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Pre-op diet headache question



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I have read that a lot of people got really bad headaches after starting their pre-op liquid diets. I am prone to Migraines and this worries me. I don't have my surgery date yet because the surgeon is waiting for the authorization from the insurance. In the meantime, I have cut out all soda and caffeine to get prepared. My question is for those that have had the headaches, were they caused by cutting out the caffeine or something else?

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Hi there! I also suffer from Migraines and it is almost always an uphill battle once I let one break through. I am going to be sleeved in 3 days so I am 4 days into my pre-op diet. I cut caffeine a week before pre-op started. I had headaches, but not migraines (and I was a terrible cranky pants!). They were dull pains on both sides of my temples. My migraines are on the left side and almost always start at the base of my neck and behind my eye. I took Tylenol to keep the caffeine headaches from turning into migraines.

Now that I am in pre-op, I am finding that I am getting a lot closer to breakthrough migraines. I am a heavy-duty carb person, so I think my headaches are coming from the drop in carbs coupled with the lack of caffeine. So far, I have been able to handle the headaches with Tylenol versus the "hard stuff" (i.e. Relpax or Fiorocet or Hydrocodone). I have heard day 3 is the worst for carb people so I am hoping I get over this hump tonight.

I guess all that was said just to say...I haven't had a Migraine but I think it is because I am staying on top of the initial headaches with Tylenol.

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I was a black coffee and diet coke addict. The first day of pre-op diet I had an EXCRUCIATING headache. I could barely function. It lasted one more day and by day 3 or 4 was gone. I'm sure it was due to caffeine withdrawal. It is a good thing you are cutting back now.

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I have had Migraines in the past and have learned that I need to take headache medicine before it gets too bad. I drink coffee every morning and love my carbs so when I went on the two week pre-op diet and cut those things out, I suffered from headaches for 5 days. I was worried they'd turn into migraines but with tylenol about 3 times a day I was able to keep them from getting too bad. Day 6 I was feeling much better and haven't had a headache since (I'm on day 10 now).

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I cut out the caffeine and carbs right away. The headaches were absolutely from that and I felt icky for a few days. It was short lived and by the time I was on my official pre op diet, it wasn't an issue at all. I craved salad and chewing, not carbs and caffeine.

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I quit drinking caffeine about 12 years ago and had headaches for about 3 days. It is so worth it to get that out of your system.

Kelly :)

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
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