The 10 Most Common Mistakes Weight Loss Surgery Patients Make

Borrowed from: National Association for Weight Loss Surgery (NAWLS-http://www.nawls.com/)


While weight loss surgery (WLS) is considered the most successful treatment for morbid obesity, it is just the first step toward a fresh start. Weight regain is a common phenomenon, as is illness when weight loss surgery patients do not follow recommended guidelines.

Breaking old patterns, establishing an effective post-WLS lifestyle, and addressing the emotional issues that often complicate obesity takes more than commitment; it takes support, information, and resources.

The National Association for Weight Loss Surgery (NAWLS) helps WLS patients shape new lives. We teach people what they need to know and help them makes the changes they need to make to achieve long-term WLS success -- physically, mentally, and spiritually.

In a November 2005 poll conducted by NAWLS, the following were identified as the top 10 mistakes WLS patients make:


1st Mistake: Not Taking Vitamins, Supplements, or Minerals

Every WLS patient has specific nutritional needs depending on the type of surgery you have had. Not only is it a good idea to ask your surgeon for guidelines, but also consult with an experienced WLS nutritionist. Understand there is not a standard practice that all surgeons and nutritionists follow in guiding WLS patients. So, it is important to do your own research, get your lab tests done regularly, and learn how to read the results.

Some conditions and symptoms that can occur when you are deficient in vitamins, supplements, or minerals include:

Osteoporosis; pernicious anemia; muscle spasms; high blood pressure; burning tongue; fatigue; loss of appetite; weakness; constipation and diarrhea; numbness and tingling in the hands and feet; being tired, lethargic, or dizzy; forgetfulness, and lowered immune functioning.

Keep in mind, too, that some conditions caused by not taking your vitamins, supplements, or minerals are irreversible. For example, a vitamin B-1 deficiency can result in permanent neurological deficits, including the loss of the ability to walk.


2nd Mistake: Assuming You Have Been Cured of Your Obesity

A "pink cloud" or honeymoon experience is common following WLS. When you are feeling better than you have in years, and the weight is coming off easily, it's hard to imagine you will ever struggle again. But unfortunately, it is very common for WLS patients to not lose to their goal weight or to regain some of their weight back.

A small weight regain may be normal, but huge gains usually can be avoided with support, education, effort, and careful attention to living a healthy WLS lifestyle. For most WLSers, if you don't change what you've always done, you're going to keep getting what you've always gotten -- even after weight loss surgery.


3rd Mistake: Drinking with Meals

Yes, it's hard for some people to avoid drinking with meals, but the tool of not drinking with meals is a critical key to long-term success. If you drink while you eat, your food washes out of your stomach much more quickly, you can eat more, you get hungry sooner, and you are at more risk for snacking. Being too hungry is much more likely to lead to poor food choices and/or overeating.


4th Mistake: Not Eating Right

Of course everyone should eat right, but in this society eating right is a challenge. You have to make it as easy on yourself as possible. Eat all your meals--don't skip. Don't keep unhealthy food in sight where it will call to you all the time. Try to feed yourself at regular intervals so that you aren't as tempted to make a poor choice.

And consider having a couple of absolutes: for example, avoid fried foods completely, avoid sugary foods, always use low-fat options, or only eat in a restaurant once a week. Choose your "absolutes" based on your trigger foods and your self knowledge about what foods and/or situations are problematic for you.


5th Mistake: Not Drinking Enough Water

Most WLS patients are at risk for dehydration. Drinking a minimum of 64 oz. of water per day will help you avoid this risk. Adequate water intake will also help you flush out your system as you lose weight and avoid kidney stones. Drinking enough water helps with your weight loss, too.


6th Mistake: Grazing

Many people who have had WLS regret that they ever started grazing, which is nibbling small amounts here and there over the course of the day. It's one thing to eat the three to five small meals you and your doctor agree you need. It's something else altogether when you start to graze, eating any number of unplanned snacks. Grazing can easily make your weight creep up. Eating enough at meal time, and eating planned snacks when necessary, will help you resist grazing.

Make a plan for what you will do when you crave food, but are not truly hungry. For example, take up a hobby to keep your hands busy or call on someone in your support group for encouragement.


7th Mistake: Not Exercising Regularly

Exercise is one of the best weapons a WLS patient has to fight weight regain. Not only does exercise boost your spirits, it is a great way to keep your metabolism running strong. When you exercise, you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn, even at rest!


