HI-Both my best freind and I have been battling weight loss our entire lives. I'm "doing" Atkins currently while my friend chose weight loss surgery. I was very worried about her going into the surgery since she had already been denied the surgery once since her therapist said emotionally she couldn't handle it. However, this time around she knew the "right" things to say and was approved for surgery (sne needs to lose 100 pounds). I often have read the threads for WLS (with her in mind) to read up about what to expect post op. I find it very odd that she was never told to drink protein shakes. She had the surgery 3 weeks ago and has already lost 29 pounds. She said she has only eaten 2TBS of yougurt for breakfast and 1/2 of a string cheese and that's it!! Is this normal? Can your body survive on less than 200 calories a day-won't her hair fall out and won't she have ill effects if this is all she eats. I'm very worried about her. I didn't agree with her decision to have the surgery but what's done is done. I told her about 3 Fat Chicks-I think she could get great support and info here! I appreciate any feedback you can give me!!

she's cruising for trouble, and her hair falling out will be the least of her problems. she needs to take her multivitamins. she needs at least 60 grams of protein a day, up to 80 in fact.

and she really doesn't want to eat right now, but she has to. the protein is essential to maintain her body.

and is she drinking at least 64 oz of water?

if she doesn't shape up, she's headed for kidney and heart problems, and muscle and vision problems, and bone fractures. all of these are easily preventable with vitamins and protein.

sorry to be so scary, but this is a very very serious procedure. it requires some attention and some adjustment to succeed. it's not a game. it's not the easy way out. it's a lifelong commitment.

I'm 8 weeks post op and I know with my surgeon I was still on a full liquid diet at 2 - 3 weeks post op. I was able to eat low fat cottage cheese, broth or strained soups, Dannon Lite and Fit yogurt, rice crispie cereal with fat free milk, SF Jello and SF Popsicles.... that kind of stuff. Your friends stomach isn't ready for cheese or anything that solid. She needs to find a support group or at least purchase a book on WLS that will help her understand the rules. This is a tool not a solution and she can do more damage if she doesn't take care of herself. JiffiePop is sure right, your friend should be very careful, take her vitamins everyday, the Centrum Chewable aren't to bad and most people take the Flintstones Chewable ones, and make sure she get in her protein.

thanks for your imput...I spoke with her last night and gave her a few recommendations. she is attending a support group but apparently she thinks 3+ weeks post op is normal for her to have 1/2 slice of deli ham and 2 tbs yougart. she threw up milk, 1/2 of a saltine cracker and she said she's lucky if she can drink 8 oz of water /day. is this "normal"? i'm REALLY woried. She's already lost 40 pounds too.

no, she's not normal. she is dehydrated. she is ill. can't put it plainer than that.

she needs to talk with her surgeon about this., she is NOT doing well at all.

she'd be far better off drinking chicken broth for both the liquid and the protein than trying to eat crackers. and if she's throwing up milk, she should try lactaid.

if she's having trouble keeping liquids down, she should try them lukewarm or at room temp, not cold or hot. and SIP them. not GULP. she needs to SIP CONSTANTLY. a little at a time throughout the day.

at 3 weeks postop i was eating pureed lentil soup, progresso chickarina [all the little meatballs] and small amounts of soft fish [like flounder]. and i lost 18 pounds the first week... and more than 50 the first month

Dear Cosmogrl,

I feel for you. I was very lucky, My best friend just have the bypass done about 3 / 4 weeks ago too, but she had me go with her to her support group, her doctor and surgens offices and went with her for all her pre-op stuff, including meeting with the dietician. Sad to say your friend is definitely heading down the wrong road. The first few weeks should strickly be the consistancy of applesauce and she has got to watch out for sugars and fat....the small intestine can't handle them, thats why people who have had the surgery throw up, its called "dumping".
When she ate the lunch meat, oh my, that was trouble there, lunch meat is typically full of both, sugars and fats. Besides the fact that the spot where the small intestine and new pouch meet as the doctors explained to me is alittle bit bigger than the size of a dime, She must chew and chew her food when the time comes for solids, but they are not here yet.

Sadly my friend has been pushing herself too fast too. A couple weeks into it she was at my mom's house and she picked up a small piece of roasted turkey, she nibbled and nibbled, went to her doctor next couple days and told him how happy she was that she had no problem, and he said, thats nice that she had no problem but he said she had to STOP! applesause consistancy only for at least the next few weeks , what did she do? told me a week later that she had nibbled on a piece of sausage. UUURRRGGHH!! So far my friend hasn't gotten sick yet, but she has me so nervous. I think she's just in a rush to be all better and back to a norm. life. Only thing is, it doesn't happen like that.

