Expert: Jacqueline Jacques, ND - 5/23/2011

Question
I had gastric bypass surgery 2.5 years ago, which was a total success. I have maintained my weight loss. About 4 months ago I started going to the gym on a regular basis, doing 45 minutes of cardio and moderate weight lifting. I always warm up, cool down and stretch. About 2 weeks ago I started experiencing beyond normal muscle fatigue and muscle pain. Even while sitting down or when I sleep on one side of my body for a few hours. Could I have some sort of vitamin deficiency or could it be something else?

Answer
Hi Sandy,

It is absolutely a possibility that these kinds of symptoms could be caused by a nutrient deficiency.  The first two things that come to mind are low iron and low vitamin D.  If you have not had vitamin labs done in a while, this is a great time to get them done.

Very low carbohydrate intake can also cause this.  Studies have show that at 2-3 years post-op many gastric bypass patients are taking in levels of around 115 grams of carbohydrate/day.  It takes about 130/day just for your brain to function optimally.  When you exercise, the body used more stored carbohydrate for rapid energy - if your intake is very low, that can become a problem.  It's the kind of thing that you might not notice if you were not exercising much.

Finally, remember hydration.  As a RNY patient, you are more prone to dehydration than non-bariatric surgery patients.  Dehydration can also cause these symptoms.

I hope this is helpful.

In Health,

Dr. Jacques