Need advice from the experienced

Dear Willow, I do only eat three meals a day--with an occasional snack between lunch and dinner (usually a glass of skim milk). I find it challenging to eat more meals because of the 30 min. before and after rule about drinking! Maybe I'll build in a better snack. I have two furry little helpers to get me up--a dog and cat who are clearly morning "people." They've learned that it's time to get up when the alarm goes off so they keep at me until I have to get up or go crazy! I'll check out your recipes--Thanks, Sally

I eat six to seven times a day and take my vites twice - half in the am and half in the pm. We malabsorb to 70% so up the protein and vites. Now, I kinda know what I'm talking about here. A quotes from my PCP - "It's almost as if you never had a health issue to begin with. You should write a book." So spread you meals out and load on the protein and vites. And stay away from my stuff monkey. kp @ goal

Dear Kevin, How do you manage to eat six meals and still get all your liquids in? I find that it takes me too long to eat and drink--especially at work--to get six meals in. I am "beefing" up my snack to make it more substantial. So that would get me up to five meals. I always wondered how much we lost to malabsorbtion. Thanks, Sally

I also eat 6 times daily. My blood sugars drop easily and I feel too full if I eat alot. I felt like this before and my labs were off. B-12 for me. You received some great advise. laurie

I was taking Centrum Chewable for my vitamin. I felt tired all the time. I switched to a Walgreens vitamin called Optisource made especially for gastric bypass patients. I feel 100% better. Flintstones are for kids. You are not a kid. You probably need more vitamins. Also, have your thyroid checked. Wt loss can mess it up.

Hello Fellow Iowan! First of all, I agree with having your lab work performed immediately...your fatigue could very well be attributed to anemia, dehydration, thyroid dysfunction...any number of things really. Not to mention that, though you really do not realize it, your body is still healing and adapting to WLS and learning to cope to the severely restricted calories. Kudos on the keeping carbs under a tight control...I am insulin resistant and need to keep my total carbs at 20 grams or less per day to even have a prayer of losing weight. And, at slightly over 25 months post-op, I try my best to keep my daily caloric intake down to 750-900. I am still trying to lose weight, due to taking a hiatus from actively trying to lose weight because of my pregnancy. My daughter is now 4 1/2 months old and I am still up one pound from my pre-pregnancy weight and would like to lose another ten pounds beyond that (5' 6"). I'm not going to blast you on having a Power Crunch bar for breakfast...Hell, it's better than no breakfast at all. And, personlly, I think they taste great (have only tried the Cookies & Cream and French Vanilla, though ). Truthfully...with the exercise that you are completeing; especially, if you are being consistent with it, you very well *may* not taking in enough calories per day. Maybe keep to the present calorie untake for those days that you do not exercise quite so strenuously; and, then up the calories by *some* (I have NO idea how many) on the days that are a little more physical? It's all trial and error; unfortunately, no two post-ops are the same, nor are any two journeys to self-fulfillment and happiness. I would also try upping your non-caloric fluid intake as much as possibe...64+ ounces is a bare minimum for us to be ingesting. I drink a minimum of 128 oz. of non-caloric beverages per day (excluding diet soda...the carbonation is Hell on my pouch. I am completely AND totally envious of your lack of hair loss... But, I am also extremely happy for you that you have not experienced this as yet (and, hopefully not ever! ) Other than my question of: your morning and evening vitamins contain iron, too, right? Don't want to becore anemic...that's one of the easiest ways to begin (and, continue) to feel like death warmed over. Healing and adjusting to our new ways of life can be at times, blissful, wonderful, enlightening...but, also frightening and unpredictable at the same time. Another question...(sorry, I seem to be 'full of it' tonight, don't I? You are not on any thyroid meds, are you? And, you do know to space your iron, Synthroid (if applicable) and calcium supplements (no more calcium CITRATE than 500 mg at one dose...I take 1500 mg daily) by AT LEAST four hours, right? Now comes the FUN part!! Congratulations for accomplishing SO much in such a short period of time,...you are truly on your way! HTH! (((Hugs))) ~~Sherry

Dear Sherry, My vitamins do contain iron. My doctor recommends (strongly) the Flintstones with iron. I take one as soon as I get up and then one before bed. That way it is at least 4 hours before my first Citracal and 4 hours after my last. I do take a third in the afternoon. Do you have any source that documents the need to wait 4 hours? I'm not on any thyroid medicine, but I'm thinking of having that checked when I go back in. I'm trying to increase my calories and proteins just a bit as well as water--and sleep! I don't know how mothers do it. Congratulations on the baby, Sally

S J , Don't forget that your body is making drastic changes right now and doesn't like being denied food. If your body is screaming out for rest/sleep then give it what it needs. It will probably last for just a few weeks and may happen several times over the course of your weight loss. Increasing your protein intake and water can;t hurt either. Sometimes rest is the best medicine. Otherwise it looks like you are doing all the right things. When you get your quarterly labs done if there is a problem then your MD will let you know. Hope this helps. Carol

Dear Carol, I am working very hard to learn how to listen to my body--it is surprisingly difficult! Sometimes I think my body and my pouch need to have the conversation and then let me know what they decide. I know I need to eat a certain amount for my body's needs, but my pouch doesn't always want more than two or three bites. I know my body needs me to eat breakfast, but my pouch doesn't want that either. I am trying to get to bed at least 30 min. earlier to help with the sleep. I've always been one who needed at least 8 hours of sleep until the last few years. So I don't know how much of the tiredness is due to the body changing because of WLS or how much is just my sleep needs changing. So many variables to figure out! Thanks for your suggestions, Sally

Sally, the only way I can handle extra protein is GNC's 100% Whey Protein---chocolate. I put it in about a half cup of water, shake it and then gulp it down. I do that 2-3 times a day. I've never been able to handle any other kind of protein supplements! Sheryl