Not feeling so great...is this stuff normal? (TMI warning)

[writegirl]

Hello friends--I've been feeling weirdly "off" the past several days and I'm wondering if there is something wrong or this is normal in the healing phase. Tomorrow (7/19) is my one month surgiversary and I have had literally zero problems or issues until this weekend. I've been following the DS way of eating religiously, I eat very few carbs of any kind and when I do get them, they come from things like beans. I've been hitting 60-90 grams of protein a day, drinking lots of water, making sure I get plenty of fats in my diet, etc.

Last week I started feeling a bit backed up for the first time. I didn't worry about it, I just added more fat to my diet and figured it was my body adjusting. Plus, I did manage to have a BM nearly every day, it just never felt all clear, if you get my drift. Over the weekend I started feeling this weird gurgling feeling at the back of my throat--like deep in there--and these little bubbles kind of gurgle and then dissipate. I also started having this weird pain in my abdomen on the right side--more toward my obliques at a height just above the belly button (but I felt no pain near the belly button). It was sharp but only lasted a second but would recur sporadically, more so after eating or if I bent to lift something.

Monday, my body finally cleaned itself out. Wasn't super loose or anything, but it was just a lot and multiple BMs all day. The weird pain on the side went away. So, I figure that had something to do with the backup. Maybe. However, I started feeling this weird "hollow" nausea feeling in the center of my chest (I've never been sick during the who post op process). I just figured it was related to the weird gastric day I was having. I took a shower and noticed I have an irritated hemorrhoid that now feels quite inflamed and hard or solid, like it's blown up a bit. That said, it is not huge. I've applied suppositories to alleviate.

Today (Tuesday) I woke up and felt that urgent need to evacuate my bowels again almost as soon as I woke. Again, my body cleaned itself out. The gurgling sensation in my throat was immediately present at waking. I tried eating an egg to combat it, but didn't feel like I could finish it. I was just full feeling.

I've been drinking water, eating with no problems today, but I can't shake the gurgling in the back of my throat and the waves of that hollow nausea feeling.

I am on prescription prilosec, thyroid medicine, the urisodiol to protect my gallbladder (Boyce won't remove a healthy one), and I take a twice daily probiotic with 50 billion CPU.

Only thing different this week:
I started taking the crappy Barilife multivitamin powder that I bought pre-op. I don't plan to stay on this crap, I just want to get rid of it and since I am officially unemployed right now, using vitamins I already paid for is attractive.

The powdered stuff is lemonade flavored and disgusting, so I chug it like a shot mixed with some G2 to kill the flavor.

The day I had pain on my side was the only day that I tried taking the Barilife horsepill multivitamins (also bought pre-op for use pre-op, but I do want to use them up since they're costly). I thought maybe the pills would be easier to chug down than the powder, but I started getting that pain so I haven't taken them since.

Should I take Benefiber to keep myself from getting backed up again? Is what I am feeling normal? Will it (especially the hollow nauseous feeling) go away or is this my life now?

I know I need to migrate off the Barilife and I will, but this can't all be from vitamins this soon post op, right? Or can it?

Full disclosure: I have been under enormous stress since Friday when I had a last minute job interview with my department. Yesterday I learned that I did not get the job so I am facing financial ruin right now, losing my health insurance, and I will be losing my daughter's tuition discount at the university. Pretty much, my life is a pile of shit so I am not that surprised if this is reflected in my body also being a pile of shit.

Any advice/suggestions/words of wisdom are appreciated.

 

[Larra]

So sorry about the finances!

Can't help with that, but I can speak to the vitamin thing, somewhat. I've never had the dubious pleasure of taking Barilife products, but many, many lifetimes ago, long before my DS, I took a multivit from a local drug store chain and went to work and threw up every morning. People thought I was pregnant. I wasn't. Eventually I caught on and spoke with the pharmacist at the drug store, and he said it was probably intolerance to the coating on the vitamin and suggested that I switch to a different brand. I did, and the daily vomiting immediately resolved.
Stop the Barilife for a day or three and see what happens. If your symptoms go away, you have your answer. Like you, I hate to waste anything, but there is no value in taking something that makes you sick.

 

[southernlady]

I agree with ditching the BariLife for a week to see if your symptoms clear. It may take a few days.

