Hi,

I am getting ready to start my pre-op diet day after tomorrow. I've been told, and read, that I will be having 2 Protein shakes a day and one meal of meat and vegetables. What else can I have during the day and night? sugar free non carbonated drinks? Sugar free popsicles? Fruit?

I saw somewhere on here where someone had made a simple chart/paragraph with the nutritional value of the different brands of Protein Shakes. Does anyone know where I can find that?

Last question - any advice on the best multi-purpose Vitamin to take after surgery and forever more?

I'm so excited and so glad to have found this site. My procedure will be on September 12, 2008. Dr. Hollis in Houston will be doing it.

Hi Miss. The pre-op diet varies a lot from doctor to doctor. Some have very strict diets, while other docs have very lax diets, so it's kind of hard to answer your question with a bunch of specifics. I can tell you (solely based on my experience) that the higher protein shakes made me feel full for longer. Another tip from me to you. Give up the carbonated drinks now. A lot of bandsters have trouble handling the carbonation, and if you're addicted (like I was to fountain Diet Cokes) the quicker you get 'em behind you the better. Good luck, Miss!!

Thank you so much for responding. I have already given up the carbonated drinks. Do you know if the Atkins Advantage shakes are good? I know they are nutritionally good, but do they taste good? Any ones that are better?

Also... do you take a daily Vitamin?? What kind.

You were banded on my daughter's birthday! Thanks again for taking time to help a new girl on the block :thumbup:

Atkins Advantage taste pretty good. I also drank the Isopure pre-mixed clear drinks after surgery and they were not bad . . . not good, but not bad either.

Watch your caffeine intake if you ingest a lot now. It may give you headaches when you try to stop.

I take a CVS brand called Spectravite. They are reasonably priced adult orange flavored chewables. I like them because they actually taste good. Normal Vitamins cause me to burp a wierd taste sometimes, sorry if it is TMI. Since they are chewable, they are super easy to ingest as well.

Thanks Heather.... for taking time to respond and for the information. Where do you get Isopure?

Hi - I just got banded last Thursday, so let me tell you how I handled the pre-op diet. I decided on July 12 that I would mainly do liquids - crystal light, Protein shakes, but have one meal a day of salad with grilled chicken or eggs and cheese. After doing that about 2 weeks, I started on liquids only - my doc preferred low carb slim fast and I could mix with flavorings or frozen fruit for a smoothie. I also could have Atkins Advantage. There was broth - I preferred the veggie. I could have V8 and I liked it heated, sugar free Jello and sugar free popsicles.

By the day of surgery, I had lost 30 pounds. Sure some days I was hungry and wanted food. But the reason behind the low carb diet is to shrink the liver. It makes surgery easier.

So I slowly went into the diet. And I could've eaten *my last supper* and gained more weight, but I am glad I went this route. I am feeling good and have lost the IV Fluid weight and 3 pounds!

But with any plan - you have to follow your doctor's advice, so talk to them now and see how you need to plan.

Shelia

Thank you so much for the information. I will be on the pre-op diet for 3 weeks starting tomorrow. My procedure is scheduled for the 12th of September. Good luck and I hope we can talk again!!!

I was able to drink 5-low carb shakes per day with one low calorie meal, Crystal Light, water, SF Jell-O and SF Popscicles. I didn't care for the Atkins shakes but liked the Low Carb Slimfast chocolate and vanilla shakes best. I dropped 20 lbs pre-op doing this.

Thank you for the information!! You are doing great!!! I hope to lose some weight on the pre-op diet and am looking forward to my surgery and my healthier life afterwards. Good luck to you and thanks again for taking time to respond to my questions. I am so glad that I found this site and nice people like you.

I just have a few suggestions I have found over the yrs that would have made my post op surgery easier. I found a protein drink called UNJURY you can find it on the internet. It has 20 grams of protein per severing and taste 100 percent better than the othe drinks. It also comes in unflavored so you can add it to anything. The other would be the magic bullet. It purees the food so well and you can do it per seving instead of making huge portions. It purees meat so you can make chicken and turkey salad with fat free mayonaise. I pureed just about everything when I have to eat soft foods. You can use it to make protein shakes with fresh fruit. Sometimes you have to forget what the food looks like and go with what it taste like. A few more hints add peanut butter to your powder protein drinks when you make them and it will totally change the taste and give you added protein. Also UNJURY sells fruit flavored protein powder you can make popsicles and jello with. After awhile you have to become creative with your meals or the become nauseating. Good Luck.:thumbup:

Hi MissBS and welcome to the club!

You may be referring to my chart of Protein drinks. I did put some info in paragraph form in a post, but i also have an Excel file that I can send you, if you like. You can send me a Private Message if you want to go that route. The chart only has the Protein Drinks that I looked at - there are so many out there - but it could be a starting point for you.

As far as what else you can have during your pre-op, that's pretty much up to what you doctor has told you.

I live in Houston, so let me know if I can help you with anything as your surgery day here approaches!

Thank you very much. My email address is MissBecky7@comcast.net. I would love it if you would send me that. Thanks again. Becky

You might get a sample of the Unjury (or any other protein drinks)before purchasing a large amount. I don't like the Unjury. GNC also has unflavored protein powder.

My Comcast email is being screwy right now, but I'll get that off to you as soon as it decides to cooperate! :thumbup:

Thanks Heather.... for taking time to respond and for the information. Where do you get Isopure?

You can find it along with other Protein options from The Vitamin Shop but I don't know if they have that store in many places. GNC is another option.

Do you know if the Atkins Advantage shakes are good? I know they are nutritionally good, but do they taste good? Any ones that are better?

Also... do you take a daily Vitamin?? What kind

I like all of the flavors of the Atkins Advantage...just drink them cold! I also like the slimfast low-carb. Don't get the high-protein because they actually have less Protein than the low-carb. I also enjoy the New whey Protein Bullet in my crystal light. I only use the fruit punch, and it's a great way to sneak in the protein without having to keep drinking shakes. They get boring after awhile.

I have 2 Flinstones Vitamins daily :thumbup: