Question

March 8, 2002

Lately I have been wondering about the whole issue of vitamins and protein.

Not long ago Patti ask me how I was doing with them and I sort of

ducked the question because I hardly ever take either. Now I am wondering if

I could be doing something that will really hurt me later on. I had the

open RNY in May, 2000 and so far have lost 315 lbs. I am going to be having

my incision hernia repaired and the apron removed at Methodist Hospital in a

few weeks. The surgeons who will work on me are Dr. Wade Rosenberg (

Gastroenterology ) and Dr. Weimer (Plastic Surgeon).

Anyway, to the question - has anyone else not taken many vitamins or done

the protein shakes? For the first 45 days after surgery I was fed through a

central line so ate very little. When I finally got out of the hospital I

could barely walk and couldn't drive so never really went and bought

anything. Before Patti, no one ever talked to me about them even though I

always read about them in the posts.

Like everyone else, I have blood work done about every four to six months.

Once my Thiamin was low but everything else seems fine. I have lost very

little hair and the only bad side effect is the occasional vomiting. I live

on things like meat, tuna fish, cole slaw, cold cereal, New England Clam

Chowder, Wheat Thins, fruit, water, lemonade, nuts, and an occasional Big

Mac. I do not eat deserts, drink cokes or any of that stuff. Since my

surgery I have been hospitalized three times, once for uncontrollable

dumping, once for impaction and the last time over a year ago when my left

lung collapsed after becoming infected from vomiting (long story). That one

required a major operation.

But all in all I feel good, am starting to look good, sex drive has returned

big time and I can walk and talk at the same time and still breath. I have

had a couple of recent scares where I almost passed out without knowing why.

Just all of a sudden my head felt real hot and I knew I was blacking out. I

am starting to wonder if the almost blacking out has anything to do with

vitamins or proteins. Again, my blood work looks good. Has anyone else not

used vitamins and proteins but seems to do fine? Anyone else ever almost

black out?

Davenport

March 8, 2002

Did you also have a full dexascan? And are YOU the one judging your labs? Or

are you just hearing they are " fine " ?

Thanks,

http://www.vitalady.com

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RE: Question

>

> Lately I have been wondering about the whole issue of vitamins and

protein.

> Not long ago Patti ask me how I was doing with them and I sort of

> ducked the question because I hardly ever take either. Now I am wondering

if

> I could be doing something that will really hurt me later on. I had the

> open RNY in May, 2000 and so far have lost 315 lbs. I am going to be

having

> my incision hernia repaired and the apron removed at Methodist Hospital in

a

> few weeks. The surgeons who will work on me are Dr. Wade Rosenberg (

> Gastroenterology ) and Dr. Weimer (Plastic Surgeon).

>

> Anyway, to the question - has anyone else not taken many vitamins or done

> the protein shakes? For the first 45 days after surgery I was fed through

a

> central line so ate very little. When I finally got out of the hospital I

> could barely walk and couldn't drive so never really went and bought

> anything. Before Patti, no one ever talked to me about them even though I

> always read about them in the posts.

>

> Like everyone else, I have blood work done about every four to six months.

> Once my Thiamin was low but everything else seems fine. I have lost very

> little hair and the only bad side effect is the occasional vomiting. I

live

> on things like meat, tuna fish, cole slaw, cold cereal, New England Clam

> Chowder, Wheat Thins, fruit, water, lemonade, nuts, and an occasional Big

> Mac. I do not eat deserts, drink cokes or any of that stuff. Since my

> surgery I have been hospitalized three times, once for uncontrollable

> dumping, once for impaction and the last time over a year ago when my left

> lung collapsed after becoming infected from vomiting (long story). That

one

> required a major operation.

>

> But all in all I feel good, am starting to look good, sex drive has

returned

> big time and I can walk and talk at the same time and still breath. I have

> had a couple of recent scares where I almost passed out without knowing

why.

> Just all of a sudden my head felt real hot and I knew I was blacking out.

I

> am starting to wonder if the almost blacking out has anything to do with

> vitamins or proteins. Again, my blood work looks good. Has anyone else not

> used vitamins and proteins but seems to do fine? Anyone else ever almost

> black out?

>

> Davenport

>

> Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

>

> Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe

>

March 9, 2002

In a message dated 3/8/2002 8:08:04 PM Pacific Standard Time,

techman@... writes:

> Anyone else ever almost black out?

