I don't want to diet before banding or pre-op diet. Is this normal?

hopefull loser · 05-24-2007, 07:40 PM

I have my day of consults and evaluations coming up in a week. From there, the surgery will be scheduled.

My question.

Since I've made the solid decision to do this surgery, I'm noticing that where I used to want to start a diet, and restricting portions, I'm actually doing the opposite. I'm telling myself that I'll soon be banded, so I can "wait" until then to start "paying attention." I'm not making a big deal to go work out, and haven't for a month. ( I finally went back yesterday, I think I've gained 10lbs!! I'm not checking. )

I'm usually good with a diet for a couple or three months, then fall off the wagon after a splurge and 10-15 lbs gone. I fall off the wagon pretty good too...in a sad way gaining most of that weight back. Then, I get geared up to finally figure it out for myself and start the diet again on Monday. Sometimes the Monday would come and I'd be back on the wagon, and sometimes, well...you know...maybe better luck next Monday. I've done this for 15 years. I'm 32 now.

Is it sort of normal to relax so much about changing my life before I do something so drastic to change my life?

Am I kidding myself that the Band can help? I worry about cheating the band. Is that normal? To be scared about failing this after failing so many other techniques to get to a normal size?

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

alysedg23 · 05-24-2007, 08:14 PM

Hey, that sounds like me!! It;s called addictive personality disorder and we are THE BEST at negoiating with ourselves, arent we?? I am going through the same thing as you right now..my surgery is scheduled for June 12th and my feelings are, well, i can eat this cheeseburger now cuz in 2 weeks, i wont be able to....or I better have pizza now cuz no more pizza for me in a couple of weeks...

ANd pre op diet!! What the hell is this all about??? When surgeons do a laproscopic gallbladder removal or lap ovarian cystectomy, there is no need for a pre op diet!! They say its to remove fat from your liver, but they aren't even going close to the liver during this procedure!! The last couple weeks before surgery should be a going all out eat fest!! Favorite foods, restaurants, cocktails....I'm kinda pissed off that they require this weight loss before, but okay, whatever, this is going to be a life changing event and the reason we are fat in the first place is because we cant control what and how much we eat.

Regarding failing after the band placement, thats going to be hard to do unless you like throwing up alot, once the pounds start coming off and you learn how to eat, you'll be fine.

cyndilou29 · 05-24-2007, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alysedg23

Hey, that sounds like me!! It;s called addictive personality disorder and we are THE BEST at negoiating with ourselves, arent we?? I am going through the same thing as you right now..my surgery is scheduled for June 12th and my feelings are, well, i can eat this cheeseburger now cuz in 2 weeks, i wont be able to....or I better have pizza now cuz no more pizza for me in a couple of weeks...

ANd pre op diet!! What the hell is this all about??? When surgeons do a laproscopic gallbladder removal or lap ovarian cystectomy, there is no need for a pre op diet!! They say its to remove fat from your liver, but they aren't even going close to the liver during this procedure!! The last couple weeks before surgery should be a going all out eat fest!! Favorite foods, restaurants, cocktails....I'm kinda pissed off that they require this weight loss before, but okay, whatever, this is going to be a life changing event and the reason we are fat in the first place is because we cant control what and how much we eat.

Regarding failing after the band placement, thats going to be hard to do unless you like throwing up alot, once the pounds start coming off and you learn how to eat, you'll be fine.

Actually you are incorrect, they have to retract your liver in order to do this. The pre op die t is to shrink it to reduce the risk of accidentallly injuring it. That is major.

I think most of us go through the Last Supper syndrome to some extent. But it is important to try your best. Your doc could cancel the surgery if he thinks you are not losing enough.

