MGB 4 months post op. I’ve lost more than just weight…

[SuperGuuurl 14]

Hi everyone

I’m back again for moral support. Got my MGB back in February. After a couple of extremely hard weeks, 5 weeks to be precise, i finally thought that my ordeal was over. I had spent all this time finding it really hard to drink Water and reach my Protein goals until then. Suddenly, starting the 6th week post op, i saw some light at the end of the tunnel and managed to expand my food a little bit. I avoided everything I was told to avoid until then, oil, sugar, Pasta, rice, raw veggies, you name it!

one day I was invited to a barbecue and ate what I was given, namely a bit of salad and some marinated chicken. Everything was fine for the days that followed and I was ecstatic! I started to experiment with food more and more and I realised that the food I tolerated the most was still just plain potatoes and carrots with some minced meat of chicken. However, as weeks went by, my sensitivities seemed to increase by the day. I’d try watermelon and suffer excruciating cramps the next day, so I stopped. Then I’d try Beans, and I’d be fine the next day but suffer more cramps the day after, long story short, it seemed like every single new food I’d try was not tolerated by my stomach. The pain and cramps would be instant, and the explosive diarrhoea would follow the next morning like clockwork.
I remember at some point, i barely ate for 2 days and what followed were the most painful cramps and hunger pangs I’ve ever ever experienced in my life!

Looking at a plate of food triggers me now. I am absolutely scared of putting anything in my mouth. Even my trusted potatoes and carrots have forsaken me. That means I have not a single food that I seem to tolerate and I have absolutely no idea how this happened! Today, i tried boiled potato with some rotisserie chicken, and ended up vomiting 3 times. And when I say vomit, i mean, gag as if I would vomit, but only saliva comes out.

i feel weak and desperate. I have lost 32kg in almost 4 months, that about 70 pounds. That is way too much weight. Let’s not start about my hair loss… it’s ridiculous. I plan to shave my head…

i never in a million years thought this would be my life after the surgery. I have a doc appointment this week but only will see my surgeon in July… does this story sound familiar to any of you guys? Did I do something wrong? What did I miss?! I’ve been on the verge of going to the ER multiple times…

[Arabesque 7,240]

I am so sorry you are experiencing this. What has your surgeon suggested as to the cause or done in the way of tests to discover why this is happening to you? And yes, I’d go to the ER with the chronic diarrhoea and foamies. You shouldn’t be experiencing any of this so there must be a reason for it.

Hopefully you’ll get answers and an appropriate treatment soon.

[Smanky 747]

Definitely doesn't sound normal. I do get some of the cramping/pain and general sensitive gut issues, especially when I have an ulcer developing, but what you're describing sounds extreme. I'd be going to the ER, and letting your surgeon know to move that July appointment forward. They need to investigate this.

[summerseeker 2,138]

We call this kind of vomiting the 'foamies' - You have either eaten too quickly, eaten too dry a food, eaten too much or your stomach is not ready for this food yet. [ or sometimes I get a something like a piece of Tomato skin stuck] Our tiny stomachs have the same amount of acid in as before so it causes plenty of problems, especially when you have eaten nothing. It could be that this is causing your bowels problems too

Until you get your docs appointment, you need to calm this devil stomach. Go back to basics. I can not eat potato and It took me 12 months to master chicken. My basics would be yogurt, milk, cheese and tinned Soups. I hope you get your appointment soon

[SuperGuuurl 14]

14 hours ago, Arabesque said:

I am so sorry you are experiencing this. What has your surgeon suggested as to the cause or done in the way of tests to discover why this is happening to you? And yes, I’d go to the ER with the chronic diarrhoea and foamies. You shouldn’t be experiencing any of this so there must be a reason for it.

Hopefully you’ll get answers and an appropriate treatment soon.

Thanks Arabesque… the last time I saw my surgeon things were on the mend and so we didn’t talk about the issues I’m experiencing now. For her and for me, things could only get better the thing that really bugs me is how horrible certain days can be as opposed to others where you kind of function a little. It keeps giving me hope until the next foamies and or diarrhoea attack.

[SuperGuuurl 14]

8 hours ago, summerseeker said:

We call this kind of vomiting the 'foamies' - You have either eaten too quickly, eaten too dry a food, eaten too much or your stomach is not ready for this food yet. [ or sometimes I get a something like a piece of Tomato skin stuck] Our tiny stomachs have the same amount of acid in as before so it causes plenty of problems, especially when you have eaten nothing. It could be that this is causing your bowels problems too

Until you get your docs appointment, you need to calm this devil stomach. Go back to basics. I can not eat potato and It took me 12 months to master chicken. My basics would be yogurt, milk, cheese and tinned Soups. I hope you get your appointment soon

Hi summerseeker, thanks for your advice. I do know about the foamies. What I haven’t read anywhere though is when get them without eating. I’d by sitting on the coach, hours after having eaten a morsel and would all of a sudden feel sick. Today I’ve done a liquid diet which helped. It’s the 3rd time I go back to liquid diets… I just see no end to this

[SuperGuuurl 14]

11 hours ago, Smanky said:

Definitely doesn't sound normal. I do get some of the cramping/pain and general sensitive gut issues, especially when I have an ulcer developing, but what you're describing sounds extreme. I'd be going to the ER, and letting your surgeon know to move that July appointment forward. They need to investigate this.

Thanks smanky… I appreciate your advice. I will see my doc this week and discuss all of it. You’re right, it doesn’t seem normal to suffer that much every day without relief…

[SuperGuuurl 14]

So I went to see the doc 2 days ago as my cramps weren’t getting better. She prescribed a CT scan to make sure I wasn’t suffering from an intestinal hernia. I did the scan yesterday and the results are in: no hernia, thank Goodness, however, an enlargement of the gallbladder duct, which could cause all my cramping, nausea, vomiting and overall pain.
My doc prescribed some buscopan and some meds against nausea and diarrhoea… if nothing gets better in 2 weeks time, I’ll have to do a cholecystectomy to remove my entire gallbladder. I know people live perfectly fine without their gallbladder, but I am so scared of going through yet another procedure of which I won’t know the consequences of… already this enlargement only happens rarely. Has anyone gone through this already? I’ve lost another couple of pounds recently and I can barely walk up the stairs without feeling exhausted 😩

[Arabesque 7,240]

Gall removal is pretty common for bariatric & non bariatric people. Rapid weight loss can be a cause of stones & changes to your liver function which may have added to your enlarged bile duct. (Liver function usually becomes normal once your weight loss slows or stabilises.) High fat diets, menopause, Gilbert’s all can result in stones being formed which in turn can cause bile duct enlargement. Did the say if you had any stones? Or if they thought it occurred because of an infection or any non bariatric surgery/weight loss issues?

I had my gall removed 2yrs after my surgery. I had a single stone. (Weight loss, menopause, Gilbert’s increased my risk.) My surgeon used the same incisions as he made for my sleeve so no additional scars. My recovery was okay. Home the next day. No issues. A bit tired. A bit achy. Didn’t need the prescribed opioids by day 3. I had gas pain this time after not having any with my sleeve. Big difference of course was not having to be on a restricted diet after the surgery. I had a bit of diarrhoea for about a month because the gall regulates bile entering your upper intestines to aid the break down & absorption of fats.

Life post surgery is much the same as it was before surgery. Some people struggle with eating fatty food - my aunt describes it feeling liverish - nauseous, tired, abdominal discomfort. I don’t have an issue with fatty food but then my diet is pretty low fat anyway. My sister-in-law & I have random bouts of diarrhoea about once a month +/-. We put it down to our digestive system maybe getting a bit too much bile at times & it irritates the intestines. It comes on more quickly but not a sudden unexpected attack.

[Arabesque 7,240]

Forgot I do have one issue post my gall removal. (Can’t believe I f forgot to mention it.) I now don’t absorb Protein as well & I also stopped absorbing my HRT med. I take creons to help with the protein & now use a patch for HRT. Apparently malabsorption with certain nutrients can be a side effect but it’s not common. I don’t know anyone else without a gall who has an issue. It’s probably just me.

[SuperGuuurl 14]

Damn… thank you so much Arabesque… your honesty is very much appreciated. Malabsorption is definitely not sth to play with. Today I started the day hopeful and tried to stay positive. Thanks to this forum and all of your posts. I know the journey is long … if there was a magic wand to instantly feel better, wouldn’t we all use it? I took the buscopan last night and religiously ate 30 min after drinking, then waited again and had tea. I’m starting to think it’s all linked to the fact that I didn’t keep a strict schedule. It’s too early to say of course. But the cramping and nausea were so strong… nothing today so far, except this horrible horrible bubbly feeling right after eating followed by a nasty taste in my mouth. Ugh… I’m sorry to keep complaining.

[Jalapeño 13]

I was on creon tablets briefly to help with malabsorption on a trial basis, my pancreas was fine. Thankfully I didn't have to continue longterm but feel for those who do.

[Arabesque 7,240]

20 hours ago, Jalapeño said:

I was on creon tablets briefly to help with malabsorption on a trial basis, my pancreas was fine. Thankfully I didn't have to continue longterm but feel for those who do.

Did you have side effects from the creons? The only thing I’ve noticed is that it firms things up and can cause a little Constipation as a result. I think it’s like the creons slow the passage of digesting through the intestines so more nutrients are absorbed - could be right off the mark though 😁. I do wonder if they are contributing to my increasing cholesterol which is a conversation I’m going to have with my GP and prescribing doctor.

[Jalapeño 13]

I was taking my creon tablets like they were going out of fashion. Because I wanted to absorb nutrients from the food and Vitamins I was having. I found some bloating and Constipation but nothing major. The part I didn't like is the having to take tablets before eating. Sometimes I'd forget and then have a mouthful of the tablets straight after finishing my food. My issue for malabsorption was MGB, pancreas was healthy so creon was never going to helps, and didn't. I revised from MGB to RNY.

[Arabesque 7,240]

I don’t take them because of an issue with my pancreas either. I don’t absorb Protein well as a result of my gall removal. Malabsorption after gall surgery isn’t uncommon but it being for protein is more rare. (Also don’t absorb some medications either now like hormone replacement meds.) I forget to take them at times too - usually my lunch time one. I keep the bottle on the bench right in front of me to remind myself. The creons keep my protein levels at just on the border of okay. The original dose of 10 000mg 3 x a day didn't do anything so it was increased to 25 000 3 x a day which does. I don’t like having to take meds. Am lucky & very glad I only take the creons and a Nexium in the morning.