i wonder how much longer

just had my scope yesterday.....it actually wasn't to bad!
I'll call for my surgeon appointment...than I wait til an appointment....
What is this optifast thing people speak of before they get the surgery?
thanks alot angain for the help

also if I get to see my surgeon say end of march any idea of when I might be looking at?

You haven't been told about optifast, scorpioboy? Thats surprising.

Optifast is a liquid diet that you have to be on for a certain period of time prior to surgery. It's 900 calories of high protein, low carb nutrition, flavoured in vanilla or chocolate.

You have to have four pouches a day, mixed with water. Some people like the taste, others dont. I did. I mixed it with decaf coffee just to take the sweetness down a tad, other people drank it straight or mixed with crystal lite or other sugar free flavourings.

Hope things go well for you!

To add to Monica, there's a Recipe Forum on here that has lots of recipes that help give you variety for Optifast.

As for the surgeon, and surgery date, it depends on which clinic you are going to.  In Ottawa, the first week of the Month is when the schedule the next month's surgeries.  I'm not sure about the other clinics.

Cathy

what are the appts you have been to?

Have you had the nutrition class and met with the nutritionist?? You would have learned of the opti-fast in the class and the dietitian would have also discussed it at your one on one.

honestly I've been overwhelmed by info....I know it's toward shrinking your liver pre surgery but not sure how many days it's taken for

I hear ya, sometimes it can be overwhelming with all the info they give.

Well, it depends on a couple of things.

1) by your weight- I read somewhere, when I was first starting out 2yrs ago, that if you are in the 200s, you have 2 weeks; 300s, 3 weeks and so on... generally speaking.
 
2) it depends on what your surgeon thinks you need

Sometimes surgeries get moved up so you won't have to drink all of it. And sometimes they get post-poned  a little bit and they will tell you, if you already start drinking the optifast, how to deal with it.



It's about $80-100/ week and it's not typically covered by any medical plans.

again GREAT INFORMATION....
I'm gonna start doing it MONDAY...just so I can show my desire to do it!

Also can you tell me what pre-op surgery is

What center are you going thru?

Do you mean, PATTS (Pre-Admission teaching and testing)? It's when they do all the bloodwork, check your meds (if you are on any), you talk to the internist, do swabs (some centers don't do this)

This usually happens about a month before surgery.

I'm going to St Joes....I already talked to an interenist.....and did alot of blood work and went through my meds.....I meet with my surgeon next...to sign some papers