It's Getting Close!!!

Hello to all of you! I have to say I am so glad to have found this site. I too am joining the March club and will be having Surgery on the 15th here in Toronto, Ontario I have read through many of the past postings and wish everyone the best of luck. I have also found the words from the post-ops very inspiring and thoughtful!! Okay so here's what I'd love to hear from all of you getting ready for the big day.... How have you made adjustments in order to prepare for this new life?? What are you doing with your diet prior to surgery?? Have you started to take or decided on what vitamins to use?? Have you purchased any protein/supplements yet and if so what do you recommend?? And how much time do you plan to take off work to recover?? Well hope to hear from you soon and I'm sure I'll have more questions to come!!! Stacey from Canada pre-op 23 days and counting!!!

HI Stacey I am having my surgery on March 14 in Lockport, NY. I have been waiting to have this surgery for about a year now....insurance company held it up by taking forever to approve my surgeon. It only took them one day to approve me. I changed my eating habits in preparation for the surgery last March. I went off the wagon in November and jumped back on in January. I bought some jello and bottled water so far but forgot to pick up the chicken broth. I am going to make my jello the day before and measure out into styrofoam cups cover them with Saran Wrap and put them in the fridge so they will be all ready when I get home. I am also going to mark some cups with a line for the correct amount of liquids so it will be easy to know I am drinking what I should be. As far as vitamins my surgeon wants his patients to take the chewable ones before surgery so I have been doing that. I will also be drinking Slim-Fast 2 net grams of carbs for 2 weeks before and a low carb meal because this is something else my surgeon asks because he wants the liver to shrink...less sugar shrinks it so he says.....so there is less chance of it being nicked during surgery.

Hi Joan, I like your thinking with preparing things before hand. I'm sure it will make the recovery that much easier! Thanks for the tip on less sugar to shrink the liver...every little bit helps. Good luck to you & keep in touch, WLS is an expereicne we can share and go through together!! Does slim fast have sugar in it?? Just wondering. Stacey

Hi Stacey, I am preop also going in on 3/16 for hopefully Lap RNY. I will be doing no carbs no sugars 2 weeks prior as well as no asperin products. I have ordered a sample packet of protein drinks and cant wait to try them. I dont have my vitamin ritual lined up yet but am hoping on 3/8 when I visit the nutitionist that I will be able to find out exactly what I need. I am being told that my time off of work should only be 2 weeks as long as they are able to do me lap and dont have to open me up ( praying really hard that this is the case) I have been putting extra in the bank to try making up for the one week out of work and taking a vacation week for the other week.... again I will be pretty much screwed if complications arise and I have more time out.... so I will be really pushing myself to get back 2 weeks out. Other than that I am a reading idiot, I spend so much time here reading everyones questions and posts as well as profile to try to prepare myself but bottom line is everyone is different and I will never know how I will handle surgery until I am going through with it all. Best wishes to you for a safe surgery and speedy recovery Robin

I hear you Robin... I can't stay away from reading either. I have a need to know everything I can!! It sounds like your not the only one doing no carbs or sugars 2 weeks prior. I meet with my dietitian for a second time Feb. 28 so maybe she'll be advising me to do the same. As for protien... I might go with a plain/no flavor and the skim milk powder so that I can mix it into foods easily (cream soups, instant Carnation breakfast, and sugar free puddins etc). Crystal light will also be a pick for me along with the cream of wheat. As for vitamins, I've been told to have: A chewable adult muilt-vitamin, Calcium chews, Liquid Iron (which I hear it is GROSS) and later a B12 supplement. Right now I'm price shopping and looking for suggestions. Take care and keep in touch!! Stacey

My surgery is March 8th. I have bought a 2 week supply of premixed low carb protein shakes. I have also but powdered whey protein and Vitamist vitamins. They are a spray I found on this website because I hate chewable vitamins. They were on clearance at Walmart for $9.00 for a one month supply. I also tried the Iso Pure protein drinks which tasted like crystal light. They have 40gm protein in a 20oz bottle. I figured I could use those if I get sick of Protein shakes. Also low carb yogurt for the second week on full liquids Depending on what your Nutritionist tells you to do. Good Luck!