Doctors and Nutritionists!

Why can't all these batriatric surgeons and nutritionists get on the same page when it comes to food and supplements??? Why is this so hard to get consistent information? Every time I ask about vitamins, supplements, protein... I have 40 different answers in the forums? Why can't there be CONSISTENT messaging with doctors and bariatric patients across the country? For example, my surgeon forbids caffeine and my boyfriend's father had caffeine WHILE HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL for Gastric Bypass! My surgeon was fine with me taking two chewable kid's vitamins - yet friends from the forums and other patients tell me that I am far from getting enough. I was concerned about my protein intake and was told at the surgeon's office that I should be more concerned with getting enough water. Again, everyone has a DIFFERENT story re: protein here. Again, today I hear from another person on the boards that their nutritionist is against the protein bullets. Why? Are all these surgeons and nutritionists coming up with their own theories and using their patients as guinea pigs? For example - is it a fact that bariatric patients can only absorb 30 grams of protein at a time? Can this be cited in the New England Journal of Medicine? I am on the brink of insisting white papers next time I go to visit my surgeon, who assumes that because he is a surgeon, he has the right to insult my intelligence. Well, think again!!! Nutrition and anatomy are subjects of science - not theory. Why can't surgeons and nutritionists take the cold hard FACTS and present them to their patients in an objective manner? Imagine going to a vegan surgeon who insisted that you would die if you ate meat after bariatric surgery. This is the same concept. What are the facts? What are the theories? Why are people in a position of authority and power pushing off their theories on the bariatric community? Why do we blindly accept everything that we are told and not question why it is all contradictory?

Hey Susan...thought that was my post you saw about the bullets! Don't fret! It will work out...promise!

I know exactly what you're talking about. The problem here is that each doctor has learned the procedures from someone else, either on residency or fellowship, and adopts that specific clinic's way of doing things. While a really sharp physician will tweak things as they keep current on the studies etc., they typically find a groove and stick to it. So why are different programs so variable on their progression of the post-op diet? Not sure, but I'll bet it has to do with what their experiences have been up to that date. If you go to a clinic that's been in buisness only a few years, they'll probably be more strict I'd imagine than one that has done thousands of procedures. The program I went to has done just over 100 surgeries, and still models itself very closely to the program they benchmarked with when they started - and is quite conservative on progressing the post op diet. I think as consumers, we need to make sure we are up on the data, asking the important questions about our vitamins, protein intake and choices of foods. We are the ones that are at risk for protein deficiency, vitamin deficiency and their associated side effects (beri beri, neurological effects, malnutrition, etc). Caveat Emptor comes to mind - "let the buyer beware" or "let the patient BE AWARE". Don't ever take a physician's word just because he or she has MD or DO behind their name - remember, they're all "practicing" medicine, hopefully we can help them get it right!

each surgeon seems to be different. mine is very strict and tells you exactly what she wants. On the other hand, a co-worker of mine who had her surgery in august claims (now I don't know if I really believe this or not) that hers told it was ok for her to anything as long she tolerates it, as in she eats steaks, whole subs (she ate a 13" one a few months ago), almost whole pizzas, etc. it's hard to say what the surgeon really says, or what ppl interpret their meaning as.

Out of curiosity has that person continued to lose eating like that? Not in any way implying that I want to go this route but I'm curious and scared that if oneday I eat a slice of pizza (well the rate I'm going...more like a bite or 2) I'm going to stop losing weight. Silly I know.

she has lost quite a bit of weight. it hasn't seemed to have affected her that way, but it makes me wonder if she won't end up gaining it all back later, and I don't what kind of health problems she's gonna have later on. it just kind of makes me mad because I know a lot of ppl have to really fight with their insurance companies and stuff to have this, and both her and I were fortunate enough to not have any problems, we both had our approvals within a week. it also kind of gives the surgery a bad name, I think anyways, not setting a good example. I don't go to the only support group near where I live, because they're all like her, and they've all gained most, if not all, of their weight back. not good influences for me to be around.

Unfortunately everybody handles things different. My doctor and nut work with me and how I can handle things. You can not get definate facts when everybody's body is different. Just like calories on a label are the calories in a perfect setting, not the calories your body absorbs them as. Take any study that has been done and you can look at the results and prove something different.

My gosh you took the freakin' words right out of my mouth.....it just all makes me sick, makes my head spin. Whatever!!!