I'm hoping someone out there can help me! I've been on the pre-op clear liquid diet now for 4 days and I can handle the mental part of it. I'm noticing that my body is very tired which I know is normal. However last night my body started doing something a little scary. Every bone and joint in my body started to ache so badly I almost went to the ER. I feel like something is not right and my body is needing something obviously. Is this normal? My doctor never said anything about taking vitamins until after the surgery. I read online that you're not allowed to take vitamins before your surgery because you're not supposed to have any minerals in your system. Every page says something different when you're reading online. Am I allowed to take calcium and magnesium for my joints and bones while I'm on the clear broth diet?. I even have issues with the joints in my hands and fingers since I've been doing this diet. Every part of my body hurts and I just hope I don't have to deal with this after the surgery. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

this would be a question for your clinic. It's pretty standard to withhold supplements for a week or so before a major surgery, but I can't remember if I was told that before my WLS or not (it's been too many years), and I'm not 100% sure if that would include calcium and magnesium. At any rate, what you're experiencing isn't normal - or at least not common. I've been hanging out on this site for over seven years, and I don't ever remember reading anything about this. I guess it could also be weather-related since most of the country is under a heatwave (my arthritis acts up when the humidity is high), but I don't know. At any rate, that sounds miserable! I hope you can get through to someone today to get some answers.

Did you eat a lot of sweet foods or drink sweet drinks. It sounds like you are having a reaction to withdrawal from no sugar in your diet. The reaction is a bit like flu symptoms, making you ache all over. It happens with strong coffee drinkers too.

Contact your team and check in with them. I doubt very much if you will need any vitamins at this stage.

1 minute ago, summerseeker said:

Did you eat a lot of sweet foods or drink sweet drinks. It sounds like you are having a reaction to withdrawal from no sugar in your diet. The reaction is a bit like flu symptoms, making you ache all over. It happens with strong coffee drinkers too.

Contact your team and check in with them. I doubt very much if you will need any Vitamins at this stage.

didn't think of that - overall carb withdrawal (and caffeine withdrawal) can cause issues, too

I would also run it by your clinic just in case. They should know what questions to ask to differentiate it from withdrawal or something else.

I’m in agreement with the others - I start my diet soon and the nutritionist reiterated if I had any problems, questions or concerns along the way to call as often as needed and they would be there to answer questions or adjust things if needed.

I am a serious coffee drinker every morning at work, however I shouldn't be having withdrawals because I have protein shakes that have caffeine in them. So I'm getting a small amount of caffeine in my body still. Yes I guess I ate a moderate amount of carbohydrates and sugar. I had something similar happen to me when I was low carb program through my doctor's office. I was on very low carb intake and I began to have aching joints to the point where I would lay in bed and almost cry at night. The doctor said it was lack of carbs, calcium and magnesium. Which is why I went and took one of those vitamins right away last night. I feel so much better today. It's probably just carbohydrate withdrawal, sugar, caffeine. I've also been making sure I stay hydrated. Thank you so much for all of your comments. 4 days left! I've waited a year and a half for this and although I'm excited I have been very emotional for the last week. Probably just nerves, scared and a little nervous to go into the OR.

On 07/23/2022 at 18:37, grizzlysarah said:

I am a serious coffee drinker every morning at work, however I shouldn't be having withdrawals because I have Protein Shakes that have caffeine in them. So I'm getting a small amount of caffeine in my body still. Yes I guess I ate a moderate amount of carbohydrates and sugar. I had something similar happen to me when I was low carb program through my doctor's office. I was on very low carb intake and I began to have aching joints to the point where I would lay in bed and almost cry at night. The doctor said it was lack of carbs, Calcium and magnesium. Which is why I went and took one of those Vitamins right away last night. I feel so much better today. It's probably just carbohydrate withdrawal, sugar, caffeine. I've also been making sure I stay hydrated. Thank you so much for all of your comments. 4 days left! I've waited a year and a half for this and although I'm excited I have been very emotional for the last week. Probably just nerves, scared and a little nervous to go into the OR.

Hang in there! I can’t imagine not being emotional going into a major surgery.

So glad you are feeling better.

My team actually told us to start taking the multivitamin and calcium when we started a pre-op diet but to NOT take it the 2 days before surgery.

I would still reach out to your team as others have said. Just get their input, they may change your pre-op diet a little bit to help.

My cousins GF was having major sugar drops during her pre-op diet to the point she was passing out. They actually allowed her 2oz of OJ twice a day to maintain as needed.

13 minutes ago, kcuster83 said:

My team actually told us to start taking the Multivitamin and Calcium when we started a pre-op diet but to NOT take it the 2 days before surgery.

I would still reach out to your team as others have said. Just get their input, they may change your pre-op diet a little bit to help.

My cousins GF was having major sugar drops during her pre-op diet to the point she was passing out. They actually allowed her 2oz of OJ twice a day to maintain as needed.

Agreed! My doctor said the same as well, I'm taking a multi, calcium & B12(once a week) up until 2 days prior to surgery.