She said if I dont follow the 2 week diet, the surgeon may get started and thenn close me up. Is this true? or a scare tatic? I am following the diet and am loosing weight ....... I just cant imagine they could do that.

surg. 4/15/08

well my surgeon said no prop diet. Just for people with 50 or more

bmi. I have a 44 bmi and I am 150 pounds over weight. So i have

been having a lot of last meals... I have started the 3 day clean out

fast and that is it....

My doctor does this for a living... that is all he does.... has done over 800

maybe 900.... You should be using a doctor that has done this a lot...

A real expreienced doctor would not think that you could go without food.

Hello, that is why your having the surgery because you cant control how much you eat... If you could then there would be no need for the surgery.. The dietician will also tell you that you cant have any alchol ever and that you cant ever have a soda again either...

Me myself If my Dr tells me that it will be a safer procedure i will do what he says. So if he says by going on a 2-week fast liquids only or if he tells me to have 1 piece of cheese on 1/2 of cracker and drink nothing but crystal lyte I would do it. if it would save my life and make things better for him to get the procedure done. I would think that something was wrong if the Dr. did not advise me to change the way i ate and 97% of people with a bmi over 38% have to. That's just me. I would think it might be a little risky to continue to eat the normal way pigging out.. already being over weight.. why would u put more fat on your liver than necessary....

Edited April 12, 200818 yr by mstrina27

My surgeon has me on a "pre" pre op diet to lose whatever I can, and then 2 weeks of a "modified Atkins" which means strict Atkins with serving limits. He mentioned many reasons the surgery would either be cancelled before hand-if I gained weight instead of lost, or my BP went up instead of staying the same or down, and also said if he got in and the liver was too big, he would close up. No open surgery option, he says it's just not worth it, that I would need to work on more weight. My original BMI was 50 and I'm down to about 48 now with less then a month to go. I'll be extremely upset to wake up and find they didn't go ahead with surgery for some reason, but this is how the center I go to has never lost a patient. They are very careful, so I might be disapointed but I won't die.

"Cheating" a couple times is probably not going to change anything. However, trying to cheat the whole process is only going to hurt you.

If you feel you just have to cheat until 2 or 3 days before the surgery, then go right ahead but, don't come crying to us if your surgeon goes in then decides against completing the procedure. Oh yeah, you will still be paying a hefty bill and it might be out of your own pocket.

I'm sorry, but that's the crappiest piece of logic I've heard in a while.

I agree, but crappie is not the word I would use. There are lots of people that would love a chance at this surgery but just can't get it..I would almost stand on my head in the mud for it. Still waiting to qualify..

Just to share my experience. BMI of 41, banded on 3/25, I didn't cheat at all on my two week Opti fast only diet. Lost 20 pds pre op. The Doc said it was a very easy operation only 12 mins!!!!!!! Post op I have not cheated on my food plan and am down another 15 pds. No problems, no food sticking, nothing. All in all am down 35 pds.

I have to go with the crappy logic thing. Many of us are trying not to be judgmental in our advice and/or opinions, but seriously, if you cannot get yourself to buckle down for two weeks or four weeks or whatever your doctor asks, chances are the band is not for you.

Haven't you heard people talking about "eating around the band?" If you can't go without "cheating" for a few weeks, chances are you can't go without cheating WITH the band.

Imagine that you've been banded and are out and about and you've had a really stressful day. There's a McDonalds up ahead and boy, wouldn't a chocolate shake or large sweet tea taste good?

You could totally get BOTH and suck them down and even if you're restricted, they would just slide right on down.

My point is, you CAN cheat while being banded. If you can't follow the doctors orders for a few weeks, what makes you think you will not cheat on the band and not lose weight or even gain weight?

IT'S ALL FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!! Why are you fighting it? Maybe you should move your band date up a couple of weeks and give the Dr.'s diet another try?

My surgery is on the 17th, my Dr. also put me on a 2 week diet. But I know that some Dr. just make you do a 2 or 3 day fasting diet of pure liquids.. I have not done well the past week have have had pizza twice and a small bag of chips. I think I will do the 3 day liquid diet on my last days, just because I have cheated so much. What do you think??

I am just at the cut off for the BMI 38% I am 5'3" and 205.. What do you think about doing just the 3 day liquid diet, instead of the 2 weeks of slim fast and cottage cheese??

Because I feel so anxious about not having anything in my stomach. Also on my final appointment I meet a girl in the waiting room that had her surgery a week prior and she said that she had cheated until 2 days before the surgery. So I think that is why I have been able to let myself cheat so easily.

