Question:
2 weeks pre-op and worried about gaining prior to surgery

Ok, I'm back with another panic question. I had a depo provera shot in dec. and gained 20 pounds. It seems if I eat at all the scale goes up another pound. I started this wls process in oct at 265 and am now over 280 and really have not changed my eating habits. I have two weeks until surgery and feel I should be on a "diet". Can someoen tell me to relax and enjoy these weeks prior to my new life of changes. You all are great!    — Sharon B. (posted on April 26, 2003)

April 26, 2003
Darling...unless your doctor has directed you to diet, which he/she would if you had an enlarged liver or something of that sort. If your doctor hasn't you can relax. Now, I'm not saying pig out and gain 40 lbs because let's face facts...none of us is good at loosing weight, so why make it harder on our selves? But putting on a few lbs isn't a big deal. I went on an all out pig-fest when I finally decided to do this surgery (haven't even got a date scheduled yet!!!) and I gained 20+ lbs in 3 months and my doctor said it didn't matter. So I am watching what I eat now as in only allowing myself 1 bowl of ice cream a night as opposed to six...and when it gets down to the last 14 days I will eat 1 of my "last" meals each night and then 3 days before surgery cut it off. That way I enjoy myself but still have 3 days to level off. So make plans to go out to eat at your favorite resturant and get whatever you want from cheese fries to a huge steak, have some drinks...come home and enjoy yourself for a few more days then set a date for your "last" offical junk meal. And if you gain 10lbs you'll be ok...use stress as an execuse! lol! And of course...if you are really worried, call your doctor's office and ask them what would happen if you put on some weight right before surgery. Chances are they'll say nothing or to not gain more then such and such amount! GOOD LUCK, GOD BLESS, and CONGRATS!
   — Renee B.

April 26, 2003
Absolutely take it easy on yourself, as a first priority! But one little nagging point I'd make here, is that any weight you gain before surgery, you just gotta take off later. It puts you that much further behind in getting to goal, makes you just a little bit heavier when your "honeymoon" period and "window of opportunity" end, and it's not the best thing to cope with, mentally or physically. Plus, at 11 months out, there's nothing I can't eat now that I couldn't eat before (which is not to say I want all of it in the same amounts now, thank goodness!) ... so the "last supper" thing, which I'll be the first to admit I did indulge in a bit, is really not your last chance to eat "bad" foods, ever. They will eventually call your name as a post-op, some months down the line. Just start walking now (to get stronger before surgery), and definitely enjoy some good eatin', but try not to "stress" eat too much if you can stand it. Good luck!
   — Suzy C.

April 26, 2003
I am 2 weeks away from my lap wls! I think everyone feels different about what to eat these last fews day before our new life begins! My wls Dr. did not ask me to diet before wls! He did ask me to exercise and drink lots of water! He did tell me if I lost weight before wls my liver would shrink and make the wls easier to do! I now feel kinda lucky that I weight 265lbs, it could have been 365lbs if I had waited any longer to have this done! I had my last big meal last week! Took the kids out for prime rib at a place we had never gone to as a family! To expensive! This past week and for the next 2 weeks I am dieting! Protein mostly! And drinking lots of water! No soda! The last few days before surgery I am definetly going to eat lite! Soups! Jello ect.. for some reason my need to pig out is gone! Last night I wanted icecream so I made a chocolate protein smoothie with ice blended in my smoothie machine! It was as good as any ice cream! I am doing "REAL Meals" protein, then adding sugar free chocolate pudding or sugar free instant carnation chocolate breakfast mix! Hope I like this still after wls! Everyone is different. Do as your Dr. says and if you feel like being harder on yourself than he requires then go for it! Just follow your wls rules! Good Luck! Cyndi
   — CYNDI B.

April 26, 2003
I was told at my consultation by the doctor's office manager to try not to gain more than 10lbs from the time of consultation to surgery. She said she has seen the doctor refuse to operate on a patient that put on 40lbs. I know someone that went to a different doctor and she was completely out of control for 6 mos., the time it took for her surgery date to come up. Her doctor didn't care about the extra weight at all. I would suggest that you call the doctors office and talk to the office manager or doctor about it. Better to be safe than sorry especially considering how long it takes to get scheduled. Good luck!
   — Irene S.

April 26, 2003
The only thing my Dr told me was not to overextend myself. If I gained a few pounds it was ok just watch what I eat and it would be fine. My surgery date is set for July 22, 2003 so I am going to do a few things I have wanted to. First I have never eaten at Olive Garden so some of my family are going to take me, second I love chinese food so my cousin and I are going to get stuff and share it, third my uncle has decided that we are going to have a steak cookout with all of the faimly and all the foods I love. When it gets closer to time my diet will be puddings and cottage chesse. I hope that helps you out if you need to talk just e-mail me it is on my profile. God Bless Jane
   — msjane2002

April 26, 2003
I guess all doctors are different but one of the most important things I had to do before my Lap RNY was to do 2 weeks of low fat dieting. I know that many people don't do this and come through surgery fine but my doctor made a comment at my last support group that he can tell who has dieted when he gets in there because without the dieting the surgery (LAP) is more difficult and takes longer. I lost 11 pounds in the 2 weeks prior to surgery and it only took 1 hour and 10 minutes for Lap surgery! I thought that was amazing. I know that there are varying opinions about this but I felt like it was just one more thing I could do to make surgery as safe for me as possible. Are there MO's out there who do not have fatty livers? I thought not but I could be wrong. I was worried, as we all are, about complications and I wanted to do my part and I know that even 1 week of low fat dieting prior to surgery can make a huge difference. Good Luck!!
   — Carol S.