You folks are great .. Thanks
 

Hi Everyone!
I'm new at message boards..soo if I do anything taboo please tell me. I was doing a seach and ran across this one last Friday and I've been reading all your threads since then. Thanks to all of you for sharing a part of yourselves so freely. I've learned a lot. I've laughed with you in your triumphs and sent blessings to you in your dissapointments. I wish I had found you before I had my surgery..it would have helped a lot.

I'm almost 4 months out...weight at surgery was 265. I lost 10 lbs in the 2 weeks before surgery. When I went for my 3 month checkup on Jan. 10 I weighed 207. I didn't see my doctor on that date but saw the nutritionist instead. I went in thinking how great I was doing but left with my bubble busted !! She said I was losing too fast. I had been taken off protein shakes since my 6th week out but she put me back on 1 a day to try to slow down my weight loss. She gave me a food diary to write down everything I ate and told me to call in a month let them know what I weighed. She was concerned about my electolites if I lost too fast and also wanted to make sure I was getting enough protien.

I'm getting over 40 grams of protein most days...only 3 or 4 days I didn't quite make it. But I've lost 10 more pounds. I weighed 197 pounds this morning. Has anybody else had this problem? Actually I feel better than I have in years and I can't help but feel great about my results !! I have to admit I've been kinda lazy in the exercise department and before you all start in on me I've already been chastised dearly in all your posts and that is being rectified immediately LOL. In my defense I will say several family members have been hospitalized in the last few months and it seems I've walked miles going in and out of hospitals lately. And I'm going shopping more and walking arounds stores a lot. And my back doesn't hurt ANYMORE !!!! I can stand up long enough to load the washer and dryer and the dishwasher...and my back doesn't feel like somebody is sticking a knife in it. It's wonderful !!!

I apologize for writing a book my first post. Thanks again

Please..... somebody out there answer me. I'm really getting concerned about this. My scales say I weigh 195 this morning. I've heard some people can't stop losing.

One person in my support group meeting was loosing too fast. She was having a hard time keeping things down. The doctor was working with her to add more calories to her diet. The only thing I can really tell you is work with your nutritionist and your doctor. Follow their advise and make sure that you are getting all of your supplements. This does happen occassionally, but eventually, it will slow down.

Thanks invisigoth. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I have to call the doctor's office to tell them how much I weigh in a couple of days. They told me if I'd lost just a little weight or none at all I could stop the protien shakes again. I just don't know how common this is. Or how serious. This board has so many knowledgable people I thought somebody would know. I guess I'll go back to the search engines and keep looking for information. Thanks again

Sorry for not getting in to respond Magi but with the change in server for the board I've been having a terrible time getting in here.

I'm sure you must be frightened. Tell me, can you tolerate eggs (raw) and banana? What about protein powders? Which kinds can you tolerate? And yogurt?

I'm going to suggest you make yourself some super packed smoothies by fortifying them with any and all of the above for extra food density, extra protein, more calories. Make them super thick and also add a little psyllium (no more than half a teaspoon) for some fibre to slow down the movement through your intestinal tract.

And let your nutritionist know the loss is continuing. I know you can increase your nutritional intake if you fortify your smoothies. Banana may have too much carb in it so you can easily use strawberries and blueberries, or even cranberries and frozen berries make it nice and thick and cold. Don't use sweetened or low fat yogurt. Only plain, whole milk yogurt. The fat in it will prevent the sugar dump. Protein powders made from non soy are best.

And supplement like crazy in the meantime to prevent deficiency related illness!

I don't mind telling you my nutritionist scared the daylights out of me.

I can't eat eggs very well..but I've never tried a raw one. I'll try it mixed in with the other stuff you suggested and see how that works. I don't do well with bananas but I have strawberries and blueberries and I handle them ok. I've tried several of the protein shakes. Most of them make me a little sick. Thanks to this website I've ordered samples of the nectar protien shakes. They should be here soon. Actually, I crave orange juice sometimes. My nutritionist said I could drink a little if I mixed it 1 part juice and 3 parts water. So I'm looking forward to getting them. You all gave it such high praise. I also do well with yogart. I don't know what psyllium is. Where do I get it?

