Looking for pre-surgery preparation suggestions
RunningGranny
Posts: 35
During my three months of medically supervised dieting prior to surgery I have decided that I want to do all I can do to be really ready. I meet with the PA, the NUT and the Pysch.
I've already given up all carbonated drinks.
I gave up wine with dinner on the weekends.
I gave up caffeine :sad:
I'm working on reducing sugar (need to work harder on this one)
I'm substituting at least one meal a day with a protein drink (want to see which ones I like)
I haven't started a workout yet (I REALLY NEED TO DO THIS!)
What else would you all suggest I do in preparation?
I've already given up all carbonated drinks.
I gave up wine with dinner on the weekends.
I gave up caffeine :sad:
I'm working on reducing sugar (need to work harder on this one)
I'm substituting at least one meal a day with a protein drink (want to see which ones I like)
I haven't started a workout yet (I REALLY NEED TO DO THIS!)
What else would you all suggest I do in preparation?
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Replies
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Sounds like you are making a great start! The only other thing I would suggest is to start getting used to not drinking while you are eating. That was a very hard habit for me to break. I was so used to drinking at least a glass or two of something during a meal and would just keep reaching for it. It really helped me to break that habit before surgery. Now it doesnt bother me at all not to drink with my meals.0
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Ditto on the no drinking with meals - no drinks for 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after.
Also, to eat your meals slowly - take 30 minutes to eat - chew slowly - small bites.
Sounds like you are well on your way!0 -
Hi granny,
When I started my pre-surgical diet the dietician told us at a group meeting to limit our calories to 1200, have no more than 150 grams of carbohydrates, no more than 40 grams of fat, and atleast 60-80 grams of protein per day. I gave up caffine (will cause hunger and ulcers in the stomach), gave up all kinds of soda (pop) even diet, drank 64 ounces + a day of water, started to take 30 minutes to eat my meals, gave half of them to my husband or daughter, took small bites the size of your little finger nail, and chewed chewed chewed. Didn't drink 15 minutes before a meal and 30 minutes after a meal. As the weight started to come off my energy level increased, I was able to walk up the steps like a normal person, (instead of one at a time), my sleep patterns changed, and I started to feel great. I know that all nutritionist , PA's, phsychologist, those who run support groups all have a little different way of doing things, but I found that they all follow the same pattern. It worked for me and I lost 40 pre-surgery.
I am here if you need to vent or need support, I am almost 2 weeks post surgery and since surgery I lost 10 pounds ( I did gain 5 pound right after surgery because of the gas and all the fluids they pump into you so don't get upset it will come off).
Good luck and which surgery are you having. It is worth all the effort.........0 -
Hi again,
Another little trick they told us was to buy a baby spoon and start to use it because you will be eating with it. So I bought a pack of 5 cute looking things, and started to eat with them, and yes they do slow you down when you eat. Just another little tip.
Have a great day.
Kathy0 -
Start getting used to eating on a salad plate or saucer instead of a regular dinner plate!0
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This is really important--if you don't already, start weighing and measuring all your portions, do not try to "eyeball" them!!! I bought a bunch of 1/2 cup or smaller storage containers to use when packing my lunches. It makes measuring much easier. Also agree with everything else, the more habits you can establish prior to surgery the easier it will be after.0
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OK.......in addition to what I've started I need to incorporate the following
don't drink liquids with meals (15-30 min prior - 30 min post) ✔
chew, chew, and then chew some more & slowly, take thirty minutes to eat ✔
use a baby spoon ✔
use a small plate ✔
weigh & measure ✔
WOW! You guys rock!!!!
I'm scared, I'm excited, I'm apprehensive, I'm impatient.........geez I'm a mess! LOL
Thanks for fabulous advice and fabulous support!!0 -
OK.......in addition to what I've started I need to incorporate the following
don't drink liquids with meals (15-30 min prior - 30 min post) ✔
chew, chew, and then chew some more & slowly, take thirty minutes to eat ✔
use a baby spoon ✔
use a small plate ✔
weigh & measure ✔
WOW! You guys rock!!!!
I'm scared, I'm excited, I'm apprehensive, I'm impatient.........geez I'm a mess! LOL
Thanks for fabulous advice and fabulous support!!
You are going to do just great. Starting these things early make the transition into post surgery life so much easier. Not sure which surgery you are having, but I had RNY and I know immediately post op for me was all about just getting in fluids and trying to learn to feed my new anatomy. The last thing I needed to be bogged down with was trying to start all these changes too.
Its good to try different proteins and get an idea what you like, but I wouldnt stock up on a bunch. Lots of people told me that after surgery my taste would change. I didnt really believe them...but it was the honest truth. Its one of the very first things I noticed. Things that tasted great to me before, suddenly did not. The very first thing they brought me was a Crystal light and a sugar free popsicle. Pre-op I had been practically living on those. Suddenly, they were way too sweet for me. I couldnt tolerate the popsicles at all (I can now) and to this day even I have to dilute crystal light to half the concentration in order to be able to drink it.0 -
might also want to start checking out your complete vitamins, iron, calcium with D3, adult baby aspirin and B12.
get yourself a journal so you can write down your feelings and such. it helps and also get yourself a food journal so you can track your intake of foods even on the 2 week liquid diet.
take your measurements and take photos when you go to the doc office. this way you can see the before and your progress over time to reach your goal.
good luck0 -
might also want to start checking out your complete vitamins, iron, calcium with D3, adult baby aspirin and B12.