If it was the BariLife, then toss it. If asked about it at a nut visit, mention it made you sick. They will probably suggest a different formula (chewable nasty ass tasting tablets or powder, depending on which you are currently using). Just say no thank you, I'll take a Centrum equivalent in its place. That's how I did it. Oh, and my last visit was at one year out cause that was how long the program fees paid for...I wasn't gonna fork over any copays for lousy advice.

 

[k9ophile]

Never under estimate the effects of stress. It may play a small percentage in your situation. You've gotten good advice about vitamins over which you have more control than your employment. Change what you can and learn how to breathe mindfully. It's amazing how changing the way you breathe can calm yourself.

 

[writegirl]

So sorry about the finances!

Can't help with that, but I can speak to the vitamin thing, somewhat. I've never had the dubious pleasure of taking Barilife products, but many, many lifetimes ago, long before my DS, I took a multivit from a local drug store chain and went to work and threw up every morning. People thought I was pregnant. I wasn't. Eventually I caught on and spoke with the pharmacist at the drug store, and he said it was probably intolerance to the coating on the vitamin and suggested that I switch to a different brand. I did, and the daily vomiting immediately resolved.
Stop the Barilife for a day or three and see what happens. If your symptoms go away, you have your answer. Like you, I hate to waste anything, but there is no value in taking something that makes you sick.

Thank you for the understanding on the finances. It helps to know people who are kind about it and realize that when this stuff happens, it's not because the person suffering the hardships isn't trying. I'll ditch the multivitamin for sure and see if that is the culprit. When I was pregnant with my daughter, the first prenatal vitamins my doctor put me on made me sick. They thought it was morning sickness, but I accidentally forgot to take them one morning and did not get sick. I took them that night and got sick within an hour. Since the barilife powder is so disgusting, that may be a big part of my problem.

 

[writegirl]

I agree with ditching the BariLife for a week to see if your symptoms clear. It may take a few days.

If it was the BariLife, then toss it. If asked about it at a nut visit, mention it made you sick. They will probably suggest a different formula (chewable nasty ass tasting tablets or powder, depending on which you are currently using). Just say no thank you, I'll take a Centrum equivalent in its place. That's how I did it. Oh, and my last visit was at one year out cause that was how long the program fees paid for...I wasn't gonna fork over any copays for lousy advice.

Thank you on weighing in on this and for the advice on how to deal with the nut visit. My next visit is Friday and then the next one is one year out (I think that is the next one). The program fees still cover that at Boyce. I'm glad for that--I would really not like to have to pay to be weighed and have a smiling waif tell me I'm doing everything wrong.

 

[writegirl]

Never under estimate the effects of stress. It may play a small percentage in your situation. You've gotten good advice about vitamins over which you have more control than your employment. Change what you can and learn how to breathe mindfully. It's amazing how changing the way you breathe can calm yourself.

You are so right on this. I took a four hour nap this afternoon and let myself feel my exhaustion and just give in and accept it. I woke still feeling not so great, but I'm glad I gave my mind and body a chance to rest. I'll give the mindful breathing a shot. I guess it can't hurt to try

 

[hilary1617]

Hi @writegirl, I'm sorry about the employment stress - it's difficult enough to be post-op without any other worries. Take good care of you, stay hydrated (this may help with output) - avoid the beans - no need for them and probably not great on digestive issues end? Hoping everthing works out favorably.

 

[KathrynK]

So sorry the job troubles started in the midst of recovering from surgery! You're undergoing two big life stresses at the same time. take care of yourself first...

 

[k9ophile]

You are so right on this. I took a four hour nap this afternoon and let myself feel my exhaustion and just give in and accept it. I woke still feeling not so great, but I'm glad I gave my mind and body a chance to rest. I'll give the mindful breathing a shot. I guess it can't hurt to try

That actually sounds very therapeutic. I'm waging a new battle against my chronic insomnia. Well, actually I'm renewing an old strategy with more determination than the last time I tried this. I'm doing mindful breathing, music therapy, and some relaxation techniques I learned while in therapy. I have a little flat speaker that I can tuck into my pillow case. A few stressors have hit me recently. I know I need help. I'll give this a try before finding a new psychotherapist.

Best wishes in your quest for health and the resolution of your financial problems.

