Pre-Op Food Feast !!!

Hello to all. So as you can gather by my subject line, I am a pre-op, scheduled for Band to RNY surgery December 18th. I'm excited, however, I find I'm somewhat binging -- I'm thinking, "This is the End", and am reacting to this like it's the Last Supper! My mentality is, "Well, since I won't be able to eat _________ anymore, I should go for it now since I'll never have it again" (wine comes to mind). So, questions:<br />
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If you did this, have you noticed that your ability to stay on program immediately afterward was impacted negatively? As in, because you had to make a HUGE transition post-op, were you ill-served by NOT changing your habits immediately prior to surgery, and do you wish you did? I realize it might be difficult to distinguish between 'what we used to do' all the time (which got us here in the first place), and what happened after surgery, but it seems there is a difference somehow. Or, maybe not?!<br />
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To my knowledge, after you're reached goal, you can occasionally eat small amounts of the 'good' things, without it causing much damage as long as you stay on target with your scale. Correct, right? Relatedly, how many of you who DID drink wine (or whatever) prior to surgery, drink it now - after maintaining goal I assume - in moderation? I know the arguments against doing so, but how written in stone are they? The thought of NEVER having a glass of wine again is a big pill to swallow.<br />
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Oh, and one more thing: I HAVE made some changes to prep - I'm drinking small sips of water every 15 minutes, I'm eating protein first, I'm making smarter choices, I'm trying to watch the rules about 15 before/30 after thing. So I am doing some stuff - it's the Binging thing that's kickin my butt.
For those of you who are brave enough to tackle this question, thanks in advance!

Before I got my band I made a list of foods I probably couldn't have for awhile, reuben sandwich comes to mind! and then once a week I would have some of that food  so I never felt deprived and it wasn't so much that I ruined the diet. I also spent a great deal of time relearning what a good food is. I kinda retrained my brain that broccolli not candy was good food and just tried to focus on healthy rather than unhealthy foods.

Even with RNY I think you can eat most foods, since only 30% of them dump so that isn't a given to exclude food. There are substitutes for most any kind of food you may want so I don't think the change is that drastic. There is a small 12-18 mo. window where you malabsorb so I would take advantage of every single day I could to use that to my advantage. Yes once you get to goal you can probably have an occasional glass of wine, myself I wouldn't chance it what with the risk for cross addiction but that is me.

I say take advantage of this opportunity the second you can and don't waste sny of your losing time trying to cheat the system just for a few minutes of sensory pleasure on the lips. This is a life long battle and requires a lifestyle change for long term success so the sooner you change the sooner you can succeed.

Congrats to you!!  I had RNY in 2005.  I remember the adrenaline rush I got knowing my surgery would be arriving.  My mom made me lasagna with garlic bread and italian salad and we had a big family feast!  I can eat pretty much anything and I have regained 70 pounds and am trying to go back to the way I should eat so I will not have to get a revision done.  Enjoy some time prior to surgery and stick to how you should eat afterward.  Good luck and keep everyone posted!

I think it is normal to want to stuff your self - or drink yourself- silly when you think you may never be able to have ------- again!  Human nature.  The huge difference I have found between Banded life and RNY is that you can have that.  OK maybe not the dessert - but that isn't my thing - and maybe not a Margarita straight away - but the other stuff, sure.  If you want it.  You may not.  The best thing about this new upgrade for me is that slowly it is sinking in - I choose the food that I eat, the Band decided for me before.  I was constantly trying to figure out what I could eat, what would stay down, what wouldn't casue me to slime and vomit.  Now, I choose food based on what sounds good, what is protein forward etc.  Night and Day difference!

I just spent 2 weeks in France visiting my in-laws.  This means 4 course meals, twice a day.  With my band this was a nightmare. With the RNY, I just evaluated what was being served and decided what i would eat and what i would leave for another time, but this was due to the size of my pouch and where I was in the day regarding protein levels.  I ate the yummy local cheeses and salads, I ate foie gras and smoked salmon, cepe mushrooms and other local specalties. I didn't have any wine - a shame really - but that is because i am respecting my surgeon's 3 month post-op rule and it wasn't the time to see how I react to it at my mother-in-laws table.  Who knows what might spew forth!

I wanted to avoid that pre-op binge thing so when I got my surgery day I gave myself 10 days to eat as I wanted and then on July 1st, 5 weeks before my surgery, I put my self on a strict pre-op liver shrinking diet.  No simple carbs - bread, pasta, rice - no butter or full fat cheese and no sugar.  I lost 16 lbs and felt inspired for the next step.  I haven't had any of those things since and I couldn't care less.  But I could if I wanted to.