P7rancher

I think there is a misunderstanding by some on the pre op diet. My pre op diet was not liquid only. It was two Protein drinks, a couple of low fat Snacks and a meal that included lean protein like fish or chicken (4oz), a small salad an small portion of fruit. The all clear liquid diet was just the day before surgery. In no any did this diet plan mak me feel weak. In fact I felt great. In summary I had a low fat, high protein ,low carb diet (not liquids only) for two weeks before surgery. The clear liquid only was the day before surgery only. This diet sequence eliminated the "last meal syndrome" and prepared me for my new life. It just makes perfect sense to start eating correct before surgery and it resulted in me losing 12 lbs. before surgery. Shrinking the liver is an important part of pre op.

Here is the email I sent to family and friends yesterday, June 8 after surgery that morning: Went into surgery at 10:45. Had a little trouble waking up and taking deep breaths but that quickly subsided. Surgery was around an hour. By 3 I was feeling pretty good when a couple of my Arkansas friends came by. At precisely 5:30 I was able to set on the edge of the bed and then got up and walked to the end of the hall and back. At precisely 6:30 I was given one ounce of Water to drink over the next hour, must sip small amounts and carefully swallow. No problem. At 8 I will be given one ounce of Protein drink and two ounces of water for the next hour. Catheter will be removed at 5 am but as an old man that frequents the bathroom, I've decided I like it. Will walk two more times tonight and hopefully have two Protein drinks of one ounce each. Hopefully I will require only one more morphine shot but they do not want me in any significant level of pain. I will sit up or walk until bedtime at 10. Little if any nausea and pain has been well controlled with morphine. Able to take good deep naps this afternoon and looking forward to two blocks of four hours each of sleep tonight. The small (really small) hospital is excellent and all the nurses and aids are wonderful and very well trained. I am at the Roller Weight Loss Clinic in Fayetteville and Dr. Quan is my surgeon. Medical School Johns Hopkins (4 years), surgery training University of Washington (4years) and Batictric Fellowship and head resident 2 and one half years. Been here for five years. My procedure was a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy which removed about 75 to 80 percent of my stomach. Anyway, thanks for all the prayers and concerns. Look forward to seeing all of you. Steve ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update June 9th: Slept really good, one two oun block and one five hour block. Catheter removed at five am, given two one ounce powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury Proteins and three one ounce waters, finished in thirty minutes. Walked five Lapps around the ward, back in room looking at another round of protein and water. I am learning that slow and consistent sips are way better than fast. I expect to be discharged today around noon. So far Unjury strawberry/banana and chocolate are good .I have not noticed any taste changes yet. Still have gas pains at area just below my sternum, not bad but uncomfortable and walking makes them go away. I firmly believe my pre op diet for the weeks before surgery and a strict day before diet were key to my progress. I lost 25 pounds from January, 330lb. down to 305 yesterday. Will post more as time goes by. Sent from my iPad

@@hartless 71 I posted a new topic a few minutes ago in post operative. My experience is running paralel to yours.

I have my sleeve scheduled for June 15 and our family reunion is scheduled for July 1. I know everyone is different but please give me an idea of how I will feel. I know I will be on very soft foods and that's OK. Wish this could have been planned a little better but didn't work out that way.

Thank you for all the replies. Setting in the waiting room waiting to be called to surgery. Feel like I'm on a roller coaster getting pulled to the top of the first drop. Here we go!

I am surprised about this "no pre op diet". As explained by my surgeon the pre op diet is to shrink you liver. Since the liver lays on top of the stomach, making the liver smaller makes it easier to access the stomach. My pre op was one week of two Protein shakes a day and one meal consisting of lean meat (4oz of chicken or fish) plus light salad and non starchy vegitable and small portion of fruit. This is my day before surgery and strictly Clear liquids all day, stop all liquids at midnight. I have lost about three pounds since last week. I was told if I did not at least maintain (and hopefully lose), my surgeon reserved the option of denying my surgery. My group of 12 patients (scattered throughout June) were given the same instructions regardless of sleeve or bypass. Just very odd to me that there can be this much variation in pre surgery preparation.

Any tips on getting some clear liquid calories? I have chicken broth and cranberry lite. Everything else is zero calorie,

Have been drinking a lot of Powerade Zero. Just finished a glass of cranberry light (50 calories and 11 carbs) and I feel better.

LipStickLady very well said. Let's don't lose our sense of humor and in the end we all want happiness. If that's an occasional vodka cranberry lite then so be it. Salut!!!!!

I think it's easy to be overwhelmed by all the information and the simple fact that we are in an environment that we have ever experienced. My two week post op is strictly fluids and Protein shakes, nothing else. I was given a list of approved fluids (Poweraid Zero is my favorite now and plain water). Protien shakes must be unjury or Celebrate (I picked unflavored and chicken). Add two Celebrate chewable Vitamins with Iron and three calcium chewables and this will be my next two weeks. I had to get my mind wrapped around all this and that takes time. You too have to get to a level of comfort with these mechanical parts of the process. The emotional part I'm still dealing with. First emotional hurdle is to get through surgery this Wednesday. I have tried to rehearse trying to sleep Tuesday night, getting up at 4:30am to get to the hospital, checking in and the really scary part of going into the operating room. For me when I get scared/nervous I go over my list of medical issues all caused by my obesity and I then feel a certain calm and move on to the next emotional episode which most certainly will come. If you don't have your head wrapped around all this process then by all means wait awhile. On th other hand if you are just scared then welcome to the club, I don't believe that will change, at least it hasn't for me. Good luck to you.

