Detox after gastric bypass

[Debby94 0]

Hello everyone!

it’s been 3 years since my surgery and I am wondering if it’s safe to do a detox diet with only green vegetables and berries for 2 weeks? Or should I go back to the diet procedure after the surgery?

Please advise 🙏

[kristieshannon 1,668]

(Nurse here) If your kidneys and liver have normal function your body does just fine detoxing itself. Fruits & veggies only is likely to cause uncomfortable gas and/or diarrhea. And not have much Protein, which our bodies need.

[catwoman7 11,220]

You CAN probably do it, but doing extreme diets like that is usually discouraged because it pulls us back into "diet mentality", which is not helpful. Better to go back to the basics - Protein first, then non-starchy vegetables, and then if you still have room, "good" carbs (e.g. fruit, whole grains, Beans, etc). You don't need to go all the way back to what we were eating for the first few weeks after surgery, but instead, how you were eating once you were a few months out.

[BlondePatriotInCDA 525]

10 hours ago, kristieshannon said:

(Nurse here) If your kidneys and liver have normal function your body does just fine detoxing itself. Fruits & veggies only is likely to cause uncomfortable gas and/or diarrhea. And not have much Protein, which our bodies need.

Agreed. "Detox diets" are pretty pointless since the body has its own mechanisms for detoxing itself. I personally would go back to when you first started full solids after your surgery if you're concerned about weight gain and fell into not eating as healthy. After bariatric surgery you should never give up Protein.

Just my two cents! Good luck!

[Spinoza 1,452]

Hi Debby! Please can I ask what the purpose of the detox is? I know people do these for various reasons.

If you have regained some weight after your bypass (if so, how much?) and you're wanting to kick start further loss then I agree with the others above - eat your Protein first, veg second and fruit/carbs last.

If you have another (health?) reason for a detox then it might be OK to follow what sounds like a very restrictive plan. I'd be worried about your protein intake with what you're proposing though.

[Debby94 0]

Thank you everyone for your kind recommendations.

After I had to get my gallbladder removed last year, I’ve been struggling a lot with what to eat due to my stomach issues (diarrhea). This led me to start smoking weed to control the pain and also to make me feel hungry as some days I was able to just go by with Water due to lack of appetite. The constant usage of weed made me quite addicted and now I want to leave weed all together and flush it from my system properly as it started to affect other aspects of my life.

So when I told a friend I wanted to flush the toxins from my body he recommended me to do this restrictive detox for 2 weeks which included only green veggies, berries and 4 litres of water daily.

However, I found that every time I would start just eating vegetables and drinking water my appetite got kind of out of control like I was constantly hungry and I was also feeling very dizzy. So I would break the detox by eating Protein because that made me feel normal again instantly.

So I am wondering if you guys have tried something that can help with getting rid of toxins?

[catwoman7 11,220]

I think all traces of pot pretty much leaves your body within about two weeks - I don't think it's necessary to detox for that to happen. I'd eat the Protein - your body needs it - esp after bariatric surgery.

EDITED to add this. Just found it on WebMd:

If you’re a chronic user, more THC will build up and remain in your body. That’s because your body can only break down THC at a specific rate. Your body stores the excess THC in your fat cells. More frequent marijuana use means a longer time for THC to leave your system. Here are the average detoxification times:

• One-time use: one to three days
• Moderate use (three times a week): five to seven days
• Daily use: seven to 14 days
• Heavy use: 14 to 90 days

Edited May 12, 2024 by catwoman7

[Debby94 0]

Thank you so much for the info @catwoman7!

Knowing it’ll take me 14-90 days helps me make a better plan such as including sauna and drinking lemon Water.

Have you per chance done any parasite cleanse and heavy metals detox that has worked for you?

As I mentioned, I want to heal my digestive system and regain better health 🙏🥹

[catwoman7 11,220]

I've never done any type of detox. I'm not sure if it really does what people say it does.

[JennyBeez 289]

Everything I've read says that "detox diets" don't work at removing toxins. I've yet to find any plausible study that proves any of them flush toxins out of your system. If drinking a lot of Water is part of it, that helps flush things out of your digestive system -- but even if you were only eating edibles I don't think the THC would actually be being stored anywhere in your digestive system.

If you're not still in touch with your original team / dietician -- what about going back to the liquids phase for a few days? Protein Shakes for Protein, yogurts for Probiotics, and your supplements. I would hesitate to do anything for more than a few days to restart your system, just because I think we're all a lot more susceptible to malnutrition in general after our WLS.

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,650]

Detox is a fad. Our bodies have kidneys and a liver. They do all the detoxing we need. Now that we've had these surgeries, we have to be more mindful about what we do and don't eat. I would stay away from these fads, increase your fluids, stick to your bariatric diet, move your body and exercise (sweat is a good way to flush out your system, too) and leave the detox stuff alone. They don't provide a real benefit and they can actually do harm.