Hello RNYers,

I am 4 weeks and 4 days post op and for the past week I have been experiencing Extreme Fatigue! In the course of a day the only thing I seem to accomplish between naps or resting on the couch is a shower and a 1 mile walk. I really hate being so inactive and make plans for the day, only to feel too tired. I'm a big water drinker, so I always get my water in plus 65-80gm protein and I take the prescribed vitamins faithfully. I think my iron might be low because I've been very pale this week and that's unusual for me. I have an appt with my surgeon in 11 days, but I need to correct this now! I could probably get in to see my PCP tomorrow.

Anyone else experience fatigue at about 4 weeks? If so, how long did it last?

One other question...it seems my surgeon used 2 different materials for stitches. The ones that had the black "thread" dissolved in about a week. The ones that have the filament type material are still there and don't look like they've changed at all. Any thoughts?

I'm a newbie, so take this with a grain of salt.

yYour iron might below, but I feel like at a month out your body is just still recovering. I had to take naps everyday during my lunch break-lol. It took a couple of months till I felt normal.

As to your stitches, I can't help much. My surgeon put this type of bandage on it. I will say that I probably had those for a month before they fell off.

I had been feeling really good with my normal amount of energy until a week ago.

A couple of months to feel normal? Uggh! Thanks for your reply :-)

I felt good pretty good quickly, but my energy levels took a while to get all the way to normal.

Did they do bloodwork on you preop? B12, iron AND ferritin? B12 might, barely, drop enough in a couple of months, but iron and ferritin won't drop that much -- unless they were pretty low to begin with.

Get your numbers. Track your numbers. Don't accept a phone call saying your numbers are "ok," or "in range."

If your numbers were ok right before surgery, this is just you healing. I was taking naps for a few months after surgery. It takes a while.

Drinking even more can't hurt, just in case.

The plastic filament stitches have to come out at the surgeon's office. The little nubs can be pretty annoying.

I was that tired for several weeks after surgery, so it sounds normal to me. But you said that you had energy before now, so you are right, it might be low iron. I would see your PCP to check in that there isn't anything else going on.

4-6 weeks was the height of my fatigue. It was hard but got better. The sudden paleness is concerning so maybe call your Dr and ask about it.

I had a stitch that took forever. They used dissolvable stitches but this one little one just hung on. Eventually it kind of just fell out. It took about 6-7 weeks for that to happen.

I did! I did! I didn't feel strong/normal/able work out until around months 3-4. Earlier, I tried to do something simple and easy like yoga, and almost passed out 3 times in 1 session.

Take care of yourself