Going primal after gastric bypass page 2

[ShannonPA-S]

Hi Shannon. I'll look into the digestive enzymes. Thanks!

Alas, no gallbladder. Too many low calorie diets gave me gall stones.

Heart palpitations and queasiness? Sounds like my dumping. I had the syndrome after my gall bladder removal, well before stomach surgery. None of my doctors had any idea what was wrong. It wasn't until I started researching gastric bypass surgery that I realized what had been happening.

I had my bypass in December 2001. Went from 325 to 215 pounds in two years, then started regaining. In December 2008 I weighed 262. I started going to Overeaters Anonymous and have lost 80 pounds (the 50 I had re-gained and 30 more). At age 51, I'm back to my high school weight for the first time. I'm still technically obese but very close to the Overweight category.

White flour also caused me heart palpitations. I used to have them every night as I tried to get to sleep. I figured they were part of my anxiety/panic problems. But when I started Atkins, they magically went away. I had been assuaging bedtime hunger with a few saltines. Who knew?

Good for you for getting control. That's what I'm scared of...gaining weight back. Plus I have another 70+ pounds I want to lose before I get my excess skin removed.

Do you still go to OA? Do you feel it helps you?

The white flour and the sugar definitely causes me palpitations. As someone else mentioned, have you tried magnesium supplementation? I'm hoping it will help with the palpitations but also the chronic tight muscles I have. One of my classmates at school (a massage therapist) says, "My God, woman, your muscles are all rock hard." My muscles just won't release, so I'm hoping the magnesium will help with multiple things.

[dragonmamma]

Have you tried coconut oil? People on this forum have wildly different reactions to it. Some folks get diarrhea, while others (myself included) consider it practically a miracle food. Here are a couple of (admittedly biased) links:

http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/faq.htm

http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/

If you try it, make sure to get high quality, not something processed with a bunch of chemicals. I get mine on-line from Tropical Traditions, but lots of people here swear by Nutiva.

[Valkyrie Wannabe]

Shannon:

Yes, I'm still in OA. I could never have lost weight by myself – I'm addicted to carbs. Just as there are light drinkers, heavy drinkers that can stop, and alcoholics that cannot stop even when they want to, I am like that with certain foods – especially carbs but also "hand to mouth" foods. For example, I might not ever be able to control myself around nuts. (Grrr...Razzlefratz)

I would not be surprised if it's wholly an insulin problem (for example, see the link below). However, now that my brain chemistry and neural patterns have been altered by years of addictive behavior, I don't know whether I will ever have a normal reaction to my "alcoholic" foods. I'm also counting on OA to help me stick with a Primal lifestyle.

http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/artic...onnection.html

[Longtail4711]

How do you do on other kinds of fats, Valkyrie? Things like avacados, nuts, and olive and coconut oil? Do they give you problems?

Also, how long since you started PB?

I have actually the same problem, but I haven't had GB. I just started PB, and really rich cuts of meat like some steak and lamb and cheeses like bleu cheese can give me digestive issues as well. Eventually, you should build up being able to eat the fattier cuts of meat.

[Valkyrie Wannabe]

I react to all fats. It's a quantity issue. Food goes straight from my tiny stomach to my lower duodenum without stopping and without the bolus of bile to emulsify the fats. That said, I'm sure I'll be fine as long as I don't go overboard.

I've just started PB this week but I've been off sugar and starch (except whole fruit, brown rice & squash) for 18 months. When I started OA, a nutritionist put me on a traditional exchange diet with 5 fruit servings, 3 starch and 3 fat per day. I'm hoping my transition to low carb will be easier than when I did Atkins years ago.

V.W.

[ShannonPA-S]

Shannon:

Yes, I'm still in OA. I could never have lost weight by myself – I'm addicted to carbs. Just as there are light drinkers, heavy drinkers that can stop, and alcoholics that cannot stop even when they want to, I am like that with certain foods – especially carbs but also "hand to mouth" foods. For example, I might not ever be able to control myself around nuts. (Grrr...Razzlefratz)

I would not be surprised if it's wholly an insulin problem (for example, see the link below). However, now that my brain chemistry and neural patterns have been altered by years of addictive behavior, I don't know whether I will ever have a normal reaction to my "alcoholic" foods. I'm also counting on OA to help me stick with a Primal lifestyle.

http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/artic...onnection.html

Oh my goodness. That link you posted talking about adrenaline (fight or flight) is spot-on with my reaction to high glycemic food and palpitations (sympathetic nervous response). This is what I've been investigating with regard to the sudden onset of palpitations after eating. I know it is somehow linked with adrenaline, but I didn't quite know why. Thanks for posting this.

I TOTALLY agree with you regarding the years of addictive behavior. I know some people on this website disagree with this. But I know it to be true through my experience and talking to obese friends/classmates. There is *something* that makes you long to do something. Like yesterday I was not hungry at all and I did not need food. Yet I kept obsessing about food, about a chicken sub in particular. I completely understand. Eating primally will help with the physiologic cravings. And it will make dealing with the psychological ones more bearable. But that's when the hard work comes in (which you're already doing in OA).

[meeshar]

I know this is an old thread, but I was wondering if there's anyone still out there post WLS doing primal?

[BarefootPuffin]

I know this is an old thread, but I was wondering if there's anyone still out there post WLS doing primal?

I just started going Primal, and I'm about 2 years out from Gastric bypass. In fact today is my 2 year anniversary. I also write about my experiences with nutrition over at my blog. I don't experience any of the problems that the folks are listing here. In fact, I find I do better on a higher fat diet. I enjoy bacon, eggs cooked in butter, steaks in butter, EVOO, haven't yet tried Coconut Oil so that one is still unknown. Actually, I've found the more lubed (more fat along with my food) the better it stays down. I'm able to comfortably eat a 6oz sirloin and a whole roasted Sweet Potato...That's a typically BIG meal for me. Maybe I'm just one of the lucky ones I guess.

[janeen]

I just found this thread. I had roux-n-Y and gallbladder removal in 2003. I do very well on a Primal diet. It's carbs and sugars that give me trouble. I can't do the ginormous protein loading of the Leptin reset, but otherwise do well with protein-loaded meals. Lots of small meals/snacks sort of defeat the purpose of the byPass, though, so I fare best with something in-between. Usually 3 medium-sized meals, sometimes a small snack, lots of protein, low carb. fats have not been a problem.

[BarefootPuffin]

I am in the same boat as you. My meal size is pretty much medium. I don't snack a whole lot. Usually a handful of raspberries or blueberries maybe some nuts. I'm having no problems. Only problem I have is when I eat a very dry piece of chicken. That's simple to solve though...LEAVE THE DELICIOUS SKIN ON!.