Why is this so damn hard for me? - Page 2 - ThinnerTimes

goingslimfast · 05-05-2008, 05:09 PM

Again, take it day by day. Your body will eventually go "swoosh" and you'll drop lbs. right before your eyes. Of course your body will level out lb. wise several times, then again, "Swoosh!"

I have strongly believed that there should be a little more Psychology worked in after surgery. I remember the days of being depressed and unable to turn to food for comfort. I felt so miserable and nothing to turn to.... I felt like I had no one to talk to or with about what I was going through, except for TT's forum - which does help, but still...having someone in front of you would've help. A tangible hug would be nice - right? But...I gave it time, and I'm doing just great!!!!

So Hang in there - it's worth the wait and struggle. (It pays off in the end!)

By the way, tell the Doc everything that has been on your mind ie: struggles, depressed feeling, frustrated etc. etc. etc. K?

Good luck

Debz · 05-05-2008, 06:18 PM

Wow...you're bringing me back to the early days of my post-op experience. I wound up with a hematoma on my diaphragm after surgery. It was extremely painful and went on for months. I was in just horrible unending pain...I was depressed and disconcerted. There were times that I felt like dying would be such a relief from the pain. And I'm not being melodramatic...it really was that bad.

I seriously questioned my decision. How could something this painful be the right thing to do? In addition, in the midst of all this turmoil, the way I dealt with stress, eating, was taken away from me.The one person I felt like I should be able to turn to for answers, my surgeon, was kinda wishy washy as to how to deal with the whole thing and I was being told to just wait it out. In the mean time i was in excruciating pain and literally couldn't breathe correctly. It honestly was one of the darkest times of my life.

I felt so alone. I can imagine that you must feel the same way, even tho your partner is also freshly post-op...since her experience is so different than yours. It must be even more isolating that her time has been so easy and yours has been tough.

But even in that darkness, I was losing weight. I certainly had my plateaus, but eventually the scale always moved in the right direction. My BP became normal, as did my blood sugar and cholesterol. It kind of is all a blur as I remember it.

Fast forward 9 months. I now have scar tissue where the hematoma was, but it only occasionally pains me. I've lost 100 pounds...I can touch my toes...hell, I can even see my toes.

I exercise regularly, wear cute clothing, my sex life is phenomenal, I get compliments daily, and people who used to feel more secure because I was the fat girl in the room are becoming less and less secure as time goes on. In short, life is good.

I don't want to make light of your present suffering. Believe me....if anyone can understand, I can. But what I want you to know is that this too, shall pass. I know it sucks right now, but just know for sure that this is only the beginning. It gets better. Certainly you should discuss your physical issues with your doctor, but the post op crappiness will eventually clear and you won't feel so bad. Good luck and chin up!

Hawaiianese Girl · 05-06-2008, 05:07 PM

Hey everyone,
I tried to get onto this website all day but I guess it was down so I'm glad it's up now!

I had the appt. with my surgeon today for my numb leg and didn't get much out of him except for an appointment with the neurologist down the hall. That appt. isn't until May 19th and I can't wait to find out wth is wrong with it!
I had a small dumping session today that could've gone drastically into left field but I held it together and kept it down, if you know what I mean. However, my mouth watered over and over again and I just KNEW it was coming up...but I fought like hell to keep it down. I can't stand throwing up. So you can imagine how horrified I was during week 3 when I foolishly tried eating a few bites of a pork chop, which ended up stacking in my pouch and causing me severe discomfort, and then I had to stick my finger down my throat and force myself to throw up in order to get rid of the discomfort and pain. I cried so hard. That was awful and I never wanted to go through that again.
So, we went to the mall today to pick up my engagement ring that was being cleaned and we went to the food court..like a couple of idiots. We walked past a chinese food stand and the lady handed me a piece of chicken on a toothpick...I couldn't resist. It was so damn good. I ate it and kind of felt a little stacking going on, but thought it was just because I had drank something right before I popped it into my mouth. So, I sent Danita over to get another piece of chicken for me. I ate it and the stacking feeling got worse. I was ok on the way home but about 10 mins later I started feeling really bad. Then the mouth started watering over and over. I was about in tears because I recognized this feeling from the "pork chop incident". I fought like hell to keep it down and after 30 mins of struggling to do that, it finally went away. God I can't imagine living like this forever...being afraid of this dumping b.s. It doesn't make sense. I'm not sure what it was because I had a few bites of a cinnamon pretzel and some swigs of fruit punch just before I ate those 2 pieces of chicken, but I'm pretty sure it was the chicken. I mean...how do you know what's gonna send you over the edge?
Why can I eat a cinnamon pretzel and be fine but I eat chicken and I'm dumping? How confusing. I'm so glad I found this forum. Thanks for all your help, everyone. I know that you all will make this transition a lot smoother for me and I appreciate it...I really do.

