I have my day of consults and evaluations coming up in a week. From there, the surgery will be scheduled.

My question.

Since I've made the solid decision to do this surgery, I'm noticing that where I used to want to start a diet, and restricting portions, I'm actually doing the opposite. I'm telling myself that I'll soon be banded, so I can "wait" until then to start "paying attention." I'm not making a big deal to go work out, and haven't for a month. ( I finally went back yesterday, I think I've gained 10lbs!! I'm not checking. )

I'm usually good with a diet for a couple or three months, then fall off the wagon after a splurge and 10-15 lbs gone. I fall off the wagon pretty good too...in a sad way gaining most of that weight back. Then, I get geared up to finally figure it out for myself and start the diet again on Monday. Sometimes the Monday would come and I'd be back on the wagon, and sometimes, well...you know...maybe better luck next Monday. I've done this for 15 years. I'm 32 now.

Is it sort of normal to relax so much about changing my life before I do something so drastic to change my life?

Am I kidding myself that the Band can help? I worry about cheating the band. Is that normal? To be scared about failing this after failing so many other techniques to get to a normal size?

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

I was thinking the same thing. Isn't that the real reason why we took the psych with the dr. in the beginning? I always believed that it was always a made up mind thing. My doctors always said that this only a tool. and once we begin to realize that, we will always have that old mind set. Question: women when we have our monthly friends visiting, its either something sweet or salty; okay so instead of a candy bar, why can't we eat something that is healthy and still satisfy our sweet tooth. Again, its a mind thing

YAY! I had my surgery three days ago! I lost the ten pounds they wanted to see gone. I have had minimul shoulder pain and that was only the first day really....and it wasn't bad. Getting comfy in bed was a trick but at this stage, that's easier too. I'm apprehensive about rolling over to either side because I can feel 'stuff' shift in there...and it feels 'oogy'

I love that I can still have coffee. I love the pain drugs they gave me. I hate burping right now...I don't think that I ever noticed how much air I swallow when I drink or just going through the day. I can hardly wait to start using this tool as it's meant to be used....and I can't wait till a week is over and I can go to the gym and resume some eliptical walking while I watch TV. ( we don't have t.v. at home, so it's a push for entertainment as well to go to the gym!) Then, maybe in a month I'll start taking some of their classes like step and stuff....

I'm a bit excited!

I'm loving and hating this thread. My Dr requires a high protein, cut out the carbs and sugars pre op diet. But I have completely failed. Theres a lot of different sories and arguments here..... I have NOT eaten from daylight to dark because Im getting ready to have surgery, nor have I gained weight, I just haven't been able to stick with it at all. It has me VERY concerned!! I've told the Drs office and they said just do the best you can. I'm not so worried about the post op diet because the bands there and I want NO problems.

Hi all,

I have my op on the 23rd of june. My surgeon didn't mention a diet and infact told me i'd never be on a diet again. Lucky me. However he did tell me to make healty choices with food and to treat myself a couple of times a week. But no calorie counting. I'm eating everything now. Only one week left till surgery. can't wait to start loosing weight.

My Dr. told me I'd never be on a diet again...after the pre and Post-op diets that is.

I've met people with the same surgeon as me being told that they have to lose 30-40 pounds before they can get banded. I was told by my Dr. that I only had to lose 10. Perhaps you are at a weight that they consider just fine for liver size and so on, and so you do not have to do the pre-op diet. I've also met women that have had this LB done who were 200 pounds overweight and were not perscribed any pre-op diet. Post op diet though always.

probally depends on the doc and also the patients current weight and diet. i have a fairly good diet as it is. i just eat way too much of it.

Hi, I've found this thread to be very interesting and I had a couple of things to add. First of all, I have my consultation scheduled for 6/25 but talking w/the nurse on the phone she said I would have to drink slim fast between 800/1000 calories for 7 to 10 days before surgery. Hearing this, I would love to do something like the high protein for two weeks, that was one of the only diets I could ever stick to for a couple of weeks anyway, I mean at least they get to chew! Also, is there maybe a certain weight or overweight that your liver is more at risk? I was wondering if this is the difference in why some require the pre-op and some do not. For example, if I am 80lbs overweight as opposed to 200lbs overweight does that make a difference in the preop diet request? Just wondering...

