I'm With The Band

How much did everyone lose prior to the surgery? (On the two-week Optifast pre-surgery diet?)

My surgery was scheduled for tomorrow, 10/15. I made arrangements with work, travel, recuperation, etc. bought the stuff I am supposed to eat in the days/weeks following the surgery + checked into the hotel where I will be staying for at least one week after surgery to recuperate, etc. (not to mention Optifast for 2 weeks). So this morning I get a call from my doctor's office. They wanted to change the location of my surgery from Trinity Medical Center - a hospital - to a "surgery center" a few minutes away from the hospital. Why, I asked. Because my doctor (Frank Veninga in Carrollton, TX) is having a conflict with the hospital over a patient care issue and therefore wants to move the surgeries from the Trinity Medical Center to the surgery center. I want my procedure done in a hospital. So then doctor's assistant said that I could have it done in the hospital if I want to wait until first week in November. (How that makes sense with the whole doctor-hospital conflict re: patient care, I don't understand.) So I asked about two more weeks of Optifast and she said "Oh, we could not ask you to do that because you've been on it two weeks and that would not be fair." And I said "Forget fair, I want to do what is medically necessary so do I need to do Optifast two weeks before the new date because it is required medically?" And she said no and that all you really need to do to shrink the liver is to follow Optifast for two days prior to the surgery!!!! The rest of the time (other 12 days) is to get a jump start on weight loss so before/after the surgery when the patient will feel like she has already accomplished something. I am so bummed about so many things. Yes, the surgery date, but also the fact that my doctor would want me to go to a surgical center when one of the main reasons I selected him was because he does his surgeries at a hospital. Also, the fact that they waited less then 24 hours before the scheduled surgery to spring this on me. (After I traveled 300 miles to Dallas, after I checked into hotel and moved in enough stuff to live for a while, after 2 weeks of Optifast, after I scheduled a service to deliver me to/escort me in and return me from the hospital and escort me to my hotel room and the morning of my pre-op meeting at the hospital!!!) So now I am down on the whole surgery. I am having so many doubts. And that makes me thing that I should not go into such a life altering procedure if I have these doubts. And then the superstitious part of me thinks that these are "signs" that I should not have the surgery. I am very confused and stressed and that makes me want my comfort food. So far I've downed 2 of the optifast shakes this morning. My stomach is not hungry. My head wants a huge chicken cesar salad. Any thoughts? Any regrets? Any suggestions? Thank you!

Thanks for all the information. It is very helpful as I am trying to decide what to do. I think I am most rattled by the fact that (1) the proposed change in venue is so last minute and (2) one of the reasons I selected the doctor I did was because he does his surgeries at a hospital. I wanted an experienced, reputable doctor who performed surgeries in a hospital and I found one and I was very happy about that. Then it was all changing less than 24 hours before the surgery. My preference for a hospital is probably based on two things (1) no prior experience with surgeries, etc. and (2) when I researched doctors and locations, etc. I found quite a few who sounded like they just opened up shop in a strip mall and started doing surgeries. So that made me decide I wanted to be in a hospital. If anything goes wrong, or if anything unexpected occurs, I want to be in a place that is the best equipped (with machines, instruments and staff, physicians), etc. to handle whatever the emergent situation is. Also, having -0- medical background and -0- experience with any type of surgeries or hospital stays, I don't really understand (1) what it means that a doctor has a dispute with a hospital over patient care or (2) why that dispute means I can't have my surgery on 10/15, but can have it on 11/03. What type of dispute has a planned resolution set to occur two weeks out? Again, thank you for all the info. I haven't made a final decision on how to proceed, but I appreciate all comments and info!!

I told the doc's office that I needed to look at my calendar and that I would get back to them. I am frustrated, angry, disappointed, etc. I am thinking about just getting more Optifast and continuing with that for another two to three weeks and then making up my mind.

Hi! I would definitely follow the instructions your doctor gave you. Maybe you can ask whether you can have soup -- like chicken noodle or broth. I also want to share my experience with you. When I met with my doctor to discuss preparations for the surgery, etc., I told him I was worried about the two-week Optifast requirement and I asked, rhetorically, "how can people do that?" and he said "they don't." He said that most people do not follow it strictly and eat food. He said that it's really to jump start the weight loss so that the patient feels like she has accomplished something. Also, this morning my surgery for tomorrow was cancelled and when I expressed exasperation to my doctor's assistant about going on the Optifast for another two weeks before the new surgery date, she said that "you really only need to do it for two days" to shrink the liver. So, that is just FYI. (Also, for the first 2-3 days on Optifast, I felt miserable. After that, I got used to being hungry and it wasn't so bad.) Good luck!

I am traveling to Dallas for surgery. I am checking into a hotel the day before and planning to stay in it for at least four days after surgery. I will not have anyone with me. Should I? Do I need to have someone stay with me?

How long until I can drive? How long did it take for you to be able to drive?

Hi! I am scheduled for October 15. I have AETNA and they require a 3-month diet/exercise program and even after that, approval is not a guarantee so I am self-pay now. I am using Credit Care. Is anyone else using it? I was very surprised by how easy it was to get a line of credit with them for this surgery. I didn't believe it at first. After that, things moved quickly. I am on day 1 of my pre-op liquid diet. Doc has me on Optifast. I am hungry!!!!

Hello ! I am so glad I found this site. Today is day 1 of my pre-op diet. (My surgery is scheduled for 10/15/2008.) My doctor has me on two weeks of Optifast starting today. So far, I have only been able to force down one serving of it. It's not horrible, awful, just not tasty. And I am hungry. Next week I have to drive for business -- about 6 hour round trip -- and I am worried that by then I will be virtually worthless because of hunger/lack of solid food. What was it like for those of you who have already completed the two-week pre-op diet?? Thanks for all replies.