I must have been half asleep when I wrote that first post last night. I don't know where I got 265 before surgery. I weighed 257 at surgery.

Thanks for responding hubs. I will definitely try your suggestions. I don't want to mess myself up. Who would have ever thought I would have such a problem? LOL

Magi, psyllium is fibre from a natural source. Its the stuff Kellogg's is boating they are adding to many of their cereals right now. Health food stores you can always find it. Probably some other stores too.

Back to eggs. Some people find its the yolk that gives them the most trouble in which case egg whites will give you that extra protein hit. And whey powder helps too.

Just think really, really thick smoothies. So thick you can eat them with a spoon. Frozen berries are best for that.

Good luck!

magi - darlin - so nice to meet you! i've been on a business trip since monday, and haven't had much time to check the forum...

while i realize that you're concerned about what your nutritionist says, from someone who lost a pound and a half a day for 6 weeks, what's more of a concern to me is that you're getting enough protein. you said that you're not tolerating eggs very well - i couldn't eat a scrambled egg for more than a year, but other forms worked well.

soooooo, how about sharing a wee bit of your food diary here? maybe we can offer suggestions. while i realize that many people do well with blended smoothies, i found that they just didn't work for me - too much air, and i was in a HUGE amount of pain.

but believe me - there are ways to make sure that you stay on track with the weight loss AND get in the nutrition you need....

as for the exercise - i had to laugh. i never imagined that we could NAG someone without knowing it!!!!

sooooo - tell us - what else are you doing? and, by the way, i strongly suggest that you don't overtire yourself, especially given the concern over your nutrition.

so glad you're here!!!!!

This topic really interests me. It seems I have read hundreds of profile stories at OH. And some of those were huge amounts of weight loss in the first 3 months. Isn't that what is supposed to happen? As long as your labs look good and you are getting enough of what you need, how can you lose to fast?

i just came back to your original post. you've lost about 60 pounds in 3 months. that's 20 pounds a month, less than a pound a day. it seems to me that you're doing what many of us have done. you should start to see the weight loss slow down soon. and many congrats on reaching one-derland!

i don't understand why she's telling you to add a protein shake to slow the weight loss. that makes no sense to me - so maybe you could ask her? most of us were told to eat 40-60 grams per day, which meant that we had to do the shake. in fact, some of us have been told to increase the protein shake in order to speed up the loss!!!! and by the way, how are you getting to 40 grams a day if you're supposedly losing too fast? [you have to eat about 6 oz of meat or fish to hit 40 grams - and that's a huge amount of food for someone at 4 months]

i had to eat 80-100 grams of protein a day for at least 6 months, but i was 'special' because i had so very very much weight to lose.

sorry to be so disjointed, but i'm really trying to understand what's going on with you and that nutritionist...

jiffy, I just wanted to touch base about the air in smoothies one more time. When you make them thick and especially use frozen berries it helps, but what makes the biggest difference is using a hand blender and holding it close to the bottom so you aren't mixing in any more air than you possibly have to. Just blending enough to pulverize the fruit and mix it in well. When its super thick, it can't work that air in the same.

i'm glad you found something that worked, hubs. i'm too chicken to try this!!!!

Hey everybody !!!
I'm so glad to hear from all of you. I live too far away to go to support groups provided my doctor. It's so nice to have somebody to talk to about things. I talked to the nurse at my doctor's office today and she said the doctor might take me off the protein shake. She didn't sound very concerned. So I feel much better about it now.

yesterday's menu:
breakfast 2 strips bacon 4 P
1/2 scrambled egg 3 P
snack protein shake 14 P
lunch lean cusine
beef and broccoli 14 P
dinner chili 14 P
total protein ---- 52


today
breakfast 3 strips bacon 6 P
Yogurt 6 P

snack Protein shake 14 P

lunch lean cuisine
chicken, rice, beans 19 P

dinner 2 oz roast beef 12 P
1/2 cup green beens 1 P
total protein -----58

Yesterday was a typical day for me. Today I was in panic mode until I talked to the nurse. I do eat a scrambled egg occationally for breakfast but they make me a little nausious. Forget boiled eggs ! I eat a lot of lean cuisine and south beach dinners. It's easier for me at work.

