Dietitian contradicts everything I've read here...

Ray_Of_Fricken_Sunshine

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Apr 18, 2017
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Hey Y'all! Right off the bat, Sorry I'm so damn wordy.
I have a few questions today. First, I've met with my nutritionist/dietitian twice, now, and both times, her information contradicts what I've read both here and at Obesityhelp.
When I met with her the other day, I mentioned "DS Math" and she looked at me like my ass was on backwards. She then told me that she recently had a patient very excited to have a diet that he could eat plenty of fat with, and she was very concerned about that, as well. I said that through my research, I had been given the impression that I would basically be limited to an Atkins-esque diet for the first year, or until I reached my goals. She said that we would go over my Post Op Diet later on in the process, but in the mean time, she could tell me that information wasn't very accurate.
She's a very nice person, and I really do like her, and I don't want to be disrespectful; but I also want to do what's absolutely best.
Also...
Okay, so when they told me that I would have to spend about $100/month on vitamins, I was honestly a little panicked. We don't live paycheck to paycheck, we sometimes just live week to week, day to day. We always have what we need, and that's not the issue, it just takes some planning on my end to make it all work. As I was researching vitamins, I was getting so frustrated. It seemed like the majority of Post Op DS'ers take the Bariatric Advantage Chews. I really wanted to take those, too, as I figured if I had to take them up to 6 times a day, I wanted then to taste good. But at around $50/month, just in tasty chews, I couldn't do it. I started looking around for cheaper options, and I saw the chalky disks, the lozenges, etc, but nothing that I was really excited about.
Then I stumbled upon bulksupplements. I found their products on amazon first, then went to their website. Of course, I know nothing about anything, but they look really good. Almost too good to be true, so I asked my Dietitian about them. She said she was going to research them further, but they were GMP certified, and that she really felt like these supplements would be great for me.
I am the most skeptical person alive, and I always believe that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. I started searching this site and Obesityhelp. No one has really talked about the powdered supplements(that I could find). Is this not a common thing? What am I not getting? I mean, we're talking one serving is a quarter of a teaspoon that dissolves in liquid or gets sprinkled on food... What Am I Missing!?!?!?
I was almost afraid to ask because I really want these to work. My budget would weep tears of joy!!
What do y'all think?
I tried to post the links to the products, but I haven't been an active member long enough to post links. I guess if you're interested, I can PM them to you.

Thanks for looking!! I'd love y'alls input!
 
Yes, they'll tell you to ignore anything you read by ill-informed yahoos on the internet. They are absolutely clueless about the nutritional needs of a DS'er.
They also have no clue about vitamins or supplements. Most advice is based on the RNY. A good place to start (besides here) is Vitalady. That site gives a very good regimen for living with the DS. I can also guarantee that no one with a DS has the exact same regimen as another person. For example, some need iron infusions. I take NO supplemental iron as I get enough from my multivitamin. Most of us get regular labs and adjust as needed.

I wish I could get all the protein I need from food. There are many who can, those lucky souls. I have at least one shake made with protein whey isolate. If I read your post right, there is a protein that is a quarter of a teaspoon? I'm very skeptical of that. Even the hospital grade proteins I know about are not that small of a serving. I don't want you to think that I'm doubting you. I think that anyone who tells you can get enough protein from a quarter teaspoon would also want to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge for $5.00.

This site has a good search function. If you can't find what you are looking for, ask away.
 
Oh, wow, I can see where I was misleading, there!! NO, not protein powdered supplements!!
I'm sorry, I am talking about Calcium Citrate, VItamin K, and VItamin D.
 
Meeting with NUT(pronounced NEWT). NOD. SMILE. LOOK LIKE A SHEEP. Yes, that makes me a mean girl. Haven't met seen or heard of one yet who really GETS the DS. Low cal and low fat has been beaten into all of them. So what if that advice is also proving to be wrong for normies. This is one of the reasons places like this exist. Too much bad information is being handed out by supposed medical professionals.

Have you ever seen the real ADA Diabetic Diet? Take a look some time. It is LOADED with sugar. Always looked like the fast track to insulin dependency to me. Why don't they tell patients to have the DS and just be done with it? Oh well!

Post some links to those powder vites. I don't know anyone who got decent labs long term with BA Chews. Here's the skinny. Those are a great revenue stream for your doctor. They won't do much for you. So why don't you just take the pills? Nothing is done to your esophagous or it's junction with the stomach. You can swallow anything you could swallow preop. It's the RNY people who have a pouch. DSers have fully functioning stomachs. Immediately after surgery, I took 1 pill at a time. Now I toss them back by the handful.

