Six weeks out Monday!

[Rhondajs]

hey guys! I have had issues logging on for a few months to this website but was finally able to get it to work!

I am almost six weeks out from my ds revision from a vsg. Surgery was quick, recovery was quick...until about week two.

Week four my sleep medications stopped working. Switching things around still.

I've had chronically low iron levels for years. Not low enough that any doctor (who did even check) would do anything about. But it's still just there.
The labs included are pre-op and post-op at one month. After my post op labs, I had my first period post op and it was very heavy. Enter the doom.
So for about 2.5 weeks, I've had a headache every day, pale, cold, I'm dizzy (fainted twice), and fatigue doesn't even cover it. My surgeon made me bump my iron fumerate to 115mg/day and I also take the dose with vitamin c.

This shit isn't working. I pulled strings and am seeing a hematologist on Monday. I feel that there is no amount of oral iron that can get me out of this. I need an infusion.

As far as the usual post-op ds stuff, I'm keeping track of my measurements and weights. It's what kept me motivated with my vsg. I'm starting out as a lightweight (bmi of 35-36). I have lost five inches and 10 pounds since surgery. My weight has been stuck at 10 lbs down since week 2, and I haven't lost anything since.

And I don't care. I just want to feel like a human again.

I hope you all are well!

 

[southernlady]

Glad to see you doing so well.

Don't fret the weight. It will happen as long as you focus on protein and fat first.

 

[Larra]

Get the infusions. It will make a world of difference. If you're having heavy periods, there is no way you will ever catch up with the oral stuff.

 

[Rhondajs]

Thanks Southernlady for responding! You are one of my heroes! I am trying to stick to protein and fat. However, with nausea and fainting, protein doesn't stay down well. Even eggs or greek yogurt. The thought of protein shakes make me gag. I think it's because I had so many of them post-op the first time that I OD'd on them. Cheese stays down...oddly. So I have been eating more carbs than I usually do to tame nausea. Just being honest.

I'm focusing on getting healthy right now and then I can eat like I normally do after I get an infusion- high protein, high fat, low carb. I don't know what hematologist would look at my labs, whether he is familiar with the DS or not, and not give me an infusion. It seems like a no-brainer to me. Fingers crossed!

 

[Rhondajs]

Larra, thanks for responding! If I could get an infusion today, I would. And usually my periods aren't that heavy. I do have PCOS and have been on birth control for years. Not so ironically, I tried to come off of birth control when I was four years out from my VSG and that's when all my weight started piling back on. It was my first post-DS period and I think my ovaries are angry.

 

[southernlady]

Larra, thanks for responding! If I could get an infusion today, I would. And usually my periods aren't that heavy. I do have PCOS and have been on birth control for years. Not so ironically, I tried to come off of birth control when I was four years out from my VSG and that's when all my weight started piling back on. It was my first post-DS period and I think my ovaries are angry.

Oral birth control is not going to be well absorbed. And as a result, not going to be as effective in helping with PCOS. Talk to the doc who is prescribing the birth control for other possible options.

 

[Rhondajs]

I didn't even think about that! However, I use a nuvaring so I don't think absorption would change.

 

[Rhondajs]

P.S. Larra, you're a hero of mine too.

 

[harrietvane]

I use a Mirena IUD and have found it to be very effective, both pre and post DS.

 

[LindaDarnell]

I truly truly hope you get your iron deficiency resolved soon. As a chronic anemic myself, I know how miserable and debilitating this condition can be.

The takeaway for me personally from your story is that you've lost only 10 pounds since your revision. I know you mentioned your eating regimen has been off track because of the anemia. However, this highlights how truly hard it is for VSG to DS revisioners to lose the 2nd time.

Yes, we are told it will be "slower", yes, we are told that we'll have to return to a strict low carb regimen. What we miss is that it will take twice as much work as a Virgin DSer. I suspect a Virgin consuming ur current diet would be losing more than 10 pounds in 6 weeks.

Part of our problem is we dont have the initial restriction from our sleeves anymore. So we are physically able to eat more..and actually have to because of our capacity. I also think it is mental because we've been through this before. We are a bit jaded, and sometimes think we can outsmart the surgery and the system. But in the end , old habits die hard. Unfortunately, tricks that Virgins can get away with, Revisions cant. Our larger sleeve, shot metabolism, and jaded mindset wont allow it.

Long story short, Vsg to Dsers have to work teice as hard.....just my thoughts!

 

[Rhondajs]

Update: I saw the hematologist today and I have an infusion scheduled for Thursday! He agreed that no amount of oral iron would bring my levels up as quickly as I need them. Thanks for all of your support!

And I agree. Two stage ds'ers do have it harder than lucky virgins. But like I did earlier, I really don't care right now. I just want to not be dizzy or have a headache for almost three weeks. I will get healthy when my body's ready. And I will get there.

 

[Larra]

That's great news! Let us know how it goes on Thursday.

 

[nedsmehlp]

So sorry to hear about your low iron. I know exactly how you feel! I am almost 7 weeks out and sometimes I don't feel like I can even drag myself to the bathroom. I am taking iron pills, they have helped a little, but I still get exhausted just doing little things. It is discouraging to lose weight slower than virgin DSers, but I hit a stall for weeks and just today I weighed and was down another 3 lbs. I get worried and think I may never lose my weight, but I try to put that worry aside. Yes, after losing so fast after the vsg, it is really frustrating to lose so slow this time. Hang in there, we have to have confidence that it will happen!

 

[Pink Unicorn]

Yikes! So sorry to hear what you're going through. I too have fought low iron in the past, and worry about what will happen after my surgery. I hope the infusion on Thursday helps.

As an aside, I switched my birth control pills to chewables, because an IUD won't help with my problems. Hopefully, the chewables will work just as well as the non-chewables.

 

[LindaDarnell]

Yikes! So sorry to hear what you're going through. I too have fought low iron in the past, and worry about what will happen after my surgery. I hope the infusion on Thursday helps.

As an aside, I switched my birth control pills to chewables, because an IUD won't help with my problems. Hopefully, the chewables will work just as well as the non-chewables.

Chewable birth control? Didnt know such a thing existed