(emphasis mine)

Jill-

If you're doing this to yourself *now*, what are you going to do after the surgery when you absolutely CANNOT cheat without risking serious injury to yourself and/or your band?

I won't lie. Yes, the pre-op diet sucks big time, but it's only a couple weeks. I figure I can do just about anything for a couple weeks. It does get progressively easier as the days go by. And if you have to take it half hour by half hour, then so be it. Today was day 5 for me, and as of this morning, I was down 6lbs.

Just because somebody else is cheating, it doesn't make it OK for you to do it too. Presumably, you're an adult. You need to make your own choices. Make them good ones.

Maybe you should watch the live video of the procedure in the FAQ section so you can see just how important it is that your liver is small for the surgery. Either that, or maybe you're just not ready. There's nothing wrong with admitting that you're not there yet. Better to find out now than after the band is in place...

hugs

-m

I attended the first session Apr. 5. I have my appointment with the surgeon on April 28. Can you drink Slim Fast on the pre-op diet? Is everyone going through a 3-4 week diet? I am looking forward to getting this weight off.

Sylvia

Edited April 12, 200818 yr by sfaye11

well my surgeon said no prop diet. Just for people with 50 or more

bmi. I have a 44 bmi and I am 150 pounds over weight. So i have

been having a lot of last meals... I have started the 3 day clean out

fast and that is it....

My doctor does this for a living... that is all he does.... has done over 800

maybe 900.... You should be using a doctor that has done this a lot...

A real expreienced doctor would not think that you could go without food.

Hello, that is why your having the surgery because you cant control how much you eat... If you could then there would be no need for the surgery.. The dietician will also tell you that you cant have any alchol ever and that you cant ever have a soda again either...

I think everyone's doctor is different... my doctor said it's okay to have soda if I can tolerate it. Some people can and some can't. It used to be thought the carbonation would erode the band but they're finding it's not the case. As far as alcohol, he said it's fine but it's liquid calories so I have to watch elsewhere... and never dronk alcohol with food. I'm told that the alcohol effects you more though so you'll drink less anyway. Probably because there's less in your stomach to absorb it an also your body size is decreasing, so be careful with it, espeically if driving. One drink will effect you more than it used to he said.

So basically you can try almost everything before and see what you can tolerate.

At the seminar I just went to a couple of weeks ago, they said that the 2-week liquid diet was not only to shrink your liver, but to see if you have the will-power and the dedication to do this.

I'm no expert, but it would seem that you're really not ready for this. If you're already cheating now, what's going to prevent you from cheating in the future?

I'm not banded, but I cannot WAIT for my band. I also cannot wait to start my liquid diet. I gained a little bit of weight to qualify for the surgery through my insurance (I have no co-morbidities) and I know the weight will fall right off when I start the liquids. That will feel sooooooo good. I've been on liquids before, so I know I can do it.

Why don't you do it for the next 7 days? I look at it like this, a week's a week. I can do just about ANYTHING for a week! So can you!

I have a doctor that said 1 week of a high protein diet, and only for lunch, a protein drink. I can't stand the protein drinks so I just did another high protein lunch. Anyone out there just getting the lap band, I say just choose a doctor with a pre opt diet that you can live with because some of them are very LONG and very HARD!!!! I ate some french fries once that week and was scared to death that when I woke up I would not have a band.( I have come to realize that alot of people think that way.) My opinion to you is that you need to do your VERY BEST and you will be fine.

Reene11,I agree that you should take your doc's orders to heart. It is hard, but you've come this far, you've made this huge decision! You can do it! I only have to do a pre-op diet for a week and i'm struggling a bit. The hardest part for me is not smoking and not taking ibuprofen. It's spring and I wake up with a sinus headache everyday. But, I know this will all be worth it in the end. Talk to your doctor and just take it one day at a time. it sounds like your doing great!

just a thought.....................maybe a long look at your expectations of the band, and yourself. Yes doctors do vary in their approach to the surgery, but obviously your approach to eating has not been a positive experience. maybe a reevaluation of your commitment to changing your lifestyle is appropriate. What you put in you get out, nobody rides for free. You have a choice, either do it right or don't do it. It isn't rocket surgery. It is your choice, choose wisely. Success depends on you and you only. g2s

:biggrin:

Very well stated.

I would never tell anyone it is ok not to follow their surgeon's directions.

I had a long talk with my surgeon and since I wanted to survive the surgery in the best possible shape, I followed his directions. It was only for six weeks and I survived just fine.

If you feel you can't survive without your stomach being full, then perhaps you should consider counseling for a while prior to getting a band.

It's your health and your responsibility.