Energy after surgery?

[Ruth9454 27]

I'm still at the undecided stage. One of the things that is making me hesitant is that I'm afraid with such an incredibly low calorie daily intake, I won't have energy to work or do anything else. That is based on my experience with the Dr. Bernstein diet (ketosis diet). I was so hungry all the time I couldn't even sleep let alone think straight. They said once a person is in ketosis there would be no hunger, but that was not my experience. I don't want to go through that again!

[RickM 1,747]

Fortunately, there is no reason to do such a diet after surgery (unless there is some medical reason for it, in which case that is something to work out with your docs and dieticians.) Yes, you will be quite restricted calorically due to the low amount that you can physically eat for a while, but there is no reason to go overboard on restricting carbohydrates, fats or whatever you need to function. People have been successfully navigating WLS long before low carb/Atkin/keto diets were ever popular, and will be doing so long after they fade from popularity.

I couldn't afford the common side effects (like fatigue and lethargy) of the popular low carb diets, so I never did that, but rather sought out the best nutritional bang for my caloric buck with the non-protein side of my diet. That also dovetailed in with what my long term maintenance diet/lifestyle would be, so there was little transition problem as is often seen when moving from "diet" to "maintenance".

You can expect some fatigue for a couple of weeks to a month or so as you are recovering from major surgery, but as the weight comes off, your energy usually increases markedly. But your experience is consistent with many who do go a very low carbohydrate route and report months of post op fatigue.

[Ruth9454 27]

Thank so much for your response! It is reassuring.

[Briswife15 889]

Hi Ruth9454, I had exactly the same fear, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that life after WLS is not like before WLS. What I mean is that before when I reduced calories I would feel weak and shaky and hungry. After my gastric bypass I have no sensation of hunger and I am consuming between 400 and 500 calories a day and I feel great. Energy is fine, no shaking or weakness or headaches. I can't really explain it, but that's how it is for me.

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[GradyCat 3,692]

I've not had a problem at all with energy since having the sleeve 5 months ago. In fact, I might even have more energy now that I've lost some weight and I go to the gym and/or walk 5-6 days a week.

[Lynnlovesthebeach 625]

Once I recovered from the surgery, I have plenty of energy on very few calories. I do get hungry sometimes but it takes very little to satisfy it. I'm not in ketosis (at least the last time I had labs done I wasn't) and don't attempt to be. I guess I eat just enough carbs to prevent ketosis. This has been one of the best decisions I've made!

[Frustr8 7,886]

There are days I cater my own pity party, feel like I am starving in the the Land of Plenty, there were even days when I was tempted and gave in to trying to eat my son's more normal diet. Didn't work, more than 4 oz ingested and up it all comes. And I look pathetic, I sound pathetic, rather like a large cat with a hairball, choking. When you have a stomach the size of an egg, even a hen-egg Jumbo, you just don't havecenoygh stomach to build up speed for Projectile Vomitting. Don't know if VSG patients have any more force in their " banana" just personal experience of my bypass. And I do get weary and weak afterwards, my teeny tummy hurts like a son-of-gun, my ulcers say " Let us join in throbbing!" so it does not pay for me v to try to exceed my limits. Many can eat past their surgical restraint, even stretch things out a little. But Boy-oh- Boy, not yours truly. I'm more restrained than handcuffs and leg irons. But it has enabled me to lose the weight I NEVER could before. I am nearly as small as I was when first married, and that was 1967, certainly smaller than when I delivered Tomkitten 40 years ago, funny ,he was my Biggest Baby, 9 1/2 pounds, but I was the smallest post- birth. So I plan to see how low I can go until my body says "No Mas" and I go into my maintainance stage.

[VSG_Me_2019 22]

I had VSG on 2/6/19, and I can definitely say I have a lot more energy now than I did before surgery. I'm sure that's due to various factors, but the point is that even with the extremely reduced calorie intake I'm feeling good. Before surgery I was tired ALL THE TIME. I have hypothyroidism and PCOS (plus a 5yr old who likes to wake me up in the middle of the night still), but even right after surgery I could tell a difference in my energy level. I get B12 shots from my surgeons office monthly, so that probably helps too.

[Sheribear68 3,200]

I also got my sleeve on 2-6-19.

After WLS is NOTHING like before WLS.

I suck at explaining the exact science behind it, but basically your body starts to mobilize fat stores for energy and calories to maintain all of your bodily functions.
In short, our bodies actually start doing the thing that they should’ve been doing (and yet sadly didn’t) by burning fat for energy, which is why we lose the weight.

Now this magical “honeymoon” phase doesn’t last forever (😭😭😭) but the metabolic reset is kind of magical.
I have loads more energy today eating 600-700 calories daily than I ever had presurgery.

[Ruth9454 27]

Wow! These responses are making me so hopeful! Thanks so much everyone for taking the time to respond.