Try to be strong and do the best you can. I was like that too buut as iit got closer I got more serious. I bet you will too!

ousooner · 05-24-2007, 08:30 PM

I was fortunate enough not to have to do a pre-op diet. I had several "last" meals. So I understand where your coming from. But, like CyndiLou says, The liver is very close while doing surgery and some Dr's feel more comfortable havinf shrunk the liver. You can see the surgery performed from the link on my website. During the procedure, they show where the liver is while the banding is being done. Best of luck. :)

Candle · 05-24-2007, 09:46 PM

Watch a Lap Band surgery on or-live.com ... after seeing them move the liver ... it will make you WANT the pre-op diet - lol.

__________________

I know where you are coming from. I'm struggling to get out of the same boat right now. I had to start a 6 month supervised diet in Jan, I was gung-ho at that point. I was proud of myself for finally making the decision and getting the ball rolling. I was really frustrated to learn of the 6 month wait and I totally got "last meal" syndrome ... eating everything in sight.

I gained 12 pounds between Jan-April. I finally got my shit together about 3 weeks ago. I've lost 10 pounds! I haven't made drastic changes but I'm really trying to focus on healthy eating and preparing for post-op food challenges. I figure the more I lose now, the easier it will be to keep the momentum after being banded and will make the whole process less of a drastic change in my life. Exercising too. Now that the weather has gotten nice, I'm trying hard. We even adopted a dog.

I'm hoping to be banded (waiting on insurance) in Aug.

Good luck - keep in mind you aren't alone. Are you required to get psych consult? I think mine really kicked me in gear.

alysedg23 · 05-24-2007, 10:24 PM

Okay, so here is the thing, I have been an Operating room nurse for over 14 years and the MOST dangerous part of the entire surgery is when they put that first trocar (port) in your umbilicus, this is the most dangerous because it is done blindly. Once they put that port in, the scope goes into that port and then they can watch the other trocars/ports being introducted into the cavity.

Sure, its always best to reduce fat around your organs, but what I am saying is that NO OTHER laproscopic surgery requires a pre op diet, so I think that this diet is mostly to get our bodies accustomed to eating a certain way. The liver is simply grabbed with a surgical tool and held aside by an assistant, it plays NO part in this surgery.

Thanks

hopefull loser · 05-24-2007, 11:22 PM

It's nice to know I'm not alone out there. Thanks gals for your input. I have about a week until the pre-op diet starts. I don't mind thinking of it, whether it's for the shrinking of the liver or not...my mind is just trying to wrap itself around the concept of something actually working to help me lose weight, so I can conceive of conception! Keep up the responses, I'll check back for more support. I'm needing lots.

stefgray · 05-25-2007, 05:44 AM

I can definitely relate! My dr. does not require a pre-op diet and my insurance accepted me with no diet history (BCBS Federal). So, ever since I got my date for surgery, I've been having "last suppers". I've tried to rein it in, but it's awfully hard to do that when I know that I will not ever want to eat this way again! I enjoy food...I mean REALLY ENJOY FOOD! I am anxious to get started and change my bad habits to good, but I've eaten this way all my life and it's only a little difficult to think of changing it now.

I'm banding today! Yay for me.

Steph

msnaynay · 05-25-2007, 05:04 PM

I was banded may 16th and I was put on a 10 day pre-op diet . I went to see my doctor the day after I started the diet and I complained to him about how strict it was,and his response was do what u can. I didn't know what that meant, so lets just say out of the 10 days I completed the last 2 days. Some people on here said that they were given grief by their doctors for having a regular size liver instead of a shrunken one. After the surgery he didnt say anything to me about having complications or anything. I went for my follow up yesterday and everything seems to be going great.:clap2:

trystelle · 05-25-2007, 09:17 PM

My surgeon will not operate if you gain more than 5lbs between the pre-op visit and the surgery. I don't know but I think the sooner i get in the habit of being healthful the more I will get out of the band. I am currently waiting for my approval, but have lost more than 20 pounds since my first appointment. Practice makes perfect???

