Well I think I have finally lost my mind!!!!

Hi,

Since I am 7 going on 8 months post-op now I posted here so I wouldn't depress the new post-op's. I think I have lost it ladies I went today for my monthly hormone shot which is supposed to help me with this not sleeping it's not working but I have my annual on the 4th of August will discuss this with GYN then. I sleep 3 hours at the most and it's been that way since the day I came home from the hospital. So either I am sleep deprived or I really have gone nuts. A lot of my early recovery post had a lot to do with bowel issues the hysto really messed with my bowels so I am bloated all the time along with this swelly belly thing, well I have been so depressed about the weight I have gained I try everything and this belly just stays so huge and the scale doesn't move, so I research this laprascopy gastric mini bypass surgery to find out that I won't qualify weight wise I am over weight just not enough for Insurance to pay but would probably qualify with my bowel issues since eating messes me up more. Have I lost my mind what am I thinking I am not even recovered from this hysto and I am looking at surgery to make my stomach so small that I won't be able to eat. I usually am rational and think clear but this is nuts and on top of it my GYN has gone nuts as well he came in today and said hello to me while I was there for my shot and asked how I was, I told him I would talk to him at my annual in August BUT I went on to tell him that I think I need this weight loss surgery he says I know a good surgeon I can refer you to, for now you need to exercise, I thought ok I would love to but when one works full time and only sleeps 3 hours a night exercising is not an option, I did explain my reasons though with the bowel stuff so maybe he was looking at it from that point of view???? None the less when I got back to my office a faint hint of sanity came to me and my mind said well Sammie this LAVH/BSO was supposed to be so easy according to the info on the internet sites I found before joining this site, I have had infection after infection bowel and bladder problems so why would I even consider more surgery that is supposed to be so easy??? But why would my GYN knowing my history even talk to me about it??? So I decided that if the man wants me to exercise so be it maybe it will help so I have a appointment with Curves tomorrow to join and start going every day on my lunch hour. Am I that vain that I would even consider more surgery or is this from lack of sleep and depression??? Has anyone else felt so desperate that they would think something like this???? My SO just got so angry at me he said my gosh woman you have been through hell and back and are not yourself these days so get that more surgery notion out of your head...Just needed to talk and ask if anyone else does things now that seem irrational I think I am doing it all the time and even now I am still thinking well maybe that mini bypass wouldn't be so bad...Just needed your opinions thanks ahead of time..

Hey Sammie:

First, let me say, I would be totally disfunctional on 3 hours of sleep! Second, exercise is known to help aid in better quality sleep, so I think your GYN is onto something there.

Also, I heard on the news yesterday [or was it day before] that sleep is a big factor in weight loss. That not sleeping causes your body to store excess fat. So, wouldn't it be great if the exercise allowed you to sleep and you'd burn more calories/store less fat? Hey, worth a try, I say!

Regarding your GYN's comments: Since you told him you wanted to discuss it further at your annual, he's probably waiting for the pro/con discussion until then. And perhaps what he meant was if the two of you decide after a full discussion that you want to be further evaluated by a surgeon that he would refer you for that. He's your GYN, its really not his call to say whether or not you'd be an appropriate surgical candidate for something outside of his field. He can give his two cents and let you know who the finest surgeon is in that field, but he sounds smart enough to pick his battles.

I'm curious, where are you from?

Hi Michelle,

I am from Kansas but my GYN is in Missouri I actually work in Missouri so spend most of my time there...I think you are on to something I didn't think about the not sleeping causing me gain weight but that makes sense my body is not getting any rest so it would store up fat. I wish I hadn't posted that post it sounds so stupid now but I am telling you I don't make any sense any more I have gone so long without sleep that I can hardly speak normal. My GYN was only trying to help me I am sure since I brought it up actually he and I need to concentrate on my sleep and this awful bowel mess I am in, my belly almost feels like it is full of liquid and I have been pooping so I will keep the appt to the most important things, I am having awful back pain and lower abdomen pain which is supposed to be bowel so I am thinking he needs to refer me to another GI doc the one I saw said IBS but once he put me on zelnorm he said I was cured and that I could take that medicine forever. I want to know what is causing all of this I have had IBS before and not hurt like this.
Thanks for replying I felt so stupid after I posted went to try to edit and didn't get there in time and I couldn't take it out....Thank you again...

