NEED HELP .... Vitamins and SEVERE GI Distress!

[jojolynn73 3]

Pre surgery I suffered from severe IBS (I think?). I actually don't have a clear answer. I had daily, debilitating cramping and issues with the bathroom...also, gas, bloating, and just the worst pain. Funny, when I wasn't eating after surgery, all of my GI issues went away. I am gluten, dairy, egg, soy, sugar free. Doesn't seem to matter, I am sick. My life doesn't feel worth living because these issues are so bad and so painful.

I've been trying to take my bariatric Vitamins and they are making my GI distress so much worse. I've even tried Flintstones, and I can't do those. I spent 1/2 my day or more in bed or on the bathroom floor writhing in pain...every day.

Does anyone have any advice on the vitamins? I am scared because I had bypass, so I know I have to take them..

THank you.

[SpartanMaker 786]

Please, please talk to your doctor. Some issues with Vitamins is normal, but the rest of what you're describing is not.

[Nougato 3]

The severe pain you’re describing sounds like it might be gall stones. Very common after sleeve surgery. I just had my gallbladder taken out and I’m six months post op. you may want to talk to your surgeon & have a blood test to check for elevated liver enzymes.

[ShoppGirl 4,888]

Some people who just absolutely cannot take the Vitamins do the Patches. Thete is not a ton of research to back their effectiveness but I have seen a few people on here who claim their labs have been good. It couldn’t hurt to try if nothing else is working??

[Possum220 230]

Certainly check back in with your surgeon in case it is not related to the Vitamins. This certainly warrants looking in to. On another note when I used to take Iron there was heaps of going to the bathroom related to that. It stopped when I stopped taking the iron.

[Arabesque 7,335]

Have to admit my first thought was lactose intolerance, which can occur after surgery but you said you’re dairy free. My second thought was artificial sweeteners - many, especially the sugar alcohol ones can cause gastric distress like you described. https://www.livestrong.com/article/510270-can-artificial-sweetners-upset-your-stomach/

But whatever the cause, I agree with the others, contact your surgeon as soon as you can.

[summerseeker 2,169]

10 hours ago, Possum220 said:

Certainly check back in with your surgeon in case it is not related to the Vitamins. This certainly warrants looking in to. On another note when I used to take Iron there was heaps of going to the bathroom related to that. It stopped when I stopped taking the Iron.

Me too, ditched the iron and have been ok since. Hurrah

[liveaboard15 1,293]

11 hours ago, Nougato said:

The severe pain you’re describing sounds like it might be gall stones. Very common after sleeve surgery. I just had my gallbladder taken out and I’m six months post op. you may want to talk to your surgeon & have a blood test to check for elevated liver enzymes.

Were you not put on medication to dissolve gall stones after your sleeve surgery? I am on it for at least a year.

[catwoman7 11,216]

13 hours ago, Nougato said:

The severe pain you’re describing sounds like it might be gall stones. Very common after sleeve surgery. I just had my gallbladder taken out and I’m six months post op. you may want to talk to your surgeon & have a blood test to check for elevated liver enzymes.

elevated liver enzymes don't necessarily mean anything is wrong. It's very common to have them the first year or so post-surgery. It's because rapid weight loss is really hard on livers.

[Possum220 230]

On 8/21/2022 at 8:22 AM, jojolynn73 said:

Pre surgery I suffered from severe IBS (I think?). I actually don't have a clear answer. I had daily, debilitating cramping and issues with the bathroom...also, gas, bloating, and just the worst pain. Funny, when I wasn't eating after surgery, all of my GI issues went away. I am gluten, dairy, egg, soy, sugar free. Doesn't seem to matter, I am sick. My life doesn't feel worth living because these issues are so bad and so painful.

I've been trying to take my bariatric Vitamins and they are making my GI distress so much worse. I've even tried Flintstones, and I can't do those. I spent 1/2 my day or more in bed or on the bathroom floor writhing in pain...every day.

Does anyone have any advice on the Vitamins? I am scared because I had bypass, so I know I have to take them..

THank you.

Hi jojolynn73 Are you feeling better? Did you check back in with a doctor? Hope things are getting better for you.

