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.
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