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What are you doing to prepare for surgery?



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What are you doing in the months leading up to surgery to prepare?

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getting my mind right! stocking up on supplies such as Vitamin Water, sugar free popsicles, Soup, watching youtube videos, trying to get my eating habits under control... im scheduled for Feb 7th

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I am coming at it from two different angles, nutrition and research.

I set food goals for myself each month. Over the last three months I have weened myself off of alcohol, carbonation, and caffeine and started having fresh fruit and veggie smoothies each morning instead of dunkin donuts. I am a little over two months out from surgery. Over the next two months I am going to begin replacing a meal with a Protein Shake and focusing on Protein and portion sizes. The food stuff sucks, but I was very worried about coming out of surgery having to tackle so many vices at once. I know it will still be challenging, but I am doing what I can now to try and make it less challenging.

On the research front, I have read a few books and spending a lot of time on youtube, on this site, and really any other online resource that I can find with information. I find that organization helps me to feel a little more in control, so I have a onenote notebook where I am tracking information and suggestions from all over. I do not know if we can ever be prepared enough for this, but pretending that I am makes me less stressed and makes it easier to answer questions when people I have told ask.

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I am days away. Feb 1st
I have cut out soda, went low carb, I’ve been swimming/doing Water aerobics, logging my food, drinking way more water than I ever have.
I’m shopping for things I need for the surgery. Reading info on here and other groups.
I’ve been cleaning and organizing my room, bathroom, etc so I can access things easy afterwards.
Trying to breathe lol


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The last month or so I've been really focusing on changing my diet permanently - getting my husband on board, donating or tossing foods we won't be eating, meal planning and cooking new recipes, etc. In addition to that, I'm brainstorming recipes for the post-op periods. Researching Protein Shakes & bars. Seeing my therapist every week to discuss fears and anxieties as they come up. Trying to be calm & enjoy the process - I feel this is a special, pivotal time in my life that I'll look back on with amazement. So just trying to be present with myself and my feelings instead of biting my nails and hyperventilating LOL... easier said than done sometimes but overall I'm feeling at peace.

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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
      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. 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
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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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    • bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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