Pre-Band: Starting to Panick

***Susan*** · 04-22-2006, 06:57 PM

Ok, I need help here. My surgery is coming up on Friday. I have been so confident that this is what I want to do, that this is right for me. I don't know if it is because I have been on the liquid diet for two weeks now or what, but I am literally starting to panick. Food is something I find great pleasure in. I didn't eat because of emotional reasons, stress, etc. I genuinely love the taste of food. All of a sudden I am sitting here panicking thinking, what if I can't eat pizza? What if I can't enjoy Japanese food anymore? My favorite food is filet mignon, will I still be able to eat and enjoy it? I am sitting here craving all these foods right now. I want to blow the liquid diet and go eat something right now, anything, just in case I can't eat it after banding. What is wrong with me??? HELP!!!

K@t · 04-22-2006, 07:00 PM

God Susan, great minds DO think alike. It's 1 am here and I'm sitting here sipping on a yogurt. My tummy was making funny noises and I couldn't sleep, I'm starving and I feel like I could eat ANY thing right now. I was laying in bed thinking if I can't handle this liquid diet for a week how am I going to handle it all afterwards.....

But I'm trying to be strong. This is for my health, for a better me, for a person who can feel better about themselves. I just have to keep telling myself it is all going to work out in the end. We CAN do this.

Archermom · 04-22-2006, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan4794

Ok, I need help here. My surgery is coming up on Friday. I have been so confident that this is what I want to do, that this is right for me. I don't know if it is because I have been on the liquid diet for two weeks now or what, but I am literally starting to panick. Food is something I find great pleasure in. I didn't eat because of emotional reasons, stress, etc. I genuinely love the taste of food. All of a sudden I am sitting here panicking thinking, what if I can't eat pizza? What if I can't enjoy Japanese food anymore? My favorite food is filet mignon, will I still be able to eat and enjoy it? I am sitting here craving all these foods right now. I want to blow the liquid diet and go eat something right now, anything, just in case I can't eat it after banding. What is wrong with me??? HELP!!!

You like filet mignon? You can make it the staple of your food if your pocketbook can support it! It's very good dense protein and does have no fat (Bacon wraped around it not counted!) and it is so soft you will have noooo problems chewing it to smithereens while you savor the taste!
No worry mate!:clap2:

Hippo's Hope · 04-22-2006, 07:31 PM

So, my doctor has not mentioned a thing about a pre-surgery diet. Am I going to be okay? My surgery is nine days away. I have a pre-op appointment on Wednesday and unless he tells me then not to eat, it looks like I just keep going normally until surgery. Have any others out there been banded without the pre-surgery diet?

Hope

***Susan*** · 04-23-2006, 09:55 AM

Hope,

One thing I have noticed from reading all the posts is that it seems every doctor requires something different. A few, such as mine, require 2-3 weeks of a prescribed liquid diet such as Physician's Weight Loss or Optifast. Others require either 1 or 2 weeks of liquid diet, but you choose the liquids, such as soups, yogurt, etc. Others allow people to have a light meal, protein, or a salad for dinner. And still others require liquids only the day before the surgery. It makes no sense to me at all as there seems to be no standard. I am not sure if that is because the procedure is still relatively new here or what. I just know I have actually found myself angry at my doctor at times for not at least allowing us the occassional vege or chicken breast or something. But, it will all be worth it in the long run.

If you are not sure though, call your surgeon and ask him/her.

Yoda · 04-23-2006, 09:59 AM

My doc told me that the pre-op diet is only followed depending on your situation (ie. weight/BMI). I know someone with the same Dr. I have who isn't as heavy as me and she did not have to do any pre-op diet. To be honest, I'm glad I did....it will make it easier once my swelling goes down and I start to feel hungry....you know, because I ate so little anyways in the 2 weeks leading up to the surgery.

Susan & K@t....don't worry gals. You KNOW you are doing the right thing for you...you have both researched it inside and out and you obviously realized this was the most workable solution for you. Don't lose sight of that fact! The nerves will go away. You are prob just nervous about the procedure itself (normal).

Mind you, I was only banded on Fri so my experience is limited!!!

disneynut · 04-23-2006, 10:05 AM

Hope,

My dr. did not require a preop liquid diet or a diet of any kind and I have/had a high BMI. He just told me not to go crazy and gain 10 lbs. before the surgery. After the surgery on 4/6, I had no trouble with sticking to a liquid diet at all until the last night of the diet prior to starting mushies. I don't think I could have taken one more day of protein shakes or creamed soups!

j.s. · 04-23-2006, 05:54 PM

Susan,

Don't worry. You will still be able to eat your favorite foods, you will just be eating less of them and because you will feel full, it will not be an issue. I also loved steak so I was a bit concerned when I read that so many people could not eat it, well I can and (matter of fact) I just did eat steak. As long as you take your time, chew well, then it should not be a factor. This preop stage I think was the hardest of all, after surgery it was much easier to tolerate since I really didnt want to hurt my healing stage and quite frankly didnt feel like eating a whole lot anyway. It gets better. When you want to eat something .... go grab yourself a s/f popcicle, that helps that wanting to chew something....

Good Luck on Friday!!

TheWomanWithin · 04-23-2006, 07:15 PM

I agree with JS, eat your favorite food, just small portions. I read on another thread that was someone's success to losing.

If you feel like you're dieting then you're more apt to cheat - understandable. But eat healthy tood :)

I'm still thinking over the liquid diet thing that some have to go through for a month before surgery

not sure I could do that. A modified liquid diet is hard enough.

sheryl · 04-24-2006, 05:22 PM

I had the same fears, but honestly, you ARE going to eat once this is over. The liquid phase is just that, a phase.

I STILL enjoy sushi (I don't eat much rice). You are going to be able to eat just about everything once you are banded, but you will learn to eat just a small amount. I can't eat soft breads and much pasta and rice, but I can have a small bit of crusty bread on occasion and I can handle a small bite of the other and I am totally satisfied. You will learn to love what you can eat because you won't fight it.

Go with the goal that you set awhile ago. Don't listen to that evil voice that ALWAYS tries to scare us. You WILL get to eat again, and really enjoy every bite!!! There is still pleasure in eating!!!