>

, I have actually passed out once, and felt close on occasion (light

headed, dizzy, etc.) My blood pressure runs pretty low - about 110/55, and

my doctor advised me to increase my fluid intake to keep the blood volumes

up. He's right, it definitely seems to be better when I am regularly

drinking in excess of 92 ozs. of fluid.

As far as the vitamins and protein - if you're getting in the required

protein grams through food, then you may be okay without supplements. My

surgery is a distal procedure (DS), so I am faced with some serious

malapsorption, and simply do not want to take any chances. I take vitamins

and supplements.

Kate

March 9, 2002

Blood work (labs) is sometimes tricky. Our bodies can feed off of

themselves for a long time before it really shows just how much

trouble we are in.

A person on another list reported that her brother-in-law just died

of severe malnutrition following a proximal RNY. I think she said he

was about 7 or so years out. He never took vitamins (supplements).

He never drank a protein shake. And he BRAGGED about this fact too,

about how good his labs were, etc.

He bragged about it all the way to his grave.

Felicia

>

> Lately I have been wondering about the whole issue of vitamins and

protein.

> Not long ago Patti ask me how I was doing with them and I

sort of

> ducked the question because I hardly ever take either. Now I am

wondering if

> I could be doing something that will really hurt me later on. I

had the

> open RNY in May, 2000 and so far have lost 315 lbs. I am going to

be having

> my incision hernia repaired and the apron removed at Methodist

Hospital in a

> few weeks. The surgeons who will work on me are Dr. Wade Rosenberg (

> Gastroenterology ) and Dr. Weimer (Plastic Surgeon).

>

> Anyway, to the question - has anyone else not taken many vitamins

or done

> the protein shakes? For the first 45 days after surgery I was fed

through a

> central line so ate very little. When I finally got out of the

hospital I

> could barely walk and couldn't drive so never really went and bought

> anything. Before Patti, no one ever talked to me about them even

though I

> always read about them in the posts.

>

> Like everyone else, I have blood work done about every four to six

months.

> Once my Thiamin was low but everything else seems fine. I have lost

very

> little hair and the only bad side effect is the occasional

vomiting. I live

> on things like meat, tuna fish, cole slaw, cold cereal, New England

Clam

> Chowder, Wheat Thins, fruit, water, lemonade, nuts, and an

occasional Big

> Mac. I do not eat deserts, drink cokes or any of that stuff. Since

my

> surgery I have been hospitalized three times, once for

uncontrollable

> dumping, once for impaction and the last time over a year ago when

my left

> lung collapsed after becoming infected from vomiting (long story).

That one

> required a major operation.

>

> But all in all I feel good, am starting to look good, sex drive has

returned

> big time and I can walk and talk at the same time and still breath.

I have

> had a couple of recent scares where I almost passed out without

knowing why.

> Just all of a sudden my head felt real hot and I knew I was

blacking out. I

> am starting to wonder if the almost blacking out has anything to do

with

> vitamins or proteins. Again, my blood work looks good. Has anyone

else not

> used vitamins and proteins but seems to do fine? Anyone else ever

almost

> black out?

>

> Davenport

July 6, 2003

wolfie - i'll give it a try - i have used that powder b4 but its so

freakin hot here and it seems like i even sweat inside at 65 degrees that

nothing seems to help - guess the surgery and a lift will.....

visit our website

www.geocities.com/tanyarn96/countryside.html

-- Re: Re: question

, just be very sure to keep the areas clean every day and then use the

gold bond or the store brand like walmart or family dollar has of the same

thing at a much reduced price. Apply it two to three times daily. Hope this

helps.

WOLFIE

July 6, 2003

Lori,

to this group i knew to do that - my ob has it documented and has given me

medication for it and my last visit with the PCP i had him document it

extensively b/c i told him what i planned to do - he laughed and said no

problem -- BTW, on some other list somebody told me that nystatin ointment

which they give you for these rashes comes in a powder form and even though

its expensive i like it in powder form much better - its called nystop.

if i get approved i'm going to try to go the whole 9 yards.

visit our website

www.geocities.com/tanyarn96/countryside.html

-- Re: question

hi tanya, be sure & have these concerns documented. you may qualify

for your ins to pick up the tab for reconstructive surgery.

lori h.

