Things to Watch Out For

Just a quick blog today. If you are thinking about weight loss surgery, PLEASE pay attention when learning about possible side effects from the diet and the surgery. Everyone is different so you never know what you may end up dealing with, but I want to give a few things for you to think about.

Low Electrolytes/Potassium-
During the liver reduction diet, this hit me hard. If these numbers get too low, you may feel dizzy, faint, nauseous, and get dehydrated. I was drinking 80-100 oz of water, but I needed the Potassium. Drink Gatorade G2, at least 1 little bottle a day and check with your doctor if you may need a supplement to prevent bad side effects.

Constipation/Blockage-
This is no joke after surgery. I had a small BM on the morning of the 5th day after surgery and thought that I was clear of any problems. I was NOT. Please, as soon as possible after your surgery, start adding MiraLAX to your liquids daily. I would say at least by day 2 or 3 after surgery. I had issues because I did not remember anyone telling me how important this would be. I had problems for an extra week. Pain, uncomfortable, and not losing much weight because everything was backed up. You do not want to have to use a suppository or even give yourself an enema if you do not have to. Prevention is the key!

Leg Pain/Nerve Damage-
I'm still dealing with this and it has been more of a pain than recovering from my abdomin in a lot of ways. They strap your legs down during the procedure to the table. This may be why some people feel numbness or pain in their legs later on after surgery. It would also be fluid or blood collecting around nerve clusters that cause problems. Either way it sucks. My upper thighs, from my hips going towards my knees feel slightly numb to the touch still 2 weeks post surgery. They also have a constant tingling and occasional pain when trying to lay down or walk. It feels like the muscles are constantly constricted and not relaxing. I was given some mess to try to help, but it's really just a matter of time, who knows how long, before the nerve damage heals itself and this goes away. It is rough many nights to sleep, I have to sit up and let my legs be vertical to the floor, or walk around the house for a while. This does not happen to everyone, but I'm one of the lucky ones I guess.

Tiredness-
Remember that the goal is to get used to a healthier lifestyle. I want to go walking and be active now to burn calories, but I have to be careful. We may go shopping and I will be fine for a little while, and then it hits me. I sometimes have to sit down for a while, or get one of those stupid electric carts and wheel myself around. Sometimes, I have to just make it home and take a nap to feel better. Healing and getting in shape will take time. Do what you can do, but there is a reason to be on short term disability. You cannot jump right back into your life and be on your feel for hours. Keep pushing a little more each day, but be aware that your body may push back.

Well, these are just a few of the major side effects I have experienced. You may deal with these or more. Just remember we are looking towards the long play and this is still a great path to be on to get healthier. You can do it!

Update: be very careful not to push yourself to progress with the diet plan too fast. Pay close attention to how your body responds to different types of foods. You may need to take a step back if solid food is making you too nauseous or throw up. It tastes good going down, but you may experience these things 30 mins to 2 hours later. Don't get discouraged, this is a process.