Anatomy question

[ShoppGirl 5,073]

I’m sure this is pretty basic anatomy but I don’t understand much of it so don’t laugh but I think I may be confused. I had the SADI so I know that my post op body malabsorbs a pretty good deal of fat. I also know that we do need a certain amount of fat for our bodies to function properly. Meaning I probably will need to consume like twice as much as my body needs to actually get enough to fuel my body, right? (Maybe not twice as much but for sake of this let’s say twice).

Okay so I also had gallbladder removal along with my SADI which wasn’t at all expected but apparently I had gall stones and the organ was already looking bad so with anticipated weight loss destroying it further it would need to come out eventually anyways so he went ahead and did it. Well with gallbladder removal you aren’t supposed to have a lot of fat because your body can’t process it as well.

My fear is that if I eat twice as much fat so my body gets the half if that it needs to function that my liver and stuff still have to process all of it and that will be bad for my liver and whatever else. Is that the case? When we eat and the food goes through our intestines and only part of the fat absorbs, do our organs still process ALL of the fat or does it only process the HALF that has been absorbed.

I was thinking it has to process it all and really worried about how this is going to work but if it only processes the portion I “absorb” then I’m pretty much like anyone else who has their gallbladder removed I guess. I just have to live on what my body can handle without a gallbladder.

What makes sense when I really think about it is whatever is not absorbed doesn’t go through the organs but I am just making sure that I understand.

Edited August 20, 2024 by ShoppGirl

[NickelChip 1,358]

This is definitely a question for your surgeon and dietician. I totally get what you're asking, and my hunch is that you only process what you absorb (the rest basically traveling out of the body as waste), but I think the only reliable answer is going to come from a medical professional. They should be able to tell you exactly how many grams you need daily to maintain healthy organ function, as well as what sources, because fats are not created equal and some will be easier for your body to handle (and more beneficial) than others. I'm sure there must be some research out there because it's a relatively common complication of all WLS to have gallbladder removal. So if your doctor doesn't know immediately, they should know how to find the info for you.

[Arabesque 7,612]

Yep, I agree with asking your surgeon & then discussing your options to manage your intake with your dietician based upon what the surgeon says as @NickelChip suggested.

Not everyone who has their gall removed has issues with eating fat. As i’ve shared before, my aunt does (she describes it as feeling liverish if she eats something too fatty) but my sister-in-law & I don’t have an issue. I think I have an issue processing it in so far it doesn’t make me sick instead it maybe raising my cholesterol. Or the creons I take (which slow the passage of waste through my intestines so more nutrients are absorbed so it takes longer for the excess to be pooped out) is contributing.

Maybe the type of fat (good fats vs bad fats) or added fats (like in fried foods) or naturally occurring fats (like in dairy) also play a role or has to be considered. Who knows. I’m just musing.

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,682]

This is WAY above my paygrade lol Definitely reach out toy our surgeon on this one.

[Shanna NYC 149]

So I agree with everyone else and should definitely be asked of your team for clear answers.

However my slight insight to the SADI is that it really limits fat absorption and what your body cannot process leaves your body rather quickly by way of BM. At least from a few people I've heard say they really cannot handle high fat or high sugar foods for that reason.

So I would caution against trying to get more fat in until you have the answers from your team.

*side note - (not in any way making this related to the surgery ) - but do you remember when they came out with those chips (lay's i think) with olean? the fat that couldn't be absorbed and people were complaining about bathroom runs. Oh the things we do in the name of weight loss.

[ShoppGirl 5,073]

1 hour ago, Shanna NYC said:

So I agree with everyone else and should definitely be asked of your team for clear answers.

However my slight insight to the SADI is that it really limits fat absorption and what your body cannot process leaves your body rather quickly by way of BM. At least from a few people I've heard say they really cannot handle high fat or high sugar foods for that reason.

So I would caution against trying to get more fat in until you have the answers from your team.

*side note - (not in any way making this related to the surgery ) - but do you remember when they came out with those chips (lay's i think) with olean? the fat that couldn't be absorbed and people were complaining about bathroom runs. Oh the things we do in the name of weight loss.

Yea. I vaguely remember them chips. I guess not many people were willing to deal with it since they didn’t stick around. But it is pretty sad what we will try when we are desperate enough. What’s so odd for me is everyone I talked to about the surgery warned me about diarrhea and I haven’t had it yet. I guess that means that I’m eating right. I Just gotta get more Fiber because I have the opposite issue.

Edited August 23, 2024 by ShoppGirl

[NickelChip 1,358]

2 hours ago, Shanna NYC said:

do you remember when they came out with those chips (lay's i think) with olean? the fat that couldn't be absorbed and people were complaining about bathroom runs. Oh the things we do in the name of weight loss.

Many years back, I had a job that required me to go to a big food science convention. The vendor exhibition was this massive place where all the global food companies, big and small, would introduce new and upcoming products. The first day there, a coworker cautioned me to be very careful and selective about what and how much I sampled throughout the day. She recalled that a few years before, Olean had been all the rage and every food company seemed to have samples of fat free products made with the stuff. And of course, who can resist eating all that free food, right? You could go back as many times as you wanted to get samples, and people sure did. Well, a shockingly high number of conference attendees during the Olean year had ended up back in their hotel rooms that first night having very unpleasant bathroom experiences. In fact, that event in part led to them figuring out that too much of the stuff could be really bad. Luckily there was nothing quite so terrible the year I went, although I did get a glimpse of just how unnatural all that processed food can be.