On Tuesday I will be on my clear liquid diet in preparation for surgery on Wednesday. A nurse at the hospital told me to drink lots of fluids on Tuesday including Power Aid zero to get my electrolytes up. Of course I can't drink past midnight but before that I will drink lots of low cal clear fluids. Good luck to us all.

Just scheduled today for June 8, next Wednesday. Where do you find the "tickers"?

I am learning this at this time. Your surgeon and nutritionist should be able to give you a list for the first two weeks. My surgery center has not even talked to me about week three and beyond as that will depend on how I am doing at the end of week two. I have learned every surgeon may have a different opinion. Good luck

Thanks again for the replies. Just got home from meeting with the NUT and the surgeon. I explained to the surgeon my concern and he arranged to bump my surgery up a week to next Wednesday which will give me three weeks and two days to move toward feeling better before the reunion. I know my diet will still be very restricted and I'm OK with that, just did not want to be hurting and not be able to socialize. Thank you again for the help, feeling much more confident now. Steve

Thank you for the replies. Meeting with Surgeon and NUT tomorrow. Your replies and four friends that have had surgery has left me feeling I'll be comfortable to be around family, hey I think being around my cousins will make me feel even better.

Your article is excellent and the logic you have applied to your journey gives me something to shoot for. Your recipes look great. Thank you for sharing.

One of the surgeons in the clinic I am using is adamant that they are seeing more issues with weight regain after sleeve compared to bypass. I have not been able to find any research to back this up. Any help would be appreciated as I have my mind wrapped up in the sleeve surgery not the bypass. Thanks in advance

Thank you for all the thoughtful ideas. I am making a list of questions to ask my surgeon. One question raised above: "Months post-op, after the sleeve has healed, what does the ideal sleeve look like next to the hiatal valve and next to the duodenal valve?" I need to learn more about the anatomy of the stomach. Any suggested reading would be appreciated. Thanks to all of you again. I know the sleeve is my future.

I really appreciate this topic, looking forward more replies. The Yeti vacuum stainless steel drink cups are excellent at keeping drinks hot/cold, your choice. Regards

In one of Dr. Weiner's videos he states that the sleeve is more appropriate for patients with a faster metabolism. How can your metabolism rate be measured? Thanks in advance

Thank you for the replies. I guess i'm a little surprised that given the number of years the sleeve has been being performed (since around 2001 I believe in the USA) and the many thousands performed that there has not been more comparison research accomplished. My BMI is around 42, I have been able to lose significant weight in the past by diet and exercise (2008 start 295 lbs. five months later lost 70 lbs. down to 225 lbs.). Injured my knee, poor insurance, delayed surgery for three years, regained 85 lbs., currently around 310 and able to do only limited exercise. The point of this life history is that my research suggests that if you have been able to change your set point by diet and exercise then the sleeve should be as effective as the bypass in accomplishing long term weight loss. Also, a starting BMI in the mid to lower 40's seems to also indicate a sleeve will be successful. One source of this research is Dr. Weiner and his excellent videos. I'm 67 and I need a tool to get back to being active. I can't exercise enough, even with a good diet, to lose weight. My historic metabolism shows that I have been able to change my set point. i know that many people can't change their set point and that is where I believe the bypass with the addition of the malabsorption provides a significant benefit. I wish there was more research on the personal characteristics and life history of a patient that would suggest one technique, sleeve vs. bypass, over the other. Please feel free to critique or add to my research findings.

I have been reading here for months and have learned a lot, thank you! I have completed most of my pre-op and only waiting on a psych evaluation. I am 67 years old and I blame all my health issues on my excess weight. The clinic I am working with in Northwest Arkansas does mostly gastric bypass, about 70% gastric bypass and 30% gastric sleeve. In talking with them it is obvious they promote the gastric bypass over the sleeve. They talk about the benefit of keeping your stomach and the longer track record with the gastric bypass procedure. I have two friends who have had their gastric bypass done at this clinic with excellent results. I have two other friends that have had the sleeve performed at a hospital here in Southwest Missouri and that was the only option at this hospital. They also are very pleased. In all my research I had been leaning toward the sleeve but now am wondering if the gastric bypass is a better option. I am not diabetic so that advantage with the gastric bypass does not exist for me. I do have Afib and take Eloquis and have read that may be a reason to not have gastric bypass because of marginal ulcers where the intestines join. The surgeon I am working with dismissed that concern. I was leaning toward the sleeve because I did not like the idea of rerouting my intestines, the sleeve seems to be less restrictive on the kinds of foods you can eventually eat and there seems to be fewer complications with the sleeve. My question, why did you choose the sleeve over gastric bypass assuming you had a choice between the two? Your thoughts will be much appreciated.

Thank you for your reply. Much appreciated! Steve