Re: LapBand and protein intake/requirements?

[Guest guest]

Hi Amber. Our surgeons differ in how they recommend meals and

protein.

It's so unfortunate that some surgeons are only concerned with the

amount of weight loss their patients have at x months after surgery

versus preventing malnutrition.

One surgeon wants only 2 small meals a day, no snacks whatsoever and

recommends no breakfast for faster weight loss. The other two

surgeons

have always left it up to the RD's to educate the patients on their

nutritional needs, so they accepted us telling patients to have 3

small

meals daily with high protein foods or supplements between meals 2-

3x's

daily.

Now, I'm trying my hardest to keep this professional. My personal

opinion is based on following patients for up to 5 years after

surgery. I have received countless phone calls from patients who

complain of low blood sugar, and/or low lab data when following the

guidelines of eating only 2-3 meals daily and nothing between meals.

We recommend women consume 50-60 grams protein daily and men consume

65-

70gm daily minimally. I always tell patients that this is the bare

minimum their body will need to keep their hair from falling out in

clumps, prevent tiredness, loss of muscle mass, or weight

plateauing.

So through the process of deduction, patients (of the surgeon who

only

wanted them to consume 2 meals daily and nothing else) can figure it

out for themselves that they will not be able to meet their protein

needs this way (horray!).

NOW, I was so happy that the other 2 surgeons we have will allow

patients the 3 meals daily and protein intake 2-3 times between

meals.

And then yesterday after office hours, the surgeon asked me if we

were

on the same page about nutrition for lap band patients. I asked him

what he meant. He said he wants his paients to eat 2-3 small meals

daily and if they are hungry to eat a food that is high in protein.

That totally stunned me!!!! I can't believe he said that. So now I

am

in the process of figuring out how to professionally attack this

issue. I think the only way I can do it is to find research articles

about protein and banding and maybe showing the surgeons a

nutritional

analysis of what the 2 meals a day provides (and show them side by

side

with that the actual needs of patients). If the surgeons cannot look

at that and deduce that it's impossible to meet protein needs with 2

small meals a day, then I don't know what I'm going to do.

We all know our patients do not have the same food tastes or

preferences. I like to find ways for my patients to get enough

nutrition in a way that they enjoy and is feasible for them. That

might mean someone eats a Southbeach protein bar once a day between

meals, or it might mean that someone drinks 4 ounces of a Slimfast

low

carb meal shake an hour before bed. You do have to be flexible with

the diet or you'll find alot of patients becoming malnourished.

You could encourage your patients to have a solid form of protein

like

a protein bar or food enriched with protein powder between meals in

order to get them some more protein, & fiber. Your surgeon might

prefer that because liquids travel faster through the band and

therefore he may believe that the protein drinks would prevent

adequate

weight loss. Hopefully you have an open minded surgeon.

Good luck.

-

-- In , " amberf2k "

<amberf2k@...> wrote:

>

> I am sure like alot of other topics this has been covered, but I

wanted

> some sort of consensus, etc about Protein intake/requirements for

Lap

> Band patients to present to my surgeon. He wants 3 meals a day, no

> protein supplements. My concern is that these patients are not

able

to

> eat enough protein in solid form to meet their needs. I do not

> encourage snacking, but not sure what I should do? Any suggestions?

>