The 10 Most Common Mistakes Weight Loss Surgery Patients Make

Thanks! This is really good to know!

Thanks Linda. I was wondering why we couldn't drink with dinner or have diet soft drinks. Now I know.

Hi Everyone

These are fantastic rules to follow! Please take note of them because I made the mistake of not doing two of them and became very very sick!

I stopped taking my vitamins, zinc, and caltrate tables ( just being lazy) as a consequence my immune system lowered and I got the worst flu I have had in years....plus a chest infection....I thought I was going to die! so now I take them religiously! also a few weeks before this I got a bad kidney infection from not drinking enough water and that was bloody awful! so please please try and remember these rules! so important!

cheers

Michelle

Thanks for that info lindaeve a good read :) and I copied it for my bible

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:

1^st 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.

2^nd 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.

3^rd 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.

4^th 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.

5^th 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.

6^th 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.

7^th 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!

8^th 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.

9^th 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.

10^th 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.

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