Post surgery poll, please answer

Hi everyone, I am almost 4 months post op and doing great. I have some questions for the group because I am very curious how all the other programs are run. So please answer as many of these questions as you can.  Thank you!

1. What sort of follow up do you have the first year with the surgeon? With the dietitian? Any other person in the program? Please list how often and how many weeks or months post op. Also are these follow ups in person or over the phone?

2. Did your surgeon or dietitian set a protein goal for you? If so how many grams per day?

3. Did your program recommend protein supplements? If so how many per day? And for how long post op?

I appreciate your taking the time to answer and look forward to seeing the results.

1 class with the nut

 see surgeon every 6 months after the 2 week post surgery checkup

only till you can eat enough without them

I had surgery in Mexico  so I will not follow up with my surgeon. I can contact him with questions I may have by phone or online. I am to follow up with my PCP yearly to get my testing done.

I aim for 60 - 70 gr of protein a day.

I do supplement for now until I can eat enough to get all protein from food. Right now I can not eat enough in 3 meals to reach my protein goal.

Hi Joaniefit,

I have weekly appointments with my surgeon for the first 4 weeks post-op.  Then there is a 3, 6 and 12 month check-up and annually check-ups thereafter.  The 4 weekly post-op appointments include the dietitian and the behavioral therapist.  These are all in-person visits.

I was given a protein goal based on my height, which was a low goal in my opinion.  They gave me between 45-55 g of protein as my goal, but as I get further out I plan to go with my pre-op goal of 80.  Frankly, I feel better at that amount vs. the based on weight goal.

I'm allowed to drink shakes to help get to my goal currently (I'm still in pureed stages), but once I can eat enough at meals to get my protein in that way, they prefer me to drop the shakes.  I actually have to come to love a shake or protein hot chocolate as a meal replacement breakfast, so I'll probably stick with that regardless.  I'm just not a huge breakfast fan.

Hope this helps.

JC

1. Surgeon @ 3 weeks and then every 6 months.  Dietitian no follow up. (we do have her email) I am 7 months PO

2. Surgeon set goal as maximum expectation of 60% of EBW.   

3. Protein supplements until you could eat enough protein (60g) from food. My wife and I did this together and we were able to eat all of our protein from food as soon as our diet advanced to solid food. We would use protein supplements when we were on the go.  We have also used them to get closer to 100 g but that was on our own.  My wife uses protein in her coffee every morning.

(1) Surgeon: 1 Week, 1 Month, 3 Months, 6 Months, 1 Year

    Nut: 1 Month; I can email her with questions.

(2) 76 grams protein a day

(3) After liquid diet, one protein a drink a day at most.

I would like to add a question to this poll:

(4) When post-op does your doctor do lab work?

Mine is at 6 months, I would have preferred it at 3 months.

Blood work at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Then yearly. He wants to catch any deficiencies early. 

I also do blood work at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months and then annually.

I can't remember exactly, but I think I go to the surgeon about every 2-3 months (seeing the phys assistant every other time) and the nut and therapist about every 3 months...They are all in person.

Nutritionist evaluated my eating and said 65 grams of protein was enough since that was about all I get in and feel fine.  No protein supps, no shakes -just real food.  Also they are not anti-carb and I ate healthy carbs through my entire weight loss journey.

I am a little over 4 months myself.  

1. I no longer see him or the dietitian. I am on my own at this point.  

2. 60-80 grams per day

3. Protein supplements were only month 1 but I never used them because I was not able to tolerate them.