Told You So!!

November 15, 2002

P.s. What is a post-gastrectomy?

Vicki A.

> Hi Vicki,

> When I became protein deficient, it wasn't necessarily because I

wasn't eating enough protein, but the fact that I wasn't ABSORBING

the protein due to the bypass - we don't break down the proteins from

food because of the bypassing of the duodenum. I was " blind " to this

fact, and so I was trying to eat protein first. However, as I became

more and more protein deficient, and more and more dedicated

(stupidly) to my work and the demands that it entailed at the time, I

ate less and less. I found that I started hitting the crackers more,

as they seemed to give me more energy, or I just ate a few here and

there, and then by dinner time, I really didn't eat much, as my pouch

shrank more and more. I did this unconsciously, not realizing it,

and the longer I did this, the more it became " normal " for me to do.

It was acceptable. However, I soon crashed, and had to restart the

protein supplements, and that, and ONLY that is what brought my

protein levels back up.

>

> Now, however, due to the long-term malnutrition, and the post-

gastrectomy, I have become severely hypoglycemic, and have severe

problems - almost leading to passing out, except I have been able to

either " talk myself " out of it, or stop what I'm doing and chug

protein or something to counteract it. I will be going to an

endocrinologist next week to see what can be done about it.

>

> Take care,

> B

> Distal RNY 12/27/95

> 275/155

November 15, 2002

Vicki wrote:...........

Thanks so much for your answer. So , how did you know you were

getting protein deficient? Was it the dizziness? Were there other

warning signs?

And are there some proteins which are more readily absorbed than

others? Is this absorption problem something everyone has, or is it

a case by case thing?

My surgeon has a set of routine labs he orders on a regular schedule. However,

since I had moved away to California (from Washington), I hadn't had any labs

done for more than a year. I was feeling so crappy - would go to the store and

not have the energy to get out of the car, and end up turning around and going

back home, that I called up to the surgeon's office and they faxed me the labs.

Found a local doc, and went to the lab and got them drawn. Afterwards, I went

to Florida for a meeting, and while there, my new PCP was calling (four times)

to tell me about the seriousness of my labs. I was so weak I couldn't carry a

gallon of milk up the stairs (we have 19 stairs up to the front door of our

house). But, I was in denial - thinking " why should I HAVE to carry groceries

up, I have a big strong husband! " . However, that was just more denial in

feeling so crappy. My preop protein level was 7.2, and my crash and burn level

was 5.4 with a low albumin. You need to have a CMP (complete metabolic profile)

lab test done to check your potassium, protein, liver tests, albumin, etc. This

test checks all of your kidney functions, etc. I am not sure if any food

protein is more readily absorbed than others, but I do know that the protein

shakes are more readily absorbed as they have all the branch chain amino acids

broken down for us so they are immediately absorbed. My muscles STILL hurt, and

carrying my brief case can at times send me into muscle spasms and am still so

weak I cannot exercise yet. I worked at a job fair for my company a few weeks

ago, and had to take muscle relaxers for a few days afterwards as my muscles and

my body is so deconditioned due to the lack of protein, that any thing different

I do to it, causes pain. The absorbtion " problem " I believe is a problem with

RNY's, but that is exactly what we PAY for - malabsorption to lose weight. Some

surgeons bypass more, to create more malabsorption - others are more

conservative. I am a " distal " which means I have more malabsorption of

vitamins, proteins, iron, calories, etc. Probably why I still have been able to

maintain my WL. I thought I was " invincible " , however, I learned the hard way

that I wasn't - no body is.

B

Distal RNY 12/27/95

275/155

November 15, 2002