Postop nutrient and supplement requirements

[Guest guest]

I looked in the Files section of our group Home page and don't see a

file of basics: What vitamins and minerals to take, how much water,

how much protein, etc.

New postops can't expect to get everything in right away--the pouch is

too small. Don't worry, you won't starve, and you WILL get to where

you can do it all.

The following recommendations are important because our bypassed

stomach and intestines do not absorb food and nutrients (protein,

vitamins, B12, calcium, iron) the way normal ones do.

Here's what KSSF told me to do way back when (2002)...and the side

effects of not following the recommendations. (These recommendations

will vary depending on your program):

Eat 60-75 grams of protein a day. This means 2/3 to 3/4 of EVERY meal

should be protein; eat your protein first. Some people advocate

protein supplement shakes to get protein. Most programs say you can

get enough protein with diet, if you eat right. Protein meal

replacement shakes are a great way to keep weight on, or gain more.

Low protein causes hair loss, dry skin, poor wound healing, impaired

immune system function, and lots of other lovely problems.

AVOID ALL CARBOHYDRATES: Bread, pasta, alcohol, rice, crackers, cream

of wheat, cream of rice, chips, candy, ice cream, cookies, pretzels,

beans, lentils, couscous, bulgar wheat, etc. etc. etc. We don't need

carbohydrates--they take up valuable pouch real estate and they become

fat.

Drink 64 ounces of water a day. High-protein diets can cause kidney

stones unless you drink lots of water.

Take 2-3 multivitamins a day. Advice on multivitamins varies. Some

people say take more; some take mega-multi's.

Take B-12 sublingually at least 3x a week, or in an IM injection every

month. B-12 is not toxic so if you take too much it will not hurt you.

Low B-12 causes nerve damage (neuropathy and pain).

Take iron: Especially if you are premenstrual, but even if you're not,

you need iron. Take 300 mg ferrous fumarate or ferous gluconate daily.

Ferrous sulphate will make you constipated. Don't take with the

calcium supplement--they bind each other. Low iron causes anemia.

Calcium: 1200-1600 mg/day, preferably in divided doses. Don't take

with the iron supplement--they bind each other. Low calcium causes

bone loss and cardiac problems.

Exercise 5x a week for at least 30 minutes. Lack of exercise leads to

flabbiness.

Go to as many support groups as you can manage. Lack of support causes

isolation and a tendency to lapse back into old fat habits.

Get individual therapy to deal with your food addiction issues. Lack

of insight into personal issues causes cluelessness.

If you aren't sure whether you're getting enough protein, vitamins,

B-12, calcium, and iron, you can get blood tests to measure them.

If we don't have the basics filed somewhere on the home page for

reference we should do it. Otherwise, someone will personally have to

answer this question everytime a new postop needs to know what to do/take.

Martha

[Guest guest]

Thanks Martha that was just what i was looking for.

Jeanne

-- In gastric-bypass-support-kaiser-

patients , " nursefera2 " wrote:

> I looked in the Files section of our group Home page and don't see

a

> file of basics: What vitamins and minerals to take, how much water,

> how much protein, etc.

> New postops can't expect to get everything in right away--the

pouch is

> too small. Don't worry, you won't starve, and you WILL get to where

> you can do it all.

>

> The following recommendations are important because our bypassed

> stomach and intestines do not absorb food and nutrients (protein,

> vitamins, B12, calcium, iron) the way normal ones do.

>

> Here's what KSSF told me to do way back when (2002)...and the side

> effects of not following the recommendations. (These

recommendations

> will vary depending on your program):

>

> Eat 60-75 grams of protein a day. This means 2/3 to 3/4 of EVERY

meal

> should be protein; eat your protein first. Some people advocate

> protein supplement shakes to get protein. Most programs say you can

> get enough protein with diet, if you eat right. Protein meal

> replacement shakes are a great way to keep weight on, or gain more.

> Low protein causes hair loss, dry skin, poor wound healing,

impaired

> immune system function, and lots of other lovely problems.

>

> AVOID ALL CARBOHYDRATES: Bread, pasta, alcohol, rice, crackers,

cream

> of wheat, cream of rice, chips, candy, ice cream, cookies,

pretzels,

> beans, lentils, couscous, bulgar wheat, etc. etc. etc. We don't

need

> carbohydrates--they take up valuable pouch real estate and they

become

> fat.

>

> Drink 64 ounces of water a day. High-protein diets can cause kidney

> stones unless you drink lots of water.

>

> Take 2-3 multivitamins a day. Advice on multivitamins varies. Some

> people say take more; some take mega-multi's.

>

> Take B-12 sublingually at least 3x a week, or in an IM injection

every

> month. B-12 is not toxic so if you take too much it will not hurt

you.

> Low B-12 causes nerve damage (neuropathy and pain).

>

> Take iron: Especially if you are premenstrual, but even if you're

not,

> you need iron. Take 300 mg ferrous fumarate or ferous gluconate

daily.

> Ferrous sulphate will make you constipated. Don't take with the

> calcium supplement--they bind each other. Low iron causes anemia.

>

> Calcium: 1200-1600 mg/day, preferably in divided doses. Don't take

> with the iron supplement--they bind each other. Low calcium causes

> bone loss and cardiac problems.

>

> Exercise 5x a week for at least 30 minutes. Lack of exercise leads

to

> flabbiness.

>

> Go to as many support groups as you can manage. Lack of support

causes

> isolation and a tendency to lapse back into old fat habits.

>

> Get individual therapy to deal with your food addiction issues.

Lack

> of insight into personal issues causes cluelessness.

>

> If you aren't sure whether you're getting enough protein, vitamins,

> B-12, calcium, and iron, you can get blood tests to measure them.

>

> If we don't have the basics filed somewhere on the home page for

> reference we should do it. Otherwise, someone will personally have

to

> answer this question everytime a new postop needs to know what to

do/take.

>

> Martha