They told me I needed at least 40 g of protein a day. I have to admit...a few days I've only made it to 38. I feel so full all the time. And I'm supposed to stop eating as soon as I get full !! And the water... Lord Help.... I'm eating or drinking all the time. Yesterday was the first day I've made it to 60 oz.

After I ate all that stuff today and talked to the nurse I decided I was just going to quit worrying about it for now.

It's seem for the last month I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't. I'm supposed to eat all this stuff so I don't lose too much weight and I'm supposed to excercise which burns more calories LOL. What to do ...what to do !!

I feel great. Everytime I have to walk a little way to get into a store or walk across the yard or take a shower I'm just amazed. I don't hurt anymore !! Do you know I use to have to rest a few minutes after taking a shower before I could put on my clothes ? I'm sooooo grateful for every little thing I can do without pain.

And jiffypop.....I was back on the gazelle after you guys unknowing nagged me back into it and I go on and on with out having to stop and go to bed LOL
When I first started on the treadmill I could only go 3 minutes at the time (big grin)

I've been reading your posts for days. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you all being here. Thanks

jiffypop.. the nutritionist said she was concerned about my electolites if I lost too fast. That's what scared me to death.

magi - you're a doll and i'm so glad you've joined us. as for your menu, it seems reasonable to me, although i'd be real careful with the fat in the bacon. as i said, scrambled eggs just didn't work for me, but omelettes did [don't know why!], and so did poached.

as for the electrolytes, as long as you're getting your water [nag nag nag!!!!], and eating balanced, you'll be ok, i think. i found that, as time went on, i needed more water. it seemed as if i just used water differently. don't know if it was the exercise or the weight loss, but i didn't worry about it.

if your electrolytes start to unbalance, you'll feel something. generally fatigue, sometimes heart palpitations, but most of that can be easily taken care of by eating something sensible. and drinking water.

your new attitude - not worrying about it - sounds like a great idea! just continue to track your protein and water, and you'll be fine. there's really no difference between 38 and 40 grams of protein, by the way, especially if you're occasionally higher than your goals.

you're doing great, darlin... keep up the good work!!!!!

jiffy, I hear ya on the smoothies.

magi, I agree you're doing fine and although bacon has all sorts of other rotten stuff like nitrates and so on, I personally have no problem with the fat content. Our bodies need a source of fat, and in particular animal fat. I'd rather see you get it from butter and I'd suggest adding CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) as an essential fatty acid supplement and or fish oil. The no fat/low fat thing is being shown time and again to have many problems associated with it. Every single human hormone is made from cholesteral and few people realize that. Did you hear this week alone about the huge 8 year low fat study on women that FAILED to produce any health benefits from being on a low fat diet? I don't see in that day's worth of food where you would get your essential fatty acids otherwise so if bacon is your thing, go for it. Maybe try turkey bacon?

Electrolites. Eating the way you are, and staying hydrated first and formost should keep you well on safe ground. Certainly, you could afford to add a couple of mini meals in between times which is a good idea anyway.

no hubs, I didn't hear about that study. Lord knows I've been on a low fat diet too (along with all the others). It didn't do me any good. I thank you all for the encouragement. I'll just keep on keeping on.

<some of us dump on high fat - or get diarrhea> but having said that, i use olive oil whenever i want, and butter on my weekend toast. and i don't eat low fat anything [it tastes icky]. if i have a lobster, i dip it in butter.

it all comes down to portion control, and getting the biggest nutritional bang for our mouthfuls.

you ARE doing great.