Poll about sticking to your doctor's plan

I do believe that for the most part, it’s good to stick to our docs’ plans.  I understand, though, that there are numerous reasons we may decide not to do that.  Some are pretty good reasons – my surgeon told me to take calcium carbonate and since I want to keep my bones, I went off his plan and took calcium citrate instead.

What I’m interested in learning here is what parts of their docs’ plans people stick to, what parts they don’t stick to, and why.  Oh, and how it works out for them.

So, would you say that for the most part:

1.  Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations for vitamins?  And if not, why?  Also, if not, do your labs indicate that what you’re doing is working for you?
2. Do you follow your doctor’s recommendation about how many times to eat in a day and the amount to eat per meal?  If not, why not?  Do you feel that what you are doing works well for you?
3. Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations about exercise?  If not, why not?  And do you think what you’re doing is working for you?
4. Do you get the amount of protein your doctor recommends?  And do you follow your doc’s recommendations about whether or not to use protein shakes?  If not, why not, and how is it working for you?
5. Do you generally follow your doctor’s advice with regard to other things?  And if not, why not and how is it working for you?

Here are my answers:

1. Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations for vitamins?  And if not, why?  Also, if not, do your labs indicate that what you’re doing is working for you?

No, I don’t.  My original surgeon told me to take calcium carbonate, and I chose to take calcium citrate instead because I want to actually absorb the calcium that I take.  He also told me I did not need iron but when my labs showed my iron level was dropping, I added iron.  I had to switch surgeons because my original surgeon moved out of state, and I began taking more D3 than my new surgeon recommended because my vitamin D level was lower than I liked.  My labs definitely indicate that what I’m doing is working for me.

2. Do you follow your doctor’s recommendation about how many times to eat in a day and the amount to eat per meal?  If not, why not?  Do you feel that what you are doing works well for you?

I do eat the number of meals/snacks and the amount of food my surgeon said I should eat, and it does work for me.  I eat six times a day most days, which allows me to get all my protein in and keeps my blood sugar stable.

3. Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations about exercise?  If not, why not?  And do you think what you’re doing is working for you?

My original surgeon said I should exercise for one hour every day.  Heck no, I don’t do that.  Why not?  No good reason except I don’t really like exercising.  I have a lot of excuses but that’s what it all boils down to.  I don’t think I would really say it’s working for me, although it has not kept me from reaching my goal weight.  I’m sure I would be healthier if I exercised.

4. Do you get the amount of protein your doctor recommends?  And do you follow your doc’s recommendations about whether or not to use protein shakes?  If not, why not, and how is it working for you?

My surgeon said I should get 60 grams protein per day but I aim for 70 grams in order to get the 1.1 gram protein per ideal body weight as suggested by the ASMBS.  My labs indicate my protein level is good.  My surgeon said we should always use protein shakes but I do not use them all the time.  I get enough protein from food many days.

5. Do you generally follow your doctor’s advice with regard to other things?  And if not, why not and how is it working for you?

I do when the advice makes sense.  I don’t if the advice does not make sense.  I usually let my doctor know when I do not take her advice and explain why and what I am doing instead.

1.  Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations for vitamins?  And if not, why?  Also, if not, do your labs indicate that what you’re doing is working for you?                                              No.  He suggested Flinstones and Tums for the first 3 months since they are chewable. So I purchased Chewable Centrum and BA chewable calcium citrate from the beginning. To be fair,  they tell you to switch after 3 months to regular multi and calcium citrate.

      2.    Do you follow your doctor’s recommendation about how many times to eat in a day and 
             the amount to eat per meal?  If not, why not?  Do you feel that what you are doing works
             well for you? 
             
              Yes.  He suggests 5 to 6 mini meals a day which makes sense.  We eat so little at the
              beginning there is no way we could get in the protein requirement otherwise.

       3.  Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations about exercise?  If not, why not?  And do
            you think what you’re doing is working for you? 

            I do more than I have been doing and trying to work my way up.  Some weeks I get 
            in what I should and some weeks I do not.  It is improving.  I know it is something I
            need to do to keep the weight off.

      4.  Do you get the amount of protein your doctor recommends?  And do you follow your doc’s
           recommendations about whether or not to use protein shakes?  If not, why not, and how is
           it working for you?

           Yes.  I get more than the recommended 65 - 75 per day.

      5.  Do you generally follow your doctor’s advice with regard to other things?  And if not, why
            not and how is it working for you? 

            Yes.  But I still see if it makes sense.  What do others on OH and bariatric articles say. 

