How is everyone?

I wanted to see how everyone is doing and wanted to wish all those having surgery good luck.

The Washington board sure has been pretty quiet the last couple of days . Kathy

Yes, the board has been quiet the last few days! How have you been? Hope that you are feeling good. I've been organizing a binder with all my surgery info in it and reviewing a lot of things. Plus, made a calendar of to-do's and post-op dates with things like what I'm supposed to be eating, appt.s and such. A question for you and anybody else...did your surgeon require a pre-op liquid diet? I've read a bit about them on the regular RNY board but my surgeon only requires one day before on liquids. If the liquid diet is for shrinking the liver then by all means I want to do it since my liver bled during my VBG surgery in 99. Back then, Dr. Schrock didn't require a pre-op diet other than nothing by mouth 12 hrs before surgery. He probably does things differently now and I hear he doesn't do VBG anymore either. (for good reasons) So, if you had some pre-op liquid diet experience could you share what sorts of liquids you were allowed? Thanks, Molly (who is just fine and very anxious for Dec. 4th!)

Dr Oh had me on a 10 day pre-op liquid diet. It was hard but worth it. I didn't want to have my procedure as an open one. He also has his patients having an open procedure on a liquid diet pre-op and the time frame changes depending on your weight prior to surgery.

Dr. Rawlins is going to try to do my RNY by lap but I may wake up with the five little holes and a brand-new set of 'railroad tracks' if there is too much scar tissue inside from the VBG. If it ends up being open, I hope that his scar will look prettier than the ugly one that Dr. Schrock left me with. Six years later and my husband still won't look at it. What kinds of things did you drink/slurp on your pre-op diet? I've read that you should stay away from red and purple liquids but what about calories? Since the purpose is supposed to be to shrink the liver does it matter if the liquids are higher calory like a broth or jello or must it all be sugar free? Before each of my deliveries I put myself on a clear diet because I was afraid of throwing up 'on the table' and as a result didn't have any nausea during either one. So I know that if I'm motivated, I can do the liquids even before I 'have to'. Post-op won't be any trouble at all, I know from experience. Molly

Molly, The pre-op clear liquid diet is the same as our post op diet until 4 weeks post op or until Dr Oh clears us for the next stage. Here is whats on his list. The clear liquid stage consisted of Chicken Broth, Beef Broth, Vegetable Broth, bouillon, or clear strained soups. Sugar Free popsicles, SF Jello, SF Juices (Crystal Light, SF Tang, Diet Ice Bontanicals, Diet V8 Splash, Tomato, Snappy or clamato juices (double check sugar count must be under 6gms of sugar per serving. Dr Oh suggests starting your protein and multi vitamin at least 30 days prior to surgery. It helps with the recovery and your body stores the protein. I had to do 60 gms of protein before surgery and my multi-vitamin and at 7 days post op your restart your protein 90 gms and all your vitamins. The protein amounts I take are for someone who is proximal. If you are having a distal or medial your protein amounts are 90 gms pre op and 120 post op. I hope this helps. If you have any questions or just want someone to talk to please feel free to email me. [email protected].

Molly , Dr Oh has all of his pateints do the liquid diet , regardless of whether its open or not . The amout of days is strictly dependant on how much weight you have to lose . Like Susan , I was 10 days as well . Some procedures he will only do open . Mine was medial , which he rarely does laprescopically . That's the only reason I had mine open . He always does Distal open . Good luck on your revision . Kathy

I'm great, only 2 weeks and 3 days left to wait Molly to answer your question... Dr Chebli is requiring that I do a liquid diet for only two days prior to surgery. But he is very strict about his patients losing at least 5% of their body weight and being on a low carb (no more than 30 grams per day) diet for at least a month before surgery. From what I understand it's the low carb that shrinks the liver so if you do a liquid you'd want to make sure it's suger free stuff. Every Dr is different, I had a friend who ate large amounts of whatever she wanted until practically the day of the surgery, but she was having hers open so there wasn't the big concern about the enlarged liver. I think any loss in weight can only be a good thing before under going this surgery. The less the body has to work to keep silly fat cells alive the more it can work on healing so whether it's a liquid diet or low carb or even low fat it certainly can't hurt anything. Corinna Q

Thank you for all the great info, ladies! It will be hard to switch right from Thanksgiving yummies to low carb but definitely worth it. When Dr. Schrock did my VBG in '99 it was open and presumably he had all that lovely room to work and still ended up nicking my liver and getting it to bleed substantially. I don't think it was his fault, it was just that the liver was too much in his way so it would be very nice to get it shrunk and as much out of Dr. Rawlins way as I can this time. I've been taking the Optisource vitamins since February already and love the fingernails they've given me...vanity is a great inducement to take pills. And with what I eat now there is at least 60 grams of protien in my diet every day already so yeah that I'm storing it! How exciting that your surgery is coming up quickly, bet you can't wait. I'd pack my hospital bag already if I didn't know I'd need some of the things in it sooner. haha Molly, eager beaver