pre-op diet concern

[NurseGrace 509]

So I am usually the first person to tell someone to sit down and get a grip on themselves when they are concerned about not losing enough weight when they are like.. 4 days post op.

So I am slightly embarrassed that this is what is on my mind but here goes. I am about 300 pounds, slight less but thats the ballpark number. Today is day six of my 500 calorie liquid diet and I have only lost about 2 pounds, this is puzzling for me because I am done EVERYTHING I am supposed to be doing - its really not my nature to to blow something off, derail, and then go looking for people to hold my hand - does anyone have any thoughts about this though? I am not taking in any excess salt either. Considering that my BMI is so high I was expecting at least maybe 5 pounds at this point.

I am not a slave to the numbers but what I am nervous about is my surgical team feeling like I did not take the pre-op diet seriously enough, when nothing could be further from the truth (and believe me - I have had ample opportunity to cheat)

The nurse anesthetists called me today with my instructions for surgery on tuesday and asked me how it was going and I reported that I had only lost two and he didn't really have much to say about it - Is this pretty typical?

[Annie B 89]

You will probably drop 5 pounds in the next few days. The body reacts strangely to dramatic changes. Sometimes it just takes some time for it to adjust. Hang in there - you're really doing great!

[Brooke333 26]

I'm pre-op also. My surgery is on Monday! To be honest I did cheat earlier but only a few times, a piece of bread here and a bite of chicken there. But nothing that would have put me over my calorie intake each day. I've lost 10lbs but 3 were just in the past Two days. I'm sure with only Clear Liquids sat and sun I will drop a few more and I'm on the smaller end than most people on here. I started out at 220 my highest and am 106 as of this morning. Don't worry, they do these surgeries all the time and they are more worried about your liver being smaller to make the operation easier.

[NurseGrace 509]

I'm pre-op also. My surgery is on Monday! To be honest I did cheat earlier but only a few times, a piece of bread here and a bite of chicken there. But nothing that would have put me over my calorie intake each day. I've lost 10lbs but 3 were just in the past Two days. I'm sure with only clear liquids sat and sun I will drop a few more and I'm on the smaller end than most people on here. I started out at 220 my highest and am 106 as of this morning. Don't worry, they do these surgeries all the time and they are more worried about your liver being smaller to make the operation easier.

Thanks. That makes me feel a bit better, my highest weight since I have started the program was like 302 or something like that, which actually puts me down 11 pounds but only 2 since this diet started. I, like you, have had a bite here and there, I had some tuna one night when I was so nauseous I was going to dry heave (that happens to me, no idea why) but that was very little calories and zero carbs so I doubt very little that it had anything to do with it. My diet allows for greek yogurt, cottage cheese,and one string cheese but I have decided to switch to the clear liquid diet early. We are supposed to start that two days before surgery but I started it this morning with the exception of the Protein shakes.

[Dalola 12]

I am post op and feel your confusion/concern. We sure can put on 7 lbs in a weekend but cut our caloric intake by less than half and our body hangs onto the pounds....at first. Don't cheat and your body will finally catch up. What they failed to tell me was you gain weight immediately following surgery. You are pumped full of IV fluids and I found out later the weight gain is normal. I put back on 12 lbs! Go through the surgery and come out holding the weight I had lost pre surgery. After 2 days that dropped off a pound a day. 6 weeks later I am down almost 30 lbs and 2 sizes almost 3 from my highest. Feels great to feel in control of my health. Followed the pre op rules to a T. Had no nausea or vomiting post op. Up walking a couple hrs after surgery. No gas pressure in my back or shoulders. My only post op cheat is reg coffee. Keep it down to 2 mugs before work and drink lots of Water all day. Good luck. You are going to love your new body!

[cyncitygirl 100]

I'm pre-op also. My surgery is on Monday! To be honest I did cheat earlier but only a few times' date=' a piece of bread here and a bite of chicken there. But nothing that would have put me over my calorie intake each day. I've lost 10lbs but 3 were just in the past Two days. I'm sure with only clear liquids sat and sun I will drop a few more and I'm on the smaller end than most people on here. I started out at 220 my highest and am 106 as of this morning. Don't worry, they do these surgeries all the time and they are more worried about your liver being smaller to make the operation easier.[/quote']

Wow you lost a lot!!! Do you mind posting pics? It amazing to think I may be able to get to that change! Is it crazier to be scared to eat solid food? I say that because I see I've lost weight on liquids and I'm afraid when I can eat (I'm only 12 days out) I won't be able to lose more. :0/

