Need suggestions on what to buy to have at home before surgery

I am scheduled for my preop on July 27, 2005. I need to know if there are any things that I definately need on hand after surgery. Anything I need to buy as far as food (well liquid), vitamins, etc. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Hi Nalani, SF popsicles kept me hydrated, drinking was very hard for me for a few weeks. I also drank 'better than boullion' instead of broth. It was easier to keep down and taste better too. You do have to strain this with a small tea strainer before you drink it tho. SF jello barely sat with me but have some on hand becuz alot of people do great with it. I also had the broth only from minnestrone soup after a few weeks. Its a really lite tomato based broth and so yummy. I didn't start vitamins for a few weeks out. But flintstones chewables were recomended. I take centrum chewables and so far so good Plan that you will most likely start your period too. A great Lady (thank Shree, if you see this) told me to put my water bottles in the freezer then let them melt throughout the day as you sip them, Icy cold water is so much better but that is for down the road a bit. At least for me it was. If there is anyway I can help you please let me know. I wish you the very best and send God's Blessings to you. Barb

Hi Nalani, Ms. Barb gave you some excellent suggestions, but I will throw in a few more. I had my surgery on June the 14th. In the hospital I was on a liquid diet, and then began a pureed diet for 4 weeks. At four weeks I moved to a semi-solid diet. I know that every doctor is different though. I purchased things prior to my surgery like: skim milk, sugar free pudding, sugar free jello, cottage cheese, sugar free popsicles and fudge bars, cream of chicken soup, cream of Pot soup, non-fat dry milk powder for added protein-to add to foods, instant oatmeal and cream of wheat, lowfat shredded cheese (to add to foods for added protein) and instant mashed pot., crystal light flavors like Raseberry Ice or Orange sunrise. I bought 4 oz. plastic containers from Glad to help with measuring my 2-4 ounces per meal. I also purchased Unjury protein powder in Unflavored (vanilla or choc). You will have to experiment in this area. Unjury and Atkins shakes were all that I could stand. Everyone is different. The advice I was given is not to spend too much in this area because what you like before surgery you may not like after? Unjury is available at Unjury.com and you can purchase samples there. My nutritonist had samples for me to try. I mix the Unjury unflavored protein powder with Minute maid non-carbonated drinks in the can. I pour out about 5-6 ounces and mix with 1/2 scoop of non-flavored Unjury twice a day for 20 extra grams of protein. The goal is to eventually get at least 60 grams of protein per day. This may be very tough for you at first, so you just need to do the best you can. Staying hydrated by drinking lots of water is very important or you can dehydrate easily. This is first priority. I started with at least 6 cups per day of water and have gradually tried to increase each day as I could. Also, on another note constipation or very loose stools can be a problem with this surgery. Having Colace stool softener on hand and Milk of Magnesia can be a lifesaver if you experience this. Please also be prepared for the possible emotional effects of this surgery. It hit me very, very hard. I had a lot of anxiety and began to suffer from depression afterwards. I had to begin taking an anti-depressant. It took a while for this to go into effect so I had the hardest 21/2 weeks that I had ever experienced. I also questioned what I had done to my body. Hopefully this will not be a problem for you, but if it is, please see your doctor if you need to. I was also taking a drug for my digestive system called Reglan, it turned out that this was causing a lot of my anxiety which I had no idea about. Once I stopped taking this drug, I was much better. Please be aware of any possible side effects of the any drug you are given. I took this drug around the clock for 3 1/2 weeks before I knew that it caused part of my anxiety problem. My surgeon let me know this information. I hope that I have not discouraged you, but I wish I would have known these things before my surgery. I guess I had to learn. Don't hesitate to email me if needed. God bless you. Sincerely, LMW

Also, purchasing Sublinqual B-12 from Walmart which dissolves under the tongue. It costs about 4 dollars a bottle, and my doctor says to take this 3 times per week. Some people get injections of B-12, but so far the sublingual seems to be working for me. I also take the flintstones chewables complete twice a day. You need to take calcium also 1000-1200 miligrams per day. I was told by my nutritionist that Calcium Citrate is best absorbed instead of Calcium Carbonate (which is what I purchased because I did not know this). You can look on the label. I have heard that the liquid vitamins are gross, but I don't know. Just so you know a company called Bariatric Advantage has a Calcium lozenger in Cinnamon, Choc., and mint available at bariatricadvantage.com I like the mint and cinnamon. I ended up ordering these because I had a tough time swallowing large pills or chewing up such large pills. All the calcium pills that I found were so big! Also, to me the Walmart brand of the Flintstones complete vitamins are cheaper and taste better than the Flintstone brand! Hope this helps. Sorry that I wrote a book. I did not intend too!

Hello, I am 2 yrs post op and I wish you lots of luck. Before you eat anything make certain that your doctor has told you that it's ok to eat whatever type of food. Remember they only operated on your stomach not your brain. You will still want some things. I will say eat one bite wait a few minutes to see how it settles with your stomach. If it seems ok take another bite or drink/whichever it may be. You may/probably will get sick everybody does/ just remember the long term goal/ not the present but the future/ As far as food you are not going to need much in the first few weeks. Water/water/water/water/ and more water// I ate instant mashed potatos that were so thin I could drink them, I had some cute little cups that I collected when they brought me my meals in the hospital. That's what I used to measure my food at home. Sugar free Jello/ tons of it/ til you think you will turn into it/ If you can find it there is an applesauce called Muscle Mans/ it is sugar free/ Of course chicken broth/ cubes are great too/ and they have these great pops now that are made with splenda they are called healthy bunch/beware of things that say they are sugar free or no sugar added/ they may have sugar alcohol in them and that will cause you to have a terrible upset stomach/ and cramps sometimes. When you get to the point in a few weeks where you can eat other things, try freezing stuff and eating it. Like seedless grapes, all sorts of fruits/applesauce/I still freeze things that no normal people freeze/and eat/ My family thinks I'm crazy sometimes I have even frozen jello and ate it/ Other than that as far as food is concerned it's a test sometimes things will make you sick and other times the same food will not even bother you. It's all trial and error. YOU WILL NEED to make certain that you have a really good firm pillow to use for pressing against your stomach when you get up. After the surgery as soon as they will let you get up and walk, walk, it will hurt to begin with but you will get back on your feet sooner. Don't lay in the bed all day in the hospital, sit up in the chair some, not too much though. I don't know about you, but I couldn't wear my underwear after the surgery. So make sure you have comfortable loose clothes to put on when leaving the hospital that cover everything. I left in my rob and bedroom shoes to go home. I'm sorry you only asked about food/ but those were things that I didn't think about and my mother thank god for her/ went out and got them for me. Vitamins/ the chewable ones/ you will have to just test them out/ I got sick of the flintstones/ so I just tried serveral ones I like the centrum chewables pretty good/ Get a medicine keeper/daily pill holder thing/ that way you will make sure you take your vitamins everyday/ Hope that helped you some. I'll be praying for you/ God is with you!!! Teresa