Are 300 calories a day typical postop?

[over65 133]

I am still in week one clear fluids following VSG last Thursday. I am easily getting at least 70 oz of fluids and 70 g Protein. But the only carbs I get are 5 calorie Jello. So at the end of the day all my calories are from Protein. Each gram of protein is 4 calories. So 4x70=280 calories total for day. I have yet to get 300 calories. Is this typical? I was so used to 800-1200 calories per day. Is that why we lose so much weight first few weeks after surgery?
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[WInston223322 160]

Do Not fret the liquid stage but this is really low - I was running art 500 for the first few months. Make sure you are keeping the Vitamins and minerals up high. You will crash if you don;t trust me I did.

Yes at that rate you will shred the weight - Me and a few others here Ran low calories for the first 5 months and shredded the weight. But you have to keep balanced vitamins and minerals and supplements, that was the hardest part for my journey

[over65 133]

I have been faithfully taking one Bariatric Fusion Multivitamin, B12, Calcium/D3 and Biotin since day one as instructed by doctor in postop orders. Been a little confused about Multivitamin. I take fusion chewable once a day according to discharge orders. But bariatric center in preop education said I needed to take 4 each day. Will double check on Monday on postop visit.

One thing I don't like about fusion is they do not include Vitamin K. Will ask if I need to get separate Vit K. If I take fusion 4x a day, I get 1200mg Calcium in addition to the 1200 mg I get from Calcium+D3. I think that is too much Calcium (2400 mg). Until Monday, I am taking just one Fusion a day which gives me 1500 mg Calcium. I already have early osteopenia in hips by bone density scan so Calcium/D3/Vit K are all necessary to rebuild lost bone. Recommded D3 for me is 4000 IU per day so I take additional two D3 2000 IU per day.

I really don't like that I get no Vit K in FUSION. The company that makes FUSION told me the don't include Vit K because interacts with a few people on blood thinners and that deficiency of Vit K is "rare". Then why do ALL OTHER Multivitamins on the market (bariatric, OTC and kids) all include Vitamin K? I am not believing I don't need Vit K supplement. But will wait to see doctor before I add Vit K supplement.

[ms.sss 15,804]

My first week post op, I barely took in 300 calories that WEEK total. Barely any Water, and no Vitamins (yikes!)

My team just said to do the best I can.

After that first week I was still mostly under 300 A DAY until about the end of month two (mostly Protein shakes). I was able to down more water and all my vitamins at this time, so that was a good thing. By end of month 3 I was around 500-600 a day (note though that i'm only 5'2" and my starting weight was 235...)

By my 3 month follow up, all my labs were perfect (other than being a little high on B12).

Soooooo....what I guess I'm saying is that I wouldn't worry too much (I know, easier said!). Keep up with your appts and your doc/labs will let you know if there is something to be worried about, or need to adjust. One week of low cals and no vitamins isn't going to any real lasting damage (I think, lol - check with your doc).

P.S. ...and YES, the ultra-low cals plus the fact that we are so big in the beginning is EXACTLY why we lose so much those first weeks/months 😎

[catwoman7 11,272]

1 hour ago, over65 said:

I really don't like that I get no Vit K in fusion. The company that makes FUSION told me the don't include Vit K because interacts with a few people on blood thinners and that deficiency of Vit K is "rare". Then why do ALL OTHER Multivitamins on the market (bariatric, OTC and kids) all include Vitamin K? I am not believing I don't need Vit K supplement. But will wait to see doctor before I add Vit K supplement.

I have osteoporosis so I take Vitamin K - but I take mine separately from my multi.

[over65 133]

I have osteoporosis so I take Vitamin K - but I take mine separately from my multi.

You take Vitamin K2 alone or with D3. So many formulas but from what I've read, Vit K1 is for clotting factors and K2 is for bone and hear health.

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[catwoman7 11,272]

1 hour ago, over65 said:

You take Vitamin K2 alone or with D3. So many formulas but from what I've read, Vit K1 is for clotting factors and K2 is for bone and hear health.

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I take K2 every morning and D3 every OTHER morning, but since I take my K2 along with my Calcium tabs, and the calcium tabs have D3 in them, then I guess that means I take K2 with D3!

yes - K1 is for clotting. K2 is for bones

oh - and there are two versions of K2, of course - MK4 and MK7. I spent a ton of time reading up on these to see which one was better and ended up going with MK7. But either will work for bones (I think I'm remembering that MK7 was more easily absorbed or something - but I can't remember - it's been awhile). MK7 is also more expensive because it's a natural Vitamin - I think it's derived from natto Beans, if I'm remembering correctly.

[over65 133]

Amazes me that dietitians seem ignorant of Vit K2. I bet it is K1 in Multivitamins so why they think deficiency is rare. One paper says MK-7 can be cleaved by body enzymes into MK-4 when needed so makes sense to take MK-7. Fermented soybeans (natto) major source in Japan. Impotant for deposit of Calcium in bone.

The following people are likely deficient in K2.
-take antacids
-menopausal
-on statins
-GI problems (IBS, diverticulitis)



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[PlanetHopper 86]

On 6/3/2020 at 12:11 AM, over65 said:

Is this typical? I was so used to 800-1200 calories per day. Is that why we lose so much weight first few weeks after surgery?

Yes, this is typical. I did not start eating 400 calories until around 3 months post-op. You are doing great!

[catwoman7 11,272]

52 minutes ago, PlanetHopper said:

Yes, this is typical. I did not start eating 400 calories until around 3 months post-op. You are doing great!

that's pretty low. I was eating that (400 kcal/day) the first two or three weeks post-op. By a month out, I was eating about 600 a day. At three months out, I was eating 600-800 pretty consistently. Of course, I started out at a much higher BMI than you, but still, that seems a bit low.

Edited June 6, 2020 by catwoman7

[catwoman7 11,272]

49 minutes ago, PlanetHopper said:

Yes, this is typical. I did not start eating 400 calories until around 3 months post-op. You are doing great!

that's pretty low. I was eating that (400 kcal/day) the first two or three weeks post-op. By a month out, I was eating about 600 a day. At three months out, I was eating 600-800 pretty consistently.

[PlanetHopper 86]

33 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

that's pretty low

So I went back to look (I stopped logging my food a while ago). I was eating around 600 calories on average at 3 months. Thank you for pointing that out. Maybe if I was eating lower calories then I would be at goal by now.

[catwoman7 11,272]

I think 600 is pretty average by that point. Much lower and you wouldn't be getting enough nutrients. You'll lose the weight - i ended up losing all of mine...

[over65 133]

I just started full liquids and Protein Shakes have more calories than Protein Water. I did 450 calories today.

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[PlanetHopper 86]

8 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

i ended up losing all of mine...

congratulations!