Vandy's New Juice Pre-op Diet...

Amy makes a good point, one that I have found to be so very true...  every surgeon is different.  What one will suggest, another may steer his patients away from.  There is not one perfect 100% program or doctor out there.  Bariatric surgery is constantly evolving just as all other healthcare procedures due to more research, etc.  Each doc will suggest what they have seen work, and we all know lots of stuff can work...  I guess they all have a reason which guided them in the decisions they make.  Sometimes we just don't get clued in on the reasons! lol.  HOWEVER, wouldn't it be easier if there was a BARIATRIC BIBLE/HANDBOOK and everyone followed the same rules?  We could sure quote that one backwards and forwards when someone broke a rule... "According to chapter 3, page 50, it clearly states ...."

Hang in there!

I know Kenny and he's anything but judgmental, he always offers his time and energy to help anyone because he gives a dam. 
Support comes in many forms some you like some you don't. 
If you want to rant and rave there is a forum for that. 
If you really want information and support take it in all the forms given, but let's not be rude. 
If someone gets on here that responds hatefully trust me the entire board will come down on them.
If you have concerns call them and ask for a explanation your the customer. 
If you don't like the program you are fortunate that there are several other Center's of Excellent to choose from.
Oh and you really don't need to paste and cut what I just wrote I've got it!
C'ya Bob

 You might want to pay better attention in nutrition classes.  Kenny tried to be nice.  I'm more of an R&R girl myself, though out of respect for my TN board family, I will refrain from colorful language.

When I went through the pre-op procedure the "some such," was 6 packets of Carnation No- Sugar Added Instant Breakfast made with 8 oz skim milk per day, plus 2 cups of broth and 48 oz additional low calorie beverages of choice.

They changed the protocol from the CIB  to 1 scoop (20g) Unjury protein powder mixed with juice because so many people were having gastric issues with the lactose in milk.  You still have to do the 2 cups broth and 48 oz other low calorie beverages like before.

I was one of those patients who was miserable on the CIB and ended up throwing up in the parking lot at work after a few days of this.  However, I stayed in close touch with Jessica and she and the staff worked with me to come up with a plan that worked:  using fat free lactaid or trying a ready to drink protein drink.  That worked and got me through the 8 days.  

I think they felt the 48 oz of milk per day was barbaric because of all the diarrhea and vomiting it caused in their patients.  They changed it to make it better for the patients.

You said,  Now that it's my turn to have surgery they've changed it to nothing but JUICE for 8 days????  Oh. With protein powder in them but STILL. I've even googled this "juice fast" and at about.com it says it's not recommended right before a surgery... It seems as though it'd be VERY hard to get sated just off regular protein drinks for 8 days but ... JUICE?? That goes straight through you! Not to mention it has tons of sugar, I can't drink much juice like that without feeling sick to my stomach cause it's so sugary!  I guess this is just a rant of sorts... I hear all of these people on other forums saying they only have to eat low-carb before surgery with no crazy fasting for any length of time or even protein drink fasts which makes TONS more sense to me and they're all out of op and doing just fine...To me this just seems barbaric. WHO gets full off of juice!???

It is not "nothing but juice!"  Did you not listen?  It's 8 oz juice mixed with a scoop of Unjury!  It's got 20g of protein, so is not just plain juice.  Unflavored Unjury only has 1 g of carbs.  They recommend full juice because a mere 4 g of carbs per day (1g x 4 shakes) would probably mess you up bad.

1 cup skim milk + 1 packet CIB = 24 g carbs and 13 g of protein per shake
       CIB protocol was 6 packets a day, or 144g carbs and 78 g of protein per day of diet

1 cup full sugared juice + 1 scoop unjury, unflavored = 27 g carbs and 22 g of protein per shake
        Unjury protocol is 4 shakes a day, or 108 g carbs and 88 g of protein per day of diet.

Paying attention here?  The revised liquid diet gives you 36g FEWER CARBS and 10g MORE PROTEIN per day.  Oh, and the significantly decreased likelihood you'll crap your pants from all the lactose.

You said "Oh. With protein powder in them but STILL," like the addition of the protein powder was some kind of parenthetical expression.  It is key!  It takes what you call a "juice fast" to a "protein drink fast," which you yourself said makes more sense.  

It's essential and your responsibility to make sure you understand what you're getting into.  Including the details of the pre-operative diet.

As for the, "If I can't do this for 8 day thing I won't be ready for surgery," is bull thing . . . it's just as much of a predictor of patient compliance as it is to shrink your liver.  Trust me, they have cancelled surgeries on patients who weren't in the mood to do the pre-op liquid diet.  As in the day of.

They are more than happy to work with you and if you absolutely cannot choke down the Unjury with juice, Jessica will come up with something that works.  If you have no lactose intolerance issues, you might even be able to go on the old diet, you know, if you want more sugar and less satisfying protein.

