Need advice from the experienced

I am not a WLS grad--just starting my 5th month--but I would like some sound advice. I read earlier posts on this message board saying that some people don't bother responding to posts on the main message board because too many people just want to be told nice things rather than change their behavior. Well, I don't need "nice," I need information. My problem is that in the last week I have suddenly become very tired. I had the expected tiredness just after surgery but got over that in a few weeks. But now I find myself needing to take naps on the weekend and go to bed early. So, my question is: am I eating too few calories, too little protein, getting too little sleep, or exercising too much. I realize that to help with this you will need more information, so here goes: My starting BMI was over 66--so I have a lot of weight to loose. I eat 70 grams of protein daily and limit my carbs to one serving of starch (usually Melba Toast) a day My total calories average between 650 and 800 calories a day I only use one protein supplement--Power Crunch bar for breakfast--all other protein comes from my meals I exercise on a recumbant bike 30 min. in the morning for at least 5 days a week and I do a short weight training session between 4 and 6 times a week in the afternoon. I take my vitamin in the morning and evening, B12 sublingual in the morning; and 3 Citracal during the day. I drink at least 64 oz clear liquid daily. I have been getting up at 4:30 a.m. in order to get my exercise in (and my dog and cat taken care of) before work. I usually go to bed around 9:00 p.m. While we would all like our weight to come off faster, I have been doing well and am down 85 lbs. since surgery in Nov. I haven't had any significant hair loss--yet. My next appointment isn't for a month, so any words of wisdom would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Sally

Get your labs pulled. You need to check your iron for sure, as well as B-12/folate levels. You may have depleted your stores of such and now running into a deficit. Another issue may other medications you might be taking. For example, if you were taking something for BP, it may be too much w/ the reduction of weight. This occurred with me. I was taking a ton of anti-hypertensive meds, and they very quickly became too strong. How much variation in your diet are you getting. Try to mix things up to ensure you get a broad range of nutrients from food and not relying simply on supplementation, I would wait until next month to get on top of this. It sounds to me that you are running out of gas. Nowhere Man/PH/Jay

Thank you for your suggestions. I don't take any other medication other than some Tylenol for my knees. I suspect that I may not be getting a broad range of nutrients (didn't occur to me!) because I usually just eat the meat I need and that fills me before I get to vegetables or fruit. I do eat a variety of different meat--lamb, chicken, fish, beef. I will start trying to work in some veggies. Thanks, Sally

Hi and welcome, Just a thought from what I have read and experienced. You may need to up your protein (through drinks maybe) to get more protein in. This will also keep your system working evenly. 80 to 100 would be appropriate I think and getting it in protein drinks (bariatriceating.com has some very good ones, especially Nectar Cappachino-yumm), might be just the thing for you. Also, I don't know what vitamins you are taking, but Vista Vitamins are very good. I take them and an extra B-12, Gentle Iron and li1uie Calcium Citrate. These are essential for good health I believe. There is some good information, even though she owns the website and sells the vitamins, etc. from Susan Marie Leach at the above site. Very informative- (read her "rant" for the month). This operation and the resulting weight loss can throw our systems into a spin and it takes constant monitoring to keep it running well. Good luck. I'm 3 1/2 years out now and beginning habits are VERY IMPORTANT. I didn't follow the rules and regret it now. At least we have the "tool" as it is called and can always do somthing about it. For me and a few others I have read, it is a "head game" now and not a "body game". The surgery took care of that one. I am responsible for the other and don't know which is harder. I strongly suspect my head is much more obstinate than my body. lol Good luck and God bless. Marilyn

Dear Marilyn, Thanks for the advise. I take Flintstones plus iron for my regular vitamins, a Walgreen brand B12, and Citracal for my supplements. I have tried several of the protein drinks and really struggle with them--that's why I went with the Power Crunch bars. But I can usually get down the 3 oz. serving of Proteca. I'll try adding one of them and see if that helps. I'm hoping the tiredness is just my body adjusting. I so agree with you that the head is harder to change than the body. I have worked harder at changing my behavior with this surgery than I ever did with any other diet. I figure now is the time to develop the habits I will need for long term success and right now I'm trying to make sure I don't use being tired as an excuss not to exercise--I hate exercising! Thanks, Sally