Go ahead and tell yourself to eat what you want but it is a bad decision. You will get in there to have your surgery done and your liver will be to fatty and he will just close you up and send you home and tell you when you are ready give him a call. And then your insurance might have something to say about it after that. So if you been waiting to hear from your insurance and they approved and your just eating whatever they weigh you everytime you step in there office and if your gaining they pretty much tell you to watch your eating. The doctor can refuse you at any point and time. SO I WOULD THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE STICKING IN YOUR MOUTH!!!!!

Go ahead and tell yourself to eat what you want but it is a bad decision. You will get in there to have your surgery done and your liver will be to fatty and he will just close you up and send you home and tell you when you are ready give him a call. And then your insurance might have something to say about it after that. So if you been waiting to hear from your insurance and they approved and your just eating whatever they weigh you everytime you step in there office and if your gaining they pretty much tell you to watch your eating. The doctor can refuse you at any point and time. SO I WOULD THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE STICKING IN YOUR MOUTH!!!!!

FYI,

Surgeons that order you be on a high Protein pre-op diet to shrink the liver mean what they say. There are a lot of surgeon's out there who do not order a pre-op diet. Why? It may be because the patient does not have an elarged fatty liver, but it can mean that the surgeon's has more experience in operating around fatty livers.

Surgeons that order you be on a high protein pre-op diet to shrink the

liver mean what they say. There are a lot of surgeon's out there who

do not order a pre-op diet. Why? It may be because the patient does

not have an elarged fatty liver, but it can mean that the surgeon's has

more experience in operating around fatty livers.

My doctor has done over 5000 operations for lap band. They don't want you to eat so that your liver isn't fatty so when they are wrapping the band around your new stomach they don't hurt your liver and it's out of the way. The bigger you are the bigger the organs are. Remember they have to go to the top of the stomach. So the liver needs to be out of the way so he can get to it.

I'm so glad you started this thread because I'm in the same boat! My pre-op appointments in 2 weeks, and surgery in 6 ... hopefully!!

I'm not "looking for trouble", but when I get a chance to have a food-treat, I've been taking it. Thinking that soon I'll be in Lap-Band-Land and I'll face several weeks of liquid dieting, mush eating, and experimenting ahead of me!

I'm a little afraid of the liquid "omni-fast" type diets, so I have ordered nutrisytem on my own. I figure that way I can diet most of the time (unless there's a special night out) in the next 2 months and I'll keep the doctor happy and keep it easy for myself.

I will find out in 2 weeks if the doctor agrees... LOL!!

The pre-op diet weighs heavily on my mind too. That being said: in for a penny, in for a pound. What choice do I have? It is either commit to a lifestyle change by design, or die. (being dramatic is my speciality.) The way I figure it is this: I am going to be uncomfortable for at least two months, but what is that compared to a life time of being overweight? I find it interesting that most of you had this surgery covered by your insurance and you complain about the details such as a pre-op diet. I saved every last penny for this surgery ($14,400.00) and there is no complains from me just a lot of hope. I am going to follow all of your good advice. For those of you that were lucky enough to have had this covered by insurance- don't complain about ANYTHING just follow the program, and if you cant follow the pre op diet then maybe you should not have the surgery, because it is a life long commitment and all the doctor is asking of you is two little weeks.

Finally.... someone like me. It keeps running thru my head that I must lose 5% by the end of next month and it's not coming. Instead of diet I want to binge my way to the operating table. This is so hard. I keep hearing people go on a liquid diet... oh no! I couldn't make it 1 day on liquid. Unless milk shakes count?

My doc said I have three choices.

1. Three slim fasts a day

2. Two slim fasts and one lean cuisine

3. Atkins

Do this preop to lose 5% of body weight. For me that's 10 pounds

Liz, I had to lose I think 12 or 16 pounds in a couple of weeks to get approved for surgery. I chose to drink 2-3 Slim Fast CARB CONTROL (I put it in bold because the Carb Control is MUCH better than the High Protein or the Optima Slim Fast. It is rich and thick and satisfying and it has loads of protein in it (more than Optima or High Protein, even), and had a big salad with low fat dressing and about 1 oz of nuts per day for a snack. I lost FAST.