Kenny does not need anyone to defend him, but I will simply say that he is incredibly supportive and not at all judgmental.  Personally, I thought you were a bit insulting saying that you were glad he was "concerned about those who have not done as well as you  post-op.  But because I'm ranting about a pre-op diet, don't paint me with the same brush, please."

Kenny is supportive to everyone, pre-op, post-op or otherwise.  He was just trying to be helpful and made sound suggestions . . .  like talking to the nutritionist.  He's already walked a mile in your bariatric surgery shoes, and then some.  He is as successful as he is because he has busted his butt at it.  He works out, he pays attention to what he eats (you haven't had any Cheezits have you, Kenny?  ), he shares his experience with others and pays it forward to those taking the journey behind him.

You think you know, but until you get there, you don't know diddly.  So when someone kindly offers you a helping hand, I'd recommend not biting it.

The Vandy team is great and Dr. Williams is amazing, but you have to listen and work with them if you want the greatest chance for success.  Best of luck on your journey.  

thanks.  

 It's easier to mess with Texas than it is to mess with my Coffmans!   

" I'm more of an R&R girl myself, though out of respect for my TN board family, I will refrain from colorful language."

I'd have never guess ed that about you Denise! lol... 

   

I try not to be downright mean and try to be supportive, but I do enjoy a good swearing fest on occasion!  Or talking about Oh Shiny, totally off topic things that might include grossness or manly bits and the like.

I respect you guys too much to torture y'all with the likes of that.  Unless of course Bob asks for it!  Then I'll be all over it!  Heh heh!

It's nice to see my WLS gang has my back, but I'm thick skinned and fine. Bob is right, I commented and took my personal time to write what I did because I care, if I didn't I would have went onto the next post. And I care because I've seen people who didn't take this serious enough, in fact my mother. My mother had surgery 8 years ago, long before I knew anything about this surgery and long before most doctor's knew enough about it. I've watched my mother's health drastically deteriorate over the last 6 years, she's 59 and she's in worse shape that someone in their 70's. She and her surgeon didn't know alot of the things that are common knowledge now about the RNY Bypass. I've had to help educate my mother, teach her how to read the food labels and watch for certain things that she should stay away from, help get her into a program at the University of Cincinnati to help educate her and keep an eye on her yearly blood tests. Earlier this year she has seriously malnourished, specifically protein, was not taking any kind of Calcium Citrate, though she was  taking osteoperosis medicine from her family doctor who knew she had a gastric bypass. This is a serious situation, your health can go down hill if you don't follow things. My mother has muscle loss that she will probably never be able to rebuild, several doctors believe it's Fibro Myalgia, it's not it's being protein deficient for a long period of time. So that's why I take this serious and I care, I've seen what can happen. Most people wouldn't have what my mother has had happened, but if someone is uneducated about the surgery like my mother and has little or no support, it could happen to them.

Anyways, I'm fine and not upset, I don't take this personal. It wasn't that long ago that I went through it and I know it's stressful, I've been there and I can imagine the shock of the pre-op diet changing and not being happy about it.  I hope to see more of you on here and even at support meetings, even if it isn't Vandy's, there are alot of great support groups out there, and if you go to one and aren't happy keep looking, you'll find one, but they are very important. None of us knew it all, nor do we claim to still, but we learn alot and have made friends at the meetings and on here. It's an incredible life changing journey and I'm glad to hear that you are getting to take it too. It's changed my life and my wife's, who has also had the surgery and helps lead the Post-op support group, and I'm forever grateful to the people at Vandy, especially Dr. Williams, the nutritionists and of course, last but not least, my WLS support peeps here.

Good luck, we're all here for you whenever you have questions or need help.

Oh, I know you can more than handle your own, Kenny!  After the last visit to Rafferty's, I know that for sure! 

I just get irritated when people rant about stuff that they have information on.  Ranting is a total necessity sometimes.  But if you don't have your facts straight, be prepared to get them set straight.   

This is what I like so much about support groups.  It's so unfortunate the problems that your mother has had to deal with after her surgery.  However, if someone else is spared some of those potential complications by you and her sharing your story and knowledge, her problems are at least not in vain.

There is such a wealth of knowledge to be learned by those who have had the surgery before us.  Even with all my preparation, questions, OCD reading and so on, I still didn't realize what the reality of the pre-op diet or post op life would be like.  It's great, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.  But I know I would have been lost without everything I learned from everyone here!!!  The more I learn, the more I realize how much I have to learn.

Thanks for being our fearless team leader!!!!

I was actually looking forward to the juice fast because I hadn't had juice for so long.  Then I didn't buy the Unjury powder they wanted me to use because I didn't realize you could only buy it at Vandy.  It was a holiday weekend so they were closed.  I emailed my dietician and she said to do the Instant Breakfast.  Believe me, it was really boring!

Vanderbilt is really conservative and provides step by step instruction and help; and they have a great success rate, so I would follow their directions.  I had my surgery one month ago.

Good luck!