Energy

How is everyone doing on energy? I am still so tired all the time. I can barely survive without a coffee jolt. I do not know how I am supposed to work out enough, when I can barely sputter home. I have thought of trying those herbal energy boosters, but am unsure how that would work. Jenn

Hi Jennifer! Are you taking any multi-vitamins and other supplements? Also, are you drinking a protein drink? I drink one protein shake per day for 65 gms. of protein and take the following: 2 multi-vitamins, 2 iron tablets, 1 B-12, 1 Biotin twice a week, and 1,500 mg. of calcium everyday. You might want to check with your surgeon to see what he recommends, but this is what my doctor told me to take. I had surgery on January 10, 2005 and have more energy than ever. Hope this helps! Aloha, Pat 261/168/goal 115

Well my surgeon does not want me to drink protien shakes, he is totaly against it. I take a good amount of vitamins, it helps some. Really I think it comes down to the fact that I take in 900 cals a day and put out 3500 cals a day. No wonder I am so tired. Jenn

Why is your doctor so against protein supplements? I drink a protein supplement of 20 grams per day and take a Flintstones chewable with iron vitamin. If I miss my protein I feel very sluggish the next few days. It makes a world of difference for me. I have so much more energy than before the surgery that it is amazing!! Surgery date Jan 24, 2005 Before surgery 340 Current weight 221 5'6"

Well his theroy is that we should learn to get protien from food sources. He also does not want the extra calories of a protien shake. He is very strick that I stik to 3-4 meals a day, no more. No snacks, the only thing with protien that he seems ok with me drinking is milk. Other then that no calories from drinks. I know he is tough but it seems to be working I am down 122 lbs. Jenn

Dear Jennifer, I am NOT telling you to go against what your surgeon says, but you may need to do some reserch of your own. When you had your RNY the portion of intestines that absorbs protien was bypassed making it virtually impossible to get all of your bodies required protien from food. The protien drinks are PRE-digested which means the protien is in a form that can be readily used by your body. A wonderful resource is a yahoo group called groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-Protein and groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-Nutrition/ you have to put the http:// in front of groups. What are your lab results like? What kind of vitamins are you taking? How is your B12 and Iron? Most RNY patients find that over time Flinstones are just not enough. It is crucial to your health that YOU track your labs and compare the results with your previous lab work. Look for trends so that you can head off any potential problems. Most surgeons and Nuts will not tell you supplement until your results come back low. You can spot a downward trend BEFORE you bottom out and head off any problems. ONLY you can do this. It is MUCH easier to prevent vitamin deficencies than to try to get them up after they bottom out. Low B12 can cause PERMANENT nuerological damage. If you are low on protien your body will start eating its own muscles and your heart is a muscle. Please consider joining these groups and posting your most recent labs. The women and men are fabulous AND have lots of long term experience and help to offer us newbies. Let me know if I can help. Eva

Thank you for the information. I will check out these sights. I get about 60-75 grams of protien a day. I take an iron and b-12 supplement, I also take the vista vitamins. My labs have not show any problems, though I do not know the exact numbers. I can say I sometimes have a hard time remembering my vitamins, and this is an issue I am really working on. I just feel so worn out all the time, it has effected my life, I am more forgetful, I have a hard time finding the energy to work out, or clean my house even. But I think it is getting a little better then it was. I do think that I need to discuse this issue with my doctor more. I had an apointment last week, but he had to cancel and it is a two hour drive to get there, so getting more time off to see him may be difficult. Jenn