Need help for my mom

I already posted this over in one of the gastric bypass forums, but you all tend to have such good advice that I thought I would post here too.

My mom had gastric bypass a few months ago. Her doctor wanted her to have it because she was Type 2 diabetic and in danger of a lot of other health issues that would be solved by losing weight. She is 69 years old. Things were going well at first - she felt well, she was able to eat as needed, and was losing the weight. She is about 5'5" and I'm not sure about her current weight, but she's lost quite a bit and can now fit into like size large in women's (she was at a 2XL or 3XL before).

But recently she has become very weak and has fallen several times (which is dangerous at her age). She went in to the doctor and they were initially convinced based on scans and blood work that she she had fatty liver that had advanced to cirrhosis, and they said it was Stage 3 cirrhosis (and that her only hope for survival would be a liver transplant). The doctor also told her that she was severely malnourished, comparing her to starving kids in other countries. He said that was the cause of her weakness, along with the liver issues.

A biopsy was done on her liver and she's Stage 1 of fatty liver, which means she can turn it around with diet and exercise, and we're all very happy about that. However, she is still extremely malnourished. The doctor's solution was that she eat more protein. She has been focused on doing so ever since her surgery; now she is trying to up her intake even further. And despite trying to get as much protein as she can, her last blood work showed that her protein is at a 2, which is apparently really bad.

So a couple of questions for you - Have you heard of anyone going through something similar to this? What did they do to improve their nutrition and overall health? (Because at this point the doctor is now recommending undoing the surgery so that she can absorb protein better, but I don't want my elderly mother to undergo surgery again.)

How can she up her protein? She is already eating large amounts of protein at every meal and snacking on it throughout the day. She is also eating plenty of vegetables. I know you're not supposed to get your protein from drinking, but would that be helpful here? Just to make sure that she's getting enough? And how many grams of protein should she be eating a day?

What kind of vitamins should she be taking, and at what dosage? She is very low on like Vitamin D and B, and assures me that she's taking OTC vitamins that her doctor recommended. I know that's not good enough if you have absorption issues and gastric bypass, and I also know that doctors' recommendations (especially those who don't focus on bariatrics) often recommend way below what is needed. (Her vitamin levels are bad enough that the doctor wrote her a prescription for vitamins to take once a week.)

Any and all advice/help/suggestions would be most welcome. Thank you!

Adding on - she told me she takes the Fusion brand Multivitamin every day (designed for bariatric patients) and a calcium/Vitamin D that is 1000iu twice a day. Looking at the label for the multivitamin, it seems low to me.

How's your mom doing? Pray she is doing better. I never would have recommended gastric for someone 69. Can be very harsh and a long recovery. I'm m 16 yrs post op. And only now are most of my levels in the normal range. I also take 50 iu of vitamin D four times a week. That's how low I got.

Not well, unfortunately. Her doctor says she is starving to death. Her levels are like zero despite her eating a ton of protein (and she's eating so much of it that she gained ten pounds). They had to give her a feeding tube and we're all hopeful that this will turn things around for her. She's so weak that she can't even get up to go to the bathroom on her own. We've been very, very worried

I am so sorry this is happening. She is the exception and most people do not have that type o experience. I do hope the feeding tube helps. Do they use the feeding tube to add more protein?

I had an extensive gastric surgery in the mid 90's... I also have difficult absorbing. to get her levels where she needs to be , will have to be aggressive in supplementation. It has taken me several years and i keep tweaking mine as i find what works and what does not..

B1 and B2 are critical for nerve function.

, i was having tingling and urinary issues..I had to search for B supplement that was well rounded... and had high of all of the nutrients.. i found one by rexall. a B complex, and a second one at Sams club.. marked B complex..( is 9.99 for 300 tabs). very high in all of the needed B range..

... Re: Vitamin D, Needs D3, she will not have the gastric enzymes to change D2 to D3, so get her D3,

.. To increase protein.... cut veggies in half and increase protein ... My script was for 90 Grams for maintenance.... to change weight had to increase that by 15 grams..,

ADD: a gastric enzyme to at least 2 meals per day... it should be labeled for Fat, carb and protein digestion.. I have gotten substantial relief from these... I take 3 tabs 2 x a day...She should also be taking K2 in a mdr is 100mcg per day.. it is the mineral mover of the body and will help her maintain bone and teeth.

When i started on it i began with two per day/ at night with 200mg mag citrate, within a few days my leg cramps that were low level and muscle weakness went away... after a week i changed my K2 to 100mcirograms a day.. this is the common strength. of a stand alone k2..

For fatty liver... cut every sweetener.. every White food.all carbs possible.. leafy greens yes. cabbage, cauliflower, Yes.if she tolerates them.... Look at u tube video's on natural approaches to healing a fatty liver.What your doctor is recommending goes along well with those, that i have seen. it will give you both a better understanding of the why's of fatty liver... Liver can be healed in a few months with diet modification.

I too took what my dr recommended.. and i had osteopenia and lost almost every tooth in my head..guidelines changed and i did not get the memo...looks and feels like i have reversed that.. I fell about a year ago, and did not break anything... ( big snake frightened me and fell over own feet, trying to give him space.LOL )

Your mom's situation sounds tough. For protein, high-quality shakes could help boost her intake without filling her up too much--jus****ch for low sugar. For vitamins, a bariatric-specific multivitamin might be better than regular OTC options. She may also need extra iron and possibly B12 shots if her levels are low. Keep talking to her doctor about her protein levels and explore options before considering reversal surgery. Sometimes diet tweaks can make a big difference.