Educate Me

Okay I am in fustration My surgeon has moved and there are no support groups in this region of the state in which I live. There are no doctors in the area who are educated on the topic of WLS. So here are my questions as I am now approaching 15 months post-op. Bowels: They are huge! Why? I am weak,tired and fat! I take B12,iron and multi vit. when I have the money.  I do not drink water is this a problem?  I crave salt, salty soy nuts, finger licking more please. What causes a craving for so much salt?

Bowels: They are huge! Why? your body is ridding itself of excess "stuff" that you have ingested which your body is incapable of absorbing. I am weak,tired and fat! I take B12,iron and multi vit. when I have the money.  Your vitamins are not an occassional indulgence for when you have the money.  They are a necessary medication for you health.  If you needed insulin for diabetes you would find a way to budget your money to include the purchase of insulin.  You must regard your vitamin supplements as just as important and work out a new budget that includes a regular supply of them. I do not drink water is this a problem?  Come on now....you know the answer to that one....of course its a big problem!  You must stay well hydrated, WLS or not, for your body to function properly. I crave salt, salty soy nuts, finger licking more please. What causes a craving for so much salt? Your body is trying to tell you that you have depleted yourself of natural electrolytes.   So my tough love answers to you basically amount to this.... You are weak, tired, depressed, etc. because you have allowed yourself to become malnourished.  Malnourishment does not equate with losing too much weight or starving or something like that.  Malnourishment can and does occur due to improper diet.  Your body needs a certain mixture of "fuel" (aka food) to function properly.  Deny your body the proper fuel and it will begin to malfunction on you.   So, pull yourself up by those proverbial boot straps and start from the beginning again.  Protein, protein, protein (60 -80 grams/day).  Vitamins and supplements, Vitamins and supplements, Vitamins and supplements.  Water, water, water (minimum of 64 ounces/day) Start tracking your food intake on something like Fitday.com so you can see where your nutrients are coming from.  Sit down with your budget and rework it to include those oh so necessary vitamins and supplements.   Keep checking back with us and ask as many questions as you want.  We're here for you in cyberspace and won't move away on you like your surgeon did!!!

In concurrence with the other poster, your body is screaming for nutrition. I didn't see calcium or vit D in your list. NOR did I see which iron or the vit C that must go with it.

Salt craving would first indicate potassium, and your lack of water would also raise red flags for me. POtassium is a NOW issue, like call the doc tomorrow and ask hem to check your "lytes", because potassium controls your heart. Hint: after it stops is too late.

Since you're not taking iron correctly, I'm guessing, salt can also indicate iron deficiency anemia. Still, easy to check while you're getting your lytes checked.

And of course, having large BM's would go with chronic dehydration, casued by too much salt, lack of water.

"And of course, having large BM's would go with chronic dehydration, casued by too much salt, lack of water." I have to disagree - large BM's that float are optimal - means you're getting enough fiber and water. When you are constipated, you have small bms like rabbit poop which are rather hard due to lack of moisture and they sink fast. Check out http://ibdcrohns.about.com/od/dailylife/a/normalbm.htm. Also - to help with the electrolytes and make it easier to get your water in, put 1/3 gatorade to 2/3 water. It has really helped me with my energy as I tend to get out of kilter if I don'****ch it. You can even add in some tasteless protein to make it a protein shake. I use orange and it makes it easy to drink! Diona