10 and a half weeks post op and major back pain..uggghh

Aug 19, 2012

 I am 10 and a half weeks post op and up until maybe a week and a half a go everything was going great other than not getting enough calories in.

About a week and a half ago, I started to feel a slight ache in my mid back section.  I didn't really think much of it but then it got worse.  It got to the point where I had to take one of my oxycodone that I got after surgery.  I did some research and apparently with the rapid weightloss, our bodies and spines shift.  It has affected my work a little bit but I have really good clients and very understanding ones too.  I am on modified duty at work but I am at a point where I feel I need to take time away from work to get back on track.  The pain I feel in my back started out like just a big ache but in the last couple of days it seems to have shifted a bit and now feels like a stabbing pain and is now mostly felt under my right shoulder blade.

My boyfriend is amazing, he has been massaging my back and putting ointment on it in addition to me taking extra strength tylenol.  I have also had to go to the chiropractor twice within 5 days.  My chiropractor says that the middle of my spine seems very jammed up (her words) and very tight.  I feel fine immediately after the adjustment but within hours it comes right back.  I decided to try Robaxacet and it doesn't work as well as extra strength Tylenol.  Tonight I did some stretches by pulling my arm back behind my head and down to see if that works.  As of right now, I am doing okay but I am also now starting to notice a bit of aching in my hips.  Nothing severe but I have a feeling that it could get worse if it is this whole shifting thing.

I did quite a bi of research before the surgery about post op complications or issues and no where did this come up.  I definitely think they should advise us of this.  Maybe in some places they do but in Toronto, they never did.

On a better note...I had my 1 month post op appointment with my Dietician (it was actually 10 weeks before I got in) and she was quite pleased with my progress.  In 10 weeks, I have lost 44% of my excess body weight.  She said normally around this time, the average is 25-30% so I am higher than the average.  She also gave me some good tips on eating and getting more calories in.  Since I was only taking in around 500 calories, I was experiencing a lot of fatigue.  I am now up to 700 calories by adding healthy snacks.  She wants me between 600-900. Outside of my back issue, my energy levels have increased.

My stats go like this right now.  Pre Optifast, I was 242 pounds (my highest weight was 248), pre op, my weight was 231 lbs.  I was wearing a size 3X top and size 24 pant size at my heaviest.  I am proud to say I am now at 195.2 pounds and wear an XL top and size 18 pant.  I still have a long way to go but I am very proud of my successes so far.

As for food, I am on the regular diet now (well the beginning of it) but I still find a few foods that don't sit well.  I have not experienced any dumping or vomiting.  When I eat, if I even start to feel a bit of discomfort in my pouch I stop eating immediately.  One of my biggest fears with this is the vomiting and dumping so I am trying to avoid that as much as possible.

One symptom that I have recently started to experience which of course is common is the dreaded hair loss. I have fine thin hair to begin with due to my thyroid  but now it is falling out like crazy.  I have been taking 5000mcg of Biotin even before surgery but it is not woking as well as I thought it would.  My dietician told me to take Zinc Citrate for 2 months.  Apparently that will help.  Today was my first day taking it.

I also started taking the Calcium chews which through Bariatric Advantage is not too bad.  There is a bit of a chalky taste but it is way better than the liquid.  For anyone on Ontario, Shoppers Drug Mart at Toronto Western is carrying them now.  I haven't checked my local Shoppers but they may carry them in your area. I refuse to order from Bariatric Advantage directly because when I called about shipping, they said its $40 to ship to Canada and thats on top of the actual order.  I am glad they finally have a place here to get them now.

Well thats it for now.  I hope everyone else is doing well.  Thanks for reading and hopefully the next blog I do, I won't be experiencing such back pain.

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