WLS Myths

If you've been on OH for any length of time, you see a pattern in a lot of posts, with the same questions or topics recurring over and over.  So I thought it would be fun to gather some of the myths in one post.  Respond with your own!

Myth: I'm going to lose a lot of weight my first week pre-op.

Truth: Probably not - you might even gain weight your first week - IV fluids and general trauma on your body make you hold on to a lot of fluid.

My take: You have better things to do right after surgery than worry about your weight.  Take a nap for Pete's sake!

Myth: If I take Biotin my hair won't fall out after surgery.

Truth: There is no evidence that Biotin will have any effect.  What will is your protein intake.  And not everyone loses hair after surgery.

My take: If it makes you feel better, go for it.  But your hair is not falling out - it stopped growing so that all of your body's resources can work towards healing your stomach.  What you think is hair falling out is simply the new growth pushing the old growth out after it starts back up.

Myth: My weight loss should be consistent if I'm following my Dr.'s plan

Truth: You will plateau, and your first one will likely be 3 weeks out; that's why it's known as the famous 3-week stall.

My take: Don't compare yourself to anyone - your loss rate will vary depending on your age, your starting weight, your water intake, your exercise and a host of other factors.  

Myth: I should take Gas-X for post-op gas

Truth: Gas-X only works in the intestinal tract - the post-op gas is in your abdominal cavity and will gradually be absorbed; faster if you walk, walk, walk.

My take: Get on your feet as soon and as often as you can after surgery.

Myth: All protein shakes and protein bars are the same.

Truth: Check the nutrition label folks - to make a lot of things tasty, there's a lot of carbs in many of these things.  And worse yet, Sugar Alcohols, which can cause horrible diarrhea for days!

My take: I really like Premier Protein ready-to-drink shakes.

Myth: I can have just one peanut butter cup - it's a treat and I deserve it.

Truth: If it's a trigger food for you, one isn't going to be enough.  

My take: Having to detox from carbs sucks.  Peanut butter cups and Nacho Cheese Doritos are my triggers and I avoid them now like the plague.

 

Let's hear it peeps - what other myths do you know?

OMG, yes to the sugar alcohols... Found that out the hard way in the early days. I couldn't for the longest figure out why I had such horrifying gas! Turned out if was the water enhancer that I was using because plain water hurts my tummy...

 

I'll debunk one more myth, too...

Myth: You can eat "whatever you want" and lose weight with WLS. (I think this one comes more often from those on the outside than from WLS patients... but not always!)

Truth: Sure... You can eat whatever you want during those first couple of months post op, and you'll likely lose. BUT, when the scale stops moving, don't start freaking out that you aren't losing even though you're "only eating small amounts of (insert junk food here)." Your body is finding it's new "normal" and the new "normal" only requires small amounts of junk to put weight back on. WLS is life-style change, not a diet.

Oh yeah - and add the myth that WLS is a magic bullet and the easy way out!

Well, come on! It IS easy! I mean... How hard is it to get up the nerve to voluntarily have 85% of one's own stomach permanently removed?? ;)

I don't really know that I can call them "myths" - but there are things that I see doctors recommend (not all, but a lot) that just don't make much sense to me.

1. Waiting 30 minutes after drinking to eat. I mean... I get the reason you should eat and drink together... and that you shouldn't drink for 30 minutes AFTER eating.... but if liquids move straight through your sleeve, then why can I not drink right up until eating? I asked myself that questions, couldn't come up with a good answer... and so no, I DO NOT wait for 30 minutes after drinking to eat.
2. Carbonation - people say it will stretch your stomach - again... I don't think this is true - who knows, maybe it is. I understand the no carbonation rule in the sense that gases could cause discomfort; however, I do not believe it actually stretches anything - I think that seems silly
3. Straws - I drink with straws all the time and do not feel discomfort - I find this to be really strange. Maybe for some people it causes too much air intake... but I don't necessarily buy into the "nobody can use a straw ever again" rule!

I get frustrated by the whole "how to break a stall" conversation too. I mean, people doing weird things or things like upping their calories and the scale moves the next day - well.... that's great, but how do you know the scale wasn't going to go down the next day without having made that change? People try to find scientific and specific ways to "break a stall" and most of the time, I just don't think there is one! I don't claim to have the answers though... this is just what runs through my mind. I am NOT someone that has researched nutrition and the way the human body works after becoming sleeved, so of course I could be wrong!

I agree with all of this! I drink with a straw all the time- it is helpful sometimes, especially when I am trying to drink something I don't like very much. And I agree about the carbonation. Before I started this whole process, I was under the impression that we should avoid fizzy drinks because the bubbles fill us up faster- which makes sense because as a lifetime diet coke drinker, I know it is true! For me, the diet coke always made me crave sweets too, so maybe that's part of it, But I never really believed that it could stretch the stomach. I have never been told specifically to avoid carbonation past the first couple weeks, so I'm sure I might introduce it in moderation eventually, but right now I am doing just fine without it.

I'm with you for sure on #1.  On carbonation, I also agree; I don't think it stretches the stomach.  But maybe it's a myth that ought to stay out there since soft drinks in particular are so bad for us for other reasons!

And on #3, I've never had an issue with a straw either.

Oh, and one more that's not a myth but irritating anyway - some doctors say no more caffeine...ever.  I was offered coffee in the hospital, and continue to drink it every day!

My most frustrating posts are around comparing themselves to others and finding themselves wanting.  It's so easy to sabotage yourself with negative thinking and give up when you think like that.  And those stall posts...just wait until they get close to goal and find out how much slower the weight loss is!  

I love this post 

 

Quick question.  The drinking thing (since I'm still relatively new), I drink up until it's time to eat as well, but why do we have to wait a half hour after eating to drink again?  Is it to make sure we are filled up on protein and no****er?  Is this a really dumb question?  Haha

I know that after I eat, if I drank liquids too closely after eating, it would come right back up - there is just not enough room. Also, if you do get in the water, from my understanding it helps wash the food down faster - therefore you do not feel satiated for as long.

Myth:  Cutting carbs and upping protein will make your weight loss start again.

Truth:  After the honeymoon stage the only thing that will make weight loss happen is taking in less than you burn. 

Myth:  You are not losing because you are not taking in enough calories.  See above.