Feel like I never had surgery?

[Guest]

Excuse my venting. Im lying awake and obsessing over if all this is normal or not.

I'm 4 weeks and 2 days out. I can drink Water normally, with cramping only if I accidentally "gulp" (habit). No foods make me sick, and I can already eat fruits and vegetables with no pain and no consequence at all. (Please no lectures, I've definitely had some weak moments and tried eating "normal" food. Never any Desserts, fried foods, etc. More like the foods we'd get on week 6.) Nothing. No pain, cramping, nada.

I get the full/satisfied feeling and it wears off after an hour or two. Then I'm hungry again.

I never feel like the 4 TBSP per meal is enough, and I definitely don't get that sickening feeling people get after "two bites", even when eating ground turkey.

I don't get dumping syndrome.

I'm worried something is wrong, that I'm not responding right, or I'm going to get off track. Part of me thinks, if I can eat these things (veggies, fruits) without consequences, why wouldn't? (Despite what I know.) It's difficult when I have no repercussions. I'm still losing weight.

Are these things normal? Did my stomach stretch out already in 4 weeks? Can I incorporate foods early if I can tolerate it?

Why do I feel like I'm not reacting normally to the procedure.

For reference, tomorrow is my one-month to the day of operation and I'm down 24 lbs from a starting weight of 216, so I'm not doing terribly.

Any insight, advice, words of wisdom that will help my anxiety would be appreciated.

Edited August 28, 2020 by Guest

[summerset 5,265]

1 hour ago, Keatsy said:

No foods make me sick, and I can already eat fruits and vegetables with no pain and no consequence at all.

Good! Be grateful you can eat fruit and vegetables without problems!

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I never feel like the 4 TBSP per meal is enough, and I definitely don't get that sickening feeling people get after "two bites", even when eating ground turkey.

I never had that either. I especially don't understand how people are still feeling sick and full after two bites even months out.

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I don't get dumping syndrome.

You wouldn't want to get it.

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Part of me thinks, if I can eat these things (veggies, fruits) without consequences, why wouldn't? (Despite what I know.) It's difficult when I have no repercussions. I'm still losing weight.

So what's the problem? Eat your fruits and vegetables. Most people don't eat enough of that post-WLS when looking at some of the daily meal plans people are occasionally posting. And no, "pills" can't make up for that.

Both dumping syndrome and other repercussions are not educational tools of WLS (it makes me a special kind of sick when people look at it this way) and in every other surgical department they would be seen as problems to be solved after gastrointestinal surgery.

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Are these things normal? Did my stomach stretch out already in 4 weeks? Can I incorporate foods early if I can tolerate it?

These things are normal. Patients respond very differently. I had five abdominal surgeries (yes, all WLS related) and never had much pain and always easy recovery. The last time building up my food tolerance was harder than before though. I was cleared for everything after 3 weeks instead of 4 this time but had to be more careful with introducing new foods this time, had some stomach cramps and aches I never had before, even several weeks after surgery etc. - and nope, you wouldn't want to have these.

In general patients at the hospital I had surgery at are cleared for all foods after 4 weeks (as stated above after my revision I was cleared for all foods after 3 weeks, so even earlier than this). After these 4 weeks it was advised to introduce new foods with caution but apart from "get your Protein in" there was also "get your vegetables and healthy fats in" and immediate post-op nutrition (starting day 2 post-op) contained e. g. apple sauce and blended bananas in yoghurt/quark. However, people are also advised to take it slowly and to get back to lighter foods if eating more heavy solids causes problems.

So plans vary big. Pre-op. Immediate post-op. Mid-term. Long-term. It depends on the treatment team.

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Why do I feel like I'm not reacting normally to the procedure.

Maybe because you've been driven crazy by lots of things. You looked at fellow patients in the hospital. You read success stories on the internet. You're comparing yourself to other users on here.

All of these things can raise anxiety levels big time.

