pre-op diet started today!

we're pretty fortunate - our preop diet isn't all liquids - it's real food, tailored to our personal preferences and needs - high protein, low calorie and low carb.

but that means my surgery is in two weeks! eep!

all my pre-surgical appointments but one are done - still have an ultrasound later this week to decide if we're going to take my gallbladder or not (probably not - one bad attack 10 years ago, nothing since). I've seen internists, the anesthetist, pre-surgical nurses, had bloodwork, EKG, chest xray...endoscope last month...

(It's a REALLY thorough program here)

had kinda hoped I'd hit 100 lbs lost before surgery, but I've been hovering around 85 for a bit, so I doubt I'm going to drop a pound a day between now and the 18th :)

 

don't say never you can do it , 

 I started the liquid diet and then had to reschedule so I need to restart next week

our liquid , diet is 2 shakes and a len cousine for diner if you get low blood suger or headache you can add a small fruit

this is for 5 days the 2 days clear liquids and laxitives ,yum

I didn't't see a pre surgical nurse or chest x ray but had everything else including a stress test , I lost around 80 lbs so far pre op

no laxatives here thank heavens - just nothing by mouth from midnight the day before.

 

Our program is unusually thorough - I'm part of a research study...I think they're trying to make the program we're in the "gold standard' for bariatric surgery pre-screening & treatment...

Our program starts with a thorough orientation, which I call the "fear & loathing" section - this is where they give you all the stats about expected weight loss, likelihood of regain, excess skin, warnings about the rigor of the program and how easily you can be turfed from it for not following the rules, and an overview of the surgeries and post-surgical stages.

After that you start the pre-op stage, if you haven't been scared off. You must quit smoking. You meet with a dietician who will gradually start you making changes in your eating habits. You go through a mental health assessment, and may be referred to a psychiatrist. Other people will be either required or recommended to take a program called "Changeways", which is group cognitive behavioural therapy aimed at changing your habits and relationship to food. You also meet with an exercise physiologist so that by the time surgery arrives, you're engaging in 30 min per day of exercise.

Once you have orientation, you'll meet the surgeon and discuss medical history, comorbidities (if any) and discuss the types of surgery.

The surgeon also orders a huge panel of blood work & other tests - everything from glucose & cholesterol to vitamin levels and liver functions.

The surgeon will then refer you to a bunch of other specialists. Internists, especially if you have comorbidities like diabetes, or other 'interesting' health issues. A sleep study - almost everyone gets overnight oximetry and most also have a sleep study in the lab. If you are determined to have sleep apnea you MUST use a CPAP machine. Cardiac stress tests are sometimes given, as are ultrasounds and other tests. You must maintain a food journal for several months at least, and continue using it after surgery.

Failure to follow through with any and all recommendations can result in ousting from the program.

Then there's the hospital's pre-surgical screening. That also requires an internist (who will be the primary doctor responsible for your in-hospital care other than the surgeon), the pre-surgical screening nurses, the anesthetist, an EKG and a chest xray.

All of this pre-surgical screening is designed to ensure that we adopt as many post-surgical lifestyle changes BEFORE surgery as possible, deal with our emotional/psychological issues and identify health risks - especially those that can appear after surgery.  As a result of all my screening, I'll be in the ICU step-down unit so that they can monitor for clots and apnea (I had an inexplicable episode of pulmonary emboli 10 years ago, so they're hyper cautious) - with prophylactic anti-coagulants and my CPAP machine.

I was pro-active. I did a lot of the necessary stuff before orientation & consult, so the dietician and physiologist were ready to sign off on me on day one, as was the person who does the mental health assessment. I would have had the surgery last month, but the wait for non-emergency ultrasounds was so long, I'm not having it until tomorrow! (I had one gallbladder attack, also about 10 years ago, so the ultrasound is to see if it needs to come out at the same time as my surgery). Consequently, I've had a really fast run through the program - not quite the record, but pretty close. :)

 

Yay! So glad your time is coming!

thanks!

Sounds like you are doing really great! Don't let the goal of 100 slow you down. Keep doing what you need to do and carry that momentum into surgery. It will really help!

Congrats and good luck!

Chrispy

I started my preop diet on the same day as you. I had to buy a big bag of Bariatric Advantage shake powder and drink 2 of those each day, followed by a dinner consisting of 3-6 oz of lean protein and all the salad and non-starchy veggies I want. So far the hardest part has been spacing the shakes out so that I'm not starving by dinnertime. 

Good luck! I lost a pound a day during my pre-op diet, so it is possible. Either way, you've done a fantastic job pre-op and put yourself in an even better position for success post-op!