Question:
Never been told to supplement

I am almost 10 weeks post op and have lost 53lbs. I had a plateau lasting almost 3 week, that has since past painlessly-thanks to all the info I recieved from these boards. I always eat my protein first, try to make all food choices based on protein, and have not lost any hair as of yet. My curiosity was sparked reading through all these posts, as to Protein Supplements. It was never suggested to me from my doc. I did, on my quest to get protein, try the Boost HP because I was on the run. Well on the run did I go with my first 'dumping'. My husband never saw me run so fast as I did to the potty. What I am wondering is is that if I feel great-which I do--Am losing weight steadily-which I basically have been--Show no problems in my blood work---should I question my doc regarding the use of supplements?? Is this neccesary?    — Carole C. (posted on August 21, 2000)

August 21, 2000
Carole, My Dr. would rather us get our protein from food. He does'nt reccomend "drinking" our protein.... says it's a bad habit to get into, and not as satisfying. 5 mo. post op and -70lbs. Starting weight at 5'6 280#.
   — [Anonymous]

August 21, 2000
First of all, congrats on the weight loss and on surving a plateau. You're doing super! I am aware that some surgeons do not have nutritionists on staff nor do they recommend extra protein supplemnets. In my un-medical opinion these are both mistakes. As a relatively new post-op it is simply impossible to get in all the protein we need through food, and the nutritionist on my surgeon's staff recommends taking them for at least 6-12 months post-op. As I am sure you have read, picking a protein can be challenging due to different tastes, etc. And not all protein suuplements are good for us. Many are very high in calorie and carbohydrates (sugar), so you have to spend some time reading labels and visiting several stores in order to find what suits you. Look over some old postings and get the names of products you see mentioned often. If you belong to a support group, ask for some samples of what other people use. Talk to your surgeon, and if he still does not recommend supplements, make sure you have your lab work done more often. Lack of protein can be a serious problem and will inhibit your weight loss. Do you take vitamins? If not, talk to hom about this as well. And just to let you know, while major hair loss can be a result a severe lack of protein, many of us will experience some loss even if our protein is very good. It is just a result of the shock of the surgery to our body and can happen roughly 3-9 months post op. I have recently noticed a bit of loss in the shower - so far nothing really major yet. Best of luck to you and keep up the good work! 3 montsh post op and 65 pounds gone forever!
   — Paula G.

August 21, 2000
First of all...congratulations on your weight loss. My impression on why supplements are so very important is that not only do you have to be concerned about the "quantity" of weight lost, you must concern yourself about the "quality". To me quality weight loss would be ridding myself of fat. If you don't supplement you run the risk of losing lean muscle which you definetly don't want to do. My doctor's office has a very strict protocol for using a protien supplement and they want you to start a few weeks prior to surgery. The doctor feels it also helps with healing of the surgery. They recommend Pro Complex and it doesn't taste that bad.
   — Cecelia R.

August 21, 2000
Hi, and great loss! Contrary to what you've been told, it is NOT impossible to get your needed protein without supplements. You need around 60 grams per day. My surgeon has a nutritionist that we're to see and we are told NOT to take protein supplements. We are told that many have extra calories in them that we do not need. And, if you'll go to a bookstore and get a protein gram book you'll be happy to see how much protein is in certain foods - like fish! Baked cod, 4 oz. contains 20 to 24 grams of protein and only 100 calories! I can easily get all the protein I need without additional calories by making appropriate food choices. However, when I feel the need or the desire, I do take a liquid protein supplement or bar. I choose to have a large say in my own health and choices. I take advise from my surgeon, my nutritionist, and others on this site - but in the final analysis, I make my own educated choices. So, if you are feeling good, eating your protein first, keeping it down (some have trouble in this area) and are taking your vitamins and your blood work is good, then continue on. Best wishes!
   — Cindy H.

August 21, 2000
You can get it easy or you can get it hard. It is WAY easier to get your 60g a day via a good protein supplement than constantly counting foods. Boost, Slimfast, Ensure and CIB + milk are great SUGAR supplements, but don't offer much in protein. These work great to fatten up babies and the elderly. Good proteins can be mixed easily in 4-6 oz of water or other sugar free juices or pops. Protein supps work to control cravings and leave you feeling more satisfied than forever trying to eat enough food protein. They also allow you to keep your pouch small as long as possible. I'm a big fan of them and attribute both my loss and long term maintenance to the use of 'em. It takes months & months for problems to show up, maybe as much as a year. If there is not enough protein on board, you will eat your muscle first, and then organs, and eventually it'll show up in the bloodwork, but you'll be strippo on protein at that time. The idea is to get your pre-op blood work, keep a file and forever try to bring your post-op levels up to equal or better than that. And keep copies each time so you can watch any "trends" that develop and report 'em to your doc.
   — vitalady

August 23, 2000
You'll find that everybody has an opinion on protein supplementation, some based on medical fact and some not. I've heard people say that the body doesn't absorb protein from food as easily as it absorbs protein from supplements. I've heard that it's impossible to get enough protein by only getting it through food. All I can go by is my experiences, what my surgeon's dietician says and my common sense. If you don't have any eating difficulties such as frequent vomiting or trouble with meat you shouldn't have any trouble getting enough protein through the food you eat. I stick to chicken breast, steak, pork (occasionally), hard cheese, eggs, peanut butter and tuna. I get my recommended 65 gm of protein a day from these foods. I also buy Healthy Choice entrees (I only buy the ones that have 20 gm of protein or more) and eat those when I don't feel like cooking. The dietician told me it is always better to get protein from food and that the body absorbs food protein and supplement protein the same. I've never seen any evidence to the contrary. Now, there are instances when I cannot get my protein from food, so I keep several containers of protein supplement in the house in case I need it. Also, I've been lifting weights for the last couple of weeks so I've started having a glass of protein supplement when I get home from the gym. If you're unable to tolerate meat then you'll have trouble getting in enough protein unless you can eat a lot of tofu and beans. I also think supplementation depends on what kind of surgery you had. If you've had a more malabsorptive procedure then you'll probably have to supplement more than someone who has had a more restrictive procedure. I had prox RNY five months ago and have never had a problem with my labs (as far as protein goes) or with hair loss (thought to be partially caused by lack of protein, especially right after surgery). Ask your surgeon what he thinks about the subject. It sounds like your weight loss is right on target.
   — Kellie L.