blizair09

This has never really caused me an issue -- even from the earliest days post-op. I am 8 weeks post-op on Wednesday, and I would say that I drink semi-normally. I occasionally get a little overzealous with my Water gulping, and I get a little pressure in my chest, but it subsides quickly, but that's about it. I have stayed away from carbonated drinks completely, and I haven't had any caffeine since before the surgery either, though. I pretty much drink all water with an occasional caffeine-free iced tea thrown in.

Congratulations. Your hard work has paid off! Keep it up!

As hard as it is to do sometimes, you just need to have a little patience with your body. As the others have said, your body is still healing and there are going to be a lot of ups and downs during the first few weeks post-op. If you follow your plan and meet your Protein and Water goals every day, you will be successful.

My Vitamin D was really low (as in 6). The NP put me on a prescription twice a week for several months pre-op. My levels are normal now. It had no impact on the surgery at all.

Yep -- I have spent most of my life being hot-natured, but I get chilly quite easily these days!!

What is the story with the 6 months? And, if it is his requirement, why doesn't the time you've spent working with his program's nutritionist count toward that time?

My insurance required me to do a six-month diet program before they would approve the surgery. So, I decided that I was going to make the most of that time and try to lose as much weight as I could before the surgery date. And I did! Not only did I lose 99 pounds pre-op (from March 21 until September 28), but I also re-established my relationship with food, started an exercise program, and set myself up for a successful surgery, a nearly seamless recovery, and continued weight loss success post-op. (I've lost an additional 36 pounds since my surgery on September 28.) My advice -- get started now. You'll start to feel better, and you'll set yourself up for more success later. Good luck!

I took 6 weeks off work. When you are deciding what to do, consider the food stages and the constant eating and drinking in addition to the physical recovery itself... Good luck!

The surgery is stressful enough, let alone adding in all of these other things you are going through. Hang in there. I wish the best.

I would definitely tell the surgeon. They typically have you not only do just liquids, but Clear Liquids the day before the procedure. He needs to know what is going on.

Good luck!!

Have you tried unflavored Protein powder in broth? Also when you can add it strained creamed soup, the unflavored Protein Powder can be mixed into it as well.

Focus on meeting your Protein and Water goals. The weight loss will eventually pick back up. Stalls are a part of the process...

I actually enjoyed the psych eval. I met with the psychologist for an hour and then took a long battery assessment. We talked about my history with food, the positive ways I had been working toward re-establishing my relationship with food during my six-month pre-op diet, and about my post-op life and supports. She helped me to re-affirm that I was doing the right thing, and it was a very positive part of my pre-op experience.

I really can't imagine that she would think any differently because you had WLS. And if she did, she probably is not the one for you... Good luck.

I decided when I began my six-month, insurance-required diet program that I was going to work to lose as much weight as possible before the surgery. I followed a low-carb/high protein/high healthy fat diet (less than 20 grams of carbs per day -- most days less than 15 grams), starting at 2000 calories per day and whittling down to 1800, 1500, and settling at 1200 calories per day for the last 3 months of the 6. I weighed 397 pounds (at 6'0") on March 21, and I lost 99 pounds by the day of surgery on September 28, weighing 298 when they wheeled me back to the OR. But even better than the weight loss itself, I re-established my relationship with food and got myself in the mindset to be successful post-op. It is the very best thing I ever did for myself, and I am convinced that it was partially responsible for my almost seamless recovery and my continued weight loss post-op. (I've stayed low carb throughout my food stages post-op, and I've lost 34 pounds since the surgery for a 133 pound loss total.) Take advantage of this time and get started now. You will not regret it!! Good luck!

Nope -- not at all. And I didn't go outside of my self-imposed parameters during my six month pre-op diet either. And the result? I lost 99 pounds pre-op, and I've lost another 34 pounds since my surgery seven-and-a-half weeks ago -- 133 pounds total. And I don't believe we "cheat." I believe we make conscious choices about everything we do (or don't do) in life. Good luck as you continue your journey.

What a story! Congratulations. Hard work, grit and perseverance are the foundation of this journey, and you have embodied all three!!

I couldn't like this post more!!!! I started my journey at 397 pounds in March, and I lost 99 pounds during my six-month, insurance-required diet program. It was the BEST thing I ever did for myself, and I think that it is AWESOME that you are taking that same path. There are so many benefits (health-wise and otherwise). And think how great it will be when the 3 week stall hits (and it will hit) and you will have lost 60 or 70 pounds by then rather than just 10 or 20 pounds if you waited on the surgery to begin. The mental save of that piece alone is a big reward. (I would never have handled my 3 week stall as well as I did if I had lost 20 pounds at that point rather than 120 pounds....) Congratulations. Good for you!!

My psych eval was an hour conversation with the psychologist followed by a longer-than-life battery. I hated taking the battery (because it took such a long, long time), but the time with the psychologist was fine. I actually enjoyed it. She affirmed that my hard work during my pre-op diet (I had already lost 50 pounds pre-op by then) was going to pay off post-op, and it drove me to push harder right up until the surgery date (and I lost 99 pounds by the day of surgery as a result). If I ever needed to talk to a psychologist at some point in the future, I'd look her up. It was well worth my $25 co-pay.

Not.At.All.

THIS!!! Getting the Fluid and Protein intake under control is crucial, and taking the time to be meaningful about it is SO IMPORTANT. Taking the six weeks off from work was the smartest thing I did. I went back yesterday, and with every new routine firmly in place, my return was seamless and everything ran as it should. That would never have happened any earlier.

I'm almost positive this is what the broth was that my hospital served me after the surgery. It certainly tasted like it.