re: malabsorption

I am 6.5 years post-op and have put on about 1-12 lbs since my lowest weight....partly due to new medication changes.  However, regardless that the meds made me hungrier....the fact that I was able to overeat in response to that was discouraging.  Seems to be two schools of thought re: the stretching of the pouch...and also discrepancies in whether the malabsorption issue disapparears.  My understanding re: the mal issue was that our intestines would no longer be able to absorb nutrients and would also not take in all the calories absorbed.  If mal stops once we are further out from surgery, why do we still need to take vits?  Does the body actually begin absorbing all fat and calories, but not nutrients?  Not sure if that contradiction makes sense.  Thoughts?

Does the body actually begin absorbing all fat and calories, but not nutrients? 

Simple answer - yes.  

http://pamtremble.blogspot.com/2008/05/where-are-nutrients-a bsorbed.html

I've been wondering about this lately as well.

I have heard from another WLS graduate (not sure what her source was) that the villi in the section of our small intestine that gets attached to the pouch will actually change in a way that allows nutrients to start being absorbed better. This tends to take several years after the surgery. Again, I'm not sure of the legitimacy of her knowledge but she seems very educated at it might be worth looking in to. 

In the link above, it unfortunately doesn't show where the macronutrients ( fat, carbs, protein - AKA calories) are absorbed at and if the body can start to absorb those better at some point and not micronutrients....

I think it has to do with where food/nutrients are absorbed in the body.

After Roux-en-Y the duodenum is bypassed and I believe this is where most iron is absorbed.

My nutritionist told me that we will always have the mal absorption of nutrients, but not always the mal absorption of calories because our bodies adjust.