Trying to stay positive - ThinnerTimes

Thankful Butterfly · 07-10-2008, 10:26 AM

Hello Everyone. Well my 3 week post op was on two days ago..and I'm not feeling really any better. My stupid stomach still hurts soo bad from the hernia repair, and the gas pains on top of it are just too much at times. My husband and children are so sick of me being sick... it's breaking my heart and I feel like I'm just in the way. I go back to the doctor's on the 14th and have a list of questions. I don't seem to feel "good". Eating hurts all the time, and I force myself to eat. I have horrible gas pains about 75% of the time, and the healing from the hernia repair is slow. I know that if I had just had gastric by it's self that I would probably be feeling so much better. I walk all the time. I get as much sleep as I can. I take my Vit. and calicum. I only drink water. I have had two glasses of diluted juice since surgery. I don't do any heavy lifting.. I just feel like I should be feeling better and trying to convince myself to stay positive is getting really hard. So many people fought me on having the surgery because NO ONE believed how heavy I was, and didn't think I needed it. I did everything the right way, and did all my research about the gastric bypass, but had no clue that doing both surgeries at once was going to set me so far back. I'm sorry that I'm ranting... but with everyone not wanting me to have it, and now that I'm 3 weeks out and not doing much better then before I don't want to hear a bunch of "told you so"... I just read a post from a lady who eats whatever she wants and never had an issue with anything and wore weights to just get approved for her surgery.. it fustrated the crap out of me that I had to basically do back flips to get approved and follow the directions and I'm in misery.. while someone who did nothing gets the good life.. ok enough.. I'm going to go outside now and enjoy some fresh air. Thank you for reading if you go this far... and as always thank you for any and all of your suggestions.. they mean a lot to me!

paige52 · 07-10-2008, 11:28 AM

First of all it's only been 3 weeks, there's a major major amount of healing going on in your body. Added to that, it's doing it in starvation mode.

Non-suportive family and friends.... I guess the easy thing to say is that you knew going in they probably wouldn't be supportive so now what? it took me almost 11 months to get to a place where I could at least fake feeling good enough to live life... my family was super sick of it. It passes.

The other person taht seems to have gotten a free ride? Well if you really did your research then you know that what you are experiencing is very normal for post RNY. This other person is of the very small majority.... like 5% that have zero complications.... it would have been nice if I had been lucky enough to get that but ...nope it's wasn't meant to be. And more importantly shame shame on her for cheating her way into this surgery. There are rules and guidelines for a reason, personally if i were talking to her, I'd call her an idiot. Yes I really mean that and if that person is reading this please feel free to tell me and I'll address you directly.

That's the harsh part...

On a more sympathetic note... I feel your pain both literally and figuratively. I'm almost 2 years post op and I have had problems since day 20. I've had maybe 5 days in the past 2 years where I didn't feel some level of nauseua at least one point in the day. I've had pain under my left ridcage area since Nov of 2006, worsen with food and fluids. Some days it hurts so bad I end up in the ER but they can never find anything wrong with me. I now have hypoglycemia and a host of other fun things... but my blood work and exams always look normal.... go figure.

It will get better. Just take deep breathes, walk sip rest and repeat until it's bedtime. it might take a while but even someone with as much crap as I have been through is managing to make it.... you can too.

SimplySamaria · 07-10-2008, 11:35 AM

For the gas, Gas X Strips!!! Wonder working power!

About your family.. well you knew they weren't supportive.. so now if they want to snub you with the "i told you so" attidude..well that is on them.. and soon you'll be looking over your shoulder and saying.. no.. I told YOU so!! look at me now!! HAHA!!!

Keep your chin up!

