Complications after Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Hi all!

I am about 8 days Post Op from Gastric Sleeve Surgery.  I am experiencing what I am hoping are just minor complications that can be resolved...hopefully someone out there can give me some pointers or advice.  For starters I am having really bad indigestion...it is so bad its hard for me to consume pureed food.  At first I thought it was just gas...but I would think that by now I would be gas free.  I have tried chewable gas x but haven't had any luck.  In addition, I am entirely constipated...the doctor suggested milk of magnesia and told me to drink more fluid...hoping that will work. Also, my stomach still seems swollen...is this normal?  Finally, I am a week out and down 3 lbs is that a normal amount of weight?

I just feel like although I did a lot homework prior to having the surgery...there are still a lot of things I wasn't aware of...such as the indigestion.  I have so much indigestion...it hurts.  I tried eating soft eggs this evening but my indigestion was so bad I couldn't get it down. 

Any tips or advice you can offer would be very much appreciated. 

Also any stage II diet tips would be appreciated...I don't want to eat mashed potatoes but I am getting tired of soup.

Thanks!
 

That sounds a lot like what happened to me.  I could barely even ge****er down, let alone any food. Call your surgeon's office and talk about the indigestion. Mine ended up prescribing me an anti-acid medication (pantoprazole), and an anti-nausant (metoclop) that also helps "push things through" your digestive tract.   Once I started those meds, I felt 1000000000000x better!  Now I only am taking pantoprazole, but am hoping I'll be off it soon too).  I didn't even think it was stomache acid because it was so strange a feeling, but the meds worked like a charm and I'm finally able to eat!

This is off the subject, but i had my vsg on 2/22/10 & i'm only down 26 lbs, how did u lose so much already??
Its great, i want to do that too..

You've only lost 26 pounds in a month......? Why on earth are you complaining! Keep that up and you would loose over 200 in 8 months....Everyone looses at their own pace. It's much more than you would have lost prior to surgery.

ok ok... i know, i need to be patient... actually was looking at the post from the woman in Canada, looks like she lost 70 lbs in a month, unless she posted her highest weight not surgery weight.
thanks for the reality check. lol

The weight posted is my highest weight... since surgery I've lost 32 lbs. I've been stalled for like a week now :(

It's "lose,' dear, not "loose." Loose is how your skin will be after weight loss!

Are you on an acid reducer? If not, get some ask your surgeon what he recommends.

I was still on clear liquids at this stage so there is no way that I could have even remotely considered soft solids. Yes, your stomach is swollen. 8 days ago, it was traumatized, stapled off, and the majority of it was excised from your body. It's gonna take several weeks for the healing process to finalize. Miralax works great for constipation. I've only had to use it a couple of times since surgery, but it's great stuff. Everybody's weight loss is different. Your body will lose the weight, give it some time to recovery.

Stage 2 foods do you mean mushies/purees?

If so:
Refried beans
Greek Yogurts
Soft cheese (laughing cow brand if it's available in your area)
Pureed steamed/boiled veggies ( I would avoid corn since it can be difficult to digest for some)
soft/pureed tofu
Egg drop soup
SF pudding
Cottage Cheese with pureed fruit or SF Smuckers jelly

I was on clear liquids and skim milk for almost 4 weeks after surgery. No way I could have eaten soft eggs or pureed food that early out.  But I know every doctor is different.

I'd slow it down and just deal with the soup.

I wanted to add in, the skim milk kept my bowels moving the whole time early out, was a real PIA!

I could not do the recommended daily aspirin for 3 months as it tore my stomach up, so I stopped taking those.  Try acid inhibitors such as Prilosec or Prevasid twice a day, along with protonics.  For constipation, try Miralax, Dulcolax, and if worst comes to worst, do fleet enema.  They really work and I've had to do it twice since my surgery. Once I started eating solids the constipation abated although I still add Miralax to a beverage (it's totally tasteless) every couple of days.  And yes, it's normal to have "only" lost 3# the first week. I was swollen from IV fluids post-surgery and I had to lose tha****er weight gain of about 8# before I started losing the real fat.  This too will pass and you will be fine.  BTW, eating instant mashed potatoes will not cause any weight gain and you won't be able to eat more than 1/2 cup (and I'm being generous) at a time.  Just know your lack of appetite may not be associated with what you're eating but rather because really you have no hunger -- and that's what the sleeve is supposed to do so you know it's working!