>

> i keep getting terrible rashes (yeast infection) in areas where

skin meets

> skin - under breast - low belly where c-section scar is - thighs --

what do

> you use to help with that?

>

> visit our website

> www.geocities.com/tanyarn96/countryside.html

August 13, 2003

Hi all,

Since I'm gonna be alone right after the surgery (the moment I step

home), my ortho suggested I hire a nurse at home for a few days (48

hours), to help me with various things like replacing my bandages

(I'm expected to be removed a piece of bone from my hip to be

implanted in my upper jaw), and make sure I adjust to being wired

(not totally shut, but thight for a few days untill I can open my

mouth just a little), and wake me up to get my Sudafed, etc. Also,

being claustrophic, he said that having someone around would most

certainly have a good effect on my moral, and give my healing a good

start. I agree with him, but I thinkg I'm going to feel a little

silly having someone to help around.

Do you think it's a good idea, or is the poor person going to be

bored to death because there won't be much to do for me?

Thanks,

Ray

August 13, 2003

Hey Ray,

I'm married but my wife just started a new job and I didn't want her to

have to take off after just starting so I did for myself. It wasn't bad

but all people are different.

Ronnie

Ray wrote:

> Hi all,

>

> Since I'm gonna be alone right after the surgery (the moment I step

> home), my ortho suggested I hire a nurse at home for a few days (48

> hours), to help me with various things like replacing my bandages

> (I'm expected to be removed a piece of bone from my hip to be

> implanted in my upper jaw), and make sure I adjust to being wired

> (not totally shut, but thight for a few days untill I can open my

> mouth just a little), and wake me up to get my Sudafed, etc. Also,

> being claustrophic, he said that having someone around would most

> certainly have a good effect on my moral, and give my healing a good

> start. I agree with him, but I thinkg I'm going to feel a little

> silly having someone to help around.

>

> Do you think it's a good idea, or is the poor person going to be

> bored to death because there won't be much to do for me?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Ray

>

August 13, 2003

That's what I thought.. Thanks

Ray

>

> > Hi all,

> >

> > Since I'm gonna be alone right after the surgery (the moment I

step

> > home), my ortho suggested I hire a nurse at home for a few days

(48

> > hours), to help me with various things like replacing my bandages

> > (I'm expected to be removed a piece of bone from my hip to be

> > implanted in my upper jaw), and make sure I adjust to being wired

> > (not totally shut, but thight for a few days untill I can open my

> > mouth just a little), and wake me up to get my Sudafed, etc.

Also,

> > being claustrophic, he said that having someone around would most

> > certainly have a good effect on my moral, and give my healing a

good

> > start. I agree with him, but I thinkg I'm going to feel a little

> > silly having someone to help around.

> >

> > Do you think it's a good idea, or is the poor person going to be

> > bored to death because there won't be much to do for me?

> >

> > Thanks,

> >

> > Ray

> >

August 13, 2003

Hi Ray,

I don't recommend being alone at home following the surgery, although

others have done so. My husband stayed with me 24x7 in the hospital,

fetched fresh ice, gowns, towels, juice, made sure the nurses gave me

my meds on time, etc. I was able to focus on just sitting back and

healing.

He also stayed off work for several weeks to care for me - helped me

in the shower (I had a bath chair, which I recommend), and made all

of my meals and organized my meds, just like in hospital.

I highly doubt the person will be bored to death. You'll keep them

busy. And it will be good to have nothing to do but think about

healing. Just be prepared that your insurance company may not cover

it - I asked mine, as we worried that my husband might have to go

unexpectedly overseas at any moment (he is the executor of his aunt's

estate in Ireland) - they would not cover any of it. These days, you

have to be pretty sick (near death) for them to cover private duty

nursing at home.

August 13, 2003

It's not up to you to entertain your caretaker. Do not worry about

whether he/she is bored. It's his/her job.

And yes, I think it's a very good idea. Most people don't have

bigtime troubles, but you don't wanna take a chance on it, at least

until you get your bearings.

You won't feel silly at all. You probably won't feel anything at all.

But you will probably be tired, and need some help taking care of

yourself, and that's the reason for the nurse. Your doc has the right

idea, I think.

Cammie