Exhausted

[ladyofthehouse 0]

can anyone advise or has anyone had experience of this ? I had my sleeve done 5 weeks ago. According to the doctor I had a "severe significant bleed. I had 4 blood transfusions. My blood work is okay but I am permenantly exhausted. My doctor said the exhaustion is due to the "trauma of the surgery, the trauma of the bleed and the huge decrease in calories"...a sort of Perfect Storm. I'm becoming completely nuerotic that I'm developing chronic fatigue syndrome and its scaring the life out of me ! Did anyone else out there suffer from severe fatigue post op --even 5 weeks out ? I'm getting really anxious and frustrated , yet my doctor says it may take me 3 to six months to recover. Any replies would be hugely welcome ( and any hints and tips on how to cope ) .Thank you .

[SKCUNNINGHAM 298]

Make sure you are getting in all your Protein. Make sure you are getting in your Vitamins - and I expect you will need extra Iron. As soon as you are on food, I imagine your doctor will want you to eat red meat. And, make sure you are getting in your B12.< /p>

It took me longer than 5 weeks to feel 100%, and I didn't have the bleeding you did. I hope you feel better soon.

[Lisa821 29]

I did not experience a bleed of any kind but I have been exhausted since about my 3rd wk post op. It has gotten a little better but I'm not sure why. I am 9 weeks post op now. I think I am getting a little more energy because I can consistantly eat 800 cal/day, 60-70g protein/day, get plently of fluids and always take my Vitamins. I take a chewable gummie Multivitamin, sublingual B12, Vit D3 50,000iu, Iron and 2 Calcium chews/day. I was really bad at eating and taking my vitamins at first. Also, I had to return to work right away. I guess that's my "perfect storm"....perhaps. But I do know the exhaustion that you speak of. It sucks! I really hope it gets better for you soon.

[ladyofthehouse 0]

I did not experience a bleed of any kind but I have been exhausted since about my 3rd wk post op. It has gotten a little better but I'm not sure why. I am 9 weeks post op now. I think I am getting a little more energy because I can consistantly eat 800 cal/day, 60-70g protein/day, get plently of fluids and always take my Vitamins. I take a chewable gummie multivitamin, sublingual B12, Vit D3 50,000iu, Iron and 2 Calcium chews/day. I was really bad at eating and taking my vitamins at first. Also, I had to return to work right away. I guess that's my "perfect storm"....perhaps. But I do know the exhaustion that you speak of. It sucks! I really hope it gets better for you soon.

[ladyofthehouse 0]

[

How did you manage to get in so many calories and all the Protein ? I cant eat enough to get that level of calories in unless I have 2 Protein drinks made with milk ...which gives me approximately a start figure of about 430 cals . My stomach wont hold anywhere near the small platefull they're advising ( about 6 inches in diameter ). I was told the "bougie" they used to form the sleeve was 36.1ml , but I dont know what this means in terms of food intake. My doctor has only suggested a multivitamin. I'm not on Iron ( they said my Iron levels are okay) and they havent said anything about B12 or Vitamin d3 or Calcium. I rally wish I hadnt had this operation.

[LVikingFan 14]

I was really tired for about 3-4 months. I had no complications, but NO ENERGY! The only thing abnormal about my bloodwork has been a really low Vitamin D. I am now taking Vitamin D and trying to go outside more often and catch some sun. I am fortunate that I am retired and don't have to get up and go to work, because I really don't think I could have.

Don't give up, the first few months are hard, after all this isn't a "miracle cure". I am now almost 6 months out, down 80 pounds and have accepted the sleeve way of life as my new normal. At first it seemed like that was all I thought about, but now I am living life and food is not my #1 thought. The B12 and Iron would probably give you a little boost. I just take a sublingual B12 and chew up a childrens vitamin with iron each day.

[Lisa821 29]

I think it was right around my 5th week when I got so sick of being exhausted that I actually started looking at eating like a job. I had to have two Protein Shakes a day, ate 6-7 times a day, I had to have mashed potato to get higher calories and I was able to eat meats. I would always start with my meat and could only eat about 1/2 cup of solid food at a sitting. However, I could drink a whole EAS Protein Shake over 35 minutes. It was hard and truly felt like a full time job. Now alot more of the swelling in my sleeve has gone down and I can eat about 3/4 cup of solid food at a time. I still eat 5-6 times a day. I have to, otherwise I don't get enough. My doctor is aware and is fine with that because not everyone can function on three meals a day. I have had only one pretty long stall at 3 weeks, which is quite common. Now I lose 1-2lbs/wk and sometimes 3.

Like LVikingFan, I wonder what your Vit D is?? Also, I'm an RN and have worked with post op patients on a medical/surgical floor and i know that surgery truly takes alot out of a person. You not only had a procedure you also had a bleed so I would expect that you would be very tired for quite a long time. I would advise you to keep reporting to your doctor about your fatigue. I hope what I have told you helps.

[BunnyLove 28]

[

...My doctor has only suggested a multivitamin. I'm not on Iron ( they said my Iron levels are okay) and they havent said anything about B12 or Vitamin d3 or Calcium. I rally wish I hadnt had this operation.

