Got my surgery date, now I am full of questions!

Hello everyone,

First, I want to thank all the wonderful people of OH for posting their successes and struggles. It has been such an amazing help to me as I navigate through the fog of WLS.

I was approved for VSG with Dr. Penner at TWH in Toronto for August 15th, 2013.

I have a few questions... almost all of the program in Toronto is ran as though you are getting RNY, but once I was approved for VSG, I didn't get a revised eating plan or vitamin plan. I am going to ask the team about it at my next appt, but wondering if this was anyone else's experience?

Also, I was given 3 week optifast diet, not 2... and on Toronto plan, you cannot eat any food whatsoever while on the optifast diet.. just tea, water, broth (etc.) Anyone else have to go longer than 2 weeks?

Finally, I have to go in for an endoscopy on July 4th. Did anyone else have to do this before surgery? Is it terrible?

Thanks again to all of the inspiring people of OH, I look forward to becoming a part of this lovely community.

Dana

I have a few questions... almost all of the program in Toronto is ran as though you are getting RNY, but once I was approved for VSG, I didn't get a revised eating plan or vitamin plan. I am going to ask the team about it at my next appt, but wondering if this was anyone else's experience?

My surgeon had one plan for everyone with some special tweaks depending on what procedure you were having.  We got a bunch of hand outs (I made a nice binder) and then had what we needed to follow post-op.

Also, I was given 3 week optifast diet, not 2... and on Toronto plan, you cannot eat any food whatsoever while on the optifast diet.. just tea, water, broth (etc.) Anyone else have to go longer than 2 weeks?

I had a 2 week liquid diet - but I have seen some people on here with 3 or even 4 week pre-op liquid diets.  Different surgeons have different pre-op requirements.  

The liquid diet isn't easy - but it isn't terrible either.  The first 3 days are the absolute worst - it is psychologically terrible!  My best advise is have plenty of sugar free jello and sugar free popsicles on hand - they really help with the need for something a little solid in your mouth.  Chew on ice too!

Finally, I have to go in for an endoscopy on July 4th. Did anyone else have to do this before surgery? Is it terrible?

I didn't need an endoscopy, but my daughter has had one for problems in the past - not a big deal!  She said the colonoscopy was much worse!  (She is 22).

Good luck!

Lucy,

 

Thank you so much for your response. I will definitely be picking up some sugar free jello and popsicles! I know 3 weeks is going to be tough, but the reward is SOOOO worth it!!

Congratulations on all your success!

 

Dana

my pre op is 5 days of 2 shakes and a tv diner then the last 2 days are clear liquids and laxatives 

I had the endoscope and ask to have a colonoscopy ,It was over due, the worst part was the prep for colonoscopy and they had problems getting the IV started,I was dehydrated , duh no liquids for 4 hours before and a laxative  , I sleep thru the whole thing

my surgeon uses the same post op food plan for rny and the sleeve and then adjusts it  to blood work

but the first few weeks is full liquids ,started the day you come home from the hospital minimum 65 oz 

Wow, only 1 week pre-op diet? I don't think I have heard of that before! Very interesting!

I thought they might do adjustments after blood work and that is why they don't bother with two separate plans from the get-go, that makes a lot of sense.

Dana

I have heard of surgeons only requiring clear liquids the day before for the sleeve , but sometimes when there in there they have to switch to do a different surgery ,rny or take out the gallbladder, so they need you empty , I also gives them more room inside and helps shrink fat livers

Each surgeon is so different. For me, the surgeon only required a special diet the week before surgery if your BMI was over 40. If it's under 40 you just can't eat anything after 8 pm the night before the surgery (if I remember right). The night before surgery, I was allowed to eat anything I wanted. My BMI was really close to 40 mark, so my preop diet was high protein/low carbs. (He said any patients lower than a 40 BMI could do the diet also, but weren't required to.) Mine was not a liquid diet at all like a lot of surgeons require. They called it a "liver shrinking diet"to help the liver to be healthier, smaller, and less slippery before they operated.

I didn't have to have an endoscopy, but my mom just had one about 10 days ago and she was asleep for it and said it wasn't bad at all.

That definitely makes sense. My current BMI is around 53, so I suppose that might make the difference in terms of how long my surgeon requires me to be on the optifast.

It seems a lot of people have done the endoscopy without issue, which is great to hear!!

I can answer about the endoscopy. I had one before my sleeve because i was having tummy pains. They found polyps and wanted to test for h polyri. Even if you aren't having symptoms you could have the h polyri bacteria and it is a cause of ulcers. So it's probably just a check up for that. The endoscopy itself wasn't bad at all. I was in and out in the same day. Good luck to you!

Interesting, any idea what happens if you do have polyri?