My nutritionist

Hi Bridget, since you know everyone is different, I won't tell you that. However, I can tell you my nut says 60gm of protien average, but they also do not want us "drinking" our meals(protien shakes are a ) so I find it hard to even get that in. When I told her this she said in the beginning anywhere from 40-60 was good. I agree with another post that nobody should set specific weight/dates for your progress, that is not a fair guide line since we are all different. With that being said, only you know what you are doing and if you feel guilty about it chances are you know what you should be doing. It is not easy, everyone has days they fall off track, and that reminds me of a picture I have that my mom gave me after my surgery that says "BELIEVE & SUCCEED : COURAGE DOES NOT ALWAYS ROAR. SOMETIMES IT IS THE QUIET VOICE AT THE END OF THE DAY SAYING, ' I WILL TRY AGAIN TOMORROW.' " Karyn

"BELIEVE & SUCCEED : COURAGE DOES NOT ALWAYS ROAR. SOMETIMES IT IS THE QUIET VOICE AT THE END OF THE DAY SAYING, ' I WILL TRY AGAIN TOMORROW.' " I love that. Thank you. May I borrow it? Bridget

I know, the money is a huge issue. It's $52/week for the supplemet for both myself and my husband. Bridget

I can't say about the weight loss projection...I just have no idea. I will say that I think the protein they want you to have is a little on the low side. Everyone's doc and nut are different, but we have to remember that they are not GODS and they don't know everything. To a certain degree, we have to do our own research. I prefer to listen to long term WLSers who have BTDT and have seen what low protein levels have done to their body (which is why I'm on several WLS lists on YahooGroups). My surgeon says to get in 60-80 gms of protein a day. Personally, I strive for 100gms. I drink protein shakes, not as a main source, but to round out the numbers and to be sure that I am not protein deficient and suffer needlessly as a result. My good friend just had her labs done (she had surgery two weeks after I did) and she works hard on getting her protein in (60-80gms) through foods mainly, but via supplementation as well. Guess what? Her labs show LOW protein levels....it's something she has got to keep working on. We are not "normies"...our bodies have been altered forever and we don't absorb calories, nutrients and protein the way normies do. Personally, I think nutritionists forget this fact, but that is JMO. (getting off soap box) Chele

Thank you. Do you know the tests the labs show? I think I should get bloodwork done just so I know where I stand from a nutritional standpoint. My aftercare is on my own, so I need to take a list of lab tests to a clinic and have the bloodwork done on my own. Bridget

Bridget, I can ask her. Actually I already did and she couldn't remember which labs were low, but I know it was protein levels. I can email you a list of suggested labs if you like....along with a lab tracker (an Excel spreadsheet). Just let me know. Chele

Bridget, This some information I saved when I was researching the surgery. I is from a RNYers personal website (it is now closed down) You may find it useful. I also have the lab tracking sheet that she talks about. It is in Excel if you are interested. Jen What labs do you get and how often? This is taken from several files section on the OSSG Grad boards and not medical advice, but what I get tested for in labs. I routinely got my labs done every 3 months the first year and every 6 months now for life depending on my lab results. Any adjustments need to be made before serious complications arise so keep track of your results and you can with this lab tracking sheet: 10231COMPREHENSIVE METABOLIC PROFILE (sodium, potassium, chloride, glucose, BUN, creatinine, total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase) ~ (Nc, K, C1, CO2, Glu, BUN, Cr, Ca, TP, Alb, Tbili, AP, AST, ALT). 7600 Lipid Profile: (Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, Cho/HDL ratio) (fasting specimen), Tchol, Trig, HDL, Calc, LDL) 84134 PRE ALBUMIN 10256HEP PANEL - ALT (SPGT)& GGT 593 LDH 718 PHOSPHORUS 905 URIC ACID 1759 CBC (HEMOGRAM/PLT/DIFF) 4052 THIAMINE (B1) 842207 PYRADOXINE (B6) 7605 B-12 & FOLATE 31789 HOMOCYSTINE, CARDIO 7573 IRON, TIBC, % SAT 457 FERRITIN 921 VITAMIN A 680 VITAMIN D (25-hydroxy) 7444 THYROID PANEL (T3u, T4, FTI, TSH) 83970 SERUM INTACT PTH 83735 MAGNESIUM RBC 945 ZINC 84134 PRE-ALBUMIN 367 CORTISOL 496 HEMOGLOBIN Possible Diagnosis codes: 244.9 hypothyroidism 250.0 diabetes mellitus 265.1 Other and Unspecified Manifestations of Thiamine Deficiency 266.2 cyanocobalamin deficiency (B12) 268 vitamin D deficiency 268.2 metabolic bone disease 269.2 hypovitamininosis 269.3 zinc deficiency 272.0 hypercholesterolemia 275.4 calcium deficiency 276.9 electrolyte and fluid disorders 280.9 iron-deficiency anemia 281.0 pernicious anemia 281.1 other B12 deficiency anemia 281.2 folate deficiency anemia 285.9 anemia, unspecified 401.9 essential hypertension 579.3 short bowel syndrome or post-surgical malabsorption 579.8 intestinal malabsorption Fresh post operatively I got my labs done though my Primary Care Physician and not my surgeon as my bariatric surgeon did not believe in all these labs as a necessity when I did every 3 months for the first year due to my research so I educated my PCP. I did this because the research I found through scholarly and credible articles proved our needs which were mentioned by many on the grad boards. The grads are a group of post ops 1-23 years out who talk the good, bad and ugly in regards to the post operative complications of this surgery. It is a melting pot of information. Surgeons who provide us with this surgery do a great job at providing us with our chosen surgery, but the rest is your responsibility. We will have vitamin-mineral deficiencies due to malabsorption and malnutrition it is just a matter of what, when and what do we do with the results we get back. Remember that anyone of any size can have malnutrition issues and they do not need to look very thin or sickly, they can be obese. Again I keep all my lab copies in a three-ring binger, a tracking spread sheet and I know how to read my labs. Teach yourself or have your PCP sit and teach you as I did on some of them. I now get my labs every 6 months without a hitch for life. It is about 9-12 vials of blood and the Vit D, all the vitamin vials, have to be protected from the light with foil or tape around the vial so make sure they do this or it is not going to be read correctly. The homocystine has to go on ice.

Wow, you are on top of it! I do not have a PCP, I do not even have health insurance. I will have to pay out of pocket for my labs. I wonder if there is a shorter (cheaper, lol) list of necessary labs? My surgeon in Mexico said they were not necessary but I believe I will have them done anyway. I need peace of mind that I am healthy. Bridget

Bridget, I have two appointment next Thursday. One with my surgeon and one with my gyno. I am going to take the list with me to both appointments and see what they have to say about it. If you want I can let you know what they say. God Bless, Jen

That would be excellent, thank you. I am happy to get any free medical advice I can, lol! Bridget