NJC · 05-25-2007, 11:00 PM

The preop diet really does help. I was banded September 2005. My loss goal was in the 60-80 pound range (my beginning weight was 225). Last week, I hit 99 pounds since the first visit to the Dr. which was June of 2005. The first 12 pounds came off preop, and the operation was all around smooth. I took all of 2 pain killers total on the day of the operation, didn't need any after that, and I was back at work 4 days after. At this point, I actually enjoy food and eating more than I ever did before because I actually chew and taste every mouthful verses "shoveling" the food in big gulps, chewing 6 times at most and swallowing before I knew what I has just eaten. I attribute a great deal of my success to starting the diet before the band. This is my opinion, and I really feel you should think about it.

cinward2001 · 05-25-2007, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alysedg23

Okay, so here is the thing, I have been an Operating room nurse for over 14 years and the MOST dangerous part of the entire surgery is when they put that first trocar (port) in your umbilicus, this is the most dangerous because it is done blindly. Once they put that port in, the scope goes into that port and then they can watch the other trocars/ports being introducted into the cavity.

Sure, its always best to reduce fat around your organs, but what I am saying is that NO OTHER laproscopic surgery requires a pre op diet, so I think that this diet is mostly to get our bodies accustomed to eating a certain way. The liver is simply grabbed with a surgical tool and held aside by an assistant, it plays NO part in this surgery.

Thanks

Everything that I've read and been told indicates that any rapid weight gain, as in the Last Supper Syndrome/gaining weight prior to surgery, significantly increases the fat in the liver. Even though the liver is being moved to the side, when it's excessively fatty, it's *easier* to damage. There have been cases of banding surgeries being *cancelled* after the doctor goes inside and sees how fatty the liver is.

So even though you've been an OR nurse for 14 yrs, you might not want to second guess the surgeons who are doing this procedure. When they say it's to shrink the liver, I believe it is. If a doctor gives you a pre-op diet, you should follow it.

Cindy

Syrah · 05-25-2007, 11:25 PM

I don't mean to sound snarky, but if you are fearing the pre-op diet, what are you going to do once you are banded? It is not a miracle cure. You will feel full immediately after surgery and even later, you will probably have a higher degree of satiety than pre-op. But you won't be stuffed from Day 1. Food will still be a demon for you.

Right now I have had one fill and my appetite / making good choices is definitely something I battle with daily. Banding is a process that involves a lot of tinkering before you hit the fill spot where you'll lose efficiently. While that's happening (and it takes time) many people can (and do) eat just about anything. So taking control of your eating is not just a phase that's limited to the pre-op period. Good luck to you. It's not easy. It's a huge mental chore.

alysedg23 · 05-26-2007, 01:07 AM

There have been cases of banding surgeries being *cancelled* after the doctor goes inside and sees how fatty the liver is.

Really?? Show me proof. I find it hard to believe that after the patient is asleep on the OR table, $10,000 of supplies have been opened and you have 2 ports already in your filled up belly, that they are going to cancel the surgery.

Let's not forget that when a patient has their appendix removed through the scope or someone is having a laproscopic colon resection or whatever laproscopic surgery, its always the same technique, the liver is held aside with a surgical tool, and THERE IS NO PREOP DIET. Espcially when they are doing a laproscopic appendectemy, since this is usually done as an emergency procedure.

Dont get me wrong, I dont mind the diet, I lose weight very quickly on my own, I am simply saying that in my experience WORKING IN SURGERY, the liver was never an issue.

RKidder · 05-26-2007, 02:01 AM

I am a med-surg nurse and understand where you are coming from, however, I know myself all too well. I know that if I had negotiated the pre-op diet, then I would find a way to cheat the band by justifying this short-cut or that short-cut. And for your info, no trocar was introduced into my umbilicus with this surgery. All 5 incisions are above the umbilicus. Think how proud of yourself you'll be for following the program, as it was presented to you. You are so close, why take chances?
Good luck on your journey.