DianeF

That is a lovely idea
I use:
Lactulose: 4-5 5ml spoonfuls per day Dulcoease: 1 5ml spoonful in the evening before bed I have only stopped using these in the last 5 days as my bowel movements are more regular, and to be honest, the dulcoease is very hard hitting, so I wouldn't use that unless you are really struggling with Constipation.
Just try and eat enough fibre, and drink enough Water throughout the day
Per day I take:
x2 A-Z Multivitamin gummies (even though the recommended is always 1, my dietician said bariatric patients should take 2) x1 spray of Vitamin D per day x4 sprays of Vitamin B12 x2 Hairburst gummies

I made a video and asked myself questions in it so that I could look back and see me and hear my answers. Can I ask what you use for Constipation? I only just realized that I won't be able to take the same remedies I have available to me now. Can I also ask what Vitamins you take?

Constipation has been THE thing that I have struggled with most post-surgery. Pleaseeee get something to help with this before the symptoms of it start kicking in - I didn't do this and boy did I suffer 😂
Cleaning the house/flat is definitely a good place to start!
I also wrote myself a letter for like 6 months post-op to open so that I could reflect back on how I was feeling, and the hopes that 'old' me had for 'new' me.
Best of luck!

As @AmberFL suggested, I’d start tracking your food intake. You don’t have to do it religiously to begin but just to start the routine & also get an idea of what you’re eating (nutritional value, calories & portion sizes). Then you could make small changes over the next few months like adjust your portion sizes, swap out some cooking styles or ingredients to healthier ones, try new recipes, drop a snack, etc.
Also an opportunity to start to reflect on your relationship with food. Do you eat to comfort or sooth yourself (when you’re sad, stressed, anxious, angry, etc.)? Do you crave certain foods when you’re bored? Are you an hormonal carb or sweet? Do you have any eating habits like always snack at the movies or watching tv or have to have cake or a muffin with your coffee, etc. And so on.
And, yes, start incorporating some activity into your week. Good opportunity to try some different things to see what you enjoy.
You don’t have to embrace everything all at once. Simple small changes are always easier to adopt & adapt to than jumping in the deep end. You have time before your surgery.
Second the advice not to buy up big in Protein Shakes. A temporary change in your taste buds is very common after the surgery and many find a flavour or brand of shake they enjoyed before the surgery in the pre surgery diet is disgusting after. Things can become too sweet &/or salty, the texture can be off putting and for some it’s the smell of certain foods. It can last upwards of around 6 or so weeks.
I’m in Australia so none of the prolonged wait you have to go through. My surgery was not quite 4 weeks after I first met with the surgeon so I didn’t really have time to do anything - lol!

I had not thought about Constipation. Thank you for the advice! I've only recently heard of proffee and I'm planning on trying it beforehand. I even tried Postum as a potential coffee replacement. I love coffee!

Hello! I'm a brand-newbie and am scheduled for surgery on September 5, 2024. I've gone through 6 months with a dietician, sleep study, endoscopy, all of the usual suspects. Now I'm in the official countdown to actually having the surgery and I thought it might be interesting to hear from some folks who have been through it and what they wish they would have done in this timeframe. Should I be working out more? Is it too early to start a liquid diet? What should I get ready in my house for when I come home afterwards?
Any advice is appreciated!!!
Diane

I’ve tried so many types of exercise over the years & never found one I really enjoyed & stuck with. I dislike getting hit & sweaty. I did enjoy yoga - calming & love the stretching aspect. I didn’t exercise while I was losing but around 18months ago I heard about exercise snacking which is focussed on short bursts of activity several times a day. Bought myself some resistance bands & a thick mat (for my honey back - got them from Kmart so super cheap) and began doing 5 odd minute bursts of stretches, bands, & such about 4 times a day. Added some things & dropped others in my routine. I find it very easy to incorporate into my day. Do it all at home. Usually every day. Do tend to stick to specific times (2:30pm, 4pm, 5pm, 9:15pm). Will also do a few other little things throughout the day. Like have added some feet & Achilles tendon stretches on my stairs, stretch out my hamstrings using the kitchen bench while cooking. Big thing is I’ve been sticking with it. Even if away I do a variation of the activities (I don’t take my bands with me.)
Initially started to help support my back (oozing discs) & regain some flexibility & be more limber. Bonus has been toning the muscles in my arms & legs. (had to buy some new trousers as my thighs had got a little bigger (not huge just firmer I guess) & I get compliments on my toned arms - who’d have thought it.
Worth giving it a go.