That $100 per month is why your doc is selling BA. I spend about $400 a year on supplements. I buy from Puritan, Amazon, and sometimes Costco. It's easy. I take them AM and PM. I portion them out into 7 day organizers once a week. The organizers were a buck each at the dollar store. Simple. Why would you want to measure out 15 different powders every day? And blech...they don't taste good either.
 
I'm having the same issue with my nutritionists. I expected as much tho. I've dieted and researched foods so much there isn't anything she tells me that I don't know. And often times I teach her stuff. Thankfully this site is here for us!!
Could u PM me that link? I'd like to look in to it. My surgery is on may 2nd and I've been stalling on ordering vitamins lol
 
If that's all it takes to be a mean girl, I'm downright awful. LMAO.. .
My doctor doesn't sell vitamins, or the BA chews, but I just can't get down with spending $50/month on fake starbursts!!
I had read so many people aren't able to take/keep down the pills, I thought for my first round of vitamins, I'd get this stuff to be safe. I honestly figured I'd be fine with the pills later down the road.
I've been poor my whole life, so I'm pretty good at it, and when I see people(even on these support sites) saying that they spend $100/month on vits, I lose my mind. I'm so glad to hear your (more seemingly realistic)version of the financial commitment!
Since I'm a new member and I haven't posted much, apparently there's a restriction that won't allow me to post websites in my threads. I'll PM you the links, though.

And everyone says that about the NUTs, but I thought, "This is Muthafricken Duke! They've got this!" Womp Womp.

Thanks for the input!!!
 
So, apparently, I can't send links in messages, either.
Soooo....
Go to Amazon, and search:
BulkSupplements Pure Calcium Citrate Powder (500 grams)
BulkSupplements Pure Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) Powder (100 grams)
Vitamin K1 (1%) Powder by Bulksupplements (50 grams)
 
Nutritionists just can't wrap their heads around the idea that fat isn't bad for someone who won't absorb it. Let's face it, most everyone still thinks the way for anyone to lose weight is low fat. We are learning more and more that sugar is the worst culprit, but that concept still hasn't found its way into the food pyramid or most weight loss plans.
And as someone already pointed out, many programs give the same advice to DS and gastric bypass patients, even though they are very different operations. And then they wonder why someone becomes vitamin deficient.
You can find ways to spend less on vitamins without messing with your health. For example, Costco has multivits at a very good price. They also have calcium citrate. If you can swallow those big pills, it's a nice, cheap source. And even with BA, you can use the lozenges instead of the chews. Much cheaper, and honestly, the cherry and chocolate flavors aren't bad. A bit chalky, but they taste ok.
You can buy the "dry" D A and K on Amazon, and sometimes elsewhere, at good prices. Check drug stores for sales on calcium citrate and zinc. Lots of ways to save money if you put your mind to it.
 
So, apparently, I can't send links in messages, either.
Soooo....
Go to Amazon, and search:
BulkSupplements Pure Calcium Citrate Powder (500 grams)
BulkSupplements Pure Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) Powder (100 grams)
Vitamin K1 (1%) Powder by Bulksupplements (50 grams)

Hello! I had the sleeve done in 2014 and JUST had a revision to the DS (part 2 of the sleeve) a week ago. When I had my sleeve, I used BulkSupplements from Amazon for my unflavored protein powder, my calcium citrate, and biotin and my labs were always good. How that would translate to the DS, I don't know. I've already purchased the vitamins for my DS via suggestions here that didn't include Bulk Supplements. However, because I know there will be times that I may not be able to eat enough protein, I did buy a pouch of protein and had some an hour ago.

I hear you on the differing info from nutritionists. It's frustrating. I think @Munchkin has it 100% right, they have lowfat/lowcal beaten into them so much that they won't consider data that even for normal folks, it isn't a great idea.

The people here live it every day so these are the people I look to. I look to them also because NONE OF THEM (that I've seen) have tried to tell me they know best. They give guidelines and then the advice of "see what is best for YOU based on your digestive system and nutritional needs." I do think it's probably a bit of trial and error for each of us to find our best diet.

Best of luck to you and welcome!
 
You can be uber-careful and still buy capsules and tablets - and ONLY buy what you need.

When I first had my DS, I only took:

1 Prenavite/day (100 caps are $20 at Walgreens): $73/year
4 Citricals/day (Costco, about $15 for 280): $78/year
2 500 mg chewable Vit C/day ($10/500): $15/year
2 50 mg zinc/day ($6 for 100 - watch for BOGOs at Walgreens) (now 1/day and 1 Cu/Zn - see below, so $22/year)

Over time, I've added a bunch of other supplements - but ONLY as my labs indicated I need them.

