Mr-Smith

It's a beginning thing. Once your swelling goes down, you can hold more Water in your tummy. It's still not a lot but you can gulp down three or four swallows at a time.

I am simply amazed at all the issues I hear about Protein early post op, My doc sent us home with a months supply of Proti-diet concentrated drink mix. Add to 8 ozs Water and drink gives you 8 ozs Fluid PLUS 15 grams of protein and is good on the clear liquid diet. Am I the only one who is liking this stuff? Google it, you should be able to find a source for it. It may be pricy but heck isn't feeling good worth it!

I'm 10 days post op and struggled with the same questions right up to when they put me under for surgery. I held on to a few facts: 1. if I could diet my way out of this, I would have already 2. the only times in my life where my weight was in control was when I exercised continuously, was an army infantry man and when I worked as a finish and frame carpenter and built houses. Even in those situations, I was pushing the heavy side or had a BMI that put me overweight. 3. Getting older, i will require a smaller caloric intake and my job no longer keeps me active 4. I have young kids at an older age and need to preserve my youth as long as possible 5. The health care system is changing and may make this option less available 6. The health care bureaucracy is spinning up and being overweight will create all sorts of issues, fines and kinda of punitive damages invoked as a way to "help me" 7. The success rate for this surgery is very high

What ever you do be sure to separate your calcium and iron by 2 hours. They both use the same receptors.

Well, I'm on full liquids right now and I add it in as a change but don't really count on it either. I have just noticed so many folks having trouble getting Protein in on the clear liquid phase and I really think the proti-diet g0t me off to a good start when I was on clears. I found the orange, grape and Kiwi/Melon all very tasty. I have never read a lot about it on the boards, just curious what others have found or experienced.

My Doc gave us all proti-Diet for post op, it is clear in 8ozs water and 15 grams of protein and tastes like crystal light. GET SOME!

Try this, get some bean and bacon soup, mix with skim milk, blend, strain. it's awesome, with 5g fat, about 15g protein and 30 grams carbs in 8 ozs.

First, I'm going to grow hair over them so no one sees them. Then if they do see them and ask, I will say "what scars, I don't see any scars?". If they persist then well I will mumble something about an animal attack or a shotgun and I don't want to talk about it.

I wouldn't worry to much about it. The therapist screening is to find individuals who have food addictions or other indicators or conditions that may require treatment in parallel with the surgery. I have heard of very few individuals who were denied surgery due to the shrink's report. The goal is your successful weight loss not to wash you out.

Plan for two weeks. I had my surgery on 9/14 and left the hospital the next day. My pain is minimal and I had planned to go back today. I didn't. This is a real surgery and it takes time to recover and that is the norm. Another thing I hadn't counted on is getting your fluids and protien in is a full time job at first. Take the time, you wont regret it.

For my snacks I have been doing cream of mushroom soup. I buy the "Amy's" brand of partially condensed cream of mushroom and mix on can of skim milk, blend, strain, warm up 4 ounces and it is such a nice break from the sweet protein drinks.

This is what my doc and nut has directed me to do. I'm five days post op. Phase II full liquid diet where I can eat anything that rolls off a spoon like milk. My nut wants me to get 75 to 90 grams of Protein, 120 to 130 grams of carbs and 70oz of Fluid a day. I have three "full" liquid meals a day at 8oz plus three Snacks a day at 4oz. In between these meals I sip Water constantly.

I'm five days post op and my surgery and recovery are going well too. The pain was tolerable and I'm off the meds since day three. The Phase II diet is a full time job but I am able to get all my fluids, Protein, and carbs in. Yesterday it was 95Grams protein, 72 Oz's Fluid and 119 Grams Carbs. What amazes me is NO HUNGER, I have to remind myself to eat.

There is no malfeasance intended by those of us who are post op less than three months when we express the FACT that post op is not easy and many of the changes we are experiencing are disorienting and uncomfortable. The feelings we experience are real and our ability to come on this board to be heard is very therapeutic. Your comment is one of the worst I have seen in a long time trying to shame us in to lying to ourselves that everything is rosy. My momma used to say if you don't have anything good to say, then don't say anything. I am glad that at 8 months out all is well for you.

My pre-op diet is 650 to 800 calories with like 10 carbs. the goal of the pre-op is to shrink your liver to get it out of the way. the only way to do that is eliminate the carbs and throw your body in to ketosis. Kinda like the atkins diet with without all the fat. Drink tons of Water At my pre-op,.my doc sent me home with all the food I was allowed to eat/drink. It was not much and the second day of the diet was a killer. By the way, I'm on the sixth day and my surgery is in the morning... I have lost somewhere around 5 to 7 lbs on pre-op. Will know exactly in the morning. Sorry to hear about your troubles, hang in there.

I'm on day 6 of the pre-op diet and the second day kicked my butt. By brain was not working at 100% and driving home, I ran a red light. It gets a little easier. My surgery is in the morning so I'm on my last day. One tip. DON'T GO TO THE GROCERY STORE or GO OUT TO EAT! My wife is out of town and I have been cooking for the kids and had to run to the store. That was torture. My wife just came home with some candy for the kids and my boy has been tormenting me with a piece of chocolate. He is such a little stinker.

I'm a guy so the victory secrets thing, well... and did enough running in the Army. Swimming is my thing but I'm doing that now. Now I can't wait to start doing jujitsu again

Find some co-morbidity if you can. My sister added a few pounds to qualify. Try lifting some weights so the pounds added are beneficial.

Everybody Thanks for the response. My doc was big on the Aspirin and slow release meds restrictions but I think it's because his written materials he developed originated with his bypass patients. Looks like I need to add in: Lactose Intolerance B12 supplementation Elevated estrogen levels during fat lose phase (I think this is true for guys as well but I don't think it will increase our risk of pregnancy, probably decrease it since we are so moody if you get my drift.) Can't forget buying NEW clothes. My surgery is tomorrow. Please keep me in your prayers. Looks like I need to be back to work Tuesday. Thank goodness I have a desk job and work from home.

I can certainly understand your concern and it would seem to me the surgeon would want to have the approval sooner rather than latter as well so it seems odd to me they waited so close to your surgery date. My approval and extension were each turned around in a couple days so you may be fine. That was with Aetna.

Good luck, us guys need to stick together. My surgery is Wednesday and your fears are shared by all of us pre-op.