super excited newbie

[bubblegum 0]

Hello! I will be banded in Kansas City the first week of February. I'm excited and a little nervous. I'm going to try to watch what I'm eating this next 6 weeks or so, so that I'm not in food shock come surgery day. Is this a good idea? I've been on a free for all for about a month now because I knew I'd be having the surgery. I feel gross for eating junk like it was going out of style. Is this a good plan for pre surgery?

[Sue Magoo 71]

Bubblegum:

The more you can take off before the surgery the safer the surgery will be. What the doctor told me is that when they do the lapband they have to lift your liver and do alot of work under the liver. So, if you lose weight before you get banded the liver is one of the first places to shrink. So, if the liver is smaller the surgery is easier, thereby less risky.

I did a modified weight watchers thing for three months, and then the two week all liquid presurgery diet. I lost 38 pounds before my surgery.

Good luck.

Sue

[MyKdsDad 1]

No! My wife's doctor put her on a two week liquid diet right before her surgery to help shrink the size of her liver. It facilitates the surgery better. Makes the liver smaller.

[SmallerMe 0]

I've been on a low fat diet since Sept. I'm still waiting on ins approval but I think I've got a good start!

Everything I've read says it helps the liver shrink if you lose weight before surgery.

[bubblegum 0]

Thanks for the info!!! Bubblegum

[kacee 3]

Try gearing your consumption down now and you'll have the start of a habit by the time surgery rolls around. I think most of us went through a kindof "last dinner" thing. It's just not needed. You do need to understand that though you will be starting to take control of your eating habits after surgery, there are NO foods that are taboo. As my doctor said, This is NOT a diet. There are lots of people who eat the same things we gorge ourselves on (that got us where we are in the first place!), and they are slim and healthy. The difference is Portion Control, along with sensible habits (like...a piece of pizza is okay occasionally, but not the WHOLE pizza, and not three times a week!). We are starting to learn to eat like NORMAL people. You can have what you want occasionally...if you deprive yourself completely, you will become disenchanted and tend to "cheat". So don't feel like because you are having this procedure done you have to "make up for all lost time in the future" by ingesting every Big Mac that comes down the pike from now to surgery, and you will thank yourself for it after the fact. And yes, the more you can lose before surgery, the easier a time your surgeon has of getting that liver out of the way in order to move around and conduct his business!