3 month check up/FYI (long post)

Hey guys, Just an FYI of what's going on in my life...First of all I am really pissed off at a co-worker, but I need to let it go...I refuse to let her steal my joy! Especially after my fabulous check-up today. I saw Dr. Ward today and he was great about answering all of my questions. *****Disclaimer: Every Surgeon and Patient is different!**** How many calories? 800-1000 carbs? As long as you stay in your calorie range, you should be cool. How many protein drinks? 1 - get the rest from food Can my pounch expand? Something about the stretchy part of the stomach being eliminated. Basically some foods will empty faster than others...sounded good to me Should I have 64oz of water per day or just fluids? - Water is always great, but as long as you stay hydrated, and don't let yourself feel thirsty. How was my bloodwork - good, you're B-12 is a litttle low, get some dots. Iron is great. Whats up with vitamin absorption- Make sure you take your calcium with fat in the am and at lunch. Take your Multi at night. Caltrate is better that TUMS because you get Vitamin D, TUMS is just calcium. Biotin doesnt make or break you, because there is a fairly large amount found in most multi's. I forgot to talk about exercise, but I know I need to step it up a notch. And that was that, he'll see me in 3 months.

glad you had a great checkup! and thanks for the tips of info. i never know when its best to take my multi and my citracal, now i know thanks. keep up the good work girl. candy

Thanks for sharing all of that. I was wondering if I could take Caltrate, because I can get free samples from my regular doc...but I wasn't sure if I should because 1)It's calcium carbonate, not calcium citrate like most of the surgeons want us on nowadays (although mine is just now starting to make that recommendation and many of his patients are still on carbonate), and 2) I saw a lot of sugar in the caltrate ingredients (glucose I think and corn syrup etc). Good to know that it's at least not horrid. I also have never known that I should be flip-flopping my calcium and multi-vitamins. I knew they couldn't be taken together...but not which should be taken when. Thanks again! Julie

Congratulations on the good report! Definitely take B12 every day! A lack of B12 can cause nerve damage in the limbs (pain and electric charges). How much did you doctor say to take a day? As for water...try to get the 64 oz in if you can. If you end up feeling light headed or anything like that...try upping your fluid intake. Caltrate unfortunately is not the best calcium for post-ops even if it has Vitamin D. Caltrate is calcium carbonate and that requires stomach acids for absorption. With the changes to our stomachs, we don't have stomach acids anymore. The calcium of choice for post-ops is calcium citrate. It does not require stomach acid. I can provide the National Institutes of Health study on this if you want the link. Keep up the great work! Kathy lap RNY 5/20/05~ 5'7.5"~ 276/244/205/160 (consult/pre-op/curr/goal) Hubby Rich open RNY 8/5/04~ 6'5"~ 450/437/244/250 - 1 year post-op tomorrow and below goal!

Thanks Kathy, See thats why I post like this, to get the freat feedback like you all have given! Please provide the link. I definitely try to get the water, but sometime I'll get like 56 oz, and then another 8oz from crystal light or skim milk. And I will definitely start the B-12 today! He didn't give me a dosage, but he told me to get the dots? You and Rich keep it up too!

I take 1 - 1000 mcg sublingual B12 a day. I think by "dots" he means sublingual. You just put it under your tongue. Trader Joes sells them relatively inexpensively though I think we got ours at the Vitamin Shoppe. 56 oz of water plus 8 oz of Crystal Light adds up to 64 oz! I try to get 64 oz of water itself a day. In fact I have a 20 ounce bottle that I fill 3 times a day with ice cubes and water. Then if I drink extra stuff like some iced tea...that's bonus fluids. I'll find the link for ya! Kathy

Hey Kathy, I see that you and your husband has had the surgery. My husband had his going on four years now and I had mine on May 26th of this year. He has done so well over the course of his journey. It is amazing to watch him eat anything he wants including anything with sugar! I still can't eat much at all. (no dairy, no meats except baked chicken and baked fish, no sugar or artificial sweetners) There is about 6 or 7 different things that I can eat a few bites of. I like water but it fills me so quickly that I am having a hard time getting enough down during the day and night. Also is your husband supportive of you? Mine is bragging about me to everyone he sees and compliments me all the time. We have been married for 15 years and he is making feel like we just started dating. I am loving it. Good to talk to ya! Teresa

Here is the link to the full NIH calcium report: http://consensus.nih.gov/cons/097/097_statement.htm Here is a paragraph from the report. I put astericks around the part about calcium type and stomach/gastric acids. (Our nutritionist requires that we take calcium citrate.) "For some individuals, calcium supplements may be the preferred way to attain optimal calcium intake. Calcium supplements are available as various salts, and most preparations are well absorbed except when manufactured such that they do not disintegrate during oral ingestion. Absorption of calcium supplements is most efficient at individual doses of 500 mg or less and when taken between meals. Ingesting calcium supplements between meals supports calcium bioavailability, since food may contain certain compounds that reduce calcium absorption (e.g., oxalates). ***However, absorption of one form of calcium supplementation, calcium carbonate, is impaired in fasted individuals who have an absence of gastric acid. Absorption of calcium carbonate can be improved in these individuals when it is taken with certain food. The potential for calcium supplementation to interfere with iron absorption is an important consideration when it is ingested with meals. Alternatively, calcium supplementation in the form of calcium citrate does not require gastric acid for optimal absorption and thus could be considered in older individuals with reduced gastric acid production.*** In individuals with adequate gastric acid production, it is preferable to ingest calcium supplements between meals." Kathy

Kathy, you're the best! Thanks