Any Pre-Op Cheaters?

[princesstracey 1]

Ok, its CHRISTMAS and im on a liquid fast. I actually skipped dinner with my family today and took a nap/bath instead, because last night, at the Christmas Eve party I cried....I have been on liquid for 11 days, and im HUNGRY! Just liquids!

So, I cheated last night...and cheated really really well. It was an appetizer buffet-I had 3 potstickers, brie cheese, 2 mozzerella sticks, a taquito and 1/2 piece of Peanut Butter fudge and a truffle. First 'food' of any type in 11 days.

How horrible is this, seriously? I feel SO SO guilty I can barely stand it! Surgery is Friday, Dec. 28th-3 days away..I will stay liquid like clock work til then.

Should I call my dietetian and confess? Will they move back surgery? Has this caused my liver to expand too much? Will last night ruin everything I have done in the past 11 days?

My BMI is 50, perfect health other than overweight.

[soniacan 0]

i dont know if it will affect your surgery but i say be good for the next few days and sssssshhhhh...

[suzannety 0]

I think most people cheat, with me it was Mexican food! You should be fine.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Someone just PMed me a link to this thread. She was concerned about the responses you have received so I am going to throw in my 18 cents worth here.

YES! By all means! Talk to your doc! Make sure surgery is still a go. The things you ate will make your liver slippery and slimy. Your BMI is a bit on the high side and that means your liver is likely to be quite heavy.

When they do surgery one is the incisions is an instrument that holds your liver up and out of the way so the doc can get the band around your stomach. If it is slippery (from the bad food) it makes it quite dangerous for you. If you were about 10 points lower on your BMI I might not be inclined to write this post but your BMI is not 10 points lower, it's 50. The instrument doesn't look like a spatula, it's a metal pole essentially. It's like holding a pie up with a stick. Know what I mean? Add slippery to that and how easy do you think it will be on your surgeon? If it is hard on him that means it is dangerous for you.

If your liver cannot be managed well it can slip and slide and the risk for laceration is greater. Is it worth it to keep your secret? Seriously, you have to consider if these diets actually DO something or if the real idea is to torture you? Honestly, what do you think you should do?

I think your surgeon should be given the information. It's not an issue of whether you should be rude and show up late to a party, this is your SURGERY! Your health for goodness sakes. If something happens during your surgery, will you be glad that you didn't say anything?

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

i dont know if it will affect your surgery but i say be good for the next few days and sssssshhhhh...

I don't understand something. If you don't know if it will affect her surgery, why shouldn't she tell her doctor?

[Chrisann 0]

I too am on a liquid diet. I had asked my dietician about the big fish extravaganza my Mom puts on for Christmas Eve. She allowed me as much plain veggies as I could eat, plus up to 6oz of broiled, boiled, baked fish.

My Mom was so extremely good to me, with 29 other family members to prepare for, made me a shrimp cocktail with 3 shrimp, then 2 oz. of fish salad plain, and then a 5 oz lobster tail that was broiled with lemon juice. So, I had about 8oz of fish, but it was all Protein. I had plain broccoli and a steamed artichoke. I was full. So I didn't miss eating the other several fish courses.

So, today, I didn't feel the hint of hunger, but when I sat down with my family, a smaller number today, I really did just do a smoothie with 30grams of Protein and plain veggies.

I think if she allowed me to cheat this day and then once last week for my office Christmas Party, and if this is the only day you did this on, you should be fine. So talk to the dietician and confess, that way you can figure out what you can do the next few days to make things easier on you for the surgery.

[TheGh0st 9]

I completely understand your fears of the surgeon postponing the surgery and having to prolong this "torture" of liquid diet. But as Wasa said this pre-surgery diet is truly not intended to be torture but to help prepare your liver for the surgery. In the long run if the doctor reccomends a small delay isn't that better than the possible complications? Or even just the added anxiety you will have going into surgery not knowing if what you did could negatively impact your surgery.

I really know it hurts to consider, but please, be honest with your surgeon, COMPLETELY HONEST. He may still clear you for surgery on Friday and then you can go in without that added stress. Even if he decides it is better to delay the surgery maybe it is more likely that it would only have to be delayed a couple days as opposed to having to start from scratch.

You've heard my two-cents. I know it isn't what you want to hear. But it is the safest medical choice. Still no matter what you decide I will be praying for a quick and successful surgery.

See ya on the bandside!

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I too am on a liquid diet. I had asked my dietician about the big fish extravaganza my Mom puts on for Christmas Eve. She allowed me as much plain veggies as I could eat, plus up to 6oz of broiled, boiled, baked fish.

My Mom was so extremely good to me, with 29 other family members to prepare for, made me a shrimp cocktail with 3 shrimp, then 2 oz. of fish salad plain, and then a 5 oz lobster tail that was broiled with lemon juice. So, I had about 8oz of fish, but it was all Protein. I had plain broccoli and a steamed artichoke. I was full. So I didn't miss eating the other several fish courses.

So, today, I didn't feel the hint of hunger, but when I sat down with my family, a smaller number today, I really did just do a smoothie with 30grams of Protein and plain veggies.

