I haven’t posted about this here, or much of anywhere, and have only briefly mentioned or alluded to what is going on with me on the T2CHK message forum. I’ve got some potentially serious health issues going on and am awaiting some additional blood work results and should get those today, but the ones I got last week aren’t so great.

I learned last fall that I have osteoporosis. I was surprised, but considering that I had a total hysterectomy 4 years ago and RNY gastric bypass surgery almost 3 years ago: those two things put me at a much greater risk. However, I have always drank milk, and was following my bariatric surgeons advice on supplementing and this is where I am most concerned and honestly - just plan ‘ol mad and scared. I am not sure yet how far down my health has gone, how much damage has been done, and hopefully, it can all be reversed, but had I not taken things into my own hands and realized that I was in a downward spiral - I would ultimately have DIED, all the while diligently following the post-op advice given me by my well meaning surgeon who honestly has very little to no nutrition education.

The osteoporosis is a big concern, however, the B vitamin deficiencies and the D vitamin deficiency and possibly a couple others we’re still waiting on - are of a greater concern. Just one of these alone would be alarming, all together, they are causing me quite a few problems, symptoms and damage to my body. I’ve increased some of the supplements drastically to help get the levels up, I’m waiting on the other results to know what I need to do there.

I’ve learned some information on how my body digests protein that I didn’t know before and it’s scary for me. I don’t digest protein from food at all. None. Protein is normally broken down and digested in the stomach digestive juices; I don’t have that. I must drink predigested protein shakes in order to get in my protein. I was told by my surgeon, and his staff, that protein shakes are not necessary and that I can get in my daily required 50 grams of protein from food. Duh, you would think they would know all this stuff!!!!! And here all this time I’ve been eating protein bars and thinking I’m doing great; and wondering why I’m so tired, losing hair and literally wasting away!! Of course, this same surgeon and staff told me that I could take two Flintstones chewable vitamins, a couple Tums and that was all the supplements I needed to be healthy. If my body hasn’t been getting enough protein, it will use muscle, including organs, to get what it needs. *sigh*

I was following my doctor’s orders. I was doing what I was told to do - however, what I was told to do was literally killing me. Now I have to do my own research, determine what my blood levels should be. What supplements I need to take and how much. Thankfully, my primary care doctor realizes I know more about weight loss surgery than he does and is a sponge for information and is willing to learn and do whatever we need to in order to get and keep me healthy. I’m not sure yet how unhealthy I am - I just know things are not right. I don’t feel well. I don’t look well. I feel weak. Unhealthy and sick. I put on a pretty good front and don’t complain - so most folks just don’t know it. But the truth is - I’m in pretty bad shape. I could really use some prayers.

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Well, I bought a new scale yesterday, came home and weighed (with jeans and sweatshirt on, no shoes and I had not eaten) and got 149 on the scale.  This morning, right out of bed with my PJ’s on, I weighed 145!  So, the damage is apparently not as bad as I thought. 

I’m back to eating my protein bars and trying to keep my carbs low.  So far so good. 

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Not as bad as I thought it would be:  149 lbs.  The lowest I’ve gone is 143 after I had my hernia repair surgery in September 2005.  So I’m up 6 lbs from that.  That’s quite far enough, thank you very much!  I’d prefer to get back down to 143 or even my “ideal weight” of 138. 

I had my protein bar and a glass of Carb Countdown milk: 32 grams of protein with just those two items!  I’m supposed to get in 50 grams of protein per day; but from my research, and talking with other WLS post-ops, more protein is better and my surgeon agreed that more wouldn’t hurt me, as my kidneys are fine.  I would like to shoot for 90 grams of protein every day.   Protein bars, shakes and special foods (like Carb Countdown milk) are keys to getting in that much protein as a post-op.  We can’t usually eat enough volume of food in a day to get in 90 grams just from regular foods.  But we can with protein enriched foods.

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