patsal

Rosetta, So far the pre-op diet has been ok. It took a little tweeking to get it to work for me as far as not being hungry at night. I can't say it has been easy or enjoyable, but if it has to be done than it is worth it! I do miss food though:cursing:

44 sticks of butter down, but I almost wiped out a Subway! So I've been doing the mostly liquid pre-op diet--the usual protien shakes, cream of wheat, yogurt, pudding, popsicles, jello and apple sauce--all sugar free and all very bland. The great thing so far is I am down 44 sticks of butter--for those that don't cook that is 11 pounds! Yesterday I thought I'd give myself a break from cooking for the rest of the family--kind of a slow methodical torture as I chop, dice and can't taste. I decided to grab them subway. Now I see the flaw in that. While I didn't deviate form my pre-op plan, I did have a singel moment of insanity one where I for just an instant thought I might jump over the counter and begin a two fisted grazing from the letuce bin. Yes, all the other stuff they have there and all I kept thinking was wow that is some beautiful fresh green lettuce--look at the color, I bet it crunches really nice too. Sick! Back to reality I have to place the order and with my eyes glazed over like a maniac I may be frightening to the poor kid fixing my order! The subway remains safely in tact as do the subs for the ride home and each of the family members got their dinner without any missing bites.

Hugs Ash, I too am big on the things happen for a reason notion so I get what you mean, but that doesn't make it any less disappointing. Look at the brightside at least you get to eat now! Today I could have jumped the counter at Sub Way and started shovelling lettuce in my mouth two fisted--I maintained my composure while picking up the food for my family, but that was almost harder than just making dinner!

Rosetta, I'm sorry your in discomfort, but at least you'll still be able to have the surgery. See you sometime in the hallways, next Friday! Sally Debbie, Thanks for sharing your poem. It is nice to know others have felt similiarly to how I feel.

Good luck Tweety and Chincilla! Glad it went well LapNYC! I'm at Day 6 of the liquid pre-op and I so relate to Northern Mist--every time I prepare stuff for the family I am trying hard to be "on top of things" so I don't accidentally grab a little bite of something that would make for a deviation. After cooking great meals for them all for the past 6 nights I am giving myself a break and picking up subway for them on the way home tonight. Wednesdays are hectic for us so this will be a nice break! I will enjoy not having to prepare for one night! Have a great day everyone!

Aww Tweety, I am sorry that happened to you. I would just give the Dr. a quick call and then jump right back into your pre-op. Should you have the shakes though--the idea is to build up your protien intake as well as to shrink your liver--that popcorn chicken is lots of breading (carbs) so maybe you should still have your shakes?

Thanks, I am glad I will be able to use in the future if not so much this week and next. I am going to try your suggestion of making the shakes ahead and getting them colder. I tried a bit of ice yesterday and that seemed to work well. I'm becoming partial to the chocolate!

Ok, today I gagged on my Unjury--tried the chicken flavor, mixed it with milk then heated it in a bowl, it was a bit salty which was actually a good change, but by the end I was gagging it down...this was not good! I ordered more Unjury on Friday, and I am glad I left out the chicken flavor!

Oh, I hope not. Have you just given a quick call to the Dr. I was supposed to be January and when I called, they misfiled my folder and never requested approval from my insurance. They fast tracked me as soon as I spoke to them and I had an answer and a date in 48 hours. Just wanted to add that I too have a wicked headache and am finding it difficult to concentrate (my HS kids should have a great day tomorrow, fortunately I did all the planning and set up for the week on Friday before I left!). I keep looking at the big picture though and know this is only for a short time.

Good to know. I am on day two, but thought today was better than yesterday. I will have to take it day to day, I am trying to space things out better today than yesterday, and so far it has helped.

Another thing to try is "doubleing" your milk, add a serving of non-fat dry milk powder to your skim milk and you add 8 more grams of protien..remember you are not adding the water it calls for in the directions just adding it to your milk for the extra protien (80 calories, 8 grams of protien)

So far the Unjury is my favorite, not too high in sugar and enough protien to hold me.

Totally done with all pre testing and nutrition/exercise class and got clearance from my PCP yesterday as well. Started the liver reduction diet today. So far not starving...

Well, I am a bit closer now and things are really seeming to feel real for me. It has been such a long journey to this point and today I had the last of my pre-op testing at the hospital--bloodwork, urinanalysis, EKG and chest X-Ray. Tomorrow to the Dr's for a nutrition and exercise class. Then Friday begins the pre-op diet. The countdown begins!

I get Chobani at BJ's or Sam's club for $12.99 for a 12 pack--blueberry, strawberry and peach. I get Oikos at Wegmans--when a coupon comes out int he paper it is for $1.00 off one, I go to ebay and buy up coupons so they end up .69 cents each.

