I Wish I Would Have............ Before My Surgery! {Fill In The Blank}

[SensationallySassyT 80]

Knowing what you know now about the gastric sleeve would you have done Anything differently pre op to ensure a healthy and smooth transition post op and beyond!???? If so please share!

I am pre op and trying to learn as much as possible in order to live a more healthy and productive lifestyle~ Any and All suggestions are welcomed~

I wish I would have______________ before my surgery!

Looking forward to your feedback~

T~ :wub:

[MinaT 669]

I did exactly what I was suppose to do.

If I had to do it all over again, I would do the same thing.

My list of what I did 6 month pre-op.

I followed 800 - 900 calorie diet with 80 grams of Protein - 45-75 carbs

I drank 64 ounces of Water

I charted all my food, Water and exercise on myfitnesspal.com

I started walking in place because exercise was too hard, I eventually worked my way up to getting on my gazelle slowly 5 minutes first day - 10 - then I did two 10 minutes a day, all the way up to 1 hour twice a day

I stopped drinking with my dinner and waited 1/2 hour after eating to drink my water

I gave up coffee

I gave up sodas

I made sure I did my "last supper" before my pre-op shake started and didn't do it the day before. Those that do high carbs the day before they start pre-op shake seem to have the hardest time with the liquid diet.

I found a good decaff tea that was soothing and relaxing to my belly. I swear it got me through the first few days in the hospital. Bigelow Decaff Peppermint Tea with Truvia.

I decided to give 100% to the plan and the surgery and decided to try to stay positive.

I decided that I will not give into the scale when the scale doesn't move and I would not self-sabotage myself if it didn't move fast enough.

I got it ingrained in my head that after surgery I may end up weighing more right after surgery and I wouldn't freak out about it. Day of surgery 229 - 6 days after surgery 235. I didn't freak.

I kept my sense of humor and my wits even when faced with the fact there were complications with my surgery.

I promised myself that this journey would only affect my family in a positive way. I would not take out my lack of being able to eat out on them, and I would do what I could to make sure I didn't make them suffer. (No outburst during dinner that I couldn't eat what they were eating). This still bugs me when I see this to this day.

Realize this surgery is permanent, there are no do-overs, no I want my stomach back. If you are going to have surgery to remove 85% of your stomach, know it's permanent and that this is not a diet fad, this is permanent, for the rest of your life.

Realize that the sleeve is a tool. It's not human, it doesn't make decisions for you, it is not superhuman, it's a tool, the person who controls it is you.

After you get sleeved, it's up to you to realize this is a lifestyle change. The issues that caused you to become overweight in the first place are still there. If you feel that food is your "best friend" your "comfort" then...it's time to get a dog, get a new best friend and realize if you want comfort better find a good blanket, a good friend, or better way of comforting yourself because food is there for nourishment.

Parties are for interacting with people. For the first few months food will rule your life, is it time to eat, what am I eating. If you have a family and you have to cook, know that you will have to cook two times, once for them and once for you. If you can't handle watching them eat steak, burritos, and fun foods, don't eat at the same time until you can start eating the same types of foods.

Let your family know their eating will eventually change. You will want to add more chicken, fish, turkey into the meal and something you will want to know is that everyone around you will most likely change too. People that don't even know that I had surgery are dieting now because they see me.

My husband, son, father have lost weight, my other friends and family that didn't even know I had surgery just started high Protein, low carb diet.

Good luck to you, not sure when your surgery is but I wish you the best. This is all my best advice.

Things to bring to the hospital:

Charmaine Butt Wipes

Your favorite Decaff Tea

Your favorite Artificial Sweetener

Your favorite soft cuddly blanket

Small Fan

Sip sip sip, walk walk walk...

[PEvette 297]

I wished I'd done my pre-op diet for a month before the surgery....I did it for 3 weeks instead of the 2....

But wished I'd done it for a month...I know crazy, but I am hard on myself....

[lcox1102 11]

I wish I would have been more mentally prepared for how crappy I actually felt after surgery. The gas pain is terrible!!!!! It does get better EVENTUALLY.

[Catracks 865]

I wish I would have gotten my surgery years before my surgery!

Sorry. Don't mean to be a smart ass, but it's honestly the truth.

I had a two week full liquid diet. I think I was on Clear liquids a couple of days prior to surgery. I didn't stress it. I was very ready for this and I think it helped with recovery time.

I also read EVERYTHING I could get my hands and eyes on. I went to The World According to Eggface and got a bunch of her recipes and put them in a 3 ring binder.< /p>

I also made lists of what to buy at the grocery and what to bring to the hospital.

I also made a surgery 3 ring binder with my hospital instructions, surgeon's instructions (diet, supplements, care of sutures, etc.), lists, labs ...

I also put in an itinerary of things I wanted to do on my three week "vacation." Seriously. Horse back riding was number 10. Trips where you do a fair amount of walking were on there like zoos, flea markets, antique stores, livestock auctions, etc.

I also bought work out clothes and moved all my Tae Bo tapes and all my weights to my TV cabinet.

Now, I heal very quickly. Some others do not. I have had open abdominal surgery and arthroscopic surgery so I kind of knew how my body would react.

I bought all my Protein powders, flavorings, mini muffin pan, pint electric ice cream maker, Vitamins, 1.5 cup food processor, digital kitchen scale, small single serving containers, baby fork and spoon ...

I also made a LOT of Soup and crock pot meat and froze them in 1 cup containers. I still have some left. I eat the Soup I made from time to time. I made high Protein Soups.

I just like to plan things to the nth degree.

I had no medication other than the one dose of morphine I gave myself after they told me to in recovery. YUCK! I didn't take another dose. I don't like being out of it. If you're out of it you can't walk the gas off like you should.