8th Mistake: Eating the Wrong Carbs (or Eating Too Much)

Let's face it, refined carbohydrates are addictive. If you eat refined carbohydrates they will make you crave more refined carbohydrates. There are plenty of complex carbohydrates to choose from, which have beneficial vitamins. For example, if you can handle pastas, try whole grain Kamut pasta--in moderation, of course. (Kamut pasta doesn't have the flavor some people find unpleasant in the whole wheat pastas.) Try using your complex carbohydrates as "condiments," rather than as the center point of your meal. Try sprinkling a tablespoon of brown rice on your stir-fried meat and veggies.


9th Mistake: Going Back to Drinking Soda

Drinking soda is controversial in WLS circles. Some people claim soda stretches your stomach or pouch. What we know it does is keep you from getting the hydration your body requires after WLS--because when you're drinking soda, you're not drinking water! In addition, diet soda has been connected to weight gain in the general population. The best thing you can do is find other, healthier drinks to fall in love with. They are out there.


10th Mistake: Drinking Alcohol

If you drank alcohol before surgery, you are likely to want to resume drinking alcohol following surgery. Most surgeons recommend waiting one year after surgery. And it is in your best interest to understand the consequences of drinking alcohol before you do it.

Alcohol is connected with weight regain, because alcohol has 7 calories per gram, while protein and vegetables have 4 calories per gram. Also, some people develop an addiction to alcohol after WLS, so be very cautious. Depending on your type of WLS, you may get drunker, quicker after surgery, which can cause health problems and put you in dangerous situations.

If you think you have a drinking problem, get help right away. Putting off stopping drinking doesn't make it any easier, and could make you a lot sicker.

Information on Nutritional and Vitamin guidelines after Gastric Bypass

I have listed a few links on the nutritional guidelines for those of us who have had WLS. Of coarse, work with your doctor as a team.

http://www.hopkinsbayview.org/bariatrics/docs/nutrition_bypass.pdf

http://www.celebratevitamins.com/

http://www.vitalady.com

http://www.kaysbariatric.com/shopping/

http://www.bariatricadvantage.com/catalog

http://www.bbvitamins.com/

http://www.bariatriceating.com/

http://www.syrup2u.com

Pouch Rules (For Dummies)

I'm posting the link to the entire article including credits at the bottom.


IDEAL MEAL PROCESS (rules of the pouch):

1. The patient must time meals five hours apart or the patient will get too hungry in between.

2. The patient needs to eat finely cut meat and raw or slightly cooked veggies with each meal.

3. The patient must eat the entire meal in 5-15 minutes. A 30-45 minute meal will cause failure.

4. No liquids for 1 ½ hours to 2 hours after each meal.

5. After 1 ½ to 2 hours, begin sipping water and over the next three hours slowly increase water intake.

6. 3 hours after last meal, begin drinking LOTS of water/fluids.

7. 15 minutes before the next meal, drink as much as possible as fast as possible. This is called "water loading," IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN DRINKING OVER THE LAST FEW HOURS, THIS 'WATER LOADING' WILL NOT WORK.

8. You can water load at any time 2-3 hours before your next meal if you get hungry, which will cause a strong feeling of fullness.

http://www.amylhwilliams.com/pouchrulesfordummies.html

Bariatric Nutrition: Suggestions for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient

This is an article on nutrition for Weight Loss patients. It tells what normal blood levels are, and what things to look for in vitamin deficiencies.

http://ullberg.us/Andrea/SOARD_Bariatric_Nutrition.pdf

Good Ideas for the days following surgery...

This was written and sent to me by Seagrace, one of my online friends from ObesityHelp.com. I thought it had a lot of good ideas for the first few days after surgery, and she has a wonderful sense of humor! Enjoy!

Hi Mrs. Scarlett, I wrote this a few days after my surgery. Keep in mind that everyone's experience is different, but maybe my views can be of help to you and/or your husband. Most importantly - after surgery keep stress to a minimum to speed your healing.
Things I Wish I Had Known * Things I Wish I Had Done Before My WLS Surgery
Before I begin, I wish to hereby acknowledge my diva status. I am hugely concerned with aesthetics and if my environment isn't pleasing, my mood will be reflected. I like to be surrounded by beauty, both organic and functional.

Not Everyone Sails Through This Operation - Maybe it's my selective memory at work, but in talking with people who had already had this operation, I don't remember anyone saying they had a difficult time with pain, nausea and regret. I had all three in major doses. Though it was horrible the first few days, every new day is better than the last.

Photos - I wish I had seen photos of what my stomach would (might) look like after surgery. It was a shock. OMG! Purples, greens, reds - bruises in technicolor. The doctor said it was caused by large doses of heparin (six shots to the stomach, pre and post surgery - ouch) that caused the bruising, not because he pounded the crap out of me. He also said that due to my C-section scaring, he had to cut through lots of scar tissue to reach my intestines, causing the massive lower abdomen bruising.

Clean house - I wish I had hired someone to come in to clean my house top to bottom while I was in the hospital. Coming home to a dirty, smelly house was hugely upsetting. I was very conscious of my open, wounded body being exposed to dirt and germs. Demoralizing and stressful. I would have had the inside of the refrigerator and freezer emptied and cleaned. Food with any odor (or calories) would have been tossed.

Dishes - I wish I had accumulated some specific dishes and containers for the variety of liquids that I would need the first two weeks. Small Rubbermaid containers are great. Would love to have had a set of empty baby juice containers - easy to pour.

Instead of the small plastic 1 oz. cups, I wish I had more decorative, pleasing containers to sip from. Anything to lighten the mood and make taking those sips, sips, sips, more enjoyable.

Examples:
A. Child's tea set
B. Demitasse (espresso) cups and saucers
C. Aperitif glasses
D. Decorative shot glasses
E. Small crystal or other decorative pitchers holding a cup or less liquid

A small thermal container that keeps hot liquids warm for more than a couple of minutes is wonderful. When it takes 15 minutes to sip one ounce, it is usually stone cold by the time you are finished. Some hours cold foods were more soothing, some hours I needed hot liquids.

Candles - I wish I had purchased a variety of votive candles to scent the air and create an aura of calm. Many different scents would have been great because what is pleasing/appetizing changes nearly hourly.

Comfy, yet sexy - I wish I had purchased a beautiful, loose-fitting cotton nightgown and had it ready to change into when I got home and was able to shower.

Hormones run amok - I wish my husband had known that my emotions were going to be ridiculously volatile. He should have been briefed on what to expect and prepared with a list of appropriate responses such as:

A. Poor baby, I'm so sorry (universal response, extremely useful.)
B. Would you like me to rub your back (head, feet, hands, etc.) to help take your mind off the pain?
C. Can I get you ANYTHING (must be said with extreme sincerity and affection - sarcasm not allowed) Suggest that she might like another pillow, another magazine, another hug.
D. You are absolutely right (other universal response.) It doesn't matter what she says - above all, do not argue. You are dealing with a person who is essentially out of their mind. They are in pain, their hormones are whacked, regular medications have been interrupted and other, unfamiliar drugs are coursing through her body. You wouldn't try to argue with a crazy person, would you?

These expressions of love must be given hourly for the first three days home from the hospital and only discontinued temporarily if your wife tells you that you are bugging her to death. Resume within two hours.

B.O. and bad breath - I wish my husband had known how sensitive I would be to smells and take extreme measures not to offend olfactory. Like, take showers twice a day. DO NOT use cologne or scented aftershave, deodorant, etc. Brush teeth frequently and spray mouth with freshener in between brushing. I wish I had taken my dog to the groomer and had him bathed and teeth cleaned just before my surgery. I wanted to cuddle with him, but just his normal smell was too much.

Food - I wish I had made it plain that under no circumstances should food be cooked or consumed in the house for the first few days. The first morning home from the hospital my husband made coffee (a smell I, unlike the majority of the population, absolutely abhor) and to make matters infinitely worse, the coffee spilled on the burner and I had the smell of burnt coffee to make me gag. Then he made himself fried eggs in butter and ate them while I was walking around the house dealing with pain and nausea. Justifiable homicide, I say.

Water - I wish I had purchased a variety of bottled waters, not just one brand. For some reason, our usual bottled water tasted like dish soap the first couple of days. I had my husband search all over town for more than the usual two brands of water carried by our local grocery store. Again, my tastes buds were changing hourly and while the water might be okay one hour, it was vile bilge the next.