6 Weeks Post-Op And Regretting The Surgery

[ocean_ophelia 31]

Hi everyone,

I don't want to be Debbie Downer, but I'm 6 weeks post-op today and feel just horrible, so horrible that I'm having serious regrets about doing this, especially since my BMI was only 31. I've lost 30 pounds, which is great, but I honestly don't even care because I've been plagued by horrendous nausea. I'm nauseous all the time, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. I'm nauseous if I don't eat, and then eating soothes it a bit, and then it starts up again after meals. I feel like I did in my first-trimester of pregnancy, except I'm not pregnant and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. I'm also having diarrhea/loose stools.

I can't get any Protein in. I've been living on homemade egg drop Soup and saltines. Everything else makes me sick. I now have an aversion to most things I've eaten due to the nausea.

I saw a doctor. They can't find anything wrong. I don't have gallstones. The sleeve looks fine. I don't have an infection. I'm taking omperazole. I was very nauseous the first three days post-op, but I figured that was due to the anesthesia. The nausea went away but returned with a vengence about three weeks post-op and it's been ongoing for weeks now.

I can't find any information about this. My surgeon is telling me the sleeve shouldn't be making me nauseous, and it's not a malabsorptive surgery so I shouldn't have diarrhea, but it's clearly the sleeve! I had no issues pre-op with my digestive system!

Has anyone else experienced this and had it go away? I'm just so depressed. I don't want to live this way. It's debillitating.

[Lauraann 11]

I too had diarrhea starting during my liquid pre op all the way to 8 weeks post op. I was on Omperazole since 2006 and after my sleeve surgery I had reflux so bad, I would be in the recliner instead of the bed at night crying. Dr changed me to Prevacid 30 mg once a day and that is all gone now, I am 10 weeks out and feel wonderful.

I hope you get feeling better, I did not regret but was irritated for alittle while. It all worked out, now I would never go back.

Laura

[Lauraann 11]

I think I would start with trying a different med for reflux, maybe it is reflux that is making you nauseous. Especially if it is lasting all day every day.

I had a lot of nausea the first 2 weeks, used the compazine my boss( also my surgeon) gave me and that helped.

Laura

[longer-life 139]

Also suppositories (for nausea) should calm it down so you can eat much more. Eating so little is most likely contributing to it and you are in a vicious cycle.

Keep looking for answers. I had nausea & food aversions for a few weeks (my Cpap machine was filling me with air) and I had the nurse and my surgeon on speed dial until we figured it out! It took many phone calls, a barium swallow and 2 weeks but we found the problem. Best wishes!

Ps. In the meantime I hope you are doing the usual home remedies. Drinking warm peppermint tea, smelling rubbing alcohol, adding some fresh ginger to your tea etc.

[longer-life 139]

Laurann glad to hear it is all gone now!

[ocean_ophelia 31]

Maybe I should try a different OTC reflux medication?

Laurann, I am glad to hear you're better. That gives me hope!

Longer-life, I have tried peppermint tea, have not thought of rubbing alcohol. Are the nausea suppositories OTC? What seemed to help you?

[KellyL 173]

Sorry to hear about the nausea, I have seen a few people have this problem. I too suggest trying a different PPI and you may have to double dose til you find relief. The reason I think it may be acid is because you get a little relief when you eat then it starts up again a little later. Also, you may need to be tested for H.Pylori if you haven't already. I know you're miserable, but don't give up!! I hope you get better soon.

[longer-life 139]

Maybe I should try a different OTC reflux medication?

Longer-life, I have tried peppermint tea, have not thought of rubbing alcohol. Are the nausea suppositories OTC? What seemed to help you?

In regards to reflux my surgeon started me with an H2Blocker (pepcid) and that wasn't enough. He then switched me to a PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitor) and that wasn't enough so he added a prescription antacid to that. Now the PPI alone works great on most days. It takes quite a few days for it to work perfectly. I also learned here to take it as soon as I get up with a sip of liquid and not eat or drink anything else for 1/2 hour. I no longer have reflux issues.

The nausea suppositories are not OTC. You might need them on a regular basis so you can eat & drink. Not eating enough calories causes nausea and you will continue feeling terrible. I was advised to drink regular gatorade to increase my calories and hydrate, ginger was mentioned too, but those were temporary measures until we found the problem. As soon as I stopped using my Cpap machine, the nausea went away.

