LIQUID DIET & FLU SHOT

HAVE ANY OF YOU, WHO HAD WLS AT MUSC WITH DR BYRNES OR DR MORGAN, BEEN PUT ON A SPECIAL PRE-OP DIET? ... ATKINS, LIQUID OR CLEAR LIQUIDS? IF SO, WHAT KIND & HOW LONG? HAS ANYONE TAKEN A FLU SHOT JUST PRIOR TO WLS? ANY PROBLEMS? THANKS ... GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

Hey Dawn, If I were you I would be careful in taking the flu shot right before surgery, because it is a live virus. Because if it happens to become active and you get the flu then I think your surgery would prob be postponed. There is no diet prior to surgery. Just no eating/drinking after midnight the night before. I know some people have special diets, but MUSC doesn't. See ya in a few!!! Britt

THANKS MS BRITT. I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT BEING A LIVE VIRUS. DR B'S NURSE, BRENDA, CALLED ME BACK AFTER MY POST & SAID THE SAME THING ... THEY DON'T WANT ME TO GET A FLU SHOT ANY SOONER THAN A MONTH OUT. HOPE YOUR TOOTH FEELS BETTER & YOU ARE BACK TO YOURSELF FEELING GREAT! TAKE A PEEK AT MY POST ABOUT OUR LBB MEETING NEWS ... BE SURE TO HAVE TED READ IT. HE'S A GEM, MS BRITT! YOU GOT A "KEEPER"! GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK

Hi Dawn, My surgeon is Dr. *****ett in Columbia, and for his patient's safety, it's the Atkin's Induction Phase for 2 weeks before surgery. That phase of the Atkin's allows only 20 carbs per day. The drastic drop in carbs helps "shrink" the size of your liver, making the area of the stomach where the pouch is formed more visible for laparoscopic surgery, because a section of the liver is very near there. I wanted mine done lap so I pretty much followed the plan for that reason. I am not a physician, but I have read, literally volumes about this surgery as I'm sure that many others have. I have noticed in the that many surgeons do require a pre-op diet. But, I guess if your surgeons don't, go by what they say. I am really excited for you. You are really an inspiration on this board. I plan on joining you all in the very near future at an LBB meeting. Your surgery list was very comprehensive, as was mine. You had a few things on there that I did not. Hope to meet you soon. Oh by the way today is my four-week out anniversary. I've lost 38 lbs. YaHooooooooooo!

THANKS FOR THE INFO, MS APRIL. I THINK I MIGHT DO SOME KIND OF PRE-OP DIET ANYWAY; IT CERTAINLY COULDN'T HURT TO LOSE A FEW #s BEFORE SURGERY. I'M SCHEDULED FOR LAP, BUT HAVE A LONG GALL BLADDER REMOVAL SCAR, SO THE SCARING MAY INTERFERE WITH THE LAP. MAYBE IF I SHRINK THE LIVER, DR BYRNE WILL HAVE MORE WIGGLE ROOM. I REALLY DON'T WANT AN OPEN. MY GB WAS AN OPEN & IT WAS HARD TO COME BACK FROM & I WAS MUCH YOUNGER THEN! THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS; I DO SO APPRECIATE THEM!!! THAT IS FANTASTIC ... PLEASE COME WHENEVER YOU CAN!! WE HAVE THE GREATEST GROUP! THE SEATING IS A BIT OF A PROBLEM AT APPLEBEE'S, SO WE HAVE BEEN TOSSING AROUND THE IDEA OF GIVING OLIVE GARDEN A LITTLE BUSINESS ... THEY HAVE A BIG, ROUND TABLE IN THE BACK THAT WOULD BE MORE CONDUCIVE TO EVERYONE HEARING EVERYONE. BUT, AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT IS STILL APPLEBEE'S. WOWOWOWOWOWOW ... THAT'S NEARLY 10 #s A WEEK ... ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! YOU'LL BE JUST A SLIP OF A THING IN NO TIME, GIRL!!! WAY TO GO!!! GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK

Dawn, i too had Dr. *****ett and was on the Atkins and in addition to all the things April says which is 100% correcto, i have an additional bonus. I find that since I gave up all the CARBS i am in loved with..lol before surgery ( although i only had to do 2 wks preop of Atkins I chose to do 1 mo.) I had one month of dealing with headaches of not having those carbs, one month of dealing with not having them, and now post op, i think it has helped with the immediate depression many face about wanting all those foods. I feel emotionally it helped me clear my mind of that additional frustration and connection with food.. Just my 26 cents worth! heather

OOOOOO, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, CUZ I ALWAYS GET HEADACHES & GROUCHY COMING OFF ANY KIND OF CARB - BETTER NOW THAN WHEN I'M TRYING TO RECOUPERATE FROM MAJOR SURGERY. I'LL DENY THIS IF ANYONE SAYS I SAID IT, BUT WITH ALL THE "LAST" DINNERS OF "SPECIAL" FOODS, I'M KINDA GETTING TIRED OF EATING SO MUCH. NEVER THOUGHT I'D SAY THAT! NO, NO I DID NOT SAY THAT ... IT WAS THAT STRANGE PERSON OVER THERE === * * I STARTED THIS MORNING ... I'M SIPPING ONE OF KATESTER'S "CRACK" VERY BERRY VANILLA SHAKES, BUT NOT AS A SHAKE. I HATE THE TEXTURE OF A SHAKE IN MY MOUTH. IT TOUCHES MY TONGUE & I WANNA ... KINDA LIKE COTTAGE CHEESE - JUST THE SMELL & TEXTURE MAKE ME THINK THAT IT'S ALREADY BEEN EATEN BY SOMEONE - EEEEEEEUUUUUUUUU ... YUCK!!!!!!!! SO, I TOOK MY MILK (NEED TO GET TO WALLY WORLD TONIGHT FOR SOME "CARB COUNTDOWN") & PUT KATIE'S PROTEIN POWDER IN THE MILK & JUST STIRRED IT WITH A SPOON. WHA-LAH, NO FOAM ... TASTES GREAT! I'LL GO FOR MEATS, FISH, CHICKEN, EGGS, ETC, FOR MORE PROTEIN & I'M GOING TO INCREASE MY FLUIDS, WHICH IS MY DOWNFALL ... NEXT WEEK, I'LL GO MORE FOR THE FLUIDS RATHER THAN THE ANIMAL PROTEIN & THEN ... THE BIG DAY! THANKS FOR THE INFO! GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK 18 DAYS & A WAKE UP!!!!!!!! PS: I'M NOT GOING TO ADMIT IT TO KATIE, BUT SHE'S RIGHT ... I COULD GET ADDICTED TO THIS VERY BERRY VANILLA STUFF ... IT'S GOOD! HAHAHAHAHAHA!