Got my surgery date!!!!

[JKap19]

Hi all,
I got my surgery date. It's Aug 22. I'm so excited and scared all at the same time. I have a 2 week liquid diet before the surgery that I'm kinda dreading but I know it will be worth it in the end. Anyone have suggestions for me on what helped them get through that?

Another thing that I'm concerned with is the vitamins. My doctor is requiring me to take their bariatric version of chewables the first three months. In fact I have to bring 3 months worth of vitamins with me on my pre op visit to prove I have them. Oh and powdered calcium citrate too.

 

[Susan in Tennessee]

That will be here before you know it! Congratulations on getting a date. I agree, the two week pre-op diet is not fun but you can do it. If I did it, anyone can!

The vitamin thing is not cool at all! I guess you go along to get the surgery then buy no more after that and take vitamins per advice from this group. Chewables are not necessary usually. Neither is powdered calcium citrate but oh well...

 

[JKap19]

Thanks Susan - any hints or strategies you used during that two week liquid phase?

 

[Clematis]

No easy way to get through the liquids. It helps to get out of the house and away from the kitchen. Take a lot of walks.

I feel it is unethical to be the surgeon and then make a buck off of (BAD AND INADEQUATE) vitamin sales. No other kind of surgeon sells you his private stash of bandages, for example. No hospital would allow it. If he were selling the BEST vitamins, I'd have less of a problem with it, but bariatric vites are not good.

 

[Larra]

I'm with @Clematis. Offering vitamins, or some other product, isn't unethical. Forcing patients to purchase products to receive medically necessary care is.

 

[writegirl]

Congratulations on your surgery date! It sounds like you're being babysat with that whole requirement to "prove" you have the vitamins prior to surgery. I agree with @Larra and @Clematis that it's not unethical to offer the supplements, but it is unethical to use verification of purchase of those supplements as a benchmark for withholding surgery. The pre-op diets are difficult, but you can do it! Stay positive!

 

[southernlady]

You can do it. As to the vitamins, get ONE bottle and take it in each time with varying amounts. And use the Vitalady list instead.

After all, after surgery they can't take it back if you don't use their product.

 

[KathrynK]

A few ideas for the liquid diet: make your own chicken broth with a chicken, water, onion, spices, celery, rice and carrots. Then, strain out the solids. The broth will be so much better than canned broth. There is a clear liquid protein drink in a container the size of those juice boxes for school lunch, Boost Breeze. Too many calories for post op, but a small quantity that is tolerable. Tomato juice. Jello. Popsicles. Sherbet. Mango or pineapple juice. Ask if you can have milk, because there's chocolate milk, almond milk, ice cream, latte, etc. The point is to eliminate fiber, not to starve!

Insisting you buy only one brand of vitamin is extortion. there is no scientific basis, just a profit motive.

 

[Settledownnow]

Bummer on the vitamins but you can make it work. Use Southernlady's strategy. While the vit/min amount is far from adequate for DSers, you can work the vit/mins into your routine at some point as an additional boost if you are low or if you have a few days until your new vit/min order arrives. I have seen so many post-op DS patients on DS forums that they have been "bad" and have not taken supplements for a longer period of time and I would certainly be concerned about compliance if I were a surgeon. He seems to be making a buck, but I choose to believe he is doing it because he needs to try to force some patients to comply with taking supplements.

 

[Clematis]

Assuming what @Settledownnow suggests, that he is just trying to make sure people are compliant with appropriate supplementation: What if you took him a copy of Vitalady's recommendations and said that you've purchased these vitamins and there is no need for lower-quality bariatric vitamins? If he then insists you buy his, you know he's just in it for the money.

 

[galaxygrrl]

So, my surgery was Aug 19 2016. Best decision I ever made. Think about a year from now. We all were scared and we all made it through. You will be fine.

 

[JKap19]

Thanks everyone! Unfortunately I have to show up to my preop visit with all 3 months worth of vitamins. I'll switch to vitalady's recommendations after I get through the 3 months just so I'm not spending tons of money on wasted vitamins. I don't know if he's really making a buck off it or not. I have to order them through the hospital, not him. I am part of a facebook DS group and someone just posted on there about wanting to know if anyone cheated on their 2 week preop diet. Oh Boy!!!!! I don't think that's the right attitude going in this surgery. It's going to require commitment.

KathrynK - thanks for the broth recipe. I plan on using that. I just need to make the time to do it.

 

[southernlady]

I would tell them I don't have the ready cash to buy all three months. And if they mention a credit card, tell them either you don't have one to use or you left it at home.

 

[southernlady]

I used both statements with my surgeon's office when they tried to get me to purchase both their horseshit vitamins and their horseshit post op food.