RNY er 's & absorption

What amount do we end up absorbing 2-3 years out? I  have heard we never do 100 %  , then I heard whe do . Does anyone have the facts on this? I read somewhere after 3 years or so we will absorb about 80 maybe of what we eat , then I heard that wasnt correct. HELP and please if anyone knows , post some medical facts to research on this .. Thanks so much . Shirl

I can't wait to see the responses to your post. I've been curious about this as well. It would be great if we could absorb all the vitamins but none of the chocolate.

I've read that it varies based on how much of your small intestine was bypassed, and based on your own personal physiology.  I'm almost 2 years out and I feel like I absorb most of the calories that I eat.  I'm not due for labs for a while, so can't really comment on my vitamin/mineral/protein absorption at this time.   I tried searching for this information online, but did not have much luck.  Most of the information I found relates to the development of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, esp. B-12 and iron.  I'll be interested in learning information from other posters who are more knowledgeable!   Good luck on your continuing journey -  Kellie

It  was  my  understanding from  my  physican  that  I  would always  have  the  problem  with  absorption .. I  take  B12   5000 mcg daily  and  Vitamin D 50,000 IU weekly  besides  my  other  daily vitamins  and was told  this  would  be  a life time  thing.   They  are sending  me  out  my  lab  orders  today  so  I  can  get  my   2  year  check  up  the  first  of  Oct  ...  I will  ask  again  what  my  Dr  says  and  I  will  also   ask  where  are  the  documented  studies  to  prove  this ?  I  would  love  to  see  the  studies  they  are  making  these  judgement  on.

Thanks to all *****plied so far .  I am hoping that sevetral of the folks who are IN THE KNOW :) more than myself will read and respond . I do know that someone from my Dr's office told me early on that we wont absorb 100 % of the calories we eat from fat .. Now am not so sure this is right? Shirl

Shirl,

I don't think anyone can truly know exactly how much each of us will mal absorb. We're all just too different.  I mean, if you take two people, bypass the same amount of small intestine, make their pouches the same size, you will very likely have two different responses. One person may lose only 50 pounds, while the other loses 150 or more. Our bodies are, individually, so different that I don't think it's possible to truly predict with 100% accuracy how each body will react. Just as not all of us dump, not all of us will have the same level of absorption.

As far as fat is concerned, our fat metabolism is definitely affected by the surgery, as is our ability to absorb carbohydrates and even protein. How much depends on our bodies. Lots of people's intestines start to "grow back" because the body tries to do what it can to increase absorption; same with pouch stretching, which I'm told in some people is actually regrowth -- again, the body's way of healing. Crazy stuff, isn't it?

I wish there were even some way to measure, for each of us, how much we're absorbing. It would be good to know.

Vickie

Shirl, This is a question that I have asked several people who were "in the know" , the problem is that they do not know. I am told that the malabsorbtion is of nutrients and not calories. That is why we are told to take vitamins. But that we do absorb the calories from the get go.  Good luck in your quest for knowledge, but don't be surprised if no one has the answer.

I did ask my doctor this question and he told me it does vary on the amount of small intestine that is left to absorb the food and vitamins. Hr also told me I would absorb about 75% of my intake each day. Since he is the one who did my surgery I assumed he knew how much intestine I have and how much it was compromised by the surgery. I do beleive that thats about right for me at least. Although if you think of it in those terms shouldnt we be able to eat 25 percent more food to maintain. that doesnt seem to be the case as most of the people I see monitoring their intake keep it lower than what the national average for our body says to eat. so go figure.. so far all my labs have come back fine but I faithfully take my vitamins every day.

You have a proximal bypass if they bypassed up to 150cm, a distal bypass if they bypassed more than that. I have been told that my surgeon has been doing proximals (100cm) for about 4 years now because the malabsorption in the distals was too hard on bodies.  I understand that the calories are absorbed in the stomach and the minerals and vitamins in the specific areas in the intestines (that is why it is certain vits and mins that we are lacking) so unless I have been steered wrong it looks like chocolate will be absorbed at 100% and the others in a percentage based on whether you are distal or proximal.

It was my understanding that there is a 15% to 30% reduction in calorie absorption in the beginning, but after 18 months to 2 years the body becomes smart and figures out how to start absorbing all of those calories again.  That is part of the reason why many people have a harder time with keeping the weight off after that point.  But as far as the vitamin and mineral absorption, the body can't work around that and malabsorption of certain minerals and vitamins will always be there.

But I would love to hear official information from somebody!

Jennifer