Beginnings

I should have started this blog right after surgery, but oh well.  I am about 3 weeks postop RNY Gastric Bypass now.  I have lost about 35 pounds altogether, including the preop diet time.  About 17 pounds down since surgery.

Week 1:  I was in tremendous pain all the time!  A little bit was soreness from the incisions, but mostly it was gas pain.  They blow up your belly during surgery, and then the gas gets absorbed and just has to work its way out.  Sounds benign you say?  Well this was gas pain to double you over and take your breath away.  Unbearable pain.  All the things the surgeon's office had said to try did not work!  

Week 2:  Still having gas pains, but with less frequency and slightly less intense.  I think the first day I could tell a noticeable difference was postop day 6 or 7.  I was on a liquids only diet for 2 weeks!  That part sucked, but at least I wasn't hungry.  I was losing about a pound every day.

Week 3:  I went back to work.  2 days of class, followed by 2 night shifts.  Class wore me out, which should have been a sign not to go back so soon!  Both night shifts, I had issues with blood sugar being a little low, which made me feel awful.  I guess I tried to eat a little too much the first night too.  That led to a new kind of pain; a heartburn-y kind of pain.  I finally had to go throw up for some relief.  Gross, I know.  But throwing up postop is not nearly as gross as it used to be.  I guess it may just be a part of life now, as much as I dislike throwing up!  

Week 4:  This is where I am now.  Thanks to some good advice from a great friend, I punched my pride in the face, and I asked for some more time off at work.  Instead of having class one day, working 3 days and a night all in a row, I dropped the class and took 2 of the days off.  I have been trying to push myself more at working out too.  So hopefully all these things will help me get by better at work.  This whole process has been very interesting.  It's like having to learn my body from scratch:  the things I can tolerate, and the things I can't tolerate.  Nothing like having your guts rewired to make you feel like a baby!

I'm still on the pureed diet at this point, for one more week.  I'm so ready to chew something!  The first day I did pureed, I think I pushed a little too hard because I seemed to be tolerating the food just fine.  But the whole first night, I was up all night with stomach pain and throwing up (I think just from the pain).  So I think I'll be introducing solid foods rather slowly.  The pain just isn't worth it.

I'm also a little frustrated at this point.  I haven't lost any weight for a week!  I have to admit, I did not expect a pause in weight loss this soon.  I have been trying to eat more, to make sure to get in my vitamins and protein, and I've definitely been more active.  Grr!  Not quite the birthday present I was hoping for!