Looking back, I don't think my nutritionists (NUT) added all that much to my journey. Both of them offered very basic information that I learned in high school back in the dark ages and already knew from a lifetime of dieting.

I don't especially regret the 3-4 hours I've spent with them over the last year, but wish they'd offered more.

Plus, I see threads here from time to time that make me think some NUTs don't understand much about bariatric surgery or the differences in nutritional requirements for bypass patients and sleeved patients.

Your thoughts?

Ohh...lots of comments on this thread. You struck a nerve for sure. My NUT...well, she gave me one piece of advice that worked great for me and that was to show me portion size. As a life long WW, I took that info and created my own 'food plan'. I basically did the WW diet...3 oz. Protein, 1/2 cup veggies and 1/4 cup carbs. I stayed around 1250 calories a day and put everything I ate into myfitnesspal so I'd know how many calories/fats/sugars/sodium I was ingesting. I lost 150 or so lbs. that way.

So...while the NUT was far from interactive with me, she gave me direction and I was able to work with that to be successful. I can't say if she would have been good for me had I gone through many of the issues others have while learning how to work with their bands, tummies, rerouted guts, etc.

I came home on Sunday and she went on holiday for two weeks on the Monday (this week).

How

Very

Dare

She ........ lol.

She did send loads of info in the post and called me and said she would call when I was starting soft foods.

She seemed very nice.

I only had two appointments with a NUT and the first one was more informative than the second one. She explained about taking a very small bite and chewing really well and putting your fork down in between bites.

However, in both appointments I was given 3 pages with a list of allowable foods and non allowable. She went over the list. and that was all.

The info was cookie cutter and said by rote. If I asked a question she was unresponsive and referred to the list. I wonder if she was really a NUT or dietician. I didn't look at her credentials. She was in the surgeon's office and I had to her so I went. It really wasn't worth the money though.

I have to give my NUT a big kiddos! She is amazing and supportive. If I have questions I just email her and she gets back to me very fast! She is helpful and gives me alternatives to things I am craving!

My 6 visits to the NUT were a waste of time. She seemed to have a basic script for each visit and never provided anything beyond what I already knew. Telling her that I have taken two upper level college classes in Food and Nutrition fell on deaf ears; she exhibited no intellectual curiosity whatsoever.

I attempted to ask questions that could fast-forward us to a more advanced levels of discussion, to no avail. Even questions about artificial sweeteners seemed to only annoy her as I was taking her off script.

These sessions were very stressful for me as I knew she held the power to delay my insurance approval if I appeared non-compliant.

Nutrition information should be required. it was my luck to get a NUT who was just punching a clock as she filled out her paperwork. Glad that so many here have had a more beneficial experience.

Edited August 2, 201511 yr by emma4884

VSGAnn2014,

Thanks for the great topic! The nutritionist can be such an important player in the WLS journey, but is so often glossed over.

It sounds like there has been quite a range of experiences. Some of you seem to love your nutritionists, and others found them less than helpful, and everything in between. It looks like some common problems are the same ones that pop up with other branches of healthcare: not enough time with the professional, the professional not being helpful or knowledgeable, needing to ask the right questions to get the right answers, and lack of communication between the nutritionist and the surgeon.

For those of you who have mentioned that your nutritionist did not know specifics, such as the difference between needs of sleeve versus bypass patients, or you feel that it was inappropriate that you received a pamphlet that was dedicated to all three (sleeve, bypass, band) surgery types, can you point out something that was wrong or give an example of something that was appropriate for one but not for another of the surgery types?

Overall, it looks like those of you who have been granted more “access” to a nutritionist have gotten better information – less generic, and more appropriate for your own level of background knowledge and your own nutritional needs.

Alex,

The first NUT I saw wanted to spend part of our hour together teaching me how to turn the list of foods in the "foods for each weight loss phase" pamphlet into a shopping list I could then take to the grocery store so I would come home with the right foods.

A f**king shopping list.

This is the same woman who said that I could leverage the skills I'd surely acquired over the years to plan my husband's meals to plan my own meals.

I lol'ed.

F**k me.

@@VSGAnn2014

I surely do feel 'ya on this topic!!

e.g. My NUT wanted me to start practicing taking all my Vitamins and minerals starting four months before surgery. I explained that I already am in the habit of taking pills due to existing medical conditions and that my extensive blood work showed no reason to take extra vitamins and minerals so far before surgery. She'd never looked at my health conditions or blood work. As Licia'sjourney said in a prior post, we got the cookie cutter approach. I used to say to my husband, "see me practicing taking my pills" as I held up imaginary pills after taking my prescribed ones. I'd literally be flushing away my money!

What is their problem? Do they assume that we are morons because we are fat? Is it unreasonable for us to expect that they make some attempt to understand our comprehension level? For example, I used to prepare taxes. Some people's eyes would glaze over if I mentioned capital gains. Other folks had already computed the net short and long term capital gains and losses. Did I speak at the same level to both clients? Of course not.

