Dr Benavides Patients

mandi78 · September 24, 2007

Help, I'm freaking out! Did any of you have to reschedule surgery because your liver was too large? Or did he go ahead and do it but tell you later that your liver was pretty big? I'm getting scared because even though I have followed the diet pretty closely, I did have about 2 oz of 2% cheese almost every day, high Protein soy crisps (about 1/3 of a serving) a few times, and several of the days I only had 1 myocel shake (instead of 2) because more than that gave me diarrhea. Now, after reading and re-reading everything, I'm afraid that what if I ate too much fat by including the cheese, what if I messed up and did not allow my liver to shrink enough by only having 1 shake per day? WHAT IF THEY GET IN THERE AND CAN'T DO THE SURGERY? I WILL JUST DIE!!!! OKAY....BREATHE...... Do you think it will help if I go to straight liquids and do 3 myocel shakes per day and broth, crystal light and sf Jello only for the next 3 days till surgery? I can't risk going in there and not getting to have the surgery. I have lost 11 pounds but who knows if that's just Water weight or what.

PS For those who don't know, Dr B's diet includes 2 daily myocel Protein Shakes and 2 meat/veggie/fruit meals per day plus crystal light, sf Jello, etc.

GayleTX · September 24, 2007

Dr. B is a highly skilled surgeon and I know if there is any way he can do surgery he will. Also, no more weight than you have to lose it is unlikely that your liver is so fatty that it's dangerous for a laproscopic procedure.

I'm sorry your having a problem with the Protein. If you are using milk in it, you might try using Water (less lactose) to mix it. You might also try putting in more liquid than it calls for and just sipping it over a longer period of time. You must find a Protein supp that you can tolerate - they are a fact of life for the rest of your life, so keep searching for something you love.

Best wishes to you......

bigbaby · September 24, 2007

I am Dr. B's patient and I agree that he is a skilled surgeron. Because he is so skilled, he has prescribed the pre-op diet and wants you to follow it. I would like to admonish you to FOLLOW IT FOR THE REST OF THE TIME YOU HAVE LEFT!! This is a period of tsting your self-discipline. The band is a tool and you will need to exhibit the same self-discipline after the band.

Just do what you can to get the Myocel down. A month after banding they will be history. He will require you to get Protein from food rather than shakes!!

Best to you!!

mandi78 · September 27, 2007

Well gals, I had my surgery today. Dr B was great. My liver was still big but I had lost about 15 pounds on the pre-op diet and he said if I hadn't, he wouldn't have been able to do the surgery. I'm sore at the port site, especially when coughing and moving. I'm having a hard time getting comfortable to sleep but other than that, doing good. Thanks for the support ladies!