Edited August 28, 2022 by Possum220

[jojolynn73 3]

On 8/27/2022 at 6:43 PM, Possum220 said:

Hi jojolynn73 Are you feeling better? Did you check back in with a doctor? Hope things are getting better for you.

Hello... I am not well at all. I was in the hospital twice this past week. Each time I eat now I get pain in my mid/left abdomen that is quite severe. My stool is also almost white. It was yellow and horrible...I started eating Beans at each meal which helped...but now my stool looks almost white. I am exhausted after eating... and at about 2-3 hours after each meal, I am having severe hypoglycemia. I don't know who to turn to for help. I would give anything to have a reversal of this surgery. When I went to the hospital, my Lipase test was elevated. They didn't seem concerned at all. They did a CT scan which showed nothing.

I switched to the capsules of bariatric Vitamins. They seem to be tolerated ok. I also had another bladder infection... I just finished my antibiotics, but I am pretty sure the infection is still there. I also had a bad SVT arrythmia at the hosptial. I feel like all systems in my body are shutting down. My surgery was June 29th. I am scared.

[ShoppGirl 4,888]

31 minutes ago, jojolynn73 said:

Hello... I am not well at all. I was in the hospital twice this past week. Each time I eat now I get pain in my mid/left abdomen that is quite severe. My stool is also almost white. It was yellow and horrible...I started eating Beans at each meal which helped...but now my stool looks almost white. I am exhausted after eating... and at about 2-3 hours after each meal, I am having severe hypoglycemia. I don't know who to turn to for help. I would give anything to have a reversal of this surgery. When I went to the hospital, my Lipase test was elevated. They didn't seem concerned at all. They did a CT scan which showed nothing.

I switched to the capsules of bariatric Vitamins. They seem to be tolerated ok. I also had another bladder infection... I just finished my antibiotics, but I am pretty sure the infection is still there. I also had a bad SVT arrythmia at the hosptial. I feel like all systems in my body are shutting down. My surgery was June 29th. I am scared.

I am so sorry you are dealing with all this. Did you get any paperwork with referrals from the hospital? They don’t always get to the bottom of things at the hospital. They have to make sure you do not have any life threatening issues and they do sometimes stumble on a diagnosis while testing for those major things but they will usually just give you a referral to another doctor for things that come up that are not an emergency. If the hospital didn’t refer you to anyone, I would start with your family doctor. They can tell you what specialist may be able to help you. They can also run your urine or order a lab to run it to see if your infection has cleared or not. I hope you find some answers soon.

Edited August 29, 2022 by ShoppGirl

[jojolynn73 3]

24 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

I am so sorry you are dealing with all this. Did you get any paperwork with referrals from the hospital? They don’t always get to the bottom of things at the hospital. They have to make sure you do not have any life threatening issues and they do sometimes stumble on a diagnosis while testing for those major things but they will usually just give you a referral to another doctor for things that come up that are not an emergency. If the hospital didn’t refer you to anyone, I would start with your family doctor. They can tell you what specialist may be able to help you. They can also run your urine or order a lab to run it to see if your infection has cleared or not. I hope you find some answers soon.

I do have some appointments coming up.. It is just so distressing. I've had to step down from teaching due to my ongoing health issues. I am only 49. I am single and only have my income and health insurance. I have a few doctor appointments this week and then another endoscopic ultrasound and biopsy in September. Instead of getting better after my bypass, I am getting worse. I am just tired..

[ShoppGirl 4,888]

Just now, jojolynn73 said:

I do have some appointments coming up.. It is just so distressing. I've had to step down from teaching due to my ongoing health issues. I am only 49. I am single and only have my income and health insurance. I have a few doctor appointments this week and then another endoscopic ultrasound and biopsy in September. Instead of getting better after my bypass, I am getting worse. I am just tired..

I can only imagine. Hopefully they find something at one of your appointments this week. My fingers are crossed for you.

[jojolynn73 3]

29 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

I can only imagine. Hopefully they find something at one of your appointments this week. My fingers are crossed for you.

Thank you... 🙂