1.  Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations for vitamins?  And if not, why?  Also, if not, do your labs indicate that what you’re doing is working for you? Sort of... I am suppose to take 1500mg of my calcium chews and I only take a 1000.  I really have no real justification of why I don't.  I just have my vit schedule and it works for me.  My labs were just done last week and they were great!!!
2. Do you follow your doctor’s recommendation about how many times to eat in a day and the amount to eat per meal?  If not, why not?  Do you feel that what you are doing works well for you?  Yes, I do follow my docs recs for meals.  I am only to eat 3 meals (snacks) a day with 80gms of protein drinks - which is what I do.  I do occassionally have some not so healthy treats but not often.  I do feel it works for me so far.
3. Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations about exercise?  If not, why not?  And do you think what you’re doing is working for you?  UMMMM.... I get yelled at all my appointments because I do not exercise the way/as much as they would like.  For whatever reason they are not happy with 2/3 days a week.  ****** me off sometimes because I am super active - 4 kids, full time job busy job in a medical clinic, and going going, going with my kids.  And again, I am doing what works for me - whether they like it or not.
4. Do you get the amount of protein your doctor recommends?  And do you follow your doc’s recommendations about whether or not to use protein shakes?  If not, why not, and how is it working for you? Most days I get the 80gms in they preach about - somedays its 40gm of liquid protien and then I just eat more protein forward.  So far what I am doing seems to be working.... 
5. Do you generally follow your doctor’s advice with regard to other things?  And if not, why not and how is it working for you? For the most part.... I do not think every thing he says is "sacred" so I do my own investigating if necessary, 

I think a lot of times docs make blanket recommendations for all patients, without considering individual factors.  It makes perfect sense to me that someone that leads a very active life would not need to do a formal exercise program as much as someone that leads a very sedentary lifestyle.  I admit, I lead a very sedentary life these days.  But there were times in my life that I was much more active.  For a couple of years, I lived about five blocks from where I worked and walked to work every day.  I lived downtown and I walked lots of places - to the pharmacy, to the bank, to the post office, to the deli where I liked to buy lunch, to the library (and then carried home a huge load of library books, etc.  Then there was the time I worked in a nursing home, on my feet for eight hour shifts and sometimes working double shifts, lifting patients all day, etc.  It seems to me that I should be getting more formal exercise now then I needed to get then!

1.  Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations for vitamins? And if not, why? Also, if not, do your labs indicate that what you’re doing is working for you?  Kind of.... when I went through, they were still recommending tums/flinstones.  My dd is going to the same program & the recommendations are better now. 
2. Do you follow your doctor’s recommendation about how many times to eat in a day and the amount to eat per meal? If not, why not? Do you feel that what you are doing works well for you?  I do not follow the instructions I got on eating.  I was told that #1: 3 meals a day, no snacks, no shakes AND #2:  That I needed to "push my pouch" to consume more at a sitting.  I eat about 6 times a day, I do not "push my pouch".  I stop eating when I feel I've had enough.  I do follow the eating/drinking rules. 
3. Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations about exercise? If not, why not? And do you think what you’re doing is working for you?  Yes.  Recommendation was 30/min a day or 3.5hours a week.  I feel better after exercising and while I sometimes have a hard time getting started, I do enjoy it.
4. Do you get the amount of protein your doctor recommends? And do you follow your doc’s recommendations about whether or not to use protein shakes? If not, why not, and how is it working for you?  Yes.  Sometimes I use shakes (click), mainly because I enjoy it.  Also, because I follow a mostly vegetarian diet & require supplements to get adequate protein.
5. Do you generally follow your doctor’s advice with regard to other things? And if not, why not and how is it working for you? I just gave quite a few examples of how I don't follow the advice of my program -- but most of the time I do -- and where I am not following their advice, I'm 100% up front about it with my dr.

They told you to push your pouch to eat more than you could comfortable eat at a time?  Oy.  I cannot see how that makes sense.

Kelly, I LOVE your polls and look forward to them!

Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations for vitamins?  And if not, why?  Also, if not, do your labs indicate that what you’re doing is working for you?

Yes, EXCEPT when he told me to take that green gel cap D supplement. I gave him info I got from folks on here and he no longer prescribes that :)

Do you follow your doctor’s recommendation about how many times to eat in a day and the amount to eat per meal?  If not, why not?  Do you feel that what you are doing works well for you?
 
My surgeon doesn't micromanage my food plan, nor does my nutritionist. They are there to help, but they don't tell me what, or how many times a day, to eat.

Do you follow your doctor’s recommendations about exercise?  If not, why not?  And do you think what you’re doing is working for you?

Initially I exercised MORE than my doctor told me to, ate MORE protein than he told me to. At my one year follow-up the first thing he said to me (and he can say this as we have a good rapport) was, "Cut back on the protein. Women are not supposed to look like Lou Ferrigno." I cut back. I look like a woman again. Me=happy.

Do you get the amount of protein your doctor recommends?  And do you follow your doc’s recommendations about whether or not to use protein shakes?  If not, why not, and how is it working for you?

Again, my surgeon doesn't get in our business like that to tell us how to get our protein. I probably get twice the protein he tells us to (most days I get 120-150g, he tell us a minimum of 60g a day for women).

Do you generally follow your doctor’s advice with regard to other things?  And if not, why not and how is it working for you?

My surgical team is great. My NUT is great. She helps me to understand where I am just like everyone else (even non-ops) nutritionally and where I need to focus in on more things. They discuss things WITH me. They do not order me around. So I tend to take their advice. They are the experts. They are also very open to information I bring them and they keep up with ASMBS recommendations so I trust that they have my back.

Your doc sounds great!

I think his greatest strength is knowing his greatest strength. He has an expert nutritional staff so he doesn't get in all of that. He worries about our guts and the trends of our losses. And he compliments me relentlessly (smiles).

I love me some Dr. Singh!