Same here, it is a lifestyle change. My Doc. said to try it before banding to get the family on board with healthy eating and to see what life after the band would be like. DH lost all of his excess weight in 6 months, DD lost about half of what she needs to lose--I give her more dairy since she is 14, plus I don't know what she eats when she is not home! I lost too, but have a much better handle on what is good and what is not so much! Tons of great chicken and veggie recipes.

I use Unjury, 20 grams of protien per scoop, 27 when mixed with milk. Pre-op and Post op rec. from Nutritionist and surgeon. My cost was about $78 for 4 big containers. I will have to place another order soon for the post op. I like it because it mixes completely with no lumps and the strawberry can be mixed with water so I get a kool-aid consistency.

14 days of unjury shakes made with milk, 4 of them, if one is made with Water an additional shake can be consumed. Looks like Unjury shake for breakfast with 1/2 cup cream of wheat snack sf pudding shake for lunch with sf applesauce snack of smooth sf yogurt shake for dinner with 1/2 cup low sodium cream Soup sf popsicles and additioanl shake for pm snack If a shake is preped with water and additional shake may be consumed if necessary. SF drinks and water all ok too I start on Friday, should be interesting!

I know what you mean, Carmen, I begin my pr-op diet on Friday and for the first time ever Friday doesn't seem all that far away! I purchased all my pre-op food and they are in two little bags on the dining room floor. On Thursday I will move one to the kitchen counter, with specific rules for everyone to leave it alone. DS who has been underweight for 17 of his 18 years will be the only one I am worried about--he loves sugarfree vanilla pudding, no sugar added apple sauce and yoplait yogurt! I picked up some yoplait on shopping day and thought I "sheltered" it well in the fridge--not so he keeps telling me how great they taste!:cursing: It will be ok and go by quickly, at least we have one another around here to really understand what we are going through and keep us encouraged!

Dr. Pham at Synergy

I just wanted to share that I too am doing something similiar. I was in "Last Supper" hell as soon as I got approved--finally just gave in and ate that whole damn cheeseburger at Red Robin and got it out of my system. This week I went back to South Beach Phase 1, from there I will back it down next week to a shake in place of breakfast, then to the pre-op diet the nutritionist gave me. I have not been as good about the exercise though--I am getting in about a half hour daily. I was thinking like you did, to go from what I currently consume to the pre-op seemed really drastic, so maybe training my body to do more with less seemed reasonable to me! I am using Unjury looks like $78 for the two weeks plus the other items I am allowed (unsweetened applesauce, cream of wheat, sugar free pudding, and canned cream soups)

I drink about 4 cups per day, and this week I have cut it to two with 32 oz of water between cups. Am I going to have to cut it even more--I want to be prepared so I don't get that horrid headache!

Just another part of this journey, I guess. My Mother is full of hte "alls you hafta do is..." advice. I am obese, have been obese for an eternity, seriously would I go this drastic if I didn't needmore help and have not failed at everythign else! No one who knows believes that I am as heavy as I am, which is both good and bad. I have pointed out that two Drs and the insurance feel comfotable with it and have approved it. I think in a way for my Mom it was her own insecurities--everything has to be about her so she thought I ws going to get all nuts on her about how unwell she fed us as kids. I am a believer that all do the best they can with what they know at the time. I now know much more about nutrition and behavior than I did a year ago and I certainly can't blame my mother for what I have eaten in the last 20 years! I am opting to keep it within the walls of my home. I do not need permission from anyone else nor do I feel the need to justify what I need anymore. Eventually everyone will find out and I will swear that they got a last minute cancellation and could fit me in so I didn't want to bother anyone after 9pm! lol:tongue_smilie: Not nice I know, but the best way for me to deal with it and let this be about me and what I need not my mother or how she feels about it.

:thumbup:Finally I have a pre-op testing date. I am only concerned that it is like 24 hours before I am supposed to get clearance from my regular Dr. I am calling tomorrow to let them know when the pre-op testing is so they can reschedule me if that will be a problem. My guess is with fax machienes and such there shouldn't be an issue, but I don't want to take any chances!

Waiting sucks! This whole process has been a hurry up and wait cycle for me. I am now waiting for the hospital to call me to set up the last pre-op testing. I am going crazy--I have a very narrow window of opportunity to get the testing as I have two required days I MUST be at work next week--I have been patient since last Thursday (1-14) but I am losing it! If I have to have someone else administer the test the kids are not going to do as well since they are used to me, special ed. and very accustomed to routine. So back to the old cycle take care of everyone else and if there is time take care of me, or take care of me and then mop up the mess later:confused:. Hang in there Me3, the time will go by reasonably quickly!