Does Everyone Use Optifast Pre-op?
Ive heard about something called optifast throughout different forums, people are posting that they have to be on it before surgery for a certain number of days some even say weeks... I dont believe Ive heard about this from my surgeon or dietician or anyone... I am going to the Horseheads office & Dr. Cole is my surgeon. I dont have a date or anything but is this something everyone does before surgery regardless of where you go & who your surgeon is, or do some require it and others dont? And what is it?.. Thanks
Each bariatric program is different as stated, and I am not familiar with your particular program. Mine did a wt loss amount but another local does medifast...
WT LOSS BEFORE SURGERY/MOTIVATION/AVOIDING THE LAST SUPPER SYNDROME
In our program we are required to loose 10% of our body wt before surgery....
Loosing weight pre-op is required by many surgeons & for many reasons... and I am so happy I did!
1.. to show motivation,
2.. ability to adhere to a plan (as we will need to for life!), if you can't be mindful and able to follow restrictions pre-op how will you do it post-op?
3.. to increase your health even a modest 5-10% wt. loss is very helpful, the National Institute of health has even researched this...(hence why weigh****chers is so focused on the 10% wt loss)
4.. decreases surgical complications (by exercise and decrease wt your heart and lungs are in better shape for surgery, anesthesia and healing!)...
5.. Also psychologically it is tough going from a super-sized big Mac meal to clear liquids for 2 weeks post-op!
6.. ***MAIN ONE FOR PROTEIN SPARING or MEDIFAST DIETING***It helps shrink the liver and this eases their surgical procedure and decreases chance of nicking it....
7.. exercising before helps you continue after!
8..The more you lose pre-op the less you will have to lose post-op and the closer to an ideal body-wt you will attain!
I lost the weight by doing the food pyramid. That's it, I was eating so bad (fast food daily, large portions, consuming every high-fat/sugar thing imaginable and NOT exercising that just cutting down and walking 2 miles a day helped!
For ME, it was "no one" was going to stop me from having this operation, it was my decision and all that was asked of me was to loose 30 lbs, I figured this is a small price for such a wonderful gift I would be given and the opportunity to have a healthier happier longer life....! I was so motivated/psyched; I dropped 30 pounds in 30 days and went on to drop 15 more before surgery! (Although this took me 2 months, as it got harder and I had a few last meals, we all do but you can't let this ruin your opportunity!) I believe it is what allowed me to get to a normal BMI as well! And it is not unheard of for surgeons to postpone or cancel surgeries if one gains weight!!!
Exercise was another key; I faithfully walked 2 miles everyday..it helped that my mom went with me a lot! (a buddy is so helpful!) I followed the food pyramid given to me by clinical nutritionist Dr. Boham...I also wrote everything down (Many find www.fitday.com helpful for this) that went in my MOUTH!!! Or you can get food pyramid/bullseye version at: http://www.xenical.com/hcp/1400_Am_Beye.pdf
I also had to remind myself how BAD I wanted this! Everyday it was/had to be more important to me to change my bad habits and lose weight to have this surgery than to continue to slowly kill myself with food/keep myself from the only hope I had!. I also told everyone about my plans and they helped support me, my friends/family and coworkers! I really can't give you any more guidance than this, it really had to come from within, it was a mindset with me, and I wanted this BAD real bad and I knew it was my last resort/chance! I felt invigorated and motivated by the end results...the long-term had to outweigh the short-term gratification of eating bad choices or overeating! It was a learning opportunity for me to change my habits and practice chewing well, not drinking with meals and eating smaller portions, giving up sugar/caffeine/carbonation/alcohol (if any of those are your issues, carbonation/caffeine/alcohol weren't issues for me)!
So a few weeks/months of healthy habits to lose pre-op wt is not a lot if you frame it right! IT IS NOT FOREVER and it is about starting this journey!
WT LOSS BEFORE SURGERY/MOTIVATION/AVOIDING THE LAST SUPPER SYNDROME
In our program we are required to loose 10% of our body wt before surgery....
Loosing weight pre-op is required by many surgeons & for many reasons... and I am so happy I did!
1.. to show motivation,
2.. ability to adhere to a plan (as we will need to for life!), if you can't be mindful and able to follow restrictions pre-op how will you do it post-op?
3.. to increase your health even a modest 5-10% wt. loss is very helpful, the National Institute of health has even researched this...(hence why weigh****chers is so focused on the 10% wt loss)
4.. decreases surgical complications (by exercise and decrease wt your heart and lungs are in better shape for surgery, anesthesia and healing!)...
5.. Also psychologically it is tough going from a super-sized big Mac meal to clear liquids for 2 weeks post-op!
6.. ***MAIN ONE FOR PROTEIN SPARING or MEDIFAST DIETING***It helps shrink the liver and this eases their surgical procedure and decreases chance of nicking it....
7.. exercising before helps you continue after!
8..The more you lose pre-op the less you will have to lose post-op and the closer to an ideal body-wt you will attain!
I lost the weight by doing the food pyramid. That's it, I was eating so bad (fast food daily, large portions, consuming every high-fat/sugar thing imaginable and NOT exercising that just cutting down and walking 2 miles a day helped!
For ME, it was "no one" was going to stop me from having this operation, it was my decision and all that was asked of me was to loose 30 lbs, I figured this is a small price for such a wonderful gift I would be given and the opportunity to have a healthier happier longer life....! I was so motivated/psyched; I dropped 30 pounds in 30 days and went on to drop 15 more before surgery! (Although this took me 2 months, as it got harder and I had a few last meals, we all do but you can't let this ruin your opportunity!) I believe it is what allowed me to get to a normal BMI as well! And it is not unheard of for surgeons to postpone or cancel surgeries if one gains weight!!!
Exercise was another key; I faithfully walked 2 miles everyday..it helped that my mom went with me a lot! (a buddy is so helpful!) I followed the food pyramid given to me by clinical nutritionist Dr. Boham...I also wrote everything down (Many find www.fitday.com helpful for this) that went in my MOUTH!!! Or you can get food pyramid/bullseye version at: http://www.xenical.com/hcp/1400_Am_Beye.pdf
I also had to remind myself how BAD I wanted this! Everyday it was/had to be more important to me to change my bad habits and lose weight to have this surgery than to continue to slowly kill myself with food/keep myself from the only hope I had!. I also told everyone about my plans and they helped support me, my friends/family and coworkers! I really can't give you any more guidance than this, it really had to come from within, it was a mindset with me, and I wanted this BAD real bad and I knew it was my last resort/chance! I felt invigorated and motivated by the end results...the long-term had to outweigh the short-term gratification of eating bad choices or overeating! It was a learning opportunity for me to change my habits and practice chewing well, not drinking with meals and eating smaller portions, giving up sugar/caffeine/carbonation/alcohol (if any of those are your issues, carbonation/caffeine/alcohol weren't issues for me)!
So a few weeks/months of healthy habits to lose pre-op wt is not a lot if you frame it right! IT IS NOT FOREVER and it is about starting this journey!
Take Care, 
Jamie Ellis RN MS NPP
100cm proximal Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh Albany, NY
320(preop)/163(lowest)/185(current) 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery)
Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King www.albanyplasticsurgeons.com
http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/jamiecatlady5/
"Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"
Jamie Ellis RN MS NPP
100cm proximal Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh Albany, NY
320(preop)/163(lowest)/185(current) 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery)
Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King www.albanyplasticsurgeons.com
http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/jamiecatlady5/
"Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"
Nope - my surgeon's pre-op liquid of choice is Medifast!! For me it was 12 weeks with a lean & green for dinner. I think how long you are on it depends on a number of things... ins requirements, amt of weight to lose before being able to perform surgery safely, etc. (Jamie's list hits the high points!!) Every program is different so I'd check with your surgeon & see what they say!
Good luck!!
Cece
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... it is about learning how to dance in the rain!"
You might be too young to remember this but Optifast is that liquid diet that Oprah very publically lost weight on to get into her size 10 jeans! I still have the video of when she rolled out her fat in a red wheeled wagon on stage in the late 80's. Not every surgeon requires this kind of diet pre-op. Mine just needed some success at losing weight whatever method I chose. Slimfast, medifast are all similar programs. Liquid diets do not work long term as we have all discovered. We learn what works and doesn't work over the years. However, that being said, whatever diet is required will only be TEMPORARY so do whatever it takes to get the surgery. It will be well worth it.
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