My NUT may have been two or three years out of school. She should have had fresh, helpful information. She shouldn't have acted so burned out.

My surgery is this week and I am pleased to hear that she has moved on to another part of the state. Maybe my post-op NUT will be more helpful.

Thanks for a great topic!

Edited August 2, 201511 yr by emma4884

I think some nutritionists do assume that we're idiots because we're fat and don't know anything because clearly if we knew anything we wouldn't be. Fortunately my nutritionist did her learning curve before I got to her. She did admit that when she first started working at bariatric clinic (exclusively with WLS patients) she did think that WLS was the easy way out and that working there she'd really learned that it wasn't. She is also super available through e-mail and phone if I have concerns or questions and sometimes will even check with the medical staff before responding. On the whole I'm very pleased. And yes like most nutritionists she recommended the artificial sugar Protein drinks, but as it turns out that's a normal medical recommendation for surgery on the digestive tract of any kind (even in pets) because you can get really sensitive to sugar and fat. I still can't really handle them even in an effort to increase my calories because I'm not getting enough in for normal energy levels. However hearing my surgeon suggest eating ice cream to get the calories up was highly amusing.

i have to chime in here. people keep saying bad things about artificial sweeteners. Id like everyone to know, its a persona choice for you. please do not act like there has ever been any medical evidence they are bad for you. Yes there are a few people here tha have food allergies to them. QUite understandable. But understand in no unequivocal terms, the facts do not bear out any links between artificial sweeteners and any sickness or disease. Not saccharin, not aspartame, NONE of them.

Yes you can make the choice for you, thats your right, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise, but please stop with the ranting about artificial sweeteners.

People here seem to be upset that a nutritionist advised , oh no! a drink or food with artificial sweeteners in it.. If you didn't take the responsibility to say, up front, that you refuse to use them, then who is to blame? Yes look in the mirror.

Im sorry if this puts peoples panties in a bunch , but I am a little fed up with people taking a personal choice and espousing it like its some scientific fact. If you disagree and can find ANY real medical evidence of a study regarding artificial sweeteners, ( and please dont give me a dr oz tv show bull. the man is a quack ) Ill gladly change my mind, but there isnt, the american cancer society even has a wonderful series of pages devoted to this.

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/aspartame

http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/artificial-sweeteners-fact-sheet

just for some reference.

@@Stevehud

My point was that a NUT should be able to answer questions about artificial sweeteners. Aren't they supposed to be trained in the science of nutrition? Of course, theories abound. One decade the emphasis is on low fat, then on low carbs. Guess it may not be so scientific after all as the "scientific method" isn't always in use.

Who knows how many years are needed to fully understand the safety of artificial sweeteners, GMO foods and so on. Look how long trans fats were allowed. Just my opinion

My nutritionist and the Bariatric psych do not agree with the use of artificial sweeteners because it triggers the same area and chemicals in the brain that regular sugar triggers. For those of us that have a sugar "addiction" it is counter-productive. It might be a little blue packet today, but tomorrow you may have cravings for that theater sized box of junior mints.

@@Alex Brecher,

My NUT is great.

To answer one of your questions, my NUT clarified that: 1) Sleevers don't have pouches and since we have our pyloric valve the "rule" of not drinking right after eating because liquid will wash food out of our stomached doesn't apply; and 2) unlike RNY and lapband, we don't have an artificially narrow stomach opening so we can take meds (we don't have to make sure pulls are the size of an eraser or smaller.

Those are the two specific things I remember off the top of my head.

@@Stevehud While I totally agree that the vilifying of artificial sweeteners without data is absurd, and I find much of the correlative data used in these arguments to be ridiculous, there is actually data to suggest that some artificial sweeteners change the intestinal flora in a non beneficial way that can release chemicals that can cause symptoms of metabolic disorder (specifically glucose intolerance) in mice. I believe it was saccharine that was specifically looked at in this study.

That said, the studies that show how incredibly bad sugar and super high fructose substances such as agave and all those natural sweeteners are for you in terms of development of liver disease and metabolic disorder are fairly incontrovertible at this point so I'm not feeling that much more at risk with artificial stuff frankly.

So, one reason my NUT was so good was because she did more than spew facts. She intuitively guided and pointed out times when I repeated old patterns. She answered questions honestly but also gave me much hope and encouragement.

Now let's contrast that to the psych clearance requirement. Completely useless for me. Best I could tell they were screening for mental illness that could interfere with ability to understand and comply with program. Ok, check, addressed the small portion of truely mentally ill, what about the most of us that could have used more"advice" on living post surgery, the ups and downs of body image, maintenance struggles. Oh wait, I got that from the NUT since the psych person was pretty clueless and was actually against WLS