HELP! need some dab hands for op advice..

[bye-bigun!]

Sorry to come on here and moan and ask loads of questions yet again... seems to be all I do. Just as I got my head round my last post and the great advice, someone has thrown a bag full of spanners in the works & I am wrecked emotionally and rekon the physical may go that way too!

In a nutshell,had a call from the hossie yesterday offering me an op to remove my gallbladder for Friday (a week)... I checked with chemist who were checking with LT re procedure so that I could advise the hossie etc.. had pre-op today, nurses told all about the diet, called the surgeon himself down to see me - again went theu diet and explained about ketosis. Was told that I can remain ON the diet and that they will speak to anaesthetist to inform them too and it should be fine. I was on cloud 9 - said I would continue and have protein so it helped my body heal... spoke about a saline drip only and not dextrose etc... was over the moon.

Then i get home and have a call from pharmacy - LT have REMOVED me from the programme and said I cannot go back on it until 3 months have passed after my op. Chemist closing line was that I am now classed as an 'immediate re-feed' and that I must start it TODAY or I cannot go ahead with my op. I argued it, wasnt happy and called LT myself and spoke to someone medical there... and yes indeed, what I am told seems to be correct and despite what I do I am stuck..... I can handle being off plan for the op but I wanna get straight back on. I dont wanna eat carbs, i am happy to be sensible..
Is there a way around this by dodging the rules slightly - unofficially??

LT is out for me it seems, I have maintenance stuff and a few shakes from the tfr.. if I continue from today and try and use the LT stuffs as well as eat a sensible diet but still go easy on the carbs..? I dont plan on being in ketosis as this is the dangerous part apparently.. just to remain LOW CARB..... surely I can carry on and have the op done on this basis. .. can I have anything to substitute and help me along in this phase to help me control my calories and appetite? I was wondering if maybe the Asda bars I have read about would be worth buying in in bulk?? And maybe have 1 or 2 meals a day based on LT or Asda (not necc tfr, maybe maintenance) and then have something sensible but a little carby in the evening with protein...?? WOuld this work? would the intake be enough to remain stable or to still lose weight but without tipping the scales...???
I have come SO far and my journey is so close to finishing I can almost touch it but I know if I am left for a few months to fester and feel low then I am gonna head back in the wrong direction...
I am not ready for re-feed, I dont even have any of the stuff in the house I need properly and my head is SO busy from today that I cant even think straight to compile a list.. I am burying my head in the sand but I need to act asap as I have one week to get my body ready for surgery..

PLEASE help. I am right in at the deep end here and I dont know what to do for the best. My chemist is useless and wouldnt even help out on the re-feed advice and jst told me too eat chicken only until day 4 and then fruit and then bread!! PMSL! very helpful eh! I need to get this straight in my head without gaining loads of weight and being left high n dry.

Thank you once again, this really does mean so much to me and your advices and truly appreciated
xxxx

 

[irish molly]

Firstly, well done on getting a date for your op. It will be wonderful to get it out if the way.
From your stats, you are only 5 lbs from your goal. Yes, it is disappointing that LT won't let you back for three months but you cN easily knock off those few pounds through healthy eating. You mentioned before that you lost a lot of your weight through your own plan and sw. This shows you can do it again if you want.
Take the positives in this situation. You are almost at goal anyway. You will have your op off your list of things to do. You may lose another couple of pounds on a very careful refeed.
So don't despair, you are just back in the real world if food just a few weeks earlier than you expected.
You have done so well. Your health is the most important thing here not a magical number on the scales.
Good luck for the op as I know you don't like the prospect.

 

[SandraB]

Hi Donna. I'm probably quite well placed to help as I had a hip replacement in December. My surgeon told me to refeed two weeks before the op which I did but tbh I'd started eating scrambled eggs most nights already as I was out of my head on painkillers. I didn't feel ready to refeed either as I still wanted to lose another stone, still haven't gone back on LT actually but have lost more weight since......

Personally and this is only my opinion, I think that you should refeed and eat normally for a few months before you attempt LT again. You are going to be very weak after the op, both mentally and physically and, though I am a huge fan of LT, I'm not convinced that it provides adequate nutrition and sustenance to aid recovery from a major op. I don't know how big an op having your gall bladder is but if you're having a general anasthetic then that's big enough for me!

Perhaps someone will come on here who thinks differently to me, dunno, but you will need to make up your mind pretty sharpish.....your general health has got to come before your weight, you can maintain and even continue to lose you know, I did

 

[bye-bigun!]

