Surgery 2 months away- any suggestions to prepare
My surgery is early October 2016. I will now take care of all my pre-op testing, but is there anything you wish you knew before the surgery, or wish you did pre-surgery? For those who have had the surgery, looking back, are there any preparations you wish you made? Any suggestions, tips or warnings?
Congratulations on your upcoming surgery. It is wise to plan ahead.
There are several things I did that were helpful.
First, I went low carb on my diet. This allowed me to overcome the carb cravings before starting the liquid diet. Carbs cause huge cravings for me, so this was really important. You might try cutting back on carbs and see if it helps with diminishing the cravings. I couldn't have succeeded without doing a low carb diet.
Second, my program had me start "eating like I would post surgery." this included small meals (4 oz dense protein plus all the healthy, low carb veggies I wanted. it also included no grazing, eating slowly, eating small bites, eating only 3 or 4 meals per day, avoiding liquids before, during and after meals. Practicing all of these helped, and I regretted ignoring some of them.
Best of luck on your weight loss journey.
Carol
Surgery May 1, 2013. Starting Weight 385, Surgery Weight 333, Current Weight 160. At GOAL!
Weight loss Pre-op 1-20 2-17 3-15 Post-op 1-20 2-18 3-15 4-14 5-16 6-11 7-12 8-8
9-11 10-7 11-7 12-7 13-8 14-6 15-3 16-7 17-3 18-3
on 8/1/16 10:09 am
Congrats on your upcoming surgery! :) I hope this doesn't sound lame, but the best advice I can give is to to read as many previous posts on this forum as you can. These same questions come up regularly so there are many answers already, and by reading about other people's journeys at various stages, it will help you to be mentally prepared for what to expect over the next few years. Frisco has a post that reappears now and then called "pyloric valve 101" which should be mandatory reading.
I live alone, so the best thing I did right before surgery (other than thoroughly cleaning my house beforehand) was going through my fridge, freezer, and cupboards and purging everything I wouldn't be able to eat post-op. Start from scratch if you can. I also bought some 2 oz souffle cups from Amazon and made little cups of sugar-free jello. Try to buy enough to get through the week, but don't go overboard.
I had to be on clear liquids for nine days total, and by far the single best product to get me through was Better Than Bullion brand seasoned vegetable base. SO GOOD. Way better than any chicken or beef broth. I mixed in some Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides to get some protein in. I start full liquids today and I will still be drinking that broth.
One thing I wish I'd done was take my measurements earlier on in the process. I did it after I had lost 20 lbs pre-op, but I wish I'd done it at the beginning. I'm one week post-op today and took my measurements today and I'm down INCHES from one week ago. Half an inch in my neck, three inches in my waist, an inch in my calves, etc. If you're inclined to take selfies, do it! You'll be amazed.
Thank you everyone for the helpful suggestions. I found Frisco's post Pyloric Valve 101 and it was very interesting. I have been scared because I do not have a complete understanding of what I can expect post surgery and that post gave me good insights. I have been reading lots of the posts on this forum, and that has increased my fears!!! This process will not be easy, and things will never be the same again. I now have a real appreciation for that.
Thank you everyone for the helpful suggestions. I found Frisco's post Pyloric Valve 101 and it was very interesting. I have been scared because I do not have a complete understanding of what I can expect post surgery and that post gave me good insights. I have been reading lots of the posts on this forum, and that has increased my fears!!! This process will not be easy, and things will never be the same again. I now have a real appreciation for that.
