I'm having my surgery at Tulane with Dr. Bellows.

Chicago here....but I love live New Orleans. Going down to spend Halloween there and I can't wait.

I live in Jonesville, just a small country town. I live 3 1/2 hours from New Orleans but you have to travel anywhere in Louisiana to get something done. I wouldn't want it any other way. Just be careful when ya go and I hope ur going in a group. There was a shooting there last year around Halloween.

I just had my surgery with Dr. Richardson at Ochsner 1 week ago today! I have to say that we have something in common. We live in a food and drink city. Fun is food and food is fun. I am concerned about how hard it will be to eat out with friends. I believe there is a Northshore group and a Louisiana group. There's probably a NOLA group on here, somewhere! Good luck! The pre-op diet was worse for me than the recovery. Also, I gained weight before the pre-op diet eating at all my favorite places: Ruth's Chris, Murials, Mr. B's, Superior Grill...the list goes on and on

I know I live food too. But I'm sick of being the only fat one in my family or social group. I have surgery Aug 23rd, if my doctor doesn't cancel. I was suppose to start protein liquid diet on the 5th. My pre op was the 7th until they hadnt received approval so they pushed back my pre op til Aug 14th. I figured since they pushed back my pre op they would automatically push back my surgery date, they didn't. So, I have been on liquid protein as of today makes 3 days. I have 5 more to go and hope my liver has shrunk enough the doctor will still do surgery. What do you think?

I'm having my surgery at Tulane with Dr. Bellows.

Hi Shan,

I'm on the Northshore in Mandeville. My surgeon is Dr. Lavin at Surgical Specialists. Aetna requires I do a 90 day Pe-op diet, which really disappointed me. I've been on a diet for 40 years!

My surgery will be at the mid-end of November....it cannot come soon enough for me!

When is your surgery?

Dana

I just had my surgery with Dr. Richardson at Ochsner 1 week ago today! I have to say that we have something in common. We live in a food and drink city. Fun is food and food is fun. I am concerned about how hard it will be to eat out with friends. I believe there is a Northshore group and a Louisiana group. There's probably a NOLA group on here, somewhere! Good luck! The pre-op diet was worse for me than the recovery. Also, I gained weight before the pre-op diet eating at all my favorite places: Ruth's Chris, Murials, Mr. B's, Superior Grill...the list goes on and on

Beth, Beth, Beth!! I'm in New Orleans (Mandeville) and am worried about never being able to enjoy a real meal. My husband is a little bummed about that too ( he does not have a weight problem). I mean, lets face it, food is the heart and soul of New Orleans. I asked him if he'd rather see me eating a fried shrimp po-boy or prancing around in a new body. LOL.... I think he got over that objection. One of the first things I thought about was things like crawfish boils .... I mean, are these things over forever? Will our stomachs really ever be able to eat these things, even in small portions? When was your surgery? How are you doing? Who was your surgeon?

Dana

Beth, Beth, Beth!! I'm in New Orleans (Mandeville) and am worried about never being able to enjoy a real meal. My husband is a little bummed about that too ( he does not have a weight problem). I mean, lets face it, food is the heart and soul

of New Orleans. I asked him if he'd rather see me eating a fried shrimp po-boy or prancing around in a new body. LOL.... I think he got over that objection. One of the first things I thought about was things like crawfish boils .... I mean, are these things over forever? Will our stomachs really ever be able to eat these things, even in small portions? When was your surgery? How are you doing? Who was your surgeon?

Dana

Never mind the questions!??? I just re-read your post! I was so excited to see another New Orleanian that I just skipped right over it.

So how are you? What has it been like since you got home?

I know I live food too. But I'm sick of being the only fat one in my family or social group. I have surgery Aug 23rd, if my doctor doesn't cancel. I was suppose to start Protein liquid diet on the 5th. My pre op was the 7th until they hadnt received approval so they pushed back my pre op til Aug 14th. I figured since they pushed back my pre op they would automatically push back my surgery date, they didn't. So, I have been on liquid protein as of today makes 3 days. I have 5 more to go and hope my liver has shrunk enough the doctor will still do surgery. What do you think?