Originally Posted by: Goingslimfast

Quote:

Your body will eventually go "swoosh" and you'll drop lbs. right before your eyes. Of course your body will level out lb. wise several times, then again, "Swoosh!"

Ok...I'm gonna sit back and wait for the "Swoosh!" lol It's been 4 weeks with no weight loss so I'm getting frustrated!

Wow Debz...you've really inspired me. Thanks for the supportive words and sharing your story with me. I'm glad to know that someone else went through the same thing I'm going through. I don't feel so alone now.
I can't wait to get where you and everyone else who commented on my post is at now.

Thanks a lot everyone and Aloha!
Hawaiianese

mistymee · 05-06-2008, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaiianese Girl

Ok...I'm gonna sit back and wait for the "Swoosh!" lol It's been 4 weeks with no weight loss so I'm getting frustrated!

I feel your pain! Week three to Week EIGHT.. I lost *nothing*... only when I upped my protein & fluid intake did the weight start coming off... how do you do with the (quality) protein & fluids?

(BTW.. the dumping with the chicken thing... was the chicken battered, fried and in a sauce of some sort? that combo could be the cause of the dumping session..

just a thought)

Godsblessedme · 05-06-2008, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Ok...I'm gonna sit back and wait for the "Swoosh!" lol It's been 4 weeks with no weight loss so I'm getting frustrated

Yeah you and me both sista!

I bet it was that you ate too much the chicken probably wasnt the "dumping" it was probably that your pouch was too full already and you didnt realize it

thats happened to me too

Hawaiianese Girl · 05-06-2008, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by: Mistymee

Quote:

how do you do with the (quality) protein & fluids?

Aloha Misty...
I drink water all day long along with juice (the low to no sugar kind). I'm sure I'm not getting a lot of protein because I don't really know how to account for it. Since I can't eat a whole "anything", and then lose interest in it and don't finish it...I don't know how to "measure" the amount of protein I'm getting. We don't have any shakes in the house right now because Slim Fast makes me sick and the Unjury shakes (the only powder I like) we got from the nutritionist are so expensive that we can't afford them right now. The Whey protein shakes that we got from Walmart are nasty so that idea is out. So.....if I had to guess...I'd say I get about 50 grams of protein a day, if that. Any suggestions?
Also, how do you count how much protein you take in if 8 pieces of something equals 5 grams of protein, but I could only eat 3?
Oh, and Danita just reminded me that the chicken I ate today was not coated in anything except Teriyaki sauce so I guess that's what did it. However, I didn't get the feeling that it was the sauce, but that I probably didn't chew it up properly because that awful, HORRIBLE stacking feeling was very present after each piece went down.

Thanks so much for your support.

mistymee · 05-06-2008, 05:40 PM

Hi.. (We know your partners name, Danita.. but I missed your name, sorry..)..

I guess I'm kind of anal about what I'm eating.. everything I eat is weighed and/or measured with measuring spoons.. and if there are left overs, I'll weigh what is left.. if I have weighed out 8 things but 3 are leftover, I'll weigh those three and subtract if from the orig. weight..

Harder to do if the items are all mixed up. in that case, I try to guesstimate how much I've eaten (or leftover.. whichever seems easier at that time)..

As for protein, my biggest source of protein these days is FAGE yogurt and shakes.. I use carnation instant breakfast shakes (sugar free version).. where I add powdered non-fat dry milk or unflavored whey protein..

