Pondering the Post-Op Blues

Hi Tammy, If the problem is just how to get the tablet down, use a pill splitter. They're available at any drugstore for around $5. I can't imagine having taken my pain pills or surgeon-prescribed Zantac without a pill splitter. Since you've been trying to intake the Zoloft in various ways, I'm assuming the problem isn't that your surgeon has told you to stay off the med until further notice. Zoloft tabs are small, so the risk of it getting stuck is minimal. Use your index finger as a guide to the diameter of your stoma (the opening from your new stomach to the intestine.) This is a serious problem, causing serious impact on your life. I know. I was severely, chronically depressed for over 15 years. You don't want to be taking emotional steps backward while trying to take physical steps forward. Normal is relative and the time-table is different for everyone. Just remember, a week and a half ago you had MAJOR SURGERY. Give yourself a break! -Eve

First off, welcome, Tammy! I had to return to some of my meds the 2nd day I was home post-op. One of my pills is HUGE, and my surgeon (who's extremely humorous) suggested I 'suck on it like a popsicle', KNOWING how vile it tastes. What I do with it is CRU**** and put it into a little cup, like a medicine cup or souffle cup, and I use something TART for the liquid. Then I have a bottle or full cup of something TART to drink/"chase" it with, and I "shoot" the now-liquified (altho there are often small bits of it) meds, then IMMEDIATELY follow it with a small sip of the TART liquid. I swish the "chaser" around in my mouth and concentrate on the tart/taste of the liquid, then take a few more sips 'til I'm "safe", the pill is down, and I have to do it again 4 hours later. It's been working most excellently! I'd done a "test run" pre-op and it did NOT work very well: I got the "shot" down, but dry-heaved for so long afterward that my sides hurt the next day. So I thought I would never be able to do this post-op without messing something up internally. My mistake in the pre-op test was that I didn't use a STRONG tasting liquid as the base for the "shot" OR as the "chaser". If that doesn't help you, ask your doctor if the pill you take is small enough to go thru your stoma. Maybe if you cut it down, even 2 or 3 times instead of just once, it'll be fine. My personal guideline was that if you can hide it behind an "M&M", it'll be fine to swallow whole. Kimmer Queen of the Niners, Instigator to All Marchers, High Priestess of Giggles

Maureen, The whole family went to Olive Garden today for my mother's birthday. I knew this one would be tough because my surgeon doesn't want us to eat any carbs, we have a evry limited list of what we can and an't eat for the first 4 months and for once in my life, I'm trying to follow the rules. I carefully pored over the menu and found the one thing that I thought I could eat, slow cooked ribs with herbs and a balsamic dressing that they have on their appetizer menu. I sat there looking forward to the ribs while everyone else ate the salad and breadsticks. About 30 minutes after we ordered, the waitress came to the table and told me that the cook had forgotten to start my order and it would not be ready for another 45 minutes. Did I want to order something else? I really, really, really wanted to cry. I'd been withou****er for an hour, I was thirsty, I was hungry and I was cranky. The poor waitress kept trying to suggest other things and I kept telling her that I couldn't eat them. The next thing you know, the manager was at the table, other waiters were there, all offering suggestions of Fettucini Alfredo, Minestrone, lasagna and on and on. Everything had too many carbs or too much fat. I almost felt like I was being taunted. I just kept saying, no, never mind, but no one would take my no for an answer. My sister tried to explain to them that I had surgery and my diet was very limited, but they just didn't get it. I know they were trying to be very helpful, but it was getting ridiculous. I probably could have found something else I could have eaten, but I was just frustrated at the whole thing. I felt like some sort of side show attraction. At the end of the meal (everyone else's) the waitress came and offered me desert to make up for the meal. Arrrggghhh!! Hang in there. It won't be that long before you can have limited amounts of all the things you want. I'm betting that in a few more weeks, they won't even seem that appealing to you. Connie

Connie, BLESSS your heart! I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when that waitress offered you dessert. Maybe one of these days, restaurants will be as sensitive to WLS patients as they are to the Atkins followers.