My friend failed the psych evaluation twice. She had unrealistic expectations of the surgery and for herself. She wanted an easy way and the psychologist feared she was going to hurt herself. So... she went to another and then another. The third one approved her and she had her surgery in 2015. On the other hand, my virtual psych evaluation was 20 minutes, cost $40, and I don't think the woman even looked at me.
I absolutely agree that it is not warranted or necessary for the surgery. Doctors need to make that decision regarding their patient's care. As far as my surgeon was concerned, it was another box to check off and nothing to worry about. She didn't take it seriously, but did require it only to meet the insurance company's requirements.

Yea. We all know what is the best course of action for myself. Gotta do what you know will work for you.

You can do it with Decaf immediately post surgery until your allowed caffeine too. Mixed with the shake it’s not as off tasting.

Update. I just met with my PCP and it was a total waste of time in terms of getting my questions answered but it gave me more to think about. I mean I appreciate her honesty but she hadn’t even heard of the SADI procedure. She said in terms of whether I am fit for surgery or whether she thinks I am a candidate for bariatric surgery she can answer that and I am but in terms of which surgery is the best fit she would defer to the specialist. It kinda scares me a bit her not knowing much about it. Not that I can’t make a decision now without her just that what if I have a long term complication that’s surgery related and she doesn’t know it because she doesn’t known the surgery. I can just see me on a wild goose chase trying to get to an answer on something that someone familiar with the procedure would know about. I guess if I have a medical issue I can always ask her if it could be related to my surgery and she will search it online?? She said if I had any issues immediately post op we would call surgeon and ask if it could be related to surgery or if I should call my pcp but I don’t know if something happened say two years out whether she would realize if it was related to my altered anatomy.

(I just figured out how to respond to something directly!)
I can't do food funerals. I would binge like a mad man! The thought is fun, but my reality would be awful. In one of my weight loss classes they gave the advice, "Go to the wedding, get the biggest piece of cake, look at it, smell it, take the smallest bite, then throw it away. And remind yourself that you're better than that." My immediate thought was, What world do they live in? Because I knew I couldn't do that.

I'm so glad you tried the muffins and liked them!! I really enjoyed mine, they kept well in the fridge and warmed up really well with a quick zap in the microwave.
Regarding the nutritional needs of a SADI patient. We don't really know, honestly. The SADI is too new to have some of the longer term studies that have been done on the sleeve, bypass, and DS. But it is commonly thought by most surgeons that the dietary needs of a SADI are more than with the bypass because SADI patients are thought to malabsorb more than a bypass patient. And their needs are most likely a little less than a traditional DS.
That said, I attended nutrition classes with all the different surgeries in one group, so we had to learn everybody's requirements!! Most good surgeons recommend that SADI patients follow the dietary requirements of a DS patient to be on the safe side. That means 80-120 grams of Protein, less than 50 TOTAL carbs while in the active weight loss phase (the dietician said "net carbs" is not an official measurement, but if you want to follow net carbs you'd need to keep under 30 net carbs since they get counted differently, most DS patients introduce a bit more complex carbs into their diets once they reach maintenance weight) and the fat grams recommended by the ASMBS is 60 grams of fat by 1 year post op.
However, SADI and DS patients malabsorb a good amount of fat, so veterans of the surgeries will tell you that you need more fat than that. I seem to feel best around 80-100 grams of fat a day, but there are veterans of the DS surgeries that eat closer to 150 grams, or whatever alleviates their Constipation and eases their symptoms of low fat like dry eyes and dry skin.
According to most studies, a DS patient only absorbs about 20-30% of the fat they consume, around 60% of the protein they consume, 60-80% of the complex carbs, and every single calorie of simple carbs!! That's why simple carbs are so important to restrict post surgery (besides the digestive drama), you can eat your way around any surgery with simple carbs... And this is why counting calories is pretty useless for DS and SADI patients.
We don't yet know exactly what the percentage of absorptions is for SADI patients as they haven't done a breakdown study (as far as I know) but it is safe to assume SADI patients absorb a little more fat and protein than a traditional DS patient would. The best way to find your own perfect macros post surgery IMO is to aim for 80-120 grams of protein and then watch your protein labs. They will tell you if you need more protein or if you can back off a little. And for me at least, I find my skin, hair and eyes are highly sensitive to when I have too little fat in my diet.