Good luck

sdgrrl · 05-06-2008, 06:09 PM

Oh, Darlings! I feel so badly for you! What you are all experiencing is a little phenomenon that we call "Hell Week", which doesn't have to happen immediately after surgery--we mostly get drugs for that and everyone' feels cruddy after surgery, so there is a ton of sympathy there. The other phenom is "Buyer's Remorse", a condition we get when we go like, a whole week without sensing not even one of the perks of replumbing our systems. Seriously! do a thread search on "buyer's Remorse" and see what some of our very successful people on the forum have had to say early out! I guarantee you will feel very validated! Try taking out something from your closet that hasn't fit in a while. Not something that's a sz 2, something that just never fit well due to heavy arms, too big of breast, whatever makes it not fit you or feel comfortable in it. Hang it in a particular spot. Take it down and try it on 1-2 times per week. It's magically known to banish Buyer's Remorse forever.

HONESTLY!! THIS WILL PASS! IT WILL GET EASIER!

splendifor · 05-06-2008, 08:54 PM

first of all.. I am only 2 weeks out and I can totally relate to the pain thing.. I was so lucky to still have pain meds when that unbelievable shoulder pain was at its worst - I got through by just taking the meds, wearing a heating pad and SLEEPING through the worst of it... I wouldn't wish that on an enemy..

I can't imagine what it would feel like having that level of pain for weeks on end.. I think it's totally "normal" (normal actually only being a setting onthe dryer of course) that you would feel so low!!! I am so glad you're starting to experience relief in the pain.. now hoping for improvement on the numbness department!!

I saw you said you are mixing water and juice - how much juice do you think you're drinking a day? I only ask because juice is sooo high calorie so you might be getting a lot more calories than you realize - like if you're getting 64 oz of 50pct water/juice mix then that means 32 ounces of juice a day which could add up.. I think a few ounces a day is the max..?

Hawaiianese Girl · 05-07-2008, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by: Splendifor

Quote:

first of all.. I am only 2 weeks out and I can totally relate to the pain thing

Gosh..I can't even imagine being back at the 2-week mark. Danita and I LIVED on our dual recliners in the living room for an entire two week period since we couldn't lay down in the bed yet. What an awful time for the both of us. All we did was lay in the living room..in our relciners..and cry..lol
We couldn't turn left, couldn't turn right. All we could do was sit straight up on our backs and maybe recline a LITTLE bit to try and get comfy. I'm remembering how BAD our backs hurt us and how we had to trade the heating pad back and forth. How AWFUL!!
I think I've blocked most of the early weeks out of my memory because I totally forgot about "the recliner stage"...lol For the people who have to get reversed, I couldn't even imagine going through this twice. UGH! I feel bad for those people...AND people who have serious complications where another surgery is necessary. This is what worries Danita and I both about having loose skin and needing surgery to remove it. We can't imagine going through this kind of pain again.
Something else that makes our stomachs turn is thinking about ever having to eat pudding, jello and broth again...YUCK!! We both have developed a severe adversion to these foods now..lol I swear, if I see, think, or hear about the word "broth", my mouth literally starts watering as if I'm going to be sick. I can never drink broth again. Ok, I'm going to have to stop talking about it now. Do any of you feel this way about some food you got sick of?

Quote:

I can't imagine what it would feel like having that level of pain for weeks on end

I forgot to mention that the pain in my left side, which most wls patients experience, was described by my surgeon as "a nerve or nerves that get caught in the sutures", in case anyone is wondering. I forgot to mention that yesterday. I thought it was scar tissue tearing away but he says it's a nerve.

Quote:

how much juice do you think you're drinking a day?

I don't drink much juice a day...just when I get so sick and tired of water that I can barely stand it anymore, do I drink maybe a half a cup to a cup of juice throughout the day. I'll have to check out the label again to see what the calories are.

Anybody have any ideas on alternatives to water?
Also, I weighed 300 the day of surgery and came home weighing 311!!! Apparently it was from all the fluid and gas they pumped into me, I don't know, but I lost those 11 lbs within about 2 days. Can you imagine my horror? lol Anybody else experience this?