timetobefree

Sailed through the first three days of pre-op with no problem. Now on day four, I am MISERABLE! Hungry but the thought of another protein shake makes me gag. I am even nauseated - I think it's all the sweet stuff. Three more days, three more days, three more days... Just had to vent out loud to people who would understand.

My pre-op is 3 protein shakes per day, up to 3 servings of cottage cheese or milk or yogurt, up to 3 popsicles or diluted fruit juices, and as much calorie-free liquids as I want (crystal light, coffee, water, etc.) Typically, the idea of a pre-op diet is to decrease the amount of glycogen in your liver in order to make the surgery safer for you and easier for your surgeon. My surgeon also believes in relieving stress on the stomach pre-op, so I am not allowed any foods that need effort to digest.

I start pre-op tomorrow! AHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a place for us to share info on our pre-op diets - how long, what you are allowed to have, what kind of protein shakes you like, and ideas to make protein shakes palatable after umpteen days of nothing else!

Hello! We lived in Toledo until two years ago when we moved to FL!

I start mine two weeks from tomorrow - one week with 3 Protein shakes per day, broth, Jello, and any other calorie free beverage. When I had my band, I found that mixing a chocolate shake with ice cubes and instant decaf coffee made it less protein shake-ish and bulked it up so it didn't seem to be gone in 3 min. This time around, I have discovered Syntrax Matrix Mint Cookie Protein powder, thanks to a friend's recommendation. This stuff is awesome: http://www.amazon.com/Syntrax-Matrix-Mint-Cookie-Powder/dp/B00402T7TO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350600951&sr=8-1&keywords=matrix+mint+cookie+protein+shake

Hi, All! I had my pre-op yesterday. So looking forward to this... He said he expects me to be at goal within 10-11 months. I am ecstatic! I got all the pre- and post-op instructions as well. Pre-op for a week. Post-op is Clear Liquids for days 1-3, add Protein Shakes for days 4-7, then pureed foods for weeks 2-4. After that, it's slowly adding in other foods.

Hi, Bynny! We most certainly do!

WOW! So glad to see this place hopping! My surgery is 5 weeks from today, pre-op starts four weeks from today. I cannot wait!

You are doing so well and look amazing! And I LOVE your hair!

WOW! You look amazing! Kudos on a job well done.

Dana, I can totally relate about the low carb/WW stuff. I, too, gain weight on WW. Doctors (and other people) don't believe me, but I really do. I weigh, measure, count, obsess and gain... Welcome - we'll be sleeve sisters!

78 days and counting - I'll be sleeved on Nov 9! 11.5 weeks from today... I have to do one week of pre-op diet (yuck - three Protein shakes per day), and then my surgeon's post op is Clear liquids for first two days, protein starting on day 3, and real food starting after 3 weeks. In the mean time, in the interest of being able to fit in the clothes I currently own, I'm trying to follow my version of low carb/clean(ish) eating - meat, nuts/seeds, dairy, veggies, and fruit. I just CANNOT gain any more weight. I cannot! I figured I've been doing low carb since Monday and have to do one week or pre-op, so that means 11 weeks of 'dieting' before the sleeve. I can do anything for 11 weeks. And if I stick with it and then add in pre-op, 3 weeks of liquid diet post-op, and a month or so of getting used to my sleeve, that equals 18 weeks, and I could be entering 2013 weighing 50 lbs less than I do now!

Hi! I got my surgery date - Nov 9! 11 weeks from Friday! Glad to see this thread hopping.

My band came out this morning. It was fairly easy as much as surgery can be easy. Surgery at 9:30 am, on my way home at 2 pm. No pain meds needed at all, even immediately post-op. Moving a bit slow, especially sitting down/getting up, but this has been WAY easier than getting banded. There was a fair amount of scar tissue that my surgeon removed. The band had also pulled my fundus (left portion of the stomach) up through my diaphragm, causing some misshaping that needs time to heal. My surgeon still wants to wait four or so months to revise to the sleeve. I know it's for the best, and I'm fine with waiting, although I of course would like to get started sooner. But waiting is the best way to reduce complications, and I just need to remember that this is for the REST of my life, which means four months are just a blip on the radar. I could possibly get sleeved around my three year bandiversary, which would be late November. On bland mushies today and back to a normal diet tomorrow. I still can't believe I am band-less!

Hi, Molly, there's a whole board here devoted to people like you and me - check it out "Band to Gastric Sleeve Revisions." Good luck!

Good luck with your surgery! Very excited for you!

I would STRONGLY caution against anyone getting the band. I too was very successful - in just over 2 years, I lost 198 lbs. I was diligent with everything, followed doctor's orders, exercised, blah blah blah. But the success came either because I was hungry all the time (the band does nothing to control the sensation of hunger), or because I was teetering on too tight and just couldn't eat. I would randomly get too tight months and months after a fill. In fact, my last fill before getting completely unfilled due to a slip was 17 months prior. I wasn't fill happy, I wasn't trying to be too tight, it just happened as I lost weight. While banded, I blogged with a LARGE group of banded folks (300+), and it is downright scary how many people are experiencing issues 2 and 3 years out. I'd say at least 40%, if not more. And now that I've had my band removed and found out how much damage it caused, I would REALLY caution against it. While I didn't want to permanently change my guts with sleeve or RNY, I basically did permanently change my guts by getting the band because of the scarring it caused. I wouldn't necessarily try to talk someone out of it (I know someone who just got banded this week), but I am sharing my story as a caution to make sure they know ALL the facts.

Congrats! You have done amazing!

Great job! You are so cute, even before, but now you just glow!

You are absolutely gorgeous! Congrats on all your hard work!

Good luck tomorrow, Amy! Since January, I've had issues with slips and leaks. Add that to struggles to have restriction that provided relief from hunger without being too tight, and I just decided enough was enough. The band just didn't work as advertised for me, and I couldn't spend any more time or money trying to make it work.

As someone who plans to be revised to the sleeve (from the band) in a few months, I'm really interested in hearing about your experiences with hunger with the sleeve vs. the band. I never really had much relief from hunger with the band. I couldn't eat much when I was too tight, and that led to me not eating much, just because it wasn't worth the effort or the pain afterwards. But it certainly wasn't because I wasn't hungry. The band really didn't do much for my hunger at all. Hunger has been my demon for so long; I am so hopeful that the sleeve really will help control it. But I have read stories here and elsewhere that it doesn't always happen for sleevers. What has you experience been? On a scale of 1 to 10, what was average hunger before WLS? With the band? With the sleeve? I am okay with the truth. Thanks!

I like that answer A LOT, CGJ!

Thanks for all the input! I am pretty used to dealing with head hunger, especially with the band, so if the sleeve diminishes real hunger at all, that will be so awesome!