I don’t count carbs or calories. I just focus on Protein and Water. The SIPS/SADI is a malabsorption surgery. What you eat goes through your system “faster” than other surgeries. I have not had any issues with dumping syndrome. I usually have 1 bm a day . If I do eat something that may be fried or higher carb I do get gas, which is unpleasant smelling. Lol. So I focus on high protein foods, at least 60 grams a day.

Some of us just need the “extra help” that bariatric surgery can give us. I was a total food addict. Always thinking about my next meal, feeling cheated if I did not have heaping portions and eating until I felt sick. Some of us are just wired like that. It’s not just “push the plate away” or having “will power” I believe it just how we are wired, an addiction. This surgery does change your brain, I’m serious, I don’t plan my day around food and I easily choose healthy foods. I don’t crave junk and sweets. The Hair loss is no joke but I knew that was going to happen. I’m 7mo post op and it has slowed down. As far as Vitamins .. I take 2 chewy Multivitamins and 2 calcium chews per day and a B12 every other week because my b12 level was really high. All other blood work was good. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. I wish you the best of luck on whatever journey you decide to take.

I believe that post came at the exact time I needed to hear it. Thank you. I am in a craft group and for some random reason they were talking about someone they knew that had bariatric surgery and how they gained it back. I told them I had the sleeve and I gained it back. That was kinda my way of testing the waters to see if I could confide in them I am considering it again.

Well that went over okay so I did and that’s when All the advice came of how I should try to lose it with this diet and that. I know that I can lose weight. I have lost probably over 1000 pounds in my life. It’s the keeping it off part I cannot do!!

Recently, I have been doing low carb trying out recipes that I think I can eat post op and I have lost a couple pounds. That’s when the little voice creeps in asking if I should try it the old fashioned way just one more time. Knowing good and well it will just be another year of dropping a few pounds then gaining that back plus some more soon after.

Not sure if you the same but for me when I eat carbs I crave carbs. If you are like that don’t do any food funerals immediately before your pro op. It will only make it that much harder. If you have to do food funerals then just do them a week earlier and eat lower carb the week before your pre op diet. It made it tolerable for me when I did my sleeve.

I had not thought about Constipation. Thank you for the advice! I've only recently heard of proffee and I'm planning on trying it beforehand. I even tried Postum as a potential coffee replacement. I love coffee!

Don’t stock up too much on Protein drinks if you can help it. Your tastes may change a little post up and tastes for sweets is a common change. I suggest going to a convenience store to get a variety of flavors in singles serves or the four packs they have at Walmart. Enough to get you through a week would probably be safe. Then you can place a grocery order for pickup on your way home from your post op appt for the ones you actually do like or order them from Amazon. (Make certain they have your brand ahead of time of course). If you do get some that are too sweet post surgery don’t toss Them right away though. Once you can have caffeine they may not be so bad mixed with coffee. Either a little as creamer in a hot coffee or more mixed with iced coffee for a “proffee” If you don’t have anyone that can get them for you if your recovery takes longer Maybe buy ahead just in case but save your receipt
You may also want to be sure you have something on hand for Constipation if your team didn’t tell you to already.

You don’t need to take a lot with you to the hospital. All you really need is your phone charger and some Chapstick and your toothbrush and your hairbrush and slippers if you wear them. You could wear the same clothes home from the hospital that you wore to the hospital because you’re really not going to be in them for very long.

Not wish but glad that I did. I stopped caffeine about a month or so before surgery, I tracked all my food so I got in the habit, I went for walks to build up stamina, only 3x a week until surgery, I had different kind of Protein Shakes, one of each kind that tickled my fancy so after surgery I had options. Some I liked and got more, some I had one drink then gave to my hubs.
I would wait for the liquid diet until they tell you to start because it sucks! I only had to do 1day and I complained the entire day LOL, some people do a food funeral where they eat all the foods they want since that will be on hold for a bit.
I actually deep cleaned my house the week before surgery (I am super Type A LOL) but made me feel good that I didn't have to worry about house keeping for a minute.
I do wish I would cleaned out my pantry better, I had junk food in my house and even though I didn't give into temptation, it was there. Also my mindset with food. I'm 6months post op and it still messes with me, like wanting to eat huge burrito because I'm upset but knowing I physically cant. Its like breaking up with someone. @SleeveToBypass2023 said it really well, breaking in a very toxic relationship, you know its not good for you but you still go back. If you can mentally prepare yourself for it. Its a mindf*%^ .