The doctors that I met with said that most people do well with these surgeries, but a few, who have serious eating disorders, just sometimes never learn. Basically this surgery is a forced behavoir modification . When you eat the things that are bad for you, you get sick...teaching you that next time you want that bad thing, you'll think twice.

If you notice when Chris wrote, all foods were liquids or soft, and SUGAR FREE and FAT FREE. What I learned in the process of my friend having this surgery is that it's really alot of work. You have to keep track of what you eat to make sure you get enough protien and vitamins....she will need supplements for the rest of her life. I'm sorry she is worring you so much....the best you can do is try and get her to go to her doctor and support groups, try and go with her to them if she will let you. ( that really helped me)
If she isn't honest with her doctors or herself than sadly all you will be able to do is pray she comes around.

The large weight loss so quick though is norm. When I went to the support group I met alot of people who had to report that they were down 40lbs in 2 months, one man was down 90lbs in only 4 months and he was very healthy and progressing well. My friend is estimated at almost 40 lbs lost in these few weeks also.

I wish you luck and your friend luck too.

P.S. just a thought....why don't you just go to a support group meeting without her if she won't let you go with her? These groups are often set up not only for people who have had the surgery, but those that are waiting for it and for people and family of those thinking about it.

Evilyn

you sound like a very loving and caring friend. May God be with you AND your friend.

J ( mostly a lurker just checking on friends)

Thank you MammaJ for your kind words. I would just like to say I really like your closing, Friends can be felt when not seen.... .very nice.

Hi Everyone-I'm back with another chapter in my friend's saga with her WLS. Just to recap-she had the surgery July 7th and was (IS!!!) having major problems and I'm at the end of my rope-I can't imagine how she must feel! I spoke with her yesterday and found out she is having great sucess as far as weight loss is concerned-65 pounds! However, she is constantly throuwing up-EVERY DAY!!! She also can't eat ANYTHING. She apparently went to the nutritionalist and to her surgeon last week(her sugeon thought maybe the pouch needed to be made bigger, but apparently not). Her nutritionalist put her back on an all liquid diet and told her she needs to drink 64 ounces of water. Currently she's drinking a whopping 4 a day!!!!!! I don't know how she hasn't gone into organ failure and not lost her hair yet!! Does any one have any suggestions on what's going on here! I have all these mixed emotions-I'm mad that she put herself through this (despite the oppositiion from her doctor, nutritionalist, therapist, family, friends). I'm jelous of her success (having to lose 100 pounds myslef), and most of all I'm scared for her! From what I gather-THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE!!! Thanks for any imput/advice you can offer.

my immediate reaction: from the fact that she's drinking only 4 oz of fluid a day, she's extremely dehydrated and that alone will contribute to the constant throwing up.

i threw up for a solid month, but it didn't start until after week 6.

it sounds to me, unfortunately, as if your friend is not doing what she's supposed to be doing: water, protein, vitamins, exercise. and if she doens't shape up, she's going to end up in the hospital or worse. there's a woman who had the surgery through the obesity center i go to and she decided that she didn't have to follow these rules. after a year, she ended up with severe vitamin deficiencies, and is now blind and confined to a wheelchair with irreversibke nerve damage.

not to scare you, but the risks are REAL. this is SERIOUS STUFF and your friend MUST take it seriously in order to survive.

I wish your friend would take care of herself, because right now she isn't.

don't envy her that 65 pound loss.....she has probably lost LOTS of muscle, and if she doesn't start taking care of herself....well, as Jiff hinted the outcome will not be pretty.

have you pointed your friend to this web-site? Maybe if she read a few of the responses here, it might "click" with her and make her realize that she is doing herself more harm than good right now..

Don't be jealous of your friend weight loss. Even though she had the surgery. She is on the road to diaster. hoppfully she will wise up before it is to late. I am 4 weeks post op and I puree most of the food that I eat. It goes down much easier and my insides feel much better after I eat them. I too have foods the consistantcy of baby food. I introduce only 1 new thing a day Things that I ate before sometimes don't agree with me. Water is a muxt I feel much better when I drink my 64 oz at least. Good Luck with your friend and keep trying. Grammy

Oh Cosmo, I'm so sorry!

I have been thinking of you lately, I was wondering how she was doing, and wondering how you were doing too. Sorry that the news is not better. I wish she was listening to you, to her doctors, anyone.


Does she say why she's not following the advice? Do you think she would be willing to see a psychologist? Her issues with eating seem to go alot further down than she is realizing, or wants to realize.

I wish you strength and I am sending you lots of positive thoughts your way. Lots of hugs too, sounds like you could use them.