[NurseGrace 509]

I am post op and feel your confusion/concern. We sure can put on 7 lbs in a weekend but cut our caloric intake by less than half and our body hangs onto the pounds....at first. Don't cheat and your body will finally catch up. What they failed to tell me was you gain weight immediately following surgery. You are pumped full of IV fluids and I found out later the weight gain is normal. I put back on 12 lbs! Go through the surgery and come out holding the weight I had lost pre surgery. After 2 days that dropped off a pound a day. 6 weeks later I am down almost 30 lbs and 2 sizes almost 3 from my highest. Feels great to feel in control of my health. Followed the pre op rules to a T. Had no nausea or vomiting post op. Up walking a couple hrs after surgery. No gas pressure in my back or shoulders. My only post op cheat is reg coffee. Keep it down to 2 mugs before work and drink lots of Water all day. Good luck. You are going to love your new body!

Oh yeah, I know enough about surgery to know that I am not even going to step on the scale until my one week post op appointment after I leave this hospital because I KNOW it will not be good. People don't realize how much IV fluids they are receiving with those continuous drips and the trauma of surgery makes you hang onto it. Yesterday and today I have steadily dropped a pound a day so I am not as concerned about it as I was before. I'm just keeping my head down and working hard.

[Dalola 12]

My surgery has been a personal journey. No family, friends, work are aware. Only my husband outside of medical staff. Therefore, I cannot share pics but wish I could. I started out in a size 16, BMI 35. Now I am able to get into some 10s, 12 very comfortably. As you must be aware, this choice is not exactly main stream accepted...yet! It comes with criticism about being lazy and just not trying hard enough, or taking the easy way out. This far from the easy way out. In one of the pre surgical meetings another patient said I didn't need the surgery. Granted her bmi was much greater than mine. An attitude I dealt with from many others during the pre surgical process. According to every weight chart I did qualify and I was the one willing to take the necessary steps to admit, and correct the fact that I was unable to lose and maintain weight loss on my own. Humbling. Having had enough, I looked her in the eye and told her it really wasn't a very fair judgement since I did not judge why it took her so long to make the decision for surgery. Borderline BMI or under 40 BMI patients face criticism from society and are not as supported for their decision both socially and by some medical staff. We tend to have to keep our choice for surgery hidden. Not fair, but true until care givers become more supportive and less judgmental. This surgery is becoming a very healthy cash cow so I anticipate a major attitude change in the next 5 years or so. Hopfully you are getting all the support you need and the criticism is minimal and easily ignored. Some criticize because they do not have the courage or the ambition it takes to do this. If you face any of those people, consider them jealous and stay on track. We have to stay diligent for the rest of our lives for lifelong success. I did this for a better health. If it is a choice for me between improving my health or someone else's opinion...they lose!! My almost 30 lb loss includes the lbs lost pre surgery. Post surgery it has been 20 & climbing. Stay off the scale daily. I was just stressing myself out. Once a week now. I have stalled in the past week but I know plateaues are to be expected. Eating all foods now. You will find what works best for You. Immediately following surgery egg drop Soup worked best. Goes down easy & high in Protein. I had trouble this week with chicken and pork tenderloin. Both came back up. Cooked the pork in the crock, shredded and chewed a lot but just too dense. chicken was dry and just got stuck. I accept responsibility that I have to eat much more slowly. Lesson learned. Don't be scared to try things when it is time. Everyone is different. Even if it comes back up I is not like when your are illness sick. It comes back up, you feel better, done. Those 2 times are the only 2 times. Are you thirsty? I am and so was every other VSG patient in our post op group meeting. I believe this is different than the other bypass surgeries. Keep up the good work! I am thrilled I had it done. Hope your results are similar.

[jenakaela 24]

I'm also pre-op. My next appt is my psych eval on 2/5/13. Currently I'm experimenting with a crash diet for 7days I found on YouTube (diet by a vsg patient before surgery for 2wks n he lost 43lbs) it consist of 1protein shake, Water throughout the day and a salad for dinner (salad can include whatever you like in it) before 8 pm. I haven't followed the diet to the T but I lost weight. I started Wed 1/16/13 @ 312 and this morning I'm @ 303. What I'm changing is if I get really hungry I eat sf Jello or pudding or sf applesauce or 4oz cottage cheese mixed with crushed pineapple. I've only experienced headaches on the first day but since then I haven't. Its the 4th day n I feel fine sure I wish I could eat but its an experiment for me to prepare for what to expect when I'm given my pre-op diet for surgery, which I'm hoping will be March.