 

[southernlady]

Full disclosure: I have been under enormous stress since Friday when I had a last minute job interview with my department. Yesterday I learned that I did not get the job so I am facing financial ruin right now, losing my health insurance, and I will be losing my daughter's tuition discount at the university. Pretty much, my life is a pile of shit so I am not that surprised if this is reflected in my body also being a pile of shit.

That is difficult to handle and is very stressful. While you can't fix it in the extreme short term, you could fix it long term. But you need to heal.

Are you still out on medical leave? I didn't think they can let you go til you report back in even if it's a different job than the one you left. Check with the HR dept and document EVERYTHING. IF they are eliminating your job altogether, then they are laying you off and unemployment will kick in. Not that it will pay much but it will help some.

Brush up your resume (in between naps) and start looking for a new position. Yes, you will still lose the tuition discount but a better job just might be waiting.

 

[Munchkin]

Ditch the barilife. You should be able to take any pill you want now. With everything going on in your life right now I am not surprised you don't feel well. It does sound like you are fighting constipation. Are you getting enough fat?

 

[writegirl]

Ditch the barilife. You should be able to take any pill you want now. With everything going on in your life right now I am not surprised you don't feel well. It does sound like you are fighting constipation. Are you getting enough fat?

I'm not constipated. I am emptying out--BIGTIME--every single morning. I wake up and after a few minutes of being awake I feel quite sick and have to hurry to the toilet. I am emptying twice per morning. The first three weeks post op I was going every morning, twice a morning, but not the amount that I am now. So, holy CRAP what a way to ring in week four! I do think the stress is a factor. But I again had the weird pain in my right mid abdomen today. I noticed it when I was signing in my car. It is not consistent, but it is a sharp pain that lasts like a second and then dissipates immediately. It just comes on sporadically. It's higher than the height of my navel but several inches lower than my ribs. There is an incision with pointy things sticking out that I think must be stitches since the rest of the durabond came off of all my incisions and they are all smooth. This one has two sharp little knots at either end. So, I dunno, maybe the incision is still healing?

The nausea was present again today, but I was able to eat better. I'm feeling ok right now, but tired as hell. I hope this is not a forever thing. I can't stay like this. My life will fall apart if I keep feeling too sick and/or exhausted to work or even send out applications for a new job. Ugh.

 

[writegirl]

That is difficult to handle and is very stressful. While you can't fix it in the extreme short term, you could fix it long term. But you need to heal.

Are you still out on medical leave? I didn't think they can let you go til you report back in even if it's a different job than the one you left. Check with the HR dept and document EVERYTHING. IF they are eliminating your job altogether, then they are laying you off and unemployment will kick in. Not that it will pay much but it will help some.

Brush up your resume (in between naps) and start looking for a new position. Yes, you will still lose the tuition discount but a better job just might be waiting.

I was never on medical leave. I am technically an "adjunct" instructor, even though my contract is billed as a post doctoral lecturer. That means the university gets to use us as dirt cheap labor and we have zero recourse if they do not renew our contracts for another year. Mine is non-renewable. So, the job I applied for was for a full-time lecturer position. That would still be an "adjunct" with an annual contract. When I lose my pay, I will lose my benefits. I am so beyond screwed that I can't even begin to articulate just how ruined my life will be in the next few months. Right now, I literally have $400 in my bank account. My mortgage and car payment are both past due because one of the outreach programs I taught earlier in the summer failed to pay me last month. That was $1500 I did not get and I have to wait to get that now till the end of this month. The end of this month will be my last paycheck as a lecturer. So, I will get barely enough to catch back up with the bills that are now past due. Plus, my daughter starts back at the university in August, she moves in the middle of August, and I have her sorority fees (the first payment) due at the end of this month. I know I sound like I am whining and I hate that because I am not a complainer. I'm just a bit freaked out right now. I will not be allowed to collect unemployment.

I will contact HR and see if I can take out the money I've paid into the stupid retirement fund they force us all to participate in (even though we are annual contract employees). Sure, I'll get screwed on the penalties, but I need to be able to pay rent and now tuition and, in my field, we have to pay a dossier service for every job application we fill out, so I will need money to even just find new employment. It's awesome when you work your ass off and scrape by and struggle in poverty to earn a PhD only to learn you are unemployable once you achieve it.

 

[Munchkin]

Yikes. I feel for you and I understand. Overeducated and underemployed is much more common than it should be. My fingers are crossed for you!