I have not had this problem but I am sure there are a few here who may have had some of the same experiences. Wishing you the best and take care!!

~jackie~

I don't know how common anorexia is after WLS, but I have heard that it does happen. Not getting the proper nutrition is very concerning, and can affect so many parts of your body. Please stay in close contact with your doctors. This may be a touchy subject but I need to bring it up, if you have a psychiatrist or counselor that you can contact, it would be a good idea to also meet with that person.
I wish you all the best!
Shelely

Thank you both, I am working closely with my dietician, gastro, primary, psych, and counselor.

I have not expericienced this problem, as I am just starting to approach my goal....

I agree with what ShelleyNY has said.... I hope you can get some help as I am sure this is not where you had hoped to be...

Good luck...

I am only a week postop.... so no info to share, but did want to tell you I am glad to hear you have a support team and are reaching out for even more!

I wish you the best!
Becca ~

Hi, hon. I'm so sorry you are struggling with this. I'm 3 1/2 years out and many times eat only because I know that's what my body needs...kinda like brushing my teeth or going to the bathroom...not exciting, just something I have to do.

I'm guessing carbs go down easier than protein? (because of the hypoglycemia thing.) Are you getting sick on water? If so, something is physically wrong. It is perfectly normal not to want to do something that makes you feel crappy. I'm not sure that should be labeled "anorexia," like the problem is all in your head! Have they checked for strictures, ulcers, twisted intestines, etc?

JJ

With me.. I don't eat unless I am hungry. I cannot force myself to eat because then I feel like a pufferfish (like a blowfish but more bloated). And I think because of that, I have developed the hypoglycemia. I am now put on a diet for that. They want me to eat every 2 hours. Either a small meal or a snack. I can't do that. And I told them that. When I have a hypoglycemic episode.. I have to take in something that is high in protein but also in carbs. Or I will drop again. I am a little over 7 months out since surgery an thought it would get a lil bit easier. Instead Im finding all new things. But Im hoping this will pass. I know our tastebuds change and nothing ever tastes the same again. For most of us anyways. Hopefully this will pass for you real soon. Maybe start drinking protein drinks that are high in protein.. even have them 3 times a day. Maybe that will help you build back up some of what you lost. Good luck.

hi,

so sorry you're having to go thru this. I'm glad you are working with all of your doctors to get you healthy!

Hang in there, and we are here if you need us!! Please keep us up to date on how you're doing!

Hugs,

Boo

I had food issues for a time...........I have had a few complications for the last 2.5 years. I couldn't keep food or even shakes down with out taking anti nausea meds. I actually still have to do that with many foods. Have they done tests to see if this is mechanical? For me my first surgeon ignored my issues. My second surgeon was familiar with a rare complication and did a revision to at least fix that part of my issues.

My revision was last Dec. I was under weight and my surgeon and PCP asked me to regain some. When I tried to move up from liquids to soft I couldn't . I developed a fear of food and my therapist and I worked hard to get though it and me to gain a little. She said although its normal to not want to eat when food attacked every time however she said this would not become an eating disorder that she would not have it.

I know many locally who have had this done (it was a 2yr epidemic) I see many of them loose sight of why they did this and make it more of a diet then a tool. I see them abuse it through starvation or other past "diets" which never worked to begin with . I think there is a huge potential for many eating disorders to easily take over already terrified of regaining people.

I have been checked for all physical possibilities at this point, that may be causing the problem, I also have to use anti nausea medications, as well as several medications for reflux. I cannot drink water it makes me sick and terribly full and I want to vomit. I cannot do protein drinks, never could. I do eat small amounts of proteins and complex carbohydrates, sometimes, I just eat something decent that I can get down. I was also suppose to eat several small meals throughout the day for the hypoglycemia, but, cannot manage that. Thank you for all the responses, I will keep in touch, and keep on working at it. I just wanted to get to a decent weight and feel good, this is definately not what I signed on for !!

Nickigirl, again, I am so, so sorry you are going through this. There has to be something physically wrong for water to make you sick this far out. I can't believe it is all in your head. It took them forever to figure out what was going on with Katlin. If I remember correctly, there was a blind loop in her intestines where food was getting stuck....I believe it was called candy cane syndrome. Does hot herbal tea go down ok? During the first several months after my RNY, I had to have a cup of tea to calm my cranky pouch before I could eat/drink anything else.

@ gwaters. I have seen a lot of people struggle with hypoglycemia after RNY. I get so frustrated with the bad advice many surgeons and nutritionists give. Hypoglycemia for post op RNY should not be treated the same way it is for diabetics. At least you got the advice to make sure you have a protein with the carb to bring things into balance. I lived with hypoglycemia from the time I was in JH up until my RNY. I found peanut butter and orange juice to be a good combination for me when I was crashing. I don't think the OJ is probably a great idea after RNY but peanut butter should still be good...It is hard to throw up peanut butter (a plus when you are shaky and nauseous)!

From what I understand reactive hypoglycemia post RNY happens because the villi (mucosal lining) in our intestines becomes larger as a reaction to losing part of our intestine (well, not really losing, but it doesn't get food anymore so our bodies see it as a loss and compensate). The larger villi produce more hormones, including PYY and GLP-1 which are responsible for increasing the bodys response to insulin and regulating appetite, among other things. That is what makes RNY a "cure" for Type 2 diabetes...but the increased sensitivity to insulin means carbs (even "healthy" ones like fruit) can screw up your blood sugar. I've always said I dump easily. What I call dumping is really a low blood sugar episode. I can't eat yogurt or fruit or I will have reactive hypoglycemia. Yep, I pretty much stick to my protein shake, my protein bar, meat and popcorn. If I'm not careful, the popcorn can set me off. Hmmmmm....come to think of it, since I think of the episode as dumping, I don't eat anything to bring up my blood sugar any more. I just lay down for a couple hours until it passed.

JJ

to elaborate on candy cane issue .......it is not common and we all have the blind limb (candy cane) but as jj said my food got confused and went into it instead of traveling down the intestine the proper way. I recently found out I had a blockage in the area where the food has a choice on going one way or the other. there was a small internal hernia they didn't know about until they went in as well ...my new surgeon took the blind limb and connected it lower to my small intestine so now the food can do what it wants it winds up in the proper place....now the remainder of the nausea is believed to be my colon not wanting to work right and/or my parathyroid gland which one or more will be removed aug 20.

I had endoscopes and upper gi and small intestine study's and a cat scan.......my PCP ordered them because my first doc wouldn't. He did not know what he was looking for though. When I found my current surgeon he did the endoscope and watched the upper gi in person as it was happening .....he stopped the upper Gi after a few slides and said he knew what was wrong......that is my story and if I had listened to the surgeon who did my surgery my current pcp and surgeon believe not being treated would of killed me. I'm with jj it is not normal to bring up water. unless it is tap the crap in that didn't stay with me either . I had to find a purified (Poland spring) brand in my case but it was the only thing I kept down with out meds. I hope with the physical symptoms you push until you get an answer and get well. I have family and a good friend who pushed me to keep looking for help.