Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Graduate student and pre-op diet



Recommended Posts

I am hoping to have my surgery on May 2nd. I received the typical pre-op instructions from my doctor which have a 3 days prior to surgery liquid only and laxatives diet requirement. I am a graduate student who has a 4 hour long final as well as research presentation on April 30th. I am wondering how others reacted to the change in nutrients. How was your concentration, energy level and memory during this time? Can you recommend certain liquids that will be better than others during this time? Thanks!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi I am a grad student fulltime too and the pre-diet for the vertical sleeve was really hard, but you can push through it, if you can get ahead of your work then do it because your energy is also affected I tried to get some work done before I started and thank God everything worked out. Just plan and plan and stay ahead of your school work any reading you can do now will also help you. I read as much as I could because it was hard for me to concentrate when my belly wanted food and my head could not understand why, once you have the sleeve its a different game I felt so much better I moved slow but dint have the hunger pains..

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am hoping to have my surgery on May 2nd. I received the typical pre-op instructions from my doctor which have a 3 days prior to surgery liquid only and laxatives diet requirement. I am a graduate student who has a 4 hour long final as well as research presentation on April 30th. I am wondering how others reacted to the change in nutrients. How was your concentration, energy level and memory during this time? Can you recommend certain liquids that will be better than others during this time? Thanks!

I was exactly in the same boat before my surgery. I am a grad student at Dartmouth and was finishing up my fall term just days before the surgery. My pre-op diet was 2 weeks before the surgery so it definitely cut into my final project, presentation and exam. I was pleasantly surprised how much energy I had after the first day or so. I thought I was going to feel fatigued but I really wasn't. The key is getting in plenty of Water. I also chewed gum like crazy while in class and on exam day. It just kept me going. One thing I would ask your doc is whether you can wait on the laxatives until day 2. I never had to take laxatives or do anything having to do with a bowel prep, so I was lucky in that regard. Good luck to you!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey all you grad students, just wanted to say congratulations on your journey - academically and weight-loss wise. I finished up grad school in Dec 2012. I'm a mom of 2 so the sleeve really wasn't something I could fit onto my plate at the time but I seriously give you all props for taking on both! Both of these major life changes are going to feel great when you reap the rewards. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi I am also a grad student. I am almost 5 weeks post op and in my next to last semester of school. It is really intense but soooo worth it. I think that people not going through the struggles of both at the same time don't get how hard it is!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • 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. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • 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.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×