Edited August 28, 2020 by summerset

[Danny Paul 761]

The response to WLS is different for most people. Beside myself I have four other family members and friends that have had WLS. Their experiences are different from mine and each other. One went through what you are experiencing. There was so much doubt that her surgery was not successful compared to the others. That could not be further from the truth. She does get hungry but she gets a feeling of fullness because she eats dense Proteins as her primary source of nourishment. While eating fruits and vegetables (F/V)are good for her eating dense proteins is great for her. F/V do not fill her up as much as the dense proteins do. She eats a lot of fish which gives her a feeling of fullness faster and longer. This quells her hunger. Despite eating fewer F/V her blood work shows she is on point with all of her nutrients. One other thing, to this day she (1 1/2 years post surgery) practices eating 30 minutes after drinking Water. This allows her to better space out her eating.

My experience is different as was the experience of other family and friends. Don't worry, continue to reap the benefits of the rapid weight loss but prepare yourself for the hardest part of the journey, maintaining the weight loss and keeping the health benefits.

[catwoman7 11,211]

I had a very easy recovery as well. But if you want to be successful, don't push the envelope. Follow your plan. I almost never went off my plan that first year...

[GreenTealael 25,330]

5 hours ago, summerset said:

Maybe because you've been driven crazy by lots of things. You looked at fellow patients in the hospital. You read success stories on the internet. You're comparing yourself to other users on here.

All of these things can raise anxiety levels big time.

The problem.

[Guest]

Thanks guys. I felt better this morning as I weighed myself and lost another lb.

I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing, maybe while dropping some of the more questionable habits (e.g. giving myself time to heal before doing fruits and veggies.)

As usual, thanks for letting me vent. Sometimes it gets me through another day and I appreciate the time taken to respond.

[summerset 5,265]

That reminds me that maybe I should drop some questionable habits, too. Lol.

Some more black coffee and dark chocolate anyone?

Edited August 28, 2020 by summerset

[Guest]

2 hours ago, summerset said:

That reminds me that maybe I should drop some questionable habits, too. Lol.

Some more black coffee and dark chocolate anyone?

I think we could all drop some questionable habits...once in awhile. 😄

[kaRmakat 4]

I’m not doing quite as well as you, but I’m able to drink Water and thin liquids pretty readily also and I’m able to eat about 1/2 a cup. l’m still on purées and not trying anything outside of that but I have been wondering if I am abnormal.

[tarotcardreader 196]

On 8/27/2020 at 8:27 PM, Keatsy said:

Excuse my venting. Im lying awake and obsessing over if all this is normal or not.

I'm 4 weeks and 2 days out. I can drink Water normally, with cramping only if I accidentally "gulp" (habit). No foods make me sick, and I can already eat fruits and vegetables with no pain and no consequence at all. (Please no lectures, I've definitely had some weak moments and tried eating "normal" food. Never any Desserts, fried foods, etc. More like the foods we'd get on week 6.) Nothing. No pain, cramping, nada.

I get the full/satisfied feeling and it wears off after an hour or two. Then I'm hungry again.

I never feel like the 4 TBSP per meal is enough, and I definitely don't get that sickening feeling people get after "two bites", even when eating ground turkey.

I don't get dumping syndrome.

I'm worried something is wrong, that I'm not responding right, or I'm going to get off track. Part of me thinks, if I can eat these things (veggies, fruits) without consequences, why wouldn't? (Despite what I know.) It's difficult when I have no repercussions. I'm still losing weight.

Are these things normal? Did my stomach stretch out already in 4 weeks? Can I incorporate foods early if I can tolerate it?

Why do I feel like I'm not reacting normally to the procedure.

For reference, tomorrow is my one-month to the day of operation and I'm down 24 lbs from a starting weight of 216, so I'm not doing terribly.

Any insight, advice, words of wisdom that will help my anxiety would be appreciated.

I think this is a grass is greener scenario. I am still having open wounds that need worked on and i have a considerable amount of pain but i am only a little over a week out. i also -sometimes- cant go more than a 1/2 ounce on puree without my nose running. I am having a real tough time getting the Fluid in at 1 ounce limit. real. but everyday is a new day. im following my programs plan so i wont be eating the carbs til appropriate. however, i am not meeting even the Protein minimum in the plan. 1 oz protein but cant drink if eat. its very rough to even meet one of the goals let alone both. i believe it is possible that some people have a looser connection point to their intestines which can make things easier than this which may be why yours seems so easy. however because i had a higher bmi i got the bypass to the max even the intestine length is 150cm. so thats probably why i am on the struggle bus but i wasnt going to go through it unless it was done all the way you know lol