WLS...The flu...Malabsorbtion?

I may ramble a bit but, those a year or two out may be able to help me.  I am at my goal weight.  When the flu season comes, what happens to WLS  patients.  I haven't gone through that season yet.  Do you drop well below goal weight and does it take weeks to return to normal?  Those who are at or near goal who have had the flu please let us newbees know what we may be facing.  Thanks, Brian

Hi Brian,

Most of us are getting sick less, it seems. This could be partly due to more available energy or the antioxidants purported to be in whey protein, improved nutrition or whatever. Sorry, I've never had the flu more than 2-3 days, which would only cause maybe a temporary water loss. But there is some commonality with working in the heat or heavy exercise in that you have to be particularly careful to hydrate, not only with water, but also with food and sports drinks. Too much plain water can be just as bad as no water, because (my understanding is) it depletes electrolytes in the intestine, which can be dangerous.

In addition to high fever (again from what I've picked up from reading), if you've gotten the flu and your sure it's the flu, here's the next thing you have to be particularly careful of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypernatremia

Dave

hy-jak- Dave! I just dropped a "Too much water washes out the electrolytes" thing in another thread to you, Prior to opening this one! That thought must be "In the air" these days. I nearly always get in over 4 liters a day with no issues what so ever.... (and I'm on the list of- "Hardly ever get sick now" guys....) Best Wishes- Dx

I'm not too sure about the flu thing but I can attest to the working in the heat and getting dehydrated fast. I work in an ethanol plant and when it gets hot and humid outside you can count on nothing but miserable inside the building. I've gotten into trouble twice on those kind of days and I could feel it starting but by that time it was almost too late. Took me hours to catch up on my water. The one day was bad enough I didn't get normal again til the next day.  Stomach ALWAYS lets me know when I'm starting to get dehydrated though by that time its usually too late. Get real neausous(sp) fast and can't seem to get enough water in fast enough. My nutritionist warned me off of sports drinks (gatorade) cause of the sugar and haven't tried to find anything else yet but I probably should. When I have to drink that much water I end up getting leg cramps but not sure if the two are related but its the only time I get them so I'm assuming.  By the way Dave,thanks for the misery you've started with me and the HIT and HIIT. I 'm trying it on the treadmill and its giving me reason to hate the machine even more but I feel tons more results.      Bill

Bill,

HIIT is an awakening, isn't it? It will really HIIT you if you start it on a running exercise! I had been doing squats and deadlifts for over a year, but I had this area at the tops of the fronts of my thighs (quadriceps), that I evidently had not worked. Incidently, sprinting uses those muscles. I think they were sore for seven days. So were the feet. And the back was really tight.

Just think, if you keep doing it, 30 minutes after you finish you'll hardly feel like you've done anything. This is why recently, I've started doing sets, favoring the faster shorter exercises. Yesterday was 8 500's in the morning. Then, 12 100's in the afternoon.

A discovery with shoes and sprinting form. Many jogging shoes bend (or don't bend, should I say) in a fashion that lets you strike on the middle or toe. I got out some of my old ones and finally found a pair that will allow me to sprint somewhat on my toes.

Now if I can just move my legs faster...

Dave

I used to get the flu, but then my doctor had me get flu shots.  That takes the worry out of the season.  I give this response because you may be susceptible to the flu regardless of your weight.

Brian, I have also seen quite a few posting that they don’t get nearly as many "Cold/Flu" occurrences since losing their weight. Certainly that has been the case with me too. The few times I have caught a cold since WLS, It didn’t seem to hit me any different than it had Prior to WLS. Perhaps it’s the "Healthy Lean Meats/Fruits and Fresh Veggies" intake of mine now-a-days, compared to fried, low-nutrient/antioxidant Starches and sweets I used to eat – ALL THE TIME! "Day-Quil" seems to work great. My new "Finds" have been- "Cold-eeze" and "Zycam" products. Neither of them kill the symptoms much, but both get the viral stuff like colds and flu To "run their course" much faster. They keep the viruses from "Re-infecting and setting up New "Breeding Cells" in the mucus membranes. Cuts the severity and duration of both cold and flu. Best Wishes- Dx