Losing weight before surgery

 I have read about so many of you that lose weight before surgery.  Ok...if my doctor prescribed a liquid diet or a specific eating plan for me pre op I'm sure I would follow it.  I have tried to get in the mind set of low carb and high protein and yeah...it works to a degree... but not to the tune of losing weight.  I feel like a failure compared to some of you vets out there that accomplish this amazing weight loss feat pre op.  Just venting to all of you that I have learned so much from.  Thanks for changing my mind from the RNY to the DS.  You guys are great!  Thursday I will be switched!!  I' m so nervous and so excited!!

Don't get discouraged! If it were easy to lose weight, none of us would be here. I stuck to a low carb, high protein diet before surgery in an effort to shrink my liver. I only lost 10 pounds, and I'm sure most of that was the water weight that everyone loses when they first start a diet.

Best of luck on Thursday!

 Thanks!  My doctor did not prescribe liquids to shrink my liver pre op.  I wish he would have.  Unfortunately I'm going beserk with my eating.  Can't wait for Thursday to get here!  Husband and I are flying to Montreal Wednesday for surgery on Thursday.

I think the advice below of loading up on protein is a good one! It's a lot more filling than carbs. It also will promote the healing process, and hopefully help you stay lower carb, as you will be more full. For me, if I were going to see Dr. Gagner, I would definitely go as low carb as possible between now and Thursday. I'm not saying liquids only, just high protein. The reason I say this is that I've seen a few of his patients on this board who did not get the full DS. I'd hate to see a fatty liver turn you into a two part surgery. I don't say this to scare you at all, chances are you will get the full DS. Me, personally, I wouldn't chance it.

I hope you have an angel to report in on Thursday for you. It will be here before you know it!!!

I don't think the issue of a fatty liver is...an issue with Gagner.  I discussed this at length with him.  And there are plenty of other DS surgeons who have no pre-op dietary requirements at all.  Gagner may do 2-part DS's for other reasons....but what somebody eats betweeen now and Thursday is NOT going to affect his surgical decisions.  Something else might,  but not that.

I ate the highest fat diet known to mankind every day until the last day before my (Gagner) DS.  There are plenty of DSers who ate their faces off before surgery..

She is NOT going to be "more full" no matter what she eats,  because she will not eat from the night before.  Eating protein is good for healing of course....

I say eat a big steak,  french fries,  milkshakes, whatever....enjoy until Wednesday...it will a be a good long while before that happens again...

Really good to know. Honestly, I wasn't aware of his reasoning for a two part surgery, only that I would not want to chance being one, if at all possible. I've read that eating a high protein, low carb diet just a few days can help to shrink the liver, that's why I said that.

I do think that if a person eats 5 pounds of steak over 10 bags of chips they will be more full, and have less room for carbs, regardless of pre or post op. I'm not talking the night before or day of surgery, obviously!

In full agreement to eat what you want, if you can!!!!

Big steak, french fries and a milk shake!  OMG that sounds delicious.  We are going out for dinner in about an hour and thats exactly what I'm goiing to order.  The milkshake will wait for the ride home so I can get it at Oberweis Dairy.  

You made my day telling me you ate "the highest fat diet known to mankind" pre op!   That's what I'm doing and I don't see anyone else posting that anywhere.  So thanks!

I will meet Dr. Gagner for the first time Thursday before surgery.  I have had phone conversations with him but have not met him yet.  From what I hear..he is a brilliant surgeon.  I sure hope everyone is right about that.  That recent death that I read about on here is really scarey.

He certainly is  a good surgeon and one of the most experienced DS surgeons in the world.  I don't like very much,  but that doesn't matter (plus who knows,  you might have a different impression).

Good luck - you are in good hands. 

And enjoy your meal!

Ditto Janice. If we could do it by ourselves, none of us would had to get a ds. lol. Just remember, if you don't follow the diet, your liver might not shrink and they could get in there and close you up wo doing the ds. That was the only thing that kept me focused.

Good luck. Thursday will be here before you know it.

My pre-op diet was two weeks of liquids only. I lost 1 pound. Yup, one pound.