I just saw the NP today for my first step towards the sleeve. She gave me a two week "Optifast" diet that costs about $150 and is almost entirely liquids. Or I can go to a supplement store and buy "whey protein isolate" and put that in water and drink it. Has anyone done either of these diets? Is this common?

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Some surgeons put everyone on a two-week high Protein liquid diet so they drop some weight fast and shrink their liver. Some just want you to lose weight and have slightly less hard to live with diets. Like you can have one meal a day or you can just do Atkins.

I didn't have to do anything. I had already lost weight before I saw my surgeon and he was happy with that and didn't care if I lost more.

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Wow your going to the sleeve? what's that like? Who's ganna do it? When ya ganna do it? Wow!!!!!!

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Yes, I am planning on the sleeve. Hopefully it will be Mid February - I want to have it close to Mardi Gras b/c that is a holiday here and my kids will be home from school. Maybe that is not such a good idea? Dr. Tom Lavin will be performing the surgery. I have been asking for years and his name is always the one that has been given to me. That includes patients, doctors, and some of my nurse friends that work with him. His office NP told me so far they have not had any leaks with the sleeve (knock on wood). I know it sounds petty but I am not sure I can do a liquid diet for 2 WEEKS. :scared2: How do I cook for my kids while I am starving? Has anyone done the Optifast 2 week diet? They also said I will need to do B12 injections or sublingual. What have most people been doing?

I read on some of the sleeve forums about not drinking with meals. My doctors office has not told me anything about that. Is that something I am supposed to know already or learn as I go? I am really glad to have found these websites for info.

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They'll probably tell you about the no drinking thing when they give you your post-op instructions.

My kids were home when I had my surgery. My daughter didn't go to school so she could come to the hospital with us and my son was sick and couldn't go to school. Then, they had a day off in there too.

It was okay, but they are 10 and 17. And Mr. Mac was home too.

I don't have to do B12 unless I have a problem. My surgeon says B12 problems are rare with the sleeve and he's done over a thousand of them. I had my B12 tested last month and it's good so I'll keep on this way.

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I am planning to meet with my doctor's nutritionist tomorrow. Let you know what she says.

History: I had my band removed last May 08 due to staph infection. At that time, the md who did the removal told me to come see him in 6 months to discuss the sleeve. Had to go through the same procedures again: Attend his seminar (done), see his psychologist(done), make initial appointment with him (done) meet with his nutritionist (tomorrow), see a general physician to have my pre op testing done, so we can try to get those paid by my insurance as it will not cover this procedure (appointment for that is Jan 29). This is taking much longer to get done than the band, getting a little frustrating, as a self pay, I thought we could get through it sooner. I've gained back 41 pounds already, sigh.

I can get through a liquid two weeks if I can include creamy Soups and watery mashed potatoes, this is how I survived my post lap band weeks. The potatoes really help.

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Sorry to hear that you gained some of the weight back. You make me reassured that I made the right decision to go with the sleeve. My first appt was Jan 9th. They told me the surgery could be as soon as the beginning of Feb. I have to do all of the things you are listed except instead of seeing a psych person I just had to take a $150 psych eval. Self pay started at $13,600. But I had to take an H-pylori test at $50 and then the Optifast diet is another $150 and liquid vitamins, liquid iron, and B12 are who knows how much, ouch! Unfortunately I can only have the optifast and 2 to 4 oz of lean meat depending on the day. So I will have to be a strong as possible during that time. Good luck and I would appreciate any info from the nutrionist.

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I had my revision from band to sleeve almost 3 months ago. I had it done in Mexico by Dr. Aceves. It was a wonderful experience. I had the sleeve done because I was having problems getting the fill level right. I would either be too loose or too tight. After 2 1/2 years of that, I decided to go for the sleeve. I was a self pay, also. The sleeve is great!!!

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Thanks for the positive feed back on the sleeve. I see you have to take chewable vitamins after the surgery. Are you able to take any pills after the surgery or is everything liquid?

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The chewables and liquids are only until the swelling does down and you can swallow pills again.

Now, I've noticed a lot of people with WLS continue to use chewables for life, but I hate them and got off them as soon as I could. All my Vitamins are pills now.

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Went to my nutritionist appointment and she gave us no pre op diet. Everything was post op and pretty much the same as post op from the band. Clear liquids couple of days, then full liquids ( Protein drinks, Jello, yogurt) for next one to two weeks, then adding pureed foods by the second, third or fourth week depending on how you are tolerating. Soft foods for the next one to two weeks then start experimenting with regular foods and chew, chew, chew.

And she did go over the fact that you should be sipping your Water all day long and wait 30 minutes after eating before you start drinking again. My previous band doctor told us to wait an hour before drinking, so that's different.

I have a tentative date for my surgery of Feb. 11th.

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We're supposed to do a 45-60 min wait. I was planning to ask my surgeon why at the next support meeting.

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Yes, I assumed it would have been 60 minutes like the band, for the mere fact that it probably can't fit until then. With the band the main concern is that it softens up the food and makes the food go through faster. But with the sleeve I would imagine it might be because it won't fit. Once with the band, i had eaten scrambled eggs then without thinking I noticed I had a little juice left and just did a quick gulp -- Mamma mia! that hurt and I had to go purge, well it made me purge, or pb as it is called.

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Hi everyone,

Just found this website and so glad I did - so much info already. I am booked in with Dr Toon de Sonneville in Belgium on 16th Feb and the nerves are starting to kick in. Can anyone help with a question - what are the pre-op tests which must be carried out. As I live in Guernsey and have to travelto Belgium I will not meet with the surgeon until the day so am feeling a little lacking in info.

Mich C:smile:

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Originally posted at www.lapbandtalk.com

The pre-op tests vary -- some depend on your medical history. They want to make sure your heart is okay so you may get a cardiac stress test and/or an EKG. They should also do either an X-Ray or an Upper GI to see what's going on with your digestive system. Most want you to have a physical and to do lab work to make sure you aren't deficient in something.

In the US, you get to visit with a dietician to learn about the post-op diet and to identify any eating disorders and also a counselor for an evaluation of your mental health. Not sure if that's standard elsewhere.

Another one that is popular here is to send you for a sleep study. My surgeon doesn't routinely do that though, so I didn't.

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Uh oh! I am not having any preop testing done at all. My internist said I am young (36) and besides the weight healthy so I won't need anything besides labs. Should I be concerned?

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