Thank you. I have actually just changed my own stats as I wont be having a weigh-in tmw now as no new supplies.. so 1lb to go from my initial target.. but I had already decided to lose another stone and to see how i felt when I got there....

your advice is very sensible and I am rather blinkered in how I feel and see things, and as you say I am terrified about this so this added stress is pushing me over the egde at the moment. I just thought re-feed would be a gradual happy experience and its proving to be the opposite at the moment and will only get worse... I have done well prior to LT but it was also VERY hard work, took years and I also went up by 3 stone a fair few times and got depressed about it before it came back down again. As well as I did, it was a horrible time and I was thoroughly miserable and had absolutely no confidence to speak of... I dont wanna go back there. I am doing things like swimming wit the kids for the first time ever, I have missed out on so much

Do u know what the supermarket brands are called or what they are like? Are they the same as LT tfr stuff?? I am thinking of using this sort of thing as an aid when I am out of hospital as they are filling and nuritious. I understand that I need to be ok FOR the op but once I am out of hossie and I know I am ok then I think I will be ready to decide for myself if I should follow a LCD... I will listen to my body of course and if I am not ready then I wont do it. I just seriously think that I need this 'crutch' to help me along to goal as the less I have to lose the harder and slower it is and added with my back troubles n wonky thyroid I have everything set against me so this balances me out!! xxx

Thank you so much xxx

 

[bye-bigun!]

Sandra, thank you!! Your msg popped up after I replied to Molly

Once again you are absolutely spot on.. They class the GB op as major abdo surgery but tbh I am inclined to disagree when you compare it to a ceasarean or op on the back for example... its keyhole too and I am a tough ol cookie when I am not facing a general!! I Just need it done and to be home and I will pick myself up again! came out of hossie the same day as a back procedure and ended up cooking dinner and seeing to the kids myself! So bloody used to all of the strong drugs etc now Its just become part of life! LOL!

I too have been used to eating for a few weeks now - I am not sticking to protein either.. I have the odd biccie and protein daily for the same reasons as you... so I am probably not even IN ketosis! I was certainly out of it the other day... deep down I just wish I didnt have to re-feed right now and that I had nibbled less and not had to eat - then I may have already hit my lower goal including the extra stone and could have done a proper re-feed when in the right headspace.. and then had my ops! LOL! I could kick myself for part of it you know!....
What sort of things did you eat when in recovery that allowed you to still lose weight?? Did you follow maintenance or were you doing your own thing?? an I have some examples please? It also means that the other half is gonna be left cooking for me while I am taking it easy and hes useless!!! and will struggle with the kids eough without cooking somwthing different for me. I was quite looking forward to staying in bed in the peace and quiet from the kids with my shaker and water and a big pile of magazines LOL!!

Thanks indeedy once again, helpful as always and hugely appreciated xxxx

 

[Zebs07]

Hiya - can't really add to what others have said except reiterate that i think u must refeed now! I would also take it as a blessing that you've been eating on-off recently!

I know uve previously been told to refeed for minimum 2 weeks prior to op, but what the surgeon said should put your mind at rest re not having that long to do it - but despite his bring happy re ketosis, I still personally think u should eat b4 op.

I'm also with Molly and Sandra re afterwards! You have to be sensible about ur bodies recovery and health and altho u may feel fine straight after, u must be careful to take care of yourself and keep it that way! Sensible healthy low fat but essentially high protein is all u should be thinking about post op!

I'm also very concerned from this and ur recent posts that u still seem hung up on relying/needing LP and other TFR or maintenance products. Please please please don't be! You have to trust food and post op is not the time to be shocking ur system!

If you really feel you can't do it alone, then my best advice would be WW or similar for a few months - even if u don't lose on it, the support group would get you thru and help keep u on healthy track!

If u do insist on going back on TFR soon after (which I hope u don't) how about trying Lighter Life! More expensive but from my understanding, the weekly group meetings are not only hugely beneficial but mandatory! I also understand it's much more GP based and the counsellors are more medically informed than LP pharmacists (which let's face it, talk the talk but dont walk the walk - they mostly haven't a scooby!). At least then, you'll be properly supervised - which may also help with ur tendency to jump on and off (this is another of my worries about you; this not only causes you emotional stress with doubting yourself but is seriously not good for your body, which doesn't know if it's coming or going and what to do with food when it gets it... )

In a nutshell, change focus from weight loss to body health! A huge silver lining to this is you can take opportunity to prove to yourself (and others) that u can maintain, before attacking next bit! I'll bet that knowing u can maintain will help motivate u thru ur next weight loss stage - whatever the method! Another plus is if u really struggle to maintain, then u have another chance to tackle those food demons and reprogramming yourself, before u go for it again! Better now than later...

