3 Months Post Op
I have made it to 3 months out from my VSG surgery. I am so happy that I went through the process to get this surgery. I have noticed so many changes in my body since surgery both negative and positive.
Negatives from Surgery
One thing that I noticed since having the surgery is that I do not have normal bowel movements. I can go days without one which leads to a lot of abdominal pain and needing to take a laxative. Also I eat and drink really fast (a side effect from being in the military I suppose) which is not good when you have VSG surgery. Eating too fast can cause me to vomit and also not be able to eat nearly enough food in a sitting. Another thing that happens from eating or drinking too fast is a weird burp/ gurgling sound in my chest. It kind of sounds like a mixture of a stomach growl and a burp that is caught inside my body. The other day my fiancé had to pat my back like I was baby he was trying to burp to release the gas bubbles. I try to keep myself busy when I am eating so that I eat slower but that does not always work. Prior to the surgery I was someone who drank while they ate. That is not an option after surgery. There is a 30–30 rule. No drinking 30 minutes before and after a meal. Those 30 minutes feel like a lifetime to me but it is getting easier as the months go by. My hair is starting to fall out but I have so much of it that it is not noticeable. This is partially my fault because I was not taking my vitamins because they were making me nauseous. I have started to take different vitamins so I take them like I should and I can tell that the hair loss is slowing a little but it is still coming out.
Positives from Surgery
I am 90+ days sober since having the surgery. This was something that I really needed to make my life better and happier. Prior to the surgery I was drinking almost daily and weekends were always a party. When I started the preop diet I was not allowed to have alcohol and after surgery I am supposed to wait at least a year to drink. I am enjoying my sober life and the way that my body feels since becoming sober and think that I will remain sober the rest of my life. My skin is so much clearer and my mind is a lot clearer. I am losing the weight that I was not able to prior to surgery. I am losing slowly (1–2 pounds a week) which I am ok with because hopefully that means that I will keep it off in the long term. I have lost weight before where I lost it too fast and gained it all back and then more. I am seeing a lot of changes in my body since having the surgery. There are so many non scale victories that I have noticed, my “fat” clothes are starting to become loose on me, I am able to cross my legs comfortably and all the compliments that come from people that do not see me everyday on how small I am looking.
Surgery is a Lifestyle Change
Having any weight loss surgery is a lifestyle change. Can I eat the junk food that I used to prior to surgery? Sure I could, but am I going to? No I am not, why? Because after taking all the nutrition classes prior to surgery I learned that my stomach is smaller and I need to fill it with foods that are going to give me the proper nutrients and vitamins. I have found a lot of substitutes for items that I would have eaten in the past but those are just treats and not eaten on a daily basis or in large quantities. When I want something sweet at night I will do a little bit of greek yogurt and a protein brownie. This is filling, full of protein, nutrients and satisfies my sweet tooth.
