questions about where to go from here

I am 3 mths out and still bearly eat more then 2 bites of anything and i am never hungry and i my dr says not to eat if i am not hungry, i drink alot of hot tea and water all day way more then 64oz a day and i get about 50-80 grams of protein and i work out every other day with a trainer once a week. i am still losing but i am worried i am not getting enough calories to maintain my workout and school and wife and mom duties i have to do.  I am always so tried and i have been hospitalized 6 times for low minerals and dehydration.  my daily food consists of a protein shake 30 grams of protein in the morning around 6 am, a cheese stick for snack and tuna for lunch, beef jerky for snack, and usually roast beef slices for dinner 20 grams of protein, with a protein shake thrown in there somewhere before dinner.

Sounds like you definitely need to eat more. I'm 4 1/2 months out, and I'm averaging 1000-1300 calories/day. I'm working out at least 4x/week between classes and circuit training/elliptical. Have you met with your dietician to see what you can add in? I had to add some more complex carbs for energy. 

It sounds like you answered your own question.  Two bites of food is not enough, especially considering six hospitalizations.  I am a protein shake lover but you need actual food to be healthy. 

Good luck!

Karen

No RNY surgeon should EVER tell a patient not to eat unless (s)he is hungry, because it could be MONTHS before we are hungry!  I am 5 years out and I never got my physical hunger back... so I would ahve starved to death several years ago following your surgeon's advice.

You clearly need to be eating more food.  I am not sure why you would be dehydrated if you are drinking "way more" than 64 ounces a day, but if you have vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies, I guess that might contribute to it.  Are you taking your vitamins regularly?  You don;t say how many calories per day you are getting, but unless you want to have to drink multiple protein shakes every day for the rest of your life, you need to start eating more.  Remember that you are not absorbing about 30% of the calories you are taking in, so if you *think* you are eating 900 calories, you are only actually absorbing about 600. 

Also, if your calories are very low (you don't say how much tuna or cheese, etc., but I assuming you were being literal when you say you only eat about 2 bites at a time) you can cause your body to drop your metabolism ("starvation mode") which can slow your weight loss, and if it stays low for too long, can stay down permanently (which will make it harder to maintain the weight loss and avoid regain once the caloric malabsorption is gone).

Lora

You need to eat to live.  I had my surgery 4 years ago and I think I have been hungry about 4 times.  You must eat no matter what.  By not eating you are actually slowing down your metabolism.  You need to eat 5 or 6 small meals per day - atleast 80 grams of protein plus if you are working out that much, you probably need more and alot of fluids - again more like 80 ounces.  Working out uses alot of fluids and calories.

Being hospitalized is telling you that something is majorly wrong.  Are you taking your supplements?  You should be taking a good multi 2 times per day - like centrum silver or centrum silver chewables.  1500-2000mg of calcium citrate in 3-4 daily doses no more than 650mg per dose and not within 2-4 hours of your iron or thyroid medication.  Dry D3 - depends on your D level but almost everyone needs mega dosing of 50,000 atleast 2 times per week or 10,000 daily - if you have your labs, I could tell you better on the D front.  You should also be taking B12 either sublingual or injection.  Again I need to know your level to advise you best but you cant take too much but not enough can cause nerve damage.   A minimum is usually 1000mcg sublingual daily or a monthly injection but if you are low or behind, you may need a lot more.  100mg of vitamin B1 daily unless deficient and then you would need more.  Carbonyl iron with vitamin C - usual starting dose is anywhere from 60 to 120mg  and for every 30mg of iron, you need 200mg of vitamin C - you can get really good iron at vitalady - tender iron and they are 60mg each and have the C in them.

If you have a recent set of labs, I might be able to help you better with more details and other more specific stuff other than the basics.

Please add more food - you can more than just protein - what about fruit, vegetables, a small amout of starch? Our bodies need all the food groups.  A snack can be 2 cheese sticks with a piece of fruit.  Greek yogurt with some sugar free jam and a half and english muffin.  You can buy these things called sandwich thins and put your deli meat on them for lunch.  Many people post daily about what they are eating and you can get ideas.