Thankful Butterfly · 07-10-2008, 03:58 PM

I decided to take my daughter to Target for my first time out and about by myself and took the time to talk to her. I know my lil girls are so worried about me and the fact that mommy always seems to be in pain, and assured her that it wouldn't be forever. She's my oldest so she's also my little helper. Well I made it through Target.. slow but I made it. LOL It felt good to be able to get in my car and drive for the first time in over 3 weeks. My daughter didn't mind walking slow and waiting for mom. I appreciate you listening and offering your advice. Yes I did know that this was going to suck... but everyone I known who has gone through the surgery seemed to get better everyday... so it gets to me sometimes to not feel a lil bit better then the day before. My family will get over it because they have no choice, but I have the TT family to complain to, and I thank you for listening. Funny that you mention the gas x... I picked some up at Target... along with Tums.. are tums plus calcium ok??? Thank you as always.. you guys really do rule..

paige52 · 07-10-2008, 04:14 PM

Has your doctor suggested prevacid yet? if not ask for it... it really helps. There's also carafate that works marginally well... I used both of these at first and it helped take the edge off the puky feeling. My hubby is 1 year out and is just startign ot get the constant pucky feeling... started the prevacid and it's helping.

Aso great job getting out of the house!

mistymee · 07-10-2008, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thankful Butterfly

I picked some up at Target... along with Tums.. are tums plus calcium ok??? Thank you as always.. you guys really do rule..

No Tums is not the kind of calcium we can use post-op.. our bodies no longer have the gastric juices needed to digest calcium carbonate.. we must have calcium citrate instead. I bought mine online.. bariatric advantage calcium 'lozenges'.. (chewable tablets)

If you do a search (in the search bar above on the right hand side of the screen) on calcium, you'll find lots of information posted about what is the right kind we need..

good luck

Thankful Butterfly · 07-10-2008, 04:48 PM

I have regular chewable tablet things for the calcium that was on my list. I'm too lazy to get up and walk to the kitchen to get them. But I take two of them twice a day at least and hour after taking my vit. I guess I shoud of asked my question differently. Is it safe to take the tums?

mistymee · 07-10-2008, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thankful Butterfly

I have regular chewable tablet things for the calcium that was on my list. I'm too lazy to get up and walk to the kitchen to get them. But I take two of them twice a day at least and hour after taking my vit. I guess I shoud of asked my question differently. Is it safe to take the tums?

Oh, you mean, to settle a sour tummy, not to use as your source for your daily calcium needs? Hmm.. I guess I don't know for *sure* but I have taken them and they helped me somewhat

Also, someone posted information about papaya chewable tablets helping with the nausea post-op and I bought some and tried them.. it helped quite a bit. They taste pretty good, too.

Also, last time I was in GNC they were promoting the tablets as a means to help our bodies absorb the protein we ingest. MiladyB has her nutritionist looking into whether that is fact or fiction.. They're quite cheap at walgreens and walmart.

Phoenixfire · 07-10-2008, 08:26 PM

I feel for you, being in pain, and wish it would go away overnight. It sounds to me like you're being smart and respecting your body and not letting outside pressures push you beyond what you can do. Praise yourself for that woman!

And here's another thing. You're setting an example for your kiddos. I did it for mine. She was 11 when I had surgery. She's seen me transform. AND she's seen me deal with chronic pain. Being a strong and smart role model is something you should remind yourself of every time you're aching and feel like a "bad mama" because you can't give the kiddos 100% right now.

You WILL get better. And you'll triumph. Not just you but you AND yours that you love. Be patient...and focus on the positive strength you're gaining and showing your babies. THAT's something that will cheer you up damnit!

Thankful Butterfly · 07-11-2008, 06:02 AM

Thank you so much for your kind words. I just woke up and for the first time didn't reach for the pain medicine and was able to get out of bed like a normal person. Usually it takes deep breathes and holding on to my hubby to assist me out of bed because my body is in such pain. So I guess I'm doing a little bit better today. :0) On another note, my little girls are what keep me going. I had the surgery to better my life with them, and so that I could live longer. My kids are amazing and ask me everyday, "Mommy is your tummy any better?" and today I can tell them it's a little bit better! Thanks for your support and listening to my earlier rant.