I think if she allowed me to cheat this day and then once last week for my office Christmas Party, and if this is the only day you did this on, you should be fine. So talk to the dietician and confess, that way you can figure out what you can do the next few days to make things easier on you for the surgery.

This makes perfect sense. The protein isn't the problem, the mega carbs in the OPs post are the problem.

I really don't understand the liquid diet to be honest. I can see a low fat, low carb, adequate protein diet but I have yet to figure out the reasoning behind a liquid diet.

The diet itself is critical for a safe surgery, but how that diet is accomplished is another issue between surgeons.

Your nutritionist sounds wonderful.

[AnneElliot 79]

I am wondering, my pre-op diet is set for exactly 7 days, and I have exactly 7 days before the surgery, is there anyway to see if you are ready for the surgery in terms of how your liver is? I am really woried that I do not clearly understand my diet. I have been on it for the last 4 days, and went off the cliff today with a small cheese fries, a cup of apple juice, a cup of diet coke and a chapati and eggs cooked in oil. Horrible I know, but I am commited to keeping good for the next seven days, I am not sure if these foods that I consumed today have done something, and that I should forgo any Protein or veggies in the next seven days and replace them with Protein Shakes and yogurt?

And for some reason the protien shakes I have been given the Atkinson ones, have about 9.5 grams of fat per can with 1 gram of sugar, the lowest I was able to find but isnt that a bit much fat??

I wish there was a way I could know how my liver was, If I am doing things correctly

[hajohnson1 0]

OK. I suggest you tell your doc, honesty being the best and safest policy. But .... I dont think they will put off your surgery. Many people, myself included were NOT required to go on a liquid diet at all. The only "fast" I had to do was only on the day before surgery. I've heard the liquid diet helps the surgeon by shrinking things, but he should still be able to do the operation, despite your one day slip. My surgeon had no problem doing mine and I ate solid food right up until 21 hours before surgery.

Good Luck!

[SuzanneG 1]

My 2 week pre-op diet consists of 2 liquid meals, then 4 oz of protien and 1 cup of veggies a day. I'm allowed 10 baby carrots or 1/2 apple and 1 yogurt for a snack.

I asked my Dr. about cheating on Christmas dinner and they said it would be ok to cheat a little. My BMI is 37.

I have stuck to it faithfully except for Christmas dinner. I had about 1 oz of ham, and then one spoonfull of the rest which I lightened up already. My daugther thought I was making a mistake, but I tried to be careful and not get too full.

My next hurdle will be New Year's Eve. We're having a party. My daughter thinks it would be OK if I had just a couple of diet coke and Crown Royal. I wonder if that little bit of alchohol would affect my liver?

Suzanne

[Wayne446 0]

My dear fellow pre-op cheater,

I couldn't stay on the liquid diet either. My pre surgery weight was 446. So if I could stick to diets I wouldn't have had the band! I did some research and the over all deal is high Protein and low carb and low fat. That diet yielded me loosing 16 lbs in 7 days. If you need to eat a little, eat A little I say, but Heck, I'm no doctor. I was worried cause I cheated, but I still lost. Good luck.

[Chrisann 0]

This makes perfect sense. The Protein isn't the problem, the mega carbs in the OPs post are the problem.

I really don't understand the liquid diet to be honest. I can see a low fat, low carb, adequate Protein diet but I have yet to figure out the reasoning behind a liquid diet.< /p>

The diet itself is critical for a safe surgery, but how that diet is accomplished is another issue between surgeons.

Your nutritionist sounds wonderful.

I understand the liquid diet, because without it, I would be having a hard time, not to mention more expensive time trying to stick to a high protein diet. Its much easier for people to understand, "hey, I am on a liquid diet" then to say "Hey Im am on a high protein diet".

I feel that the liquid has shrunken my stomach a bit because I would have eaten every single course. I didn't eat: baked clams, linguini with clam sauce, fried shrimp, fried filet, calamari in red sauce over spaghetti, tilapia with red sauce and garlic, sauteed scallops. So, being able to stop where I did amazed my relatives more than I thought. And several of them said that to me. Hearing my family tell me that they are proud of me for sticking to this, when even the skinny ones said they give me a lot of credit because they couldn't do it, was the motivation I needed to get through these last five days.

Truth be told, I did have a hersheys kiss this morning, and about 6 almonds. The willpower still stinks and these were in the kitchen at my office when I went for my shake. Of course in the past, I would have taken a handful of kisses and probably a cup full of nuts.

[Debbie P 0]

Yes, I cheated too. I was on Clear Liquids 10 days prior to surgery, and the 8th day I lost it. I ate shrimp cocktail, just 3 pieces, and dipped my finger in spreadable cheese, and a soft boiled egg. It was the best tasting food I thought I'd ever had. I made it through my surgery without any complications and my BMI was 56. My girlfriend in New York had her surgery 3 weeks prior to me and her doc let her eat 1 complete meal a day with 2 Protein Shakes substituting for the other meals. She is doing great and had no problems. Now, I am no doctor but this was my story...and I'm sticking to it! Good luck, you'll be fine.

[faithmd 14]

My $.02?: I agree completely with what WasA and Gh0st said!