Oh my gosh! How did you get through it? Were you able to eat and enjoy something "legal" when you got home? Thanks for putting my mood into perspective. Maureen

That is horrible! I am so sorry! OG does have a soup that they offer instead of the salad. I haven't tried it, but it might pass next time. I am not as strick on carbs right now as you are. I'd try the veal caneloni and eat the part inside the pasta. I hate having everyone stare at me. Eating is such a social thing that it is horrible to feel like an outcast. I guess if we are going to have to live in the world of the insensitive and unhealthy, we will have to learn to cope... Joy

Maureen - I don't know about you but I have dieted so much in the last 6 years and it got me nowhere. I know there are a lot of diets out there, and there are a lot of people who can make them work, but it's not me. I tried. Heck, I used to have a very popular low-carb Atkins website that was linked to all the groups and people actually sought me out for my knowledge. I mean, yeah - I knew it really well. And it did do a LOT for me. I lost weight, but slowly. But it got my hormones in order and I was able to conceive my son. So I will never be sorry I did this, and I will forever be an advocate of low-carb since I know how wonderful I felt on it, BUT, I could *not* take it all off. I fell flat at 265 and it took me a long time to realize that at some point you have to go hungry. It was too hard. I spent my youth eating away all my sorrows and stuffing myself until I was miserable. So my stomach, like my skin, was stretched beyond it's ability to shrink. And even when you do Atkins, at some point, portion control is necessary when you are quite large. I was just too hungry. So in light of that, I finally came to the conclusion that I had to do something drastic. My hunger would always be there waiting for me to fail. I couldn't cope with losing it only to gain it again one more time. Maybe that was good for me because I feel like over the years I've made peace with food. Heck, I'm just happy that I can have things I didn't have for years with Atkins - LIKE cream of wheat, bananas, rice and yogurt. Maybe that is why I don't feel depressed and morose over losing my "friend." I actually feel liberated because I know that over time I am going to be watching myself melt regardless of the fact that I will maybe indulge in Chicken McNuggets with my son on a rare occasion. I'm feeling like this is the greatest thing that ever happened to me because I will be able to have these things again and I will be able to eat them until I'm full and I will be satisfied. Prior to this surgery, to eat these things until I was full, I had to eat enough to keep me 325 lbs. I hope this doesn't feel like downer to you that I bring in this perspective, but I can't help but share it because I am elated and I am not in the least bit sorry I did this. I know I would never take it off no matter what diet pill or plan came out. Something needed to be done about the size of my stomach. THAT is fixed now. Dina

Dina, not a downer in the least, in fact quite the opposite. I feel exactly like you do. When I decided to have the surgery, I was at a place where I was literally so miserable that I knew I could no longer live in this body. That left me with very few choices. One was to check out (if you know what I mean, that's how desperately unhappy I was), the other was to find a means to successfully lose enough weight to feel good about being alive -- and to keep it off. Once the decision was made, there was no turning back. Thank you, thank you for reminding me why I did this -- which was the right thing to do. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to respond. It's hard to mourn food when it's in your face all the time!!! How can you mourn something "dead" that just won't go away??? Anyway, today is a new day; I'm getting back to my walking (which made me feel terrifc), and thanks to everyone for their thoughtful insight. God bless, Maureen

You just reminded me of something I used to tell my ex-husband: "How can I miss you if you won't go away?!?" Hang in there, Maureen. A few months down the road (even tho it may seem an eternity right now...) and you'll be so THRILLED that you did this that you'll be laughing in the face of the food you're now mourning. Besides, by THAT point, you'll probably be EATING some of it, albeit in smaller portions. Kimmer Queen of the Niners, Instigator to All Marchers, High Priestess of Giggles

Maureen, I know exactly how you feel. It was so rough for me to sit down with my family and watch them eat home made tacos and spaghetti. They have not tempted me with pizza yet, Thank God. I have noticed, however, that it does get easier. I am not saying it is very easy now being 26 days post-op but it definently isn't that hard. It will get better and eventually will not phase you. Bethany AKA Da Offishal Riddler and Bertha 26 Days into NewPouch and feeling great! -28 lbs!!!! Yayyyy A riddle a day will keep the Marchers pounds AWAY!