Hi Shan,

My doc has not mentioned my liver --- did you have to do an ultrasound? Did you blood work show an abnormality?

Beth, Beth, Beth!! I'm in New Orleans (Mandeville) and am worried about never being able to enjoy a real meal. My husband is a little bummed about that too ( he does not have a weight problem). I mean, lets face it, food is the heart and soul of New Orleans. I asked him if he'd rather see me eating a fried shrimp po-boy or prancing around in a new body. LOL.... I think he got over that objection. One of the first things I thought about was things like crawfish boils .... I mean, are these things over forever? Will our stomachs really ever be able to eat these things, even in small portions? When was your surgery? How are you doing? Who was your surgeon?

Dana

Hi! I am doing GREAT! I'm also in Mandeville. After I am better, we will have to meet up for some decaf coffee or maybe dinner out with our husbands. My husband and I were a little bit worried about food, but now, I don't see it as being too much of an issue. As for crawfish, they told me that I can have boiled seafood. It's low in fat and high in Protein. There's sodium, but that's not really an issue with me. I can't have corn and potatoes and beer, of course, but I can have crawfish, and shrimp and oysters. I imagine that there will come a time after I have met my goal weight or am well on my way that I will go back to Ruth's Chris. I will have 1/2 of a petite filet with no butter, no bread, and some asparagus and maybe a bite of my husband's potatoes and a small glass of wine. I can promise you that after it's all over, you won't feel as though you are missing out. The meal I mentioned above will satisfy you. I am also a firm believer, that you can find anything on any menu to eat. There's always fabulous fish in NOLA. We are also in a very health conscious place in history. Waiters are used to people asking for no butter, sauce on the side, etc. I also saw on facebook that Molly Kimball from Elmwood Fitness center went to Murials and other NOLA restaurants to create delicious and beautiful health conscious meals. They posted pictures. It looks fabulous. A book that really helped me get over the food issue was this one: http://www.amazon.com/Before-After-Living-Eating-Surgery/dp/0060567228. It's a short read, and she is a serious New Orleans style foodie. I have read it twice so far. It's really interesting how she stays on her diet and eats some heavenly things. Private message me if you want to talk and be friends!

Hi Shan! To answer your question about the pre-op liquid diet. It does shrink your liver. I was on it for 14 days but cheated at day 3. Bad Bad, I know. However, the doctor said my surgery was easy breezy. The liver was fatty as determined in an ultrasound, and the preop diet shrunk it well enough. Just stay steady, and don't make the same mistakes I did. I am sure it will shrink enough.

@beth, thank you. I was worried. They have never done a ultrasound of my liver but just said they want it to shrink before surgery.

@danainneworleans my surgery is August 23rd of this month. They never did a ultrasound of my liver and blood work is all fine. They said they like you to shrink liver for the surgery. I'm on day 3 of diet and I hate it. I can only have fluids that can be drank with very little sugar or none at all with protein drinks. I found premier chocolate is ok you can get it at Sam's.

@danainneworleans my surgery is August 23rd of this month. They never did a ultrasound of my liver and blood work is all fine. They said they like you to shrink liver for the surgery. I'm on day 3 of diet and I hate it. I can only have fluids that can be drank with very little sugar or none at all with Protein drinks. I found premier chocolate is ok you can get it at Sam's.

Shan, just stay strong and keep thinking how wonderful it will be once you have the surgery!

Thanks, I am going to stay strong. My husband tonight ate hamburger steak with Cajun fries and extra gravy. He never gains a pound. I smelt it and wanted to cheat by I was strong for once and took a walk instead. Go me!!!

I am from New Orleans and I am thinking about using Dr. Lavin for my surgery. I am hoping to have surgery in February.