I created this group to be a private place where those of us who have chosen Dr. Almanza can support one another and share tips and experiences. I am scheduled for my VSG on March 27 and I'm happy to finally be doing this for myself :smile1: Welcome!

Hello all, I am scheduled for surgery with Dr. Almanza on May 22nd. I'm really excited, especially after reading about the good experiences everyone has had. I'm on day 4 of my 2 week liquid diet and I am really struggling. I am a medical student in the middle of finals and I'm too weak to study and starving for 5 hours while testing. I'm only having sugar free jello, Popsicles and crystal light so I'm pretty much getting 30-40 calories a day and that isn't enough. Any suggestions on how I can get through these last 3 exams without flunking out of med school?

Hello all, I am scheduled for surgery with Dr. Almanza on May 22nd. I'm really excited, especially after reading about the good experiences everyone has had. I'm on day 4 of my 2 week liquid diet and I am really struggling. I am a medical student in the middle of finals and I'm too weak to study and starving for 5 hours while testing. I'm only having sugar free Jello, Popsicles and crystal light so I'm pretty much getting 30-40 calories a day and that isn't enough. Any suggestions on how I can get through these last 3 exams without flunking out of med school?

Hi there Are you drinking Protein Shakes? If not, that would make a huge difference, just be sure to stick to sugarfree low carb Protein powders. I made sure to get 70 grams of protein every day of my pre-surgery diet, and I still lost well and felt great. Good luck on your exams!!

I've only been eating jello, Popsicles and crystal light. I'm getting about 35-40 calories and my body is fighting back big time. I didn't know we could have protein shakes? What kind do you recommend, any recipes? Are there any ready made ones that I can buy?

I've only been eating Jello, Popsicles and crystal light. I'm getting about 35-40 calories and my body is fighting back big time. I didn't know we could have Protein Shakes? What kind do you recommend, any recipes? Are there any ready made ones that I can buy?

Hi EbonyJ Here's how my pre-op instructions read from Dr. Almanza:

"You will need to be on a liquid ONLY diet. You may have broth (chicken, beef or

vegetable), sugar-free Jell-O, sugar-free ice pops, sugar free juice, Clear Liquids (i.e.

Crystal Lite, Diet Snapple, water), coffee or tea with a sugar substitute, and Protein

powder that is sweetened with a sugar substitute mixed with Water. The key to the

liquid diet is LOW sugar and LOW carbs (fruit juices are NOT suggested as they are

very high in sugar). NO SOLIDS of any kind."

I bought a flavoured, artificially sweetened whey isolate Protein Powder from GNC and mixed it with water. I also used a protein powder called Syntrax Nectar, also sugar free, and that was great. The main thing to remember is that it should be very low carb and without sugar.

Hope that helps!

Hello!

I was so happy to see this forum! I am scheduled for 5/23 and boy am I getting nervous. It sure does make me feel more relaxed to read such good things about Dr. Almanza and the Jerusalem Hospital. I think I will be just fine. I am a bit nervous about being sick after the surgery...oh and the gas! I had lap band surgery and the gas was the worst. I am so dreading it....ugh. EbonyJ sounds like I will see you there. I plan to stay in the recovery house the next day and then go to the hotel with my mom for the last 2 days. Will be leaving Sunday the 27th. I start my liquid diet on my birthday so that kinda stinks, but Im going to have a nice birthday dinner the night before.

Can anyone recommend a good laxative? I bought MOM and plan on using that, but I have never taken laxatives before so I dont know if one's better than the other. Looking forward to this journey....nervous, scared and excited all at the same time.

Corinna

Hi Corina. I'm so happy to meet someone else who'll be in Tijuana the same time as me especially since I'm going alone. I haven't told anyone about the surgery cause I know my family would try and talk me out of it. I started my liquid diet the day after my birthday lol. It's been difficult, especially the headaches and weakness but it's getting easier everyday especially since I started the protein shakes. I wasn't getting any nutrition and I was feeling it. Good question about the laxatives. I've never taken one so I don't know which one I'm going to take so when you find something out please let me know.