Hope this helps some - and also hope it doesn't sound too lecture'y .. x

 

[bye-bigun!]

hiya Vanessa &Thank you yet more sensible advice and bang on the money in many areas..!!

Its not that I rely on the products as such as I know there are other ways but this was the last part of my 'journey' that I had planned. I have envisaged the entire lot from beginning to end over and over... its odd that wont happen now! And as much as I nibble stuff and have to have protein for med purposes, I have enjoyed it for the most part and found it to be a very refreshing diet.. head screwing at times too of course, but totally unlike anything I have tried before...
As for the maintaining, I can do it... I have done it before. Trouble with me is I am a serial yo-yo-er!!! I do well, focus and maintain for a long while, then give it another push and get a bit smaller.. then slowly it creeps as I become content. Its not a fast thing, and it happens over long periods of time - but it happens nonetheless! I have never ever weighed what i do nw and this is the difference.. I am lbs away from being my perfect weight. Thats huge for someone like me who has been about 8 stone overweight for my entire adult/teen life!! I need to do this SO much and until I get there I will have the 'failed head on'....!!! Frustrating indeed!!!

I wont rush my body, it has to deal with enough!! I know I cant go back on tfr for quite some time.... not sure Sw or WW is the way to go for me yet - I will have to have a think. Cate recommended the Harcombe diet that i am ordering, may do that if I like it. Have also just finished the 'idiot proof diet' by India and Neris something or other... thats a low carb based diet too but without the product replacement... this sort of thing makes a lot of sense to me right now so maybe I need to decide where to go after I am out of hossie too so I have a gameplan... hmm!!

Thanks so much Where would I be without all of you wise owls

xxx

 

[Zebs07]

Thanks so much Where would I be without all of you wise owls

xxx

You would be (and you will continue to be...) fine! You obviously know ur stuff - u just gotta trust and believe in yourself more! You've done great and the future will be great also...

 

[bye-bigun!]

AND gonna seriously miss my choc milkshake!! I thoroughly look forward to them every time, freezing cold with some psyllium to make it niiiice n thick!! Period of mourning for those babies i think! I love em!! xx

 

[SandraB]

Sandra, thank you!! Your msg popped up after I replied to Molly

Once again you are absolutely spot on.. They class the GB op as major abdo surgery but tbh I am inclined to disagree when you compare it to a ceasarean or op on the back for example... its keyhole too and I am a tough ol cookie when I am not facing a general!! I Just need it done and to be home and I will pick myself up again! came out of hossie the same day as a back procedure and ended up cooking dinner and seeing to the kids myself! So bloody used to all of the strong drugs etc now Its just become part of life! LOL!

I too have been used to eating for a few weeks now - I am not
sticking to protein either.. I have the odd biccie and protein daily for the same reasons as you... so I am probably not even IN ketosis! I was certainly out of it the other day... deep down I just wish I didnt have to re-feed right now and that I had nibbled less and not had to eat - then I may have already hit my lower goal including the extra stone and could have done a proper re-feed when in the right headspace.. and then had my ops! LOL! I could
kick myself for part of it you know!....
What sort of things did you eat when in recovery that allowed you to still lose weight?? Did you follow maintenance or were you doing your own thing?? an I have some examples please? It also means that the other half is gonna be left cooking for me while I am taking it easy and hes useless!!! and will struggle with the kids eough without cooking somwthing different for me. I was quite looking forward to staying in bed in the peace and quiet
from the kids with my shaker and water and a big pile of magazines LOL!!

Thanks indeedy once again, helpful as always and hugely appreciated xxxx

Hi Donna, sorry about the delayed reply but I've been in France...

To answer your question I ate very high protein and a small amount of carbs, loads and loads of fruit and veg, quite a bit of cheese for the bone-building calcium and stayed off the biccies and chocs....am having them now though! I suffered serious blood loss so had to concentrate on building up my iron levels, so had liver pate quite often for lunch and branflakes every day for breakfast. Not sure that I'm entirely well yet even though it was 5 months yesterday since the op cos I feel a bit dizzy when I get up or bend down don't under-estimate how long it take to recover from the op, I've had 5 major ops in 5 years so I think that I'm qualified to say "take it easy on yourself"! When is your op? X