I dry heaved at the hospital and the first thing the bariatric nurse did was give my sister some rubbing alcohol so she put put it under my nose. I still do it if I overeat.

Where did you have your surgery? Are you not getting answers from your surgeon?

[Punkypoo 9]

Ocean,

I am going to go down a short list to see if you've considered any of these solutions that cause nausea:

1. Could be an inner ear issue with equalibrium- a friend of mine had this problem

2. Could be blood pressure related- usually if low BP

3. possible vision changes?

4. Dehydrated

5. Side affect from meds- may want to try suppository for nausea

In the meantime hang in there. You did have a low BMI mine is 36 and I am 7 days post op. I go for my first post op visit tomorrow. Cant wait to see how much i lost. I am lucky and have had no real sick feeling. I have a lot of gurgling drives me nuts. Good luck and hope you feel better.

[BenisaMartim4 369]

There is also a chance that is could be a case of colitis. I have had it twice; once for two months and the other for three. It causes nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea. It also makes a person weak and lethargic. Might want to get an appointment with the GI doc to be tested for this and H. Pylori. Hope you feel better soon

[Pookeyism 1,143]

Even though it seems like it must be the sleeve, don't automatically assume that. I know of at least two people who were having bad post-surgery symptoms that it took forever to fix and it was due to the fact that they assumed it was the surgery.

In both cases the surgery and stress may have allowed the other conditions to worsen, but they were already there, just overlooked in the excitement/stress of surgery.

Have a blood work up again, maybe? If nothing else just check your white blood cell count.

[jenni_867 14]

Omeprazole didnt do anything for me. I currently take zantac 150's once in the morning, and one at bedtime. My dr prescribed nexium 40's, but i didn't care for them. Once my sour stomach settled down the naseau and acid really settled down. Around the 5-8 week mark i ate ALOT of cheese and crackers. Just until my tummy wasn't so sensitive.....

Hopefully something like this is your issue and not something more serious.

[jenni_867 14]

Btw, i also was 31 BMIer.... I have problems getting Protein in too, but I eat Protein Bars rather than the shakes. YUCK! Those shakes made me sicky too. I think it was the whey in them. Try nibbling on a bar. I don't stress myself out over the protein. I get in what i can, but i'm faithful with Vitamins.< /p>

[To Be Thin 2011 80]

Hello!

I had bouts with nauseous that were incredible....Mine started about week 3 and did not quit until week 9. I could find no rhyme or reason, it could hit me in the morning, noon or night, before I ate or after I ate - there was nothing I could put any connection to... I felt that I possibly overate, but then it would happen with just a protien shake in my tummy. I thought possibly a connection with too much gas, but I really dont know. I do know when it hit me it was incredible... there were times I literally had to lay on the bathroom floor as I was so sickly feeling, I described it to my doc as "I was moving like on a boat", the room was not moving, I was moving, the feeling in my gut was incredible ~ I did not know if I was going to vomit or have diarhea..although I never did either it sure felt like I was going to. I would have the cold sweats, could not get air... It could happen once a day, 3 times a day or I could go a couple days without an attack... I didnt call it nauseous, I called it an attack... there may even be old posts that I did when this was happening to me. They rescoped my sleeve, they ran different tests, -- no medical reason why this was happening to me...The doc told me to stop trying to push the protien in me, and to only eat when I was hungry... I always was on prescription previcid, the doc added a stomach calming pill to take 1/2 b/4 I ate.... I have no idea if I just needed time for things to calm down, or if I was still trying to overeat in order to get my protien.. no idea but, it did pass and I was so very grateful! I understand the thoughts of regret, until someone is literally laying on a floor in pain - they dont understand! I even had to extend my medical leave from work because I could not risk having a nauseous attack at work...

For me....I have no regrets, as bad as my nauseous was I love what the sleeve has allowed me to do, finally, lose wieght...

Good Luck, hopefully better days are ahead for you...

[ocean_ophelia 31]

I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. I may try nexium. I was tested for H. Pylori and was negative. I honstly had no digestive issues at all before surgery, and I don't even feel like I have reflux now, just the horrid nausea.

I'm also in a rough position because I had my surgery in Mexico, so there's not calling my surgeon; well, I could call him, but he can't prescribe anything. It sucks.