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In the UK we have a different medical set up than others have. Our normal needs are taken care of by our local doctor. My bariatric surgeon has no more input into my care. His team of dieticians etc, just look after diet and problems around it. I had my blood tests and they are good but my Cholesterol is higher than they want it too be. They want me to go on Statins. I want to know if I need to argue my corner and say NO to them, is higher Cholesterol a temporary thing ? Once I can eat a variety of foods will it go back to its good levels. Thanks for your replies in advance

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eating healthy can bring your cholesterol levels down with time. My cholesterol levels were very high before surgery. I actually have a blood test tomorrow morning to recheck it after 3 months of surgery.

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Was your Cholesterol high before surgery? Weird for it go up after surgery.

I will say fish oil supplements work wonders for lowering Cholesterol though. You can see if you can try that before meds? I know 2 people who control it completely with fish oil and still don't even really watch what they eat.

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Elevated cholesterol immediately post-op and through the most active weight loss period is very common. Mine went up as well, and my PCP is not at all concerned. If it were still elevated once I reach maintenance, which she highly doubts it will, then we can address. Do some research on it, there are several peer reviewed studies out there about it, and then decide.

Adding in a Prebiotic Fiber supplement like Just Better Fiber can help, as can exercise and time.

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4 hours ago, kcuster83 said:

Was your Cholesterol high before surgery? Weird for it go up after surgery.

I will say fish oil supplements work wonders for lowering Cholesterol though. You can see if you can try that before meds? I know 2 people who control it completely with fish oil and still don't even really watch what they eat.

No It was very low before surgery. I am unable to eat a lot at one sitting so have 5 small meals a day. Its very Protein led as I have very little room for anything else, vegetable wise.

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12 hours ago, summerseeker said:

In the UK we have a different medical set up than others have. Our normal needs are taken care of by our local doctor. My bariatric surgeon has no more input into my care. His team of dieticians etc, just look after diet and problems around it. I had my blood tests and they are good but my Cholesterol is higher than they want it too be. They want me to go on Statins. I want to know if I need to argue my corner and say NO to them, is higher Cholesterol a temporary thing ? Once I can eat a variety of foods will it go back to its good levels. Thanks for your replies in advance

Diet modification can work well.. mine increased once and I added regular oatmeal twice a week for a few months and it brought it down to normal.

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As @Sleeve me alone! said elevated cholesterol levels is common post surgery. Mine went up too. It’s all the cholesterol being released into your body as you lose fat & the high Protein diet (especially animal proteins) & lower vegetable diet add to it. My surgeon & doctor monitored it but it started to go down when my weight loss finally slowed & I was eating a more balanced diet in maintenance. It was always about 5/5.1 before surgery (not bad but not good), went up to 5.8 (danger, danger) & is 4.1 now (gold star 😉).

Try swapping in some plant Proteins & rolled oats into your diet & see if that helps while you are still losing.

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30 minutes ago, Arabesque said:

As @Sleeve me alone! said elevated cholesterol levels is common post surgery. Mine went up too. It’s all the cholesterol being released into your body as you lose fat & the high Protein diet (especially animal proteins) & lower vegetable diet add to it. My surgeon & doctor monitored it but it started to go down when my weight loss finally slowed & I was eating a more balanced diet in maintenance. It was always about 5/5.1 before surgery (not bad but not good), went up to 5.8 (danger, danger) & is 4.1 now (gold star 😉).

Try swapping in some plant Proteins & rolled oats into your diet & see if that helps while you are still losing.

Agreed,my surgeon also said temporary higher cholesterol levels can be normal mine is 7.2 I am not taking statins yet going to give it a bit longer. Having said that I have the genetic type of high cholesterol so I am going to get the scan they do to check for Calcium build up in your heart and arteries to see if I do need medication

Edited by SleeverSk

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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

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      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

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      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
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      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
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      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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