Is it possible a bandster can get undernourished?

[sassyfrass 24]

I'm just curious about this. If you are only going to be able to consume 600 - 1100 calories (I read that somewhere), it seems to me that it is not enough calories to stay nourished and for your body to keep losing and not hold on to the FAT because it senses it's starving. I have been thinking about that this week, and especially since I read a post where someone only ate a few bites and they were full. I am amazed. Really makes me excited to get banded, but....just curious on the amount of calories, I guess.

[LapBandBobbi 8]

I believe it's all in the food choices. I have gone through different stages of how much food I can eat and have never felt "undernourished".

[Melissannde 41]

All adults and particularly WLS patients should be on daily multi-Vitamins. Bandsters can choose to use bariatric multi's or adult regular Vitamins, but children's vits.. even if you're taking multiple tablets are not sufficient. I know others are going to disagree with me on this, but my doctor said he used to tell his patients 2 flintstones daily, but as doctors have learned more about the needs of bariatric patients, he has changed and recommends bariatric vitamins for his malabsorptive patients (RNY) and would really prefer his sleeve & band patients to also be on bariatric vitamins..but is OK with his bandsters using a good adult multi.

As to being mal-nourished, either your surgeon or your PCP should be doing yearly lab work to make sure you are not deficient in key areas.

For more Vitamin information check out http://wlsvitagarten.com/

As to calorie intake, well, everyone has to make their own choices on that.. but I personally don't agree with VLC (very low calorie) plans. For most women, we really shouldn't go below 1000 to 1200 a day (unless much shorter than average). I'd really want a nutritionist supervising someone on a VLC diet. I'm sorry, I'm not up on what the minimum calorie allotment should be for men.

[vickyd 24]

My surgeon's office does bloodwork every 3 months to check my Vitamin levels but I assure you I eat more than a couple of bites (I average 1,000-1,100 calories per day) and I have never had any issues with my vitamin levels.

[erdarc 0]

My first week postop I was definitely not getting enough calories. I wasn't feeling well and was having a hard getting in all my Protein Shakes and Water. I switched to gatorade to be sure I was getting some calories and electrolytes. And actually made me feel better until I was up to being able to drink more.

[Rachel412 116]

After surgery I was probably taking in 600 calories, then it went up to 800, then 1000 as what I was allowed to eat changed... now I choose to stick to around 1,200 a day, with at LEAST 60g of Protein, but in reality I could eat much, much more than 1,200 calories if I let myself People argue back and forth about this, but my band does NOT keep me from over-eating. I could get that satisfied feeling but then continue to eat just as much as before if I didn't control myself. So in my opinion you don't need to worry yourself over whether you'll be malnourished after banding. YOU control what you put in your mouth, therefore you're completely in control of your own diet.

[Thee-O 15]

I am currently getting 1200-1600 calories a day. I work out a lot and it is suggested that I get in 100 grams of Protein a day and it can be very hard to do so by eating less than this. I also chose to give up a lot of carbs. While the lap band does give me good restriction I also feel that it is the increased activity and the wiser selection in food that is helping the most. Restriction is easy to obtain with the lap band, your habits are much harder to tackle.

It can be very possible to be malnourished with the band. Balance is what we should all strive for.

[sassyfrass 24]

Thank you all for your replies. I wondered about it because of how some people talked like they couldn't eat very much. I can see how this really does make a person NEED to make wise changes even more so to fill in their calorie intake per day, but I sure hope when I finally get banded that I do have somewhat of a restriction so that I CAN'T just keep eating and eating.

[Thee-O 15]

Thank you all for your replies. I wondered about it because of how some people talked like they couldn't eat very much. I can see how this really does make a person NEED to make wise changes even more so to fill in their calorie intake per day, but I sure hope when I finally get banded that I do have somewhat of a restriction so that I CAN'T just keep eating and eating.

It will do that for you but remember it is a tool and not a cure. It requires you to take the lead in your weight loss and health. People fail on the band all the time because although they may have restriction, that doesn't stop you from eating high calorie and high fat food. You need to be the one to force that change.

[sassyfrass 24]

It will do that for you but remember it is a tool and not a cure. It requires you to take the lead in your weight loss and health. People fail on the band all the time because although they may have restriction, that doesn't stop you from eating high calorie and high fat food. You need to be the one to force that change.

I think i will do okay with that part. Maybe I'll have slip ups, but for the most part, I think I am already used to trying to pick the healthier options while doing Weight Watchers. It's the keeping on eating binge kicks I get on sometimes that are my worst things. So hopefully this will aid me in my own efforts to push through it and NOT be able to eat too much. Thank you again.