actual calories

I know that it's been said that after surgery we don't absorb as many calories as we are actually consuming. Does anyone know what that amount is?

My surgeon said a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. He said to count them all. His theory is the few we don't absorb at first, even out when lose that later on and absorb everything again. The body is very resiliant and fixes itself. We don't have the malabsorbtion forever-most say after the
2 yr mark the villa grow back and the intestines become efficient again. Some posties never have the malabsorbtion and can't count on that. I know I've always counted calories and count them all - it's habit now this far out and there's no way I don't absorb them all now.
Jen 10 yrs post op RNY

No.  And here is why.  First, different people may have a slightly different number of villi in their small intestines to absorb calories to begin with.  Then, some people have greater lengths of intestine bypassed than others.  Then, our body begins growing more villi so we will start to absorb all our calories again but your body  might grow them a bit faster than mine.  And it's a gradual change over time, so perhaps today you will absorb 75 % of the calories you eat and perhaps next week you might absorb 78% of the calories you eat.

I just count them all.  You can't go wrong there.  There's no way to tell exactly how much you are malabsorbing, or if it's even the same each time.

Not to mention you absorb a little more each day that goes by... how would you figure that into the equation?  And at what rate do you regain absorption?

It's much easier to just count them all!  :)

It would require some sort of ridiculously complicated algebra formula.  Gives me a headache just thinking about it.

Lol...a friend and myself both had the surgery and were talking about it today. I am trying to stick to 700-800 cals a day. She told me that's not nearly enough even considering that we don't absorb all the calories. I just figured like one of you said, a calorie is a calorie. Thanks everyone. Kelly...you are so knowledgeable about all of this, is it from experience? Or something other? I always know you are going to answer most of my questions. Thank you for that.

 I would disagree about a calorie being a  calorie in a post Rny patient.
Carbs start to digest the moment they hit your mouth. They are absorbed quickly. That's why they make us feel so good.
Protein and fat are absorbed farther down the chain. Protein first then fat. That's why fat makes you feel full longer.
I think if you were eating 800 calories of carbs you would have a different result if you were eating say 600 of protein/fat and 200 carbs.
Deb T.