Again, I have a high pain tolerance and this was NOTHING compared to my C-section or fibroid tumor removal.

When I got up after I got out of recovery (3 hours later) I would walk a lap around the floor and then stop and my room and crunch ice chips and repeat until I fell asleep that evening.

Then I got up and repeated the whole process again until I was out of there. I Hate hospitals. They're full of sick people.

[Karen2012 36]

I wish I would have ______________ before my surgery!

---> I wish I would of had balls lol to stick to a diet plan and lose weight without too much restriction. Im only 21 and my life changed drastically. If I would of done this by my own I would still have the foods I want one in a while and I wouldn't feel bad like I do at times. And I would still be able to enjoy my Water and now I can't it hurts :/

[BenisaMartim4 369]

I did exactly what I was suppose to do.

If I had to do it all over again, I would do the same thing.

My list of what I did 6 month pre-op.

I followed 800 - 900 calorie diet with 80 grams of Protein - 45-75 carbs

I drank 64 ounces of Water

I charted all my food, Water and exercise on myfitnesspal.com

I started walking in place because exercise was too hard, I eventually worked my way up to getting on my gazelle slowly 5 minutes first day - 10 - then I did two 10 minutes a day, all the way up to 1 hour twice a day

I stopped drinking with my dinner and waited 1/2 hour after eating to drink my water

I gave up coffee

I gave up sodas

I made sure I did my "last supper" before my pre-op shake started and didn't do it the day before. Those that do high carbs the day before they start pre-op shake seem to have the hardest time with the liquid diet.

I found a good decaff tea that was soothing and relaxing to my belly. I swear it got me through the first few days in the hospital. Bigelow Decaff Peppermint Tea with Truvia.

I decided to give 100% to the plan and the surgery and decided to try to stay positive.

I decided that I will not give into the scale when the scale doesn't move and I would not self-sabotage myself if it didn't move fast enough.

I got it ingrained in my head that after surgery I may end up weighing more right after surgery and I wouldn't freak out about it. Day of surgery 229 - 6 days after surgery 235. I didn't freak.

I kept my sense of humor and my wits even when faced with the fact there were complications with my surgery.

I promised myself that this journey would only affect my family in a positive way. I would not take out my lack of being able to eat out on them, and I would do what I could to make sure I didn't make them suffer. (No outburst during dinner that I couldn't eat what they were eating). This still bugs me when I see this to this day.

Realize this surgery is permanent, there are no do-overs, no I want my stomach back. If you are going to have surgery to remove 85% of your stomach, know it's permanent and that this is not a diet fad, this is permanent, for the rest of your life.

Realize that the sleeve is a tool. It's not human, it doesn't make decisions for you, it is not superhuman, it's a tool, the person who controls it is you.

After you get sleeved, it's up to you to realize this is a lifestyle change. The issues that caused you to become overweight in the first place are still there. If you feel that food is your "best friend" your "comfort" then...it's time to get a dog, get a new best friend and realize if you want comfort better find a good blanket, a good friend, or better way of comforting yourself because food is there for nourishment.

Parties are for interacting with people. For the first few months food will rule your life, is it time to eat, what am I eating. If you have a family and you have to cook, know that you will have to cook two times, once for them and once for you. If you can't handle watching them eat steak, burritos, and fun foods, don't eat at the same time until you can start eating the same types of foods.

Let your family know their eating will eventually change. You will want to add more chicken, fish, turkey into the meal and something you will want to know is that everyone around you will most likely change too. People that don't even know that I had surgery are dieting now because they see me.

My husband, son, father have lost weight, my other friends and family that didn't even know I had surgery just started high Protein, low carb diet.

Good luck to you, not sure when your surgery is but I wish you the best. This is all my best advice.

Things to bring to the hospital:

Charmaine Butt Wipes

Your favorite Decaff Tea

Your favorite Artificial Sweetener

Your favorite soft cuddly blanket

Small Fan

Sip sip sip, walk walk walk...

Who could say it better than that.

To that, I would like to add: I wish there had of been more explained about the risks of the high protein/low carb diet along with rapid weight loss. If you dump weight off really fast (like me) your hair WILL fall out..tremendously. You will probably be bone tired for months. We are all at a great risk for "stones", gallbladder AND kidney. And we are at a much greater risk for getting gout, because of all the meat we eat. Even though we are eating less, it is mostly protein. This causes our uric acid levels to go up. The alternative to this is to use soy protein, but over use of soy increases breast cancer risks greatly. We have gotten rid of many health problems by having the VSG, but we have also gotten some new ones. I just tell my husband, "well, if I die, I will be one good looking corpse"...lol.

[Tbrendon 36]

My surgery date is Sept 25 and I am looking forward to reading more of these responses. Thank you for the post SensationallySassyT. Where in WA are you? I am having mine at PSSC

[pkehrer 79]

I'm with other people, I wish I would have dieted longer before hand. I went out and pigged out on anything and everything before hand. haha.

[SensationallySassyT 80]

My surgery date is Sept 25 and I am looking forward to reading more of these responses. Thank you for the post SensationallySassyT. Where in WA are you? I am having mine at PSSC

I am in Lacey~ I am an Army wife so I will be getting my procedure done at Madigan Army Medical Center~ I am on the waiting list so no date thus far~////

[Catracks 865]

I am in Lacey~ I am an Army wife so I will be getting my procedure done at Madigan Army Medical Center~ I am on the waiting list so no date thus far~////

Thank you Army wife. We appreciate you folks too! You make it possible for service members to do what they do. You make a lot of sacrifice - but you already know that.

[SensationallySassyT 80]

Thanks Catracks! :wub: :wub: :wub: