Malabsorbstion

Calories are absorbed throughout the small intestine.  However, vitamins and minerals only get absorbed in certain spots.  Like, there are three spots where vitamin D gets absorbed, but after this surgery, two of those have been bypassed so now there is only one spot to absorb vitamin D.  And those other two spots that have been bypassed are bypassed forever.

I'm about to hit my 5-year surgiversary and I'm lurking today. I used to post on here every 30 minutes or so ... but had to give my .02 regarding maintenance. I lost nearly 200 pounds in 16 months. I got too skinny for a while (a little under 130) and stayed there for about 18 months. Suddenly, very suddenly, I jumped up to 140 and then 145. I don't think I changed my eating or exercise habits, and just figured it was my dreaded rebound, and really looked better at 145 anyway. I continued to eat right most of the time, but not all of the time. By then I was absorbing all my calories and had gone through menopause. I cut back on my exercise some. I still do something every day, but not with the intensity that I had done before. Between Year 3 and Year 4, I put on about 25 more pounds. So there was 40 pounds. When that happens, you have to take a hard look at yourself and see what's going wrong. For me, it was way too many carbs. I cut back on them and the weight started coming back off. Now, at 5 years post-op, I'm around 155, about 10 pounds higher than my fighting weight, losing weight very slowly. (I'm in my 50's, and that doesn't help.) Most of us put on around 15 pounds after 2 or 3 years, but if the weight continues to creep back on, Nip. It. In. The. Bud. I bet half of the people that had RNY the same time as me have put every pound of their weight back on. I know it's hard to believe that it can happen, but it does. It's a lifetime commitment.

Thanks for your .02 today.  I've really learned alot about the malabsorption today with everyone's posts. 

Do you count your carbs? Do you eat rice and bread regularly?

I'm trying to stay around 30 carbs a day (most days****il I lose the rest of my weight, but I don't want to ever get way over that because I know I'll be going upwards again. I NEVER eat white bread or white rice. I eat double-fiber wheat bread or high fiber/low carb tortillas, and whole grain/brown rice. White carbs are the devil. Run from them like the devil's chasing you.

"White carbs are the devil."

Amen Wanda!!

White carbs are the devil.  Reminds me of the movie The Waterboy. hahahaha.

Thanks for the info on the carbs. 

" Most of us put on around 15 pounds after 2 or 3 years, but if the weight continues to creep back on, Nip. It. In. The. Bud. I bet half of the people that had RNY the same time as me have put every pound of their weight back on. I know it's hard to believe that it can happen, but it does. It's a lifetime commitment."

I will be 4 years out in 2 weeks and only bounced 5-7 pounds (and that was almost 2 years ago and my weight has been pretty steady since then).  When I start feeling down because I don't have a single-digit-clothing sized body (I wear a 10 or 12, but I still have 36DDD breasts and my body fat percentage was 26% (very healthy for someone my age) the last time I looked), I try to console myself that a couple of people who had surgery within a few months of me (who DID get into single digit sizes) have gained back more than 20 pounds (one significantly more) and are no longer in those single digit sizes. Not to mean that I take any pleasure in them having gained, because I definitely don't want to see anyone regain... but meaning that I can be proud of the work that I have put in to avoid that regain myself.

Lora