At about year 6, I had to add Vit D - I'm currently taking 5/week, and I get mine from Vitalady (I could probably get them cheaper, but I support her business for a few things) - I just bought a huge supply (close to 2 years worth) at $26/100 pills. $68/year


I've added vitamins K1 and K2 from Vitalady at $15/100 and $43/100 - 3 each/week: $24 and $67/year - total $91/year.
I've recently added Vit A from Vitalady at $7/100 - 2/week: $7/year
I take 2 of Vitalady's Magnesium Citrate/day: $16.50/250: $48/year

I take 1 Copper + Zinc/day: Solaray from Amazon $8.80/100: $32/year
I take 3 Niacin (slow release, non-flush)/week from Walgreens, at about $10/100 (watch for BOGO): $16/year

Probiotics - most expensive part of the regimen for me
- 1 Primal Defense Ultra/day: $54/180 on Amazon: $110/year
- 1 Culturelle/day: $28/80 from Costco, when on sale: $128/year

(At year 4, I started to need iron - tried various formulations - now I get infusions so don't worry about taking pills.)

So, the Grand Total of my only doing modest Wagreen's BOGO (which I didn't count) and sale (at Costco) "careful" shopping: $688/year, or well under $60/month. ($13.25/week)

That is so totally NOT worth trying to carefully weigh out powders that can settle, mildew, absorb water from the air, cannot be measured accurately (especially the fat solubles, which are tiny capsules), etc. And then think about traveling - with powders.

Newp.

It takes me about 30 min once every 4 weeks to set out my pills in pill boxes (including my thyroid and PPI meds, and including that I AM cheap about my teeny tiny Lunestas, which I only need half of a 3 mg tablet so I painstakingly split them). Then it takes me just a few seconds per day to take my complex combination of pills, which vary from day to day (some things I don't take every day) and from morning to night. And I don't have to think or measure.

I know 1 DSer who tried to do the powdered calcium citrate, if I recall correctly - my recollection was that he had to buy an EXPENSIVE scientific balance, tried to load them into gelatin capsules, and then discovered that the powder absorbed water from the air and he couldn't measure it accurately. and it was a HUGE PITA. Does anyone else remember this? I think it was Brok.
 
Thanks for going out of your way to type all of that out! When I look at it from that perspective, I can see why the powders might not be worth the trouble. I didn't think of them being absorbent (I live in humid NC!)
I really thought it would just be easy to sprinkle in a sip of water or on a snack. Then again, like I said: Too Easy.
It's funny, because I've read over and over that you should be required to have a higher IQ in order to qualify for a DS. I used to think that I was bright enough to grasp it all, but lately, I feel so overstimulated and overwhelmed.
I'm just scared that I'm going to mess this up. I never thought I'd get this opportunity, and now that I have, I'm terrified that I'm going to screw it up!
Thanks for the break down.

And Poor Brok!! I don't think I'd be interested in them at all if I had to load powders into tiny gel caps!! No Ma'am!
 
Hello! I had the sleeve done in 2014 and JUST had a revision to the DS (part 2 of the sleeve) a week ago. When I had my sleeve, I used BulkSupplements from Amazon for my unflavored protein powder, my calcium citrate, and biotin and my labs were always good. How that would translate to the DS, I don't know. I've already purchased the vitamins for my DS via suggestions here that didn't include Bulk Supplements. However, because I know there will be times that I may not be able to eat enough protein, I did buy a pouch of protein and had some an hour ago.

I hear you on the differing info from nutritionists. It's frustrating. I think @Munchkin has it 100% right, they have lowfat/lowcal beaten into them so much that they won't consider data that even for normal folks, it isn't a great idea.

The people here live it every day so these are the people I look to. I look to them also because NONE OF THEM (that I've seen) have tried to tell me they know best. They give guidelines and then the advice of "see what is best for YOU based on your digestive system and nutritional needs." I do think it's probably a bit of trial and error for each of us to find our best diet.

Best of luck to you and welcome!

Exactly!! Everyone here has been so welcoming, and I genuinely appreciate that every bit of advice seems to be sincere, and not just one big pissing contest on who is right!!
Congrats on your revision, and thanks for the warm welcome!
 
Exactly!! Everyone here has been so welcoming, and I genuinely appreciate that every bit of advice seems to be sincere, and not just one big pissing contest on who is right!!
Congrats on your revision, and thanks for the warm welcome!

Not me. I'm never unnecessarily nice.

Be careful with the "chews." I believe they have sugar alcohols...things than end in "itol"...which can cause problems.
https://breakingmuscle.com/fuel/what-you-need-to-know-about-sugar-alcohols
 

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