Questions...

Let me just preface by saying that I adore my surgeon, he is a genius, has a tremendous success rate and has been doing this surgery for 25-30 years. I trusted him with my life and would do so again. Now, having said that, here's my question. He and his wife came to my support group meeting last night (which we all appreciated since his office is over 2 hours away) and talked to us all. Most of our support group are his patients and I was surprised that he actually knew and remembered us all. Anyway, someone was talking about soup and he said that for some people soup may not be a good idea as it is watery, etc. and the girl asking the question said that she only eats about 1/2 to 1 cup of soup at a time and feels satisfied. I said, "I can eat pretty much an entire can of soup with a few crackers. Usually it's between 2/3 and 3/4 of the can but sometimes I can eat the whole can." To which my surgeon said, "Well, soup is an okay thing for you (the girl asking the question) but may not be such a good idea for her (me)." Then he went on to explain how it is too easy to overeat if I'm able to eat that much soup. I have to tell you, I almost started crying! I know, I know, I'm on my period right now and emotions are running wild, but I felt like "D*mn, I've already given up enough, don't make me give up soup, too!! I LOVE soup!" Then, I asked him about quantity and calories, etc. and he said that he doesn't really have a 'set' amount at a certain timetable, etc. (like you should eat 'x' amount of calories at 3 months, 'x' amount at 4 months, etc.) but he likes those at 1 year or so to hover around 1000-1200 calories. That just seems kinda low to me, but to be honest, I've not been keeping track of how many calories I've been eating for quite a while, but I know that I was eating 1000-1200 calories a while ago! So, today I'm keeping a log and seeing what it looks like. So, the question (you knew there was one here somewhere, right?!) how does the soup and calorie thing line up with your docs and nutritionists?? Michelle

Our nutritionists say "No soup for you". They really discourage it. Because it is a liquid and solid and flows through the pouch too easily never giving you the full feeling and never for the length of time a dense protein would. The way I look at it...if it is protein packed and you aren't hungry again an hour later and it isn't all fat - then go for it. Kathy

Just a friendly question. If not soup, why protein drinks??? They are liquid and flow thru fairly rapidly as they are similar in consistency. I don't eat soup alot but lately have really enjoyed tomato soup/water because I am freezing all the time and it warms me and comforts me. I have been thinking of ordering some unflavored Unjury to add and make it a protein/soup. Any thoughts? Mary

Hey, Mary! Protein drinks are not meal substitues they are to augment your diet. Protein needs to be converted to amino acids for us to absorb. Plus each form of protein has a bioavailability rating of how well it is absorbed by non-ops. To convert protein to amino acids fully requires stomach acids and digestion times. We have neither. We have little or no stomach acid because the pouch is made from the very top of the stomach where there are little or no acid producing cells. We don't have digestion time because we have no pyloric valve - it was bypassed so food moves very quickly through us. So, that plus the fact the places where we absorb have been bypassed means that we absorb very little of the protein from the food we eat. Plus there is that bioavailability thing too. Whey isolate protein (shakes) are predigested. They are already in amino acid form. They are all ready to be absorbed and we will absorb alot more from them then we will from food. Protein shakes are also either 100 or 110% on the bioavailability scale (110% because your basic egg is considered 100% and everything else is rated against that and protein shakes are better than that). So protein shakes are good things for us giving us the most bang! I really wouldn't make soup a meal but if you add protein powder I'd consider it more of a protein shake. No problem with that. I'd just make sure that the soup wasn't highly calorie intensive. Soup will go through quickly and if they are very calorie rich...you don't get that full pouch feelings from it so you can hungry quicker after that and you intook a large number of calories without getting full...know what I mean? Then you have to eat to get full which is more calories. Hope this helps. Kathy

Thanks Kathy, that helps. Have you tried any protein powders that would work with say tomato soup? The unjury unflavored seems tasteless but is not cheap. I plan to stop by the Vitamin shoppe today and need some protein powder anyway. Maybe one for such ( as soup ) and one for reg. prot drinks. I like to add choc. prot to coffee for ex. I have the Nectar which I can't stand but what other protein pwdr do you recommend for regular shakes too? Just gettin' my list ready. thanks, Mary

"Protein drinks are not meal substitues they are to augment your diet." They are absolutely meal replacements as far as my surgeon's protocols are concerned (with the exception of "juice-type" drinks like the Nectars). Just goes to show how surgeon's and programs differ.

I definitely should have said "My opinion" and my surgeon's opinion. I do use them when others would have a "snack". Sorry 'bout that! Didn't mean to sound so...definitive.

Soups pretty much a no-no per my Nut, too, for the same reason - the broth will wash the food out faster. The same thing for milk and cereal. I just eat the chunks and leave the broth (or milk). As for calories, at my last check-up, at 6 months out, I was told I needed to be getting around 1000 calories. Now, I don't know if that's the same for everyone, or it depends on your starting size, current size, etc...

My surgeon says I should be eating an average of approximately 1200 calories per day. He said the some days we will go over and some days we will fall below, but 1200 is the goal. As far as soup is concerned, I eat some type of soup EVERY SINGLE DAY for lunch. I eat 3/4 of a cup plus 1/2 cup of cooked veggies along with it. It's usually a vegetarian chili, a vegetarian black bean soup or a vegetarian white bean soup. Granted, these types of soups are not really broth based and are more dense, but I feel satisfied. An entire can of progresso soup, which is around two cups, has only about 200-250 calories total and very little fat. I honestly do not see how that could be considered "overeating". Let's be frank. None of us got to the point of needing to have gastric bypass surgery because we ate too much chicken soup. As long as you're not stretching your pouch, I think you're fine. Hugs, Tracy

Michelle, My doctor says eat what agrees with you and stop when your full. Simple but works for a life time. 'Cause we are in this for life. Jane