I am schedule for surgery in two weeks and I just can't stop eating. It is like I am saying goodbye to all my favorite food. I really am worried about this. Yesterday I ate so much I felt physically sick.

Please advise

Thanks

Judy I faced the same thing. Don't worry. When you have your surgery that will pretty much stop the eating for awhile. Preparing for surgery for me was like preparing for a good friend to move out of town. Even though I hadn't seen the friend much over the past year, suddenly I needed to see her every day. Once the big day comes you will find that it gets easier.

Micki

I do understand Judy, been there done that, it is just anxiety. Slow down and start meal planning with Snacks. Write down what you are eating and if there is something you just have to have like a steak and cheese. Plan on having it for lunch and only half. Of course whatever you are craving can be prepared at home therefore it will have less, fat, calories, sodium and etc. Now is the time to cut back and put things in your house that you will need after surgery. Popsicles, broth, ff popsicles, fat free, Jello,ff pudding, shakes ( I like atkins advantage), Water, gas-x, gatorade, crystal light, light grape juice. The popsicles will become your best friend.

You can do this, remember the band is a help mate not a cure. You will have to walk and eat as you are told. Good Luck and my prayers are with you.

Judy - stress eating is normal but you should try to stop as soon as possible. You will make the surgeons job so much easier if you actually drop some weight before your date. The liver of an obese person is larger that that of a normal person, I believe it has something to do with fat on the liver, and the liver covers the part of the stomach that they are working on.

I had my gallbladder out on 8/18 (behind the liver) after losing 10 lbs, my doctor said that my liver was still large. I dropped another 10-15 lbs before my banding on 9/12 and my DR. was thrilled. The first thing he told my Mom after surgery (he didn't know how many lbs I had lost) was "She must have lost more weight because I had plenty of room in there this time and I was even able to fit her with the smaller band". If the DR has more room and a better view - I feel that lessens the chances of a complication during surgery. Although I must say that I only lost so much because I was told that if I gained any weight they would cancel the surgery until I had my eating under control....I was so scared they would cancel me that I watched every little thing I put in my mouth!

Does your surgeon require a pre-op liquid diet? If not have the things you enjoy (but don't worry to much because you most likely will be able to have them again in the future) but in smaller amounts. Maybe replace one or two meals with protien shakes, have smart Snacks and them splurge for one meal.

I am not sure how important shrinking the liver is really, to my DR it was important - some doctors don't seem to have a requirement and others seem to go overboard. You may want to contact the program nutritionist and find out what they suggest.

Good luck on your band day!

Judy,

I did as you are doing.............STOP!! I didn't know about this site before or I would have stopped. I did lose 20 pounds prior to surgery, however, my liver was still so enlarged on the date of surgery that when they went to move it, it cracked and started to bleed. I had to stay in the hospital overnight for observation and the surgery lasted a lot longer than was planned. I must confese this scared the heck out of my husband and parents. Thanks for letting me share.

Hi Judy

I did the same, I had a last supper for about 2 weeks

You are perfectly normal, but I agree if poss do try to slow down.

Good luck

Gaynor

Hi Judy,

I completely understand. My Dr. didn't require any special diet before the surgery and Boy did I have a party. I tried to eat all the foods I thought I wouldn't ever be able to eat again. Steaks, fries, pizza, subs, fried chicken, Hardees biscuit's and more. I guess it was my way of saying good by to a lifestyle that I loved -- being able to eat what when I wanted (spoiled that way ) but, the weight gain I hated!

By the time of my surgery I had gained almost 15 pounds and I remember thinking "man it sure wasn't worth it, because now I have to lose more weight than I had planned."

We've all struggled with food that's why were here. So, know this -- you are not alone and it does get better -- much better!

I wish you much success.

Maybe this will help you slow down...the doctor REALLY CAN TELL if you have been following the recommended diet...wanna know how I know? They took pictures! Yep! Right there in living color, you could see my liver, nice and pink...not white and splotchy like it would have been.

I did have all the same feelings you have...and I gave in a time or two...but for the most part, I just made up my mind I could do this thing...really, you will be able to eat most of the food you like, just lots less of them. Good luck, Cindy

My doctor said my liver was just as big and fopping around. I had a binge 2 days before surgery which did not help matters.

WOW that liver cracking and bleeding story is enough for me!

Try to really taste what your eating. Listen to the texture. You will notice that after a few bites the taste isn't there anymore and your just eating cause it's there.

I'm on a 2 week liquid right now. Surgery on MONDAY AHHH, but over the yrs of eating I have remembered, at times, to really taste what I'm eating and when I stopped tasting it, STOP EATING IT. Well if I had stayed with that way of eating I wouldn't be here. But I remembered it at one of my many last suppers and it sure slowed me down for the rest.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone,

Today I replaced 2 meals with a Protein shake. Hopefully I will be able to stick to that. That liver bleeding story scared me.

thanks again everyone

Judy, not to be contrarian (yeah, right), but a lot of us go through what you described. It's sort of a big farewell to food, as if we aren't going to be able to eat our favorites again. Lots of us did it. That's not to recommend all-out bingeing, but if you just gotta have something, don't beat yourself up. And as for the liver business, every doctor gives different advice, and sometimes require a liquid diet only for patients with BMIs of 50 or more. An enlarged liver poses a greater surgical risk for larger patients, and some docs recommend a short stint on liquids just before banding in order to shrink the liver and make surgery safer. If your surgeon hasn't mentioned it, please don't panic.

Confession: I ate barbecued ribs, french fries, and corn on the cob the night before I was banded, with my surgeon's blessing. I am not recommending this program! But I was fine.

Good luck. Hang in there -- the days and weeks before band surgery can seem to drag on by, but the big day will finally arrive.

You go Judy that was great. Slow and stead all of this goes. One day and one meal at a time. LOL To piggy back off of Zoe we do have a farewell to food mindset but it really isn't. You will be able to enjoy those foods after you are healed but guess what. You are not going to want to eat so many of those foods because you will see some of them as the culprit as to why you needed surgery in the first place.

It all takes time, love and prayers are with you.

Hi,

I will add to what the others are saying and say if you can stop, then do it, for the good of your liver.

I learned some great tips from my dietician:

Eat with a baby spoon, because it takes 20 minutes for the brain to realize that it is time to quit.

Have carb, protein and a little fat with each meal and you will feel satisfied better than if you just eat from one food group.

Sit at the table and do nothing but eat, and chew it until there is nothing left when you swallow.

These things really helped me a lot. And remember, we CAN have our favorite foods after we are healed, just small portions.

Thinking of you

You can do it