What are some recommendations for these?
Chewable? Liquid?0 -
Great topic! I am working on these as well. Need to get me some baby spoons and work on the no water before/after meals! I am doing pretty well on the rest of the tips.0
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I take 1 women over 50 multi vitamin, Calcium Citrate is like 1000 mg but make sure it has D3 in it,I take 65mg of iron, 1200 of B12, and Omeprazol 2X20mg a day.
check with your doc because they are all different. older women need more Calcium then younger ones from what I heard.
hope that helped you out0 -
^^ agree with all the above. ^^ I also bought a box (12 per) of appitizer spoons and forks. They may be small but they are very helpful. I just didn't want the multi colored baby utensils. They look just like regular spoons and forks. I also bought a couple of appitezer plates, bowls and cups. I use these to eat on. My neices made sure to get my plate and fork for me when they were here last month. Good luck...
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I agree with everyone a I will add keep yourself busy! You will start to get nervous the closer the date is and keeping busy will distract you from paniced thoughts. But I think that is harder to do than say we all have our moments before surgery.0
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I am so glad for all the tips included here. My insurance won't cover the surgery so I don't know when it will happen, but I can certainly put these tips and tricks to use meanwhile. Thanks!0
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Also, try to be mindful of sugary/high-fat foods.
I know, for most people, these cause dumping syndrome, so maybe try eliminating them as much as possible right now!
Try to limit bread as well. Bread expands in the stomach, so expanding in your pouch makes you feel so full and you aren't able to get the needed nutrition you may need!
Try getting used to eating you protein first, before sides like veggies and rice or whatever. Protein is your best friend now, for life!
And what was said earlier about your taste buds changing: SO TRUE! Foods I never even fathomed pre-surgery have become staples for me (beans, tuna, cottage cheese, soy products) and foods that I absolutely LOVED (chicken, turkey, ground beef, bread, pasta, rice, potatoes) have become "gross" to me. My taste buds did a completely 180 and it even still shocks me sometimes.
All your vitamins: if you can find them in liquid form, that's better! I take Wellesse Calcium Citrate with D3 in orange flavour (tastes like an orange-cicle) from Costco, and I know you can get B12 liquid "drops" that absorb in your skin.
Good luck, hun!0 -
2 suggestions of things that helped me immediately AFTER surgery:
1. Heating pad (became my best friend for the incision site soreness and also for my neck and shoulder gas pains)
2. Belly Band - I ordered one on Amazon which helped compress my stomach so it wasn't just "flopping" around when I was laying down. It felt great and I wore it the entire first week.
Best wishes!0 -
might also want to start checking out your complete vitamins, iron, calcium with D3, adult baby aspirin and B12.
What are some recommendations for these?
Chewable? Liquid?
Opurity Mulit vitamins were recommended by my medical team. They are chewable and quite large. At first I cut them into four pieces, as whole they were challenging. (I now cut them in half.) I am also taking Opurity Calcuim... 4 a day also fairly large but easier to deal wilth, I take 2 2x a day.
With the Opurity you won't need extra iron, B12, and it covers everything except the calcium. (Calcium and Iron do not absorb well if taken together; I take my multi at breakgfast, calcium at lunch and dinner.)
The multi's are around $40 for 3 months, the calcuim as around $30 for a month.
I tried the Wellness calcium liquid, make sure to shake well. I found I had a really hard time getting and keeping it down.
And yes you will be very gassy post surgery! I stayed with my parents for my first week post, they didn't want me alone... I got to the point were I told them I wasn't going to "excuse me" everytime I farted, or that would be the only thing they would hear from me! hahaha
Sounds to me as if you are well on your weigh!!! (Pun intended). Stay positive, keep positive people around you, keep your eye on the goal, your life is about to change for the better!0 -
Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise Exercise 0
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Everyone's suggestions are spot on. The only thing I can add is make sure you have plenty of Gas-X strips for after the surgery. The gas pains, from the air they pump into you during surgery, can sometimes be worse than the pain from the incisions. And, liquid tylenol. It took a while for us to find "adult strength" liquid tylenol.
Good luck. It's the beginning of a whole new world for you!0 -
Get into a fitness routine, even if it's just taking a walk a few times a week
If you are a coffee/soda drinker might as well get that out of the way now
Try your best to loosen up your schedule for the couple weeks leading up to your surgery, if your Surgeon has you do the two-week liquid diet you are going to be MISERABLE so will want plenty of time to yourself
Hope that helps, best of luck!0 -
bump.. i wanna keep reading this0
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All of the above suggestions are all really great. One thing I did was buy baby plates with the three sections. A saucer will work but i thought the 3 sections were good especially when you are on pureed foods so things don't run together. Also when you are weighing and measuring. I got a digital scale, and one mind trick is to weigh in grams instead of ounces. It looks like you are getting more in grams. Good luck to you!0
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I am so glad to see all these tips, I should be getting my surgery date very soon and I just wasn't sure how to prepare for life post-surgery! Thanks everyone!0
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These are all absolutely the best suggestions that I wish I knew BEFORE :mad: my surgery. The only thing I was told was to chew slowly. I had a really rough few months. Thanks to all the wonderful people on MFP, I have learned how to live well with RNY. For anyone contemplating WLS, copy and paste these suggestions and live by them!
Best wishes!0 -
These are great tips planning to write them all down and keep them handy 0
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GET EXCITED. For your new life0
