Question:
Why no milk post op? I drink skim

I had a post op friend who said that's how she got her protein in while she was on liquids. I have seen several people post here that they stay away from it. Just wondering, why? I drink skim milk.    — Lisa W. (posted on May 27, 2002)

May 27, 2002
My Dr. says skim milk is no problem, but for me it is. Some people do not like the sugar content in the milk. It makes my stomach feel funny. Thing is, I can eat other dairy products with no problem. Just make sure to follow your Dr's orders.
   — Jennifer G.

May 27, 2002
Hi. I have drunk skim milk from about two days after surgery. My surgeon says it's fine and a good source of protein. I guess some people cannot tolerate dairy after surgery, but this is not the case for everyone.As long as you can tolerate it well, and your surgeon doesn't object, I think you can enjoy! Maria
   — Maria H.

May 27, 2002
Down 180+ lbs., I can say definitely that Milk: IT DOES A BODY GOOD! I drink 1-2 c. of skim milk daily and have since a week after my surgery. Calcium/protein levels have been normal since surgery. Just got a "Dexascan" of my bone density, and it is excellent. Yes, milk only has a few grams of calcium per serving, but it is the kind of calcium our bodies readily absorb, even after a gastric bypass. Drink away!
   — Terissa R.

May 27, 2002
Well my doc says no milk, it's not processed like cheese, and will cause stomach problems. and since i do have problems with sugar, even in small amounts i stay away....others i have heard can tolorate it, it's whatever you can tolorate really, i think. i use soy for coffe. i didn't like it at frist, but it's been 9 months since surgery and i think my tates have changed so i like it just fine now.
   — maria R.

May 27, 2002
My surgeon encourages skim milk as an excellent no-fat source of protein and states that the "sugar" it contains is not likely to be the type of sugar that will cause "dumping". However, he does warn that approximately 30% of RNY patients will develop some degree of lactose intolerance with dairy products. Symptoms of lactose intolerance can include marked nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and blood in the stools. This is different from "dumping" during which patients usually experience nausea, occasional diarrhea, rapid heartrate, sweating, feeling hot or flushed, occurring 10-15 minutes after eating concentrated sugars or fats, and generally lasting 30 minutes to an hour. The symptoms of lactose intolerance will be more marked and will occur with each intake of dairy product. If lactose intolerance develops, either eliminate dairy from your diet temporarily, or use lactose-free milk/ Lactaid tablets. My surgeon says the condition can be permanent after RNY, but that some patients are able to return to dairy products without further difficulty after a year or so. My daughter was drinking lots of skim milk post-op, developed severe lactose-intolerance at 3 weeks, and was successfully able to resume dairy products at about 2 years post-op. Good luck!
   — Diana T.

May 28, 2002
Skim milk has been my best friend since my surgery. I have had a terrible time with burping and gas pain, but skim milk seems to cause the fewest problems. It is one of my main sources of protein. Best of luck to you! Open RNY March 19, 2002/Down 50 lbs.
   — jm3218

May 28, 2002
I do great with milk. We get the 1/2% instead of skim because we don't like the taste of just skim. However, lactose intollerance is a fairly common side affect for some people after WLS. It all depends upon whether you can tolerate it or not. My wife (13 months post-op) and I both regularly use milk to mix our protien drinks in.
   — Dell H.