Stages

If you've read my blog posts, you've probably heard me talking about the different diet stages for both before and after surgery. Over the next few blog posts, I'm going to talk about the different stages and what all they include.

*Please note that these stages are mostly for the gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy. The lap-band surgery is much different, and I am not sure what all those pre and post surgery stages include. These stages will vary from surgeon to surgeon, and even patient to patient.

Tonight's blog will be all about the pre-surgery diet. There is only pre-surgery diet, and my surgeon wants the patients to start on it at least 10 days before surgery. This diet is used to shrink the liver. If the liver is too big, they won't be able to complete the surgery, which is really a shame because they don't know until you have already been cut open. While the chances of this happening are rare, it does in fact happen. I started on the diet about a month before surgery 'just in case'.

To make sure you are getting enough protein every day, you will have to do protein supplements. My surgeon and the others in the practice want you to get 40-50 protein grams a day from the supplements. You can choose pretty much any protein supplement, but you absolutely must look at the nutrition label. You should shoot for one that contains about 15 grams of protein in an 8 ounce serving, and has NO MORE than 7 grams of sugar in that same 8 oz serving.

I had a lot of issues with the protein powder, so I switched to Isopure brand, zero carb, ready to drink drinks. I ended up getting in a lot more protein that way.

Foods allowed on the pre-surgery diet include:

*4 oz. lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs or low-fat cheese daily

*Non-fat or 1/2% milk - limit to 4 cups a day

*Unlimited cooked or raw, low carbohydrate vegetables

(No corn, peas, potatoes, dry beans, winter squash, etc.) Green beans, celery, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, beets, carrots, salad greens, spinach, cucumbers, peppers, mushrooms, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, etc, may all be used.

*Sugar free foods in unlimited quantities:

gelatin

popsicles

non-carbonated, caffeine free beverages

broth/bouillon

herbs and spices

*Include one teaspoon regular oil, margarine, mayo, or regular salad dressing daily.

Foods to avoid

*No breads, cereals, pasta, rice, etc

*No starchy vegetables: corn, peas, potatoes, dry beans, winter squash, etc

*No fruit or juice

It's so crazy because when I was doing this diet, I thought it was the hardest thing in the world. I thought, well if I can get through this, I can certainly get through the other stages! How naive I was! I was actually still able to eat and chew. I think that's what I miss the most! I just want to chew something.

I'm hoping I can write about the next stage tomorrow night. :)