Scylla

It's so funny to me that it seems every surgeon's practice has a different variation on the pre-op diet! My pre-op diet is: Four Protein shakes per day (either Myoplex Light, Ketogenix, Ensure High Protein or Slim Fast High Protein) and raw veggies (no dips, dressings, etc.) No limit on the raw veggies.

I LOVE Syntrax nectar Protein powders. My favorite is the chocolate Truffle. My 12 year old son plays hockey and I make him a Protein shake with that after his practices and games. He loves it and says it takes just like chocolate milk. I recently tried Myoplex Lite ready to drink because it was on my surgeon's list for the pre-op diet and I wanted to jump start my pre-op weight loss. The Cookies & Cream flavor was actually pretty good. I would definitely purchase that flavor again. On the other hand, the strawberry Cream flavor was horrible! Very fake tasting and the thickish, slimy consistency was like drinking Milk of Magnesia or Pepto Bismol. Bleccch! Also recently tried Syntrax Matrix Simple vanilla flavor. Nowhere near as good as Nectar--probably won't re-purchase. My son tried one protein shake with it and says he doesn't like it.

I met with the nutritionist from my surgeon's hospital group this morning. While she didn't really give me any earthshattering news that I didn't already know, she did give me a huge binder of information re the before surgery liquid diet and all of the phases of the post surgery diet. It is very information and very detailed. I was surprised to find that there were only five types of acceptable protein shakes listed for the before surgery liquid diet: Myoplex Lite Ensure High Protein Slim Fast High Protein Ketogenix (BariatricAdvantage) and one other that I had not heard of before that is apparently only available online. What struck me about the Slim Fast High Protein is that it really isn't THAT high protein--it's only 7 grams. It's 15 once milk is added. I have already been supplementing my protein as part of my MSWL and getting the 70-80 grams of protein requirement in, using Syntrax Nectar and Syntrax Matrix. The NUT said that Syntrax Nectar would be good to use AFTER surgery, but that it can't be used for the pre-surgery diet due to the fact that it is too low in carbs. She said she would not recommend the Matrix protein at all because it is a protein blend and not just whey protein isolate or concentrate. I am obviously going to follow my NUT's advice, but I was just curious as to whether others had these kind of limitations with the pre-surgery diet.

My husband and I watched Penny's Story together. I pretty much could not stop shaking my head in sadness and disbelief. I taped Chuck's Story but have not watched it yet. Hopefully he is more successful!

Informative, not information. LOL

My kids are astounded when they see pictures of me from 2004/2005 when I lost about 100 lbs. on the Atkins diet for in 18 months. Even so, the lowest weight I made it to was 254! They were 3 and 7 back then. Now they are 12 and almost 16 and are extremely supportive. They can't wait to see the thinner, healthier version of me again--and I will be way thinner than 254!

My husband and I have been together for almost 23 years and will be married 20 years in August. I am in it to win it! We are happy and he and our kids are very supportive of my upcoming weight loss surgery. They love me unconditionally, but they are looking forward to me being able to join them in their favorite activities (playing tennis, bike riding, hiking, roller skating, ice skating, etc.) and not sitting on the sidelines or waiting on a picnic bench at a trailhead while they hike! I think my new-found healthy habits are helpful to them, as well.

Big hugs to you, Allegra. I am 44 also, and can relate to much of what you experienced. I was not physically abused, but I was emotionally abused on a daily basis by my mother because of my weight. You've got this! We're all on your side, and we're all rooting for you!

Oh no! You must be so disappointed! When are they going to give you the new date?

That's great! Keep up the good work! I'm in the midst of medically supervised weight loss myself. Two more monthly visits (and 9 more pounds) until my surgery is scheduled.

I have been completing my requirements prior to surgery since the end of August, which includes 6 monthly visits of medically supervised weight loss with my surgeon's nurse/bariatric coordinator. My last visit with her is at the beginning of March. After that, assuming all of my other requirements have been met they will put in for approval (which is expected very fast with my particular insurance). I have done a lot of research since even before August about what surgery was right for me and I was convinced it was the sleeve. Liz (the bariatric coordinator) was very honest with me yesterday and said she thought I might not have very good success with the sleeve because I have been struggling to lose weight and definitely have a fondness for sweets. She also said that when she attends the surgeon's office's monthly support group sessions she is kind of jealous that the patients who had RNY seem to have a much greater degree of "control" in their eating. I can certainly use more control in my eating! So now I am seriously questioning my decision and and starting to re-think my plan. I need to decide before 1/31, as I have my appointment with the dietician who will give me a binder full of info and the info varies a bit depending on the type of surgery I choose. I realize that RNY has been around much longer than the sleeve and that the sleeve was originally intended to just be the first step in duodenal switch surgeries for 500+ lb. patients. However, the re-routing of the intestine freaks me out quite a bit and I am afraid of nutritional deficiencies caused by the malabsorptive aspect of the RNY surgery. I'm thinking I should just go with my "gut" and get sleeved, but just wondered if anyone here regretted getting the VSG and wished they had gotten a bypass instead. Any comments would be appreciated!

