are you taking chewable vitamins and still can't keep them down? if so make sure you keep that appt, and get all the blood test ever known. maybe try to eat even slower. i don't know i'm just throwing stuff out there hoping it will work. GOOD LUCK!

No vitamins at all! I can't stand to even think about them without gaging. Can't even watch commercials with food...Gag all the time!

Just tossing my 2 cents in-- I've had a lot of medical issues in my life- and one thing that I have come to terms with- is that my doctor is there just FOR these situations. It might be hard or difficult or intimidating to go to your surgeon about these issues- but weighing your health vs. embarrassment ... health wins.. just does.. I'm wishing you the best of thoughts and hope you feel better soon-- please call your surgeon!

I agree with butterfly: don't wait if you have questions. Doctors are human beings, the type who want to help people and make them well - that's why they do what they do.

The doctor can't know you're having problems if you don't let him or her know. I'm sure he or she would appreciate hearing from you before you possibly end up in hospital.

Please give your doctor's office a call, and let us know how you're doing.

I think you should call your Doctor now. I am not lecturing...but I am worried about you. I don't post often, but I think you need to call. Smoking is such a big no no, you are hurting yourself. I agree you must slow down and get some fluids in, have you tried tea or crystal lite? You have to keep trying until you find something that agrees with you.
Antoinette

i went to my first support group last night and there were people there that couldnt keep their vitamins down either, one person recommended to get a pill grinder and put them in your protein drinks. and spread them out throughout the day.

Brenda- I am no preacher, but I think you need to see the doc. Vitamins are very important. Why not put them in applesauce, or pudding? Also, do you think the nausea can be related to smoking? (I have no idea) but if every paitent was perfect, your DOC wouldnt have a job. Good luck. Please call him.

Thanks so much for all the support. Just so you all know I have tried to crush and mix vitimans with a number of things and it's the aweful taste and smell of them that get me wretching. Chewables - not a chance. Ugh. I've had the SF drinks like crystal lite. Again - won't settle. Water is my only drink. Once in a while juice, which I crave! I always loved water and before surgery used to enjoy gulping it down all day! I really miss that! I'm going to try cucumber slices in it tomorrow. Lemon is good but tends to leave my mouth a little dry.
Hubby bought my protein meal shake mix from Shaklee today and I'll try it tomorrow just want to be able to sleep tonight. Ate at daughters tonight and kept that down. Was good and of course ate the protein first. My cold is deminishing so hopefully things are on an upswing.
Again thanks to all and keep um coming. Always open to suggestions. ;)

Have you tried kids vitamins? The Centrum adult chewables are disgusting- but I'm able to tolerate the kids flinstone chewables. I just have to take 2 a day. You need your vitamin intake! VERY important! That's probably part of the reason you feel so awful.

Several things in your post put up red signal flags to me.

#1. You are at prime time for a stricture. So, if food or water does NOT go down please see your surgeon.

2.How do things taste??? Do foods have a mettallic taste at all???

By continuing with smoking you are really chancing ulcers in your very small stomach pouch. Not lecturing or sending nasty thoughts but because you will be the one who suffers from this decision, not any of the rest of us, it has to be something you decide for yourself.

3. Ulcers can cause lots of symptoms.

4. Ketosis can also cause bad taste and bad breath and make eating and swallowing pills difficult because of dry mouth.

5. Have you tried just taking one pill at a time, or cutting them with a pill cutter to make them smaller???

6. You may also be having reactions from discontinuing your anti-depressant. When you lose weight quickly, your hormones are all stuck in the fat and they can disrupt your entire body and cause lots of depression problems from the get go.

So, START with the anti-depressant. If it's capsule form ask your pharmacist FIRST if you can open it and take it in a protein supplement.

7. I do NOT know anything about Shaklee supplements but be sure to check the carb count in them. You want to keep the carb count as low as possible.

I always suggest www.vitalady.com who is a bariatric patient who is over 10 years out successfully and she sells pure whey protein samples (and is the only one I know of that has samples first). I love that so I don't buy a whole big jug of something I will hate.

8. As for me, I had terrible problems keeping down food and water stuck in my throat like a rock. So, I found that changing the temperature of the drink helped. As a pre-op I was an ice water kinda gal. After surgery things had to be room temperature or warm. I found alot of comfort in Bigelow Plantation Mint DECAFFEINATED tea with Splenda. The garden variety mint was very soothing to my stomach.

I found I could get Propel water down the easiest. I preferred Black Cherry and Grape but everybody is different.

9. But, even with all of my problems, I started taking my medications one at a time with a small sip of water because they are very important to your well being.

Vitamins are equally important but you can prolly go for a little while without them if you absolutely canNOT get them down.

10. As the swelling goes down in your pouch you will find alot of these things improving. . .

11. If you need help to stop smoking please see your pcp and get a nicotine patch or something else to help you through the withdrawals.

You've been through too much in this quest to lose weight to cause the complications that may be looming on the horizon from smoking now.

If there's any way I can be of help please let me know.

higkp@satx.rr.com

hugs,

gaylek11

Well, Doc had me come in for IV fluids as I was dehydrated. They took blood and are checking my thiamin levels. Results next week. I am trying to get into my other doc for shots of this...you can die without thiamin. Will keep you all informed.

Did you also know if you do not have enough thiamin it can affect your memory and your balance. I never knew that until recently myself. I know that it is very important to have it checked out. As I said before I have been using Shaklee for years and love it. I had a hernia and an obstructin and blew out all of the inside stitches (that's what they told me when I had a 2nd surgery due to complications. I vomited everyday eventually I vomited on everythng and couldn't hold anything down. I had one of those gastric tubes down my nose and stomach and it was terrible. I used to carry plastic bags around because I vomited everywhere anywhere. I feel much better now and although times were tough, I would do it all over again tomorrow. I have been able to take capsules since the beginning and had to cut all other meds in half. The last thing I would have needed was not to be able to take my antidepressants. Good luck and hope you feel better soon.
NAL

Brenda, Hang in there girlfriend!! I'm so glad you got onto your Doc. I too am a smoker (haven't smoked since surgery, tho I want to!) Tackle one thing at a time, remembering how important your meds are for you. Take care, we're all here for you!