The best thing is for you to get samples and try them out. Here are some sites that offer samples: http://store.bariatriceating.com/ulprtapa.html http://www.vitalady.com/products-samples.htm https://www.unjury.com/ssl/purchasing.php http://www.allthewhey.com/Products/productdetail.asp?PL=SAM Here is a post with lots of recipes: http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/recipe/postdetail/327.html?vc=0 And a profile with more recipes: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/profile.php?N=S1079708056 Hope you find one you like! While I know some surgeons don't "believe" in protein drinks, I personally think they are quite necessary. I'd like to recommend some reading too: http://www.geocities.com/tiger_angie/VitaminMineralRecommendationsVersion25-050205.pdf http://www.geocities.com/tiger_angie/Vitamin_and_mineral_supplementation_after_gastric_bypass.pdf Definitely get some blood work to see if you're deficient in something... most likely iron and/or B12 (are you taking sublinguals? If not, you need to - we don't absorb B12 through our digestive track well at all) Angie

Dear Angie, Thank you for all the links. I have tried several of these products and just can't seem to do them. I can sometimes handle the Jay Robb brand, so I'll order some more of that. I've never been good with products that contain a lot of dairy whey (not a cheese person) and there is something about the smell of whey-based products that I can't handle. One of my pre-surgery problems is that I am a very good cook! Portion control was next to impossible for me. I am always looking for good recipes that limit fat, carbs, and calories--a strangely difficult combination to find. I do take my B12 sublingually, but I do think I'll take your advice to get the blood work done. Sally

Jay Robb is pretty good. I just bought some from him. They are quite pricey though... I ordered a couple of whey ones and one of the egg protein (vanilla), and that wasn't bad, except that it won't mix well in my shaker, so I have to blend it, but other than that, it's ok... In fact, last night I blended some with coffee and a couple of tablespoons of chocolate protein, some ice... and it was yummmmmy! Although it's expensive, I do plan to buy one particular one that I'd never seen it anywhere else and was thrilled when I found it at Jay Robb's - Watermelon flavor Your blood work should tell you what's going on. Maybe you can also up your liquids in case you a bit dehydrated? When I was feeling pretty exhausted daily for about two weeks, I got my labs and all my iron numbers were going down down down... Have you bought "Before and After"? I don't cook, but I know she has a lot of recipes in there... also on bariatriceating.com she has a recipe section... Good luck! Hope you feel better soon! Angie

I hold my breath when I am drinking my protein drinks. The nose and the taste buds are intimately related, and if I don't get my nose involved, then the tastebuds don't seem to be as bothered by how the protein drinks taste. As you get farther out, you'll also find that you can take larger drinks at one time (instead of tiny little sips) so you get through the drink faster. I liked being able to order sample packs of the protein supplements. I found from that experiment that I like the Matrix chocolate, IDS Belgian Chocolate and Vanilla Cinnamon (although i'm more of a chocolate face than a vanilla person), Nectar Fuzzy Navel (but not Very Berry Cherry or Roadside Lemonade), and a couple others whose names escape me now. Experimenting with protein supplements that can be found also helps. I've found a few canned ones at Vitamin Shoppe that are low carb and made with milk concentrate instead of isolate. My dietitian tells me that this means that there may be lactose in there (which is completely removed from the isolate) and they may be deficient in tryptophan. The two that I use taste pretty good, have Splenda in them I believe. I also take a 5-HTP supplement at bedtime--actually to help me sleep, but if it is replacing something the supplement is missing, that is fine. The brand names on those two canned ones are Worldwide Pre Protein (35 g protein per 11 oz can) and RTD-51 Met-Rx protein drink (51 grams protein per 15 oz can). I buy them by the case from Vitamin Shoppe. I like the Stallone High Protein puddings. I've heard some people post that they hate them, but I much prefer them to making my own with SF jello pudding and protein powder (which I've never been able to make not taste yucky). There is 20 g protein in each can. I get these at Vitamin Shoppe, too, comes in 4 flavors (choc, vanilla, lemon and banana). I also like the microwave pork rinds that I get from bariatriceating.com. There is 4 g fat per serving, 30-some protein. Warm from the microwave tastes much better than the cardboard ones you buy in the store. Good luck in your continued efforts, Sue O.

Dear Sue, Thanks for the suggestions. I do the "hold the nose" trick when I drink the second half of the Proteca and it's only 3 oz! For as big as I am, I'm surprisingly picky about some foods. I have never been one to eat cheese (except melted on pizza) or puddings. Texture has always been an issue for me--I call them "glommy" foods--so can't do puddings, cream pies, custards, or anything like that. I don't even like jello--taste like hooves to me--if I knew what hooves taste like. I think that might be why I have such problems with protein drinks. I will check into the pork rinds though. I love crunchy and salty. Sally