Congrats! You must be so excited! I will find out in early March what my date will be. Since I have to do 1 month of liquid diet it should be sometime in April.

NMJG, what about my post makes you think I should re-think WLS completely? I have been steadily losing weight on my medically supervised weight loss plan. All I said is that I have a fondness for sweets--I didn't say I was out of control and sabotaging myself. I've had a psych evaluation and was approved for surgery. The psychiatrist thinks I am a good candidate for surgery and we discussed that my expectations are that the surgery is merely a tool. She does not think I need counseling for my food issues. Trust me, I have done a LOT of research on this and am an intelligent, professional person. This was not a decision made lightly or overnight. I was just wondering if anyone else had decided one surgery over another only to be told by their doctor or nurse that another surgery might work better. I absolutely DON'T want dumping syndrome, so, no, I don't want RNY for that purpose. (Indeed, I don't want RNY at all!) Perhaps the key is for my bariatric coordinator to clarify what she meant by RNY patients having more "control." Thanks for your comments and advice, everyone!

Hi everyone. I have been completing my requirements prior to surgery since the end of August, which includes 6 monthly visits of medically supervised weight loss with my surgeon's nurse/bariatric coordinator. My last visit with her is at the beginning of March. After that, assuming all of my other requirements have been met they will put in for approval (which is expected very fast with my particular insurance). I have done a lot of research since even before August about what surgery was right for me and I was convinced it was the sleeve. Liz (the bariatric coordinator) was very honest with me yesterday and said she thought I might not have very good success with the sleeve because I have been struggling to lose weight and definitely have a fondness for sweets. She also said that when she attends the surgeon's office's monthly support group sessions she is kind of jealous that the patients who had RNY seem to have a much greater degree of "control" in their eating. I can certainly use more control in my eating! So now I am seriously questioning my decision and and starting to re-think my plan. I need to decide before 1/31, as I have my appointment with the dietician who will give me a binder full of info and the info varies a bit depending on the type of surgery I choose. I realize that RNY has been around much longer than the sleeve and that the sleeve was originally intended to just be the first step in duodenal switch surgeries for 500+ lb. patients. However, the re-routing of the intestine freaks me out quite a bit and I am afraid of nutritional deficiencies caused by the malabsorptive aspect of the RNY surgery. Has anyone else originally planned to have VSG and wound up with RNY instead? Are you glad you did? Regretful that you did? I'd appreciate any and all comments. Thanks!

I made an appointment with my PCP for the express purpose of getting a referral to a WLS surgeon. My PCP has been my PCP for 20+ years, so he knows how I've struggled and how my weight has been up and down. He was very happy when I told him I had been considering WLS for years but finally decided I needed to do it and has been extremely supportive. Good luck to you!

Hi everyone. I have been completing my requirements prior to surgery since the end of August, which includes 6 monthly visits of medically supervised weight loss with my surgeon's nurse/bariatric coordinator. My last visit with her is at the beginning of March. After that, assuming all of my other requirements have been met they will put in for approval (which is expected very fast with my HMO). I have done a lot of research since even before August about what surgery was right for me and I was convinced it was the sleeve. Liz (the bariatric coordinator) was very honest with me yesterday and said she thought I might not have very good success with the sleeve because I have been struggling to lose weight and definitely have a fondness for sweets. She also said that when she attends the surgeon's office's monthly support group sessions she is kind of jealous that the patients who had RNY seem to have a much greater degree of "control" in their eating. I can certainly use more control in my eating! So now I am seriously questioning my decision and and starting to re-think my plan. I need to decide before 1/31, as I have my appointment with the dietician who will give me a binder full of info and the info varies a bit depending on the type of surgery I choose. I realize that RNY has been around much longer than the sleeve and that the sleeve was originally intended to just be the first step in duodenal switch surgeries for 500+ lb. patients. However, the re-routing of the intestine freaks me out quite a bit and I am afraid of nutritional deficiencies caused by the malabsorptive aspect of the RNY surgery. Has anyone else originally planned to have VSG and wound up with RNY instead? Are you glad you did? Regretful that you did? I'd appreciate any and all comments. Thanks!

I have not, but I just wanted to let you know that I am sorry to hear you are having such a hard time and have been so sick. I hope the doctors can get things figured out for you so you are feeling better soon!

My surgeon's office REQUIRES all patients to lose 10% of the amount of weight they are overweight. I am 220 lbs. overweight (eeeeek!), so my requirement is 22 lbs. Until I lose that amount, they will not put in for insurance approval.

Cindygirl, I am so glad you are feeling great! By the time your daughter's wedding rolls around you will feel even better and look amazing!

Well done! You have good reason to be proud of yourself! Congrats!

That is awesome! Glad to hear you are feeling better. And it will only get better from here!

I hope everything went well with your surgery and wish you a speedy recovery!

I'm having the surgery at Glenbrook Hospital and Dr. Denham is my surgeon, also! You're right--his whole staff is great! I am doing the medically supervised weight loss with Liz (nurse and bariatric coordinator) and she has helped me so much!

Hey Bronco605--how did your surgery go? How are you doing? Please let us know!

Good luck, Linda! We are rooting for you!