Ladyofthehouse, I feel for you. This isn't an easy journey, especially if you're doing it without much advice. Here are the Vitamins that I was told I needed and, while I'm dealing with severe fatigue, I have some other health issues that are unrelated to WLS. Please get these and see if your situation improves: at a minimum, they can't hurt. These are taken daily.

1. Complete multivitamin (any will do, but gummies are greate because they dissolve completely and have a higher absorption rate).
   
2. Vitamin B12 sublingual (1000 ug) (I take this last because it tastes good and gets rid of all the other medicine tastes, if any).
   
3. Calcium supplement (1200 mg/day) calcium citrate has the best absorption, but calcium carbonate (which is the kind in the chews) is absorbed well when taken with acids like Vitamin C. Just keep this in mind and you can take whichever you like.
   
4. Vitamin D 2000 UI
   

Good luck, and know that you're not alone. When you've reached your goal and are back to feeling normal, this will be a dim memory, promise!

[reallyrosy 161]

can anyone advise or has anyone had experience of this ? I had my sleeve done 5 weeks ago. According to the doctor I had a "severe significant bleed. I had 4 blood transfusions. My blood work is okay but I am permenantly exhausted. My doctor said the exhaustion is due to the "trauma of the surgery, the trauma of the bleed and the huge decrease in calories"...a sort of Perfect Storm. I'm becoming completely nuerotic that I'm developing chronic fatigue syndrome and its scaring the life out of me ! Did anyone else out there suffer from severe fatigue post op --even 5 weeks out ? I'm getting really anxious and frustrated , yet my doctor says it may take me 3 to six months to recover. Any replies would be hugely welcome ( and any hints and tips on how to cope ) .Thank you .

Interesting: just had an email exchange with my doc office in which I complained about fatigue and malaise. I just don't care about doing anything. Absolutely nothing engages my interest. I also bled copiously during surgery but not enuf to require xfusion. But I go to the gym and come home to sleep at least 2 hrs. After that I don't know what to do with myself. And, I'm hungry, to boot. I'm 5 weeks out today and graduate to meat mush tomorrow. Big whoop. I felt the same @ the surgery and think I still do.

I need a hobby that doesn't require creativity...cuz I think that was excised with the ghrelin gremlin.

Oh the doc office said I wasn't getting enuf Water (rolling on the floor doing the backstroke) ha!

[lsereno 2,525]

I didn't get my full energy back till the fourth or maybe it was the fifth month out. I agree with the list of Vitamins Lisa821 recommended along with a B multivitamin.

I drank two Protein shakes a day to get my Protein in till I was able to eat enough protein.

Go easy on yourself and please don't spend a lot of time regretting your surgery. For one thing, it's a done deal now and for another, the issues you are having are miserable, but temporary. One day, you will bop up in the morning, realize you are thinner that you ever dreamed of getting on your own, and that you feel GREAT! It just takes time.

Lynda

[ladyofthehouse 0]

did any of you get frightened by the level of your exhaustion ? I'm really panisking about it > ive been awake 2 hours and my exhaustion has got progressively more intense and I ve only been up 2 hours now. I feel like I want to lie down. There just seems no end to this . Ifeel sick in the mornings which makes me want to vomit - which in turn, makes me not want to eat . i feel as if Im going mad

[w8loss4me 15]

did any of you get frightened by the level of your exhaustion ? I'm really panisking about it > ive been awake 2 hours and my exhaustion has got progressively more intense and I ve only been up 2 hours now. I feel like I want to lie down. There just seems no end to this . Ifeel sick in the mornings which makes me want to vomit - which in turn, makes me not want to eat . i feel as if Im going mad

I am only a little over a week post op and I have the SAME thing. I am sick in the mornings and get tired very soon afterwards. I take my Vitamins and my Protein Shakes (since I'm still on the liquid phase) but I'm still feeling lethargic. It seems like fatigue can last for a long while from what's been said on the previous posts. I guess this too shall pass with time....

[Shae 44]

did any of you get frightened by the level of your exhaustion ? I'm really panisking about it > ive been awake 2 hours and my exhaustion has got progressively more intense and I ve only been up 2 hours now. I feel like I want to lie down. There just seems no end to this . Ifeel sick in the mornings which makes me want to vomit - which in turn, makes me not want to eat . i feel as if Im going mad

I don't know if this applies to you or not but is there any possibility that you could be pregnant? This sounds a lot like I felt in my first few weeks of pregnancy...

If it does not apply, then I agree with the above that you need to get in the Protein and Vitamins.< /p>

[Shea 13]

I'm fatigue also but it's not everyday. it happens about two or three days a week then the other days like today I feel great. I take all of my Vitamins everyday, and get my Water in. I just think I'm still healing from surgery which was 31/2 weeks ago. I'm glad it's not everyday because it sucks working when you feel like it's the last place you want to be. It does suck and I will be so glad when it goes away completely because I'm a single mother of two children and on those fatigue days I dont even want to talk to them or help with their homework. I'm also in school full time working on my masters degree and consentrating is near impossible.