Hi Sammie

Hey, don't you feel stupid about posting. No way are you stupid. You're just trying to find some answers.

I agree with Michelle about being totally disfunctional on 3 hours sleep a night. I've been there, done that. Felt like the walking dead, couldn't make a decision to save my life, my pulse rate went nuts, even stopped driving as I couldn't trust myself to react quickly if I needed to. This was after only 4 nights of NIL sleep, but 3 hours isn't much more. You're so sleep deprived it's a wonder you can post at all.... Well done!!!!

I'm a real advocate on exercise for sleeping better, and it's definitely helpful in losing weight. Just start gently and slowly. Don't leap in with both feet and overdo it. Is there any chance you can take yourself out for a gentle walk after tea at night? This can be really soothing and help you sleep. I think you've just got to break this awful sleep pattern you're into.

You've also got to try and get this problem with your stomach sorted. Maybe the IBS isn't being helped at all by your lack of sleep.....it can be extremely stressful not being able to sleep. I agree with you though that maybe another GI doctor should take a look.

I wish you all the best in your quest for a decent night's sleep. I'm sure you're going to feel heaps better if you can overcome that.

Hi Lynne,

Thanks for the kind words I don't feel so stupid now... Yes I am searching for answers but am tyring to settle with the fact that I may just be this way for a long time. I think I could take all of this if I wasn't hurting so darn bad when my bowel is full it appears to lay around my back which is causing me so much pain then when I finally go the pain lets up and I am taking a large amount of ibuprofen. I will try an evening walk but it is so hot where I live and since the hysto I can't tolerate heat very well. My poor SO is freezing all the time since I keep our house so cold but I get so hot so he is wrapped up in blankets...I actually passed out after I got home tonight and slept for a while which means I am up now but hec I sleep when my body will let me. I have been trying to stay on a routine if I don't my bowels get more messed up then they already are, which means I have to usually take my 2 zelnorm around 7:00 pm right before supper and wait it out and then I will usually go around midnight I have tried to get the med to work in the am with no luck. I never knew how important pooping was until after this surgery...I will just have to be patient and wait this out I have a wicked vaginal infection one of a zillion that I have had since the hysto but I see my GYN in a few weeks unless this infection gets so out of control then I will have to call for meds...Thanks again for the kind words I am feeling a litttle more rational tonight no thoughts of by-pass surgery tonight...thank goodness...Take care and once again thank you...

Hi again Sammie

A couple of things you said has set off little bells inside my head.

You say you've have a zillion vaginal infections since your hyst. Have you had to take a lot of antibiotics? If you have, you may well have an imbalance of your internal flora (good bacteria) in your gut. This can cause a myriad of problems, including heaps of bowel problems. I'm no doctor and I have no idea if this could be contributing to your problems, but it's certainly something to think about.

Another possibility is you say you're taking a lot of ibuprofen. Being someone who can't take any form of medication at all because of what it does to my digestive tract, I'm always suspicious of the possibility that the medication might be the culprit. Probably completely barking up the wrong tree here, but when you're in your situation and nothing seems to be working one starts to look at all possibilities.

This won't be causing your sleeping problems though, but as you say, if you could get your bowel settled down, sleeping might just come a little easier.

Hi Lynne,

Nope not taking any antibiotics my bacterial infections have my GYN puzzled as well as me, I had a lot at first then they stopped and returned then stopped and have now returned, well this time I haven't as of yet got it checked it appeared after I got my HRT shot but same symptoms I hate taking the med for the bacterial infections because that gives me a yeast infection so I always end up taking 2 different meds one to clear up the bacteria and then one to clear up the yeast. I am begining to wonder if my lack of sleep has anything to do with them I drink tons of water. Another possibility this time could be vaginal dryness and maybe I will be lucky and it's not a bacteria I have a cream for that problem so I will give it a try before I call the doc and so far no odor so thats good, I am honestly getting used to having them and am hoping they will settle down again. I did get a lot of rest today so I feel a lot better, I am waiting for my zelnorm to kick in so I can poop then I am forcing myself to go to bed and hopefully I will fall asleep. I will cut back on that ibuprofen and see if it helps my bowel I didn't even think about that irritating the bowel but it sure can so thanks for the info and your reply