Got my surgery date!
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segwayne
Posts: 52 Member
Hi!
I finished the last of the insurance mandated courses on March 4th and got my packetsubmitted to the insurance by the doctor. For two weeks, I sat and waited. I even bugged the doctor's office a couple of times to see if they'd heard anything (hey, this anticipation thing is hard)....
Yesterday, I called the insurance company directly, left a message, got an e-mail reply stating that I had been approved for the procedure. I forwarded that to my doctor, and no more than 10 minutes later, they called to set up a series of rapid-fire appointments followed by a surgery date of April 2nd.
TWO FRICKIN WEEKS!
(I was expecting mid to late April)
This morning, I started the liquid protein diet (They use the "Bariatric Advantage" over "Medifast".. So far, I've tried the chocolate, and the orange cream. Both are pretty good actually, but I know that smells of real food, and the mental determination factor is what's going to make, or break me...
Anyone out there able to offer any insight or advice as to your experiences getting through the liquid diet?
Wayne
I finished the last of the insurance mandated courses on March 4th and got my packetsubmitted to the insurance by the doctor. For two weeks, I sat and waited. I even bugged the doctor's office a couple of times to see if they'd heard anything (hey, this anticipation thing is hard)....
Yesterday, I called the insurance company directly, left a message, got an e-mail reply stating that I had been approved for the procedure. I forwarded that to my doctor, and no more than 10 minutes later, they called to set up a series of rapid-fire appointments followed by a surgery date of April 2nd.
TWO FRICKIN WEEKS!
(I was expecting mid to late April)This morning, I started the liquid protein diet (They use the "Bariatric Advantage" over "Medifast".. So far, I've tried the chocolate, and the orange cream. Both are pretty good actually, but I know that smells of real food, and the mental determination factor is what's going to make, or break me...
Anyone out there able to offer any insight or advice as to your experiences getting through the liquid diet?
Wayne
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Replies
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Congrats on getting your date! It amazes me how fast you guys get in (I'm in Canada, and it feels like it's taking forever!)
No real advice on the liquid diet, just keep telling yourself why you're doing it.
For me, the thought of my surgery being postponed if I don't stay on the liquid diet, will hopefully keep me motivated and on track!
Good luck!0 -
Great news - you are on final approach. Stay positive.0
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The liquid diet is only temporary. Honestly, the liquid diet pre-surgery kind of sucks, however what kept me going was the risk of having to postpone surgery, or a drastically larger recovery time.
I don't know if they told you or not, but the reason for the pre-surgery liquid diet is to shrink the size of the liver. It can get in the way for the orthoscopic surgery. If you don't shrink it, they can either postpone your surgery, or worse, have to go with a full incision. This means, either 2 more weeks of liquids at best, or a foot long cut your abdomen to recovery from. Neither of them was something that I wanted to do.0 -
What csmccord said. Honestly, I found the pre-op stuff, (liquid diet, mental stuff) harder to deal with than the post-op pain. You're in the home stretch! Stay focused!0
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For me, I had to do one week of Bariatric Advantage shakes, mandatory that I bought before surgery date would occur. I did 3 shakes per day and one solid meal consisting of 5 oz. lean meat and 1/2 cup cooked vegetables or 1 cup raw. I can promise that I looked very forward to the evening meal. During this time, my sons ate, I had to cook, and they often insisted I go out to dinner with them and only get a water. (What a learning process!)
The early morning before my surgery (we left the house at 2 am to get to Houston by 6 am) they stopped at Whataburger and I couldn't even drink--no liquids before surgery.
In my case, I was so relieved to be done with that chapter of my life and to begin living again. It had been about 12 years since I had been thin and I was miserable in my skin.
I had RNY on 9/27/12 and have never had any complications. Never thrown up, blood levels are perfect, I indulge now and again in moderation and enjoy life again. Have been to an amusement park, the zoo twice, San Antonio's Riverwalk, the beach, camping, and so many other things that I couldn't do before. The NSVs are endless and far too many to name.
Do I sometimes wish I could pig out once in a while? Sure! But the end result wouldn't be good. As a type I diabetic who was facing kidney failure head on, and multiple other health issues, I am alive today. And that makes it all worth it!0 -
Best of luck to our member having surgery TODAY! :flowerforyou:0
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Hope your surgery went well!
Mine was three months ago, and I didn't find the post-op liquid or soft-food diets nearly as hard as I expected them to be.0 -
We are all hoping all is well as you begin your post surgical journey.
If you are feeling up to it, we'd love to hear how your hospital experience went?
Is it what you expected? 0