[ShoppGirl 5,073]

1 hour ago, NickelChip said:

Many years back, I had a job that required me to go to a big food science convention. The vendor exhibition was this massive place where all the global food companies, big and small, would introduce new and upcoming products. The first day there, a coworker cautioned me to be very careful and selective about what and how much I sampled throughout the day. She recalled that a few years before, Olean had been all the rage and every food company seemed to have samples of fat free products made with the stuff. And of course, who can resist eating all that free food, right? You could go back as many times as you wanted to get samples, and people sure did. Well, a shockingly high number of conference attendees during the Olean year had ended up back in their hotel rooms that first night having very unpleasant bathroom experiences. In fact, that event in part led to them figuring out that too much of the stuff could be really bad. Luckily there was nothing quite so terrible the year I went, although I did get a glimpse of just how unnatural all that processed food can be.

I told my friend about my near miss today. I had to take a laxative because apparently my bowels can’t figure out what they want to do and I was finally able to go. Well note to self. That one time may not be the end of it. I went to do a Walmart pickup but I stopped for gas and got it all down the car so I went through the automatic car wash which always pushes in my passenger side mirror. Well I jumped out sorta quick using my ab muscles and I ALMOST had and accident. Luckily I live close and I made it but OMG. I won’t be going out if I have to take that again.

So anyways, I was telling her this story and she said remember that Olean. Literally just now. I thought that was pretty hilarious that my bowels are reminding me of the product that made everyone have bathroom issues. 🤣

[NeonRaven8919 598]

On 8/23/2024 at 9:52 PM, ShoppGirl said:

Yea. I vaguely remember them chips. I guess not many people were willing to deal with it since they didn’t stick around. But it is pretty sad what we will try when we are desperate enough. What’s so odd for me is everyone I talked to about the surgery warned me about diarrhea and I haven’t had it yet. I guess that means that I’m eating right. I Just gotta get more Fiber because I have the opposite issue.

Never heard of them, but it sounds like a fad I'm glad never caught on over here. This reminds of the tales of the sugar free Gummy bear reviews on Amazon.

[ShoppGirl 5,073]

15 minutes ago, NeonRaven8919 said:

Never heard of them, but it sounds like a fad I'm glad never caught on over here. This reminds of the tales of the sugar free Gummy bear reviews on Amazon.

Ooh them gummies really do cause bathroom issues for some people. It’s the artificial sweetener. They didn’t bother me and they are surprisingly good so I gave the rest of the bag to my curious friend when we were hanging out. She ate the rest of them on her way home and said she barely made it to the bathroom which she spent the rest of the night in.

Edited August 27, 2024 by ShoppGirl

[Shanna NYC 149]

There was also that diet pill Alli (and others i believe) which acted as a fat blocker, but the side effect of it was if you went over the amount of fat you would leak oil from your bottom. Same with the Olean. I never tried either and I'm glad.

The Amazon reviews of the Gummy bears crack me up. I have never had such reactions to sugar free gummies of any brand thus far. Guess I should count myself lucky.

[ShoppGirl 5,073]

Just now, Shanna NYC said:

There was also that diet pill Alli (and others i believe) which acted as a fat blocker, but the side effect of it was if you went over the amount of fat you would leak oil from your bottom. Same with the Olean. I never tried either and I'm glad.

The Amazon reviews of the Gummy bears crack me up. I have never had such reactions to sugar free gummies of any brand thus far. Guess I should count myself lucky.

I think everyone has their limit with them quantity wise. Some people are just far more sensitive. But even those of us who never seem to have issues probably couldn’t have like two bags of them without pause.

[NeonRaven8919 598]

26 minutes ago, Shanna NYC said:

There was also that diet pill Alli (and others i believe) which acted as a fat blocker, but the side effect of it was if you went over the amount of fat you would leak oil from your bottom. Same with the Olean. I never tried either and I'm glad.

The Amazon reviews of the Gummy bears crack me up. I have never had such reactions to sugar free gummies of any brand thus far. Guess I should count myself lucky.

Orlistat does the same thing and I remember my stepdad was prescribed them because of his high blood pressure. He said would have prefered to die.

[SpartanMaker 1,464]

Hopefully by now you've had a chance to talk to your team about your concerns. I just wanted to add that your basic assumption that you need to consume more fat is somewhat flawed. Our bodies are quite efficient at converting excess calories ingested via carbs or Protein into fat, so dietary fat consumption per se isn't critical. That said, there is an issue you need to be aware of. There are substances called Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), that our bodies can't manufacture, so we're dependent on consuming them to get the recommended amounts. If this didn't come up in your convo with your team, I'd ask about EFAs specifically and see what they recommend.

Edited September 4, 2024 by SpartanMaker

[ShoppGirl 5,073]

1 hour ago, SpartanMaker said:

Hopefully by now you've had a chance to talk to your team about your concerns. I just wanted to add that your basic assumption that you need to consume more fat is somewhat flawed. Our bodies are quite efficient at converting excess calories ingested via carbs or Protein into fat, so dietary fat consumption per se isn't critical. That said, there is an issue you need to be aware of. There are substances called Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), that our bodies can't manufacture, so we're dependent on consuming them to get the recommended amounts. If this didn't come up in your convo with your team, I'd ask about EFAs specifically and see what they recommend.

I will definitely ask about that. Thanks.