worried about the fatigue. I am almost 1-week post op and I'm pretty much exhausted all the time. I had my post-op checkup today and by the time I got home I was dragging and needed a nap.

I had the same experience during the endoscopy. I have extreme anxiety when I get put into an operating room. It really scares me. I let me team know this during my pre-op appointment and I told them again the morning of surgery when I was getting ready. My anxiety was spiking through the roof and I was starting to panic a bit. They gave me a xanax which seemed to help. I think I was waiting in the pre-op area for about 2 hours, getting ready and last minute testing done, meeting all the people who would be in the OR. I'm not sure if it was the xanax or I just blocked it out, but I don't remember being taken to the OR and I only vaguely remember moving onto the OR bed. The next thing I remember is being in my regular hospital room (I don't even remember the post-op room). I was really scared of going under anesthesia and the surgery itself, I was so happy it was over.