Do you feel you were given enough information from the hospital pre-op??

[Meggie]

Hi,
I know this will vary area to are but I was wondering whether you felt you were given enough information about what you will and will not be able to eat post-op, aswell as the schedule for reintroducing foods. I think I get an appointment with the dietician after I've had my op, before I go home. Surely they should've given me the info beforehand so I had sufficient time to prepare? I have obviously been lucky enough to get lots of info off this website. Was just wondering other people's thoughts on this???

 

[donza]

hi meggie
i've recently had a sleeve gastrectomy and i feel the same as you, i think dietician input is very important pre op, however, i didnt get to see or speak to one pre op. this is something i am going to highlight when i have my next appointment.
good luck with you op
all the best
donna xx

 

[jaxx]

I saw my dietician pre op and I also got a diet sample sheet for all stages which has been very helpful. Plus I have her email address which means I can email her questions about my diet if I wanted to but I haven't needed to because of the sample sheet.

 

[Silversurfer]

This doesn't apply really to me as i was a private paitents, though will say my provider gave me some excellent literature and food advice pre and immidiately post op, daily calls from my nurse and dietician for the first couple of weeks to see how i was doing and and at 2 weeks i had my first of many follow up appointments with my consultant, knowledge wise they were brilliant.
I will say though that the food advice they gave was just suggestions and the averages i should be able to eat at various stages, i've always felt that the advice is designed as a prompt to get the paitent thinking about food and what they are eating, which i think is another one of the success keys for longer term success rather than just give you a diet sheet to follow religiously !

 

[Meggie]

I'm sure I'll get all of the information I need after my op. Surely giving me this BEFORE my op would be more beneficial so I could prepare better though. I know from the many posts I have read that everyone is different so they obviously cannot give a "Guide to Ellen's Bypass". My point is that, for the people who don't have the support I will have, having things in the house before they return from the hospital would be good. I already have some of the basics I think I'll need. My mum has asked for "jobs" to do whilst I'm in the hospital so I'll leave the rest to her, with a guidance list from me!! I was going to save her the stress and get everything beforehand but she says she needs to keep busy!! She has also told me not to tidy the flat so she has something to do, though obviously expecting my Mum to tidy my flat is going too far!!!

 

[fatbutnot4long]

mine has been rubbish! i left 4 msgs before someone rang me back and when they did it was a nurse not the dietian! and i had to push for a follow up when i couldnt keep anything down.. they made huge mistakes in my meds and i nearly died after the op ended up stayin in for 1 week and then dont get an appoitment untill march which is with a nurse! although i did have a stage form to tell me when to try different foods after the op. xx

 

[Twiggie]

Now you mention it, I've not been given any information from the bariatric team about either pre-op or post-op diets either. Everything I know is what I've picked up either at the support meetings, here or through my own research. I've not even seen anything of Lucy since the initial 3hr appt!

I've already started to build a stash of store cupboard things like packets of jelly/soup/tapioca, frozen mash, jar of bovril, protein powders etc as I won't really have any support post-op, other than my son who is at college full time and stays at his dad's most weekends, so will be on my own most of the time.

 

[fatbutnot4long]

ill help you twiggie if theres anything u need to know msg me.. i can even give u my mobile number if u want.. uve been a great support to me these last few weeks xx

 

[gillabean]

I must admit to being very disappointed with the dietary advice I was given. I got most of my advice from this site and it's lovely members, so thanks to everyone who has helped me.

 

[Dawn36]

I was given quite detailed info re my diet pre-op and a booklet with some good ideas. I saw the dietician before discharge and as promised she called me when I was about 10 days post op.

However...


From the figures available there are a great many wls folks who have diabetes, but why is there so little info.

My bariatric specialist nurse told me to take glucose tablets when my blood sugars become too low and "if you get dumping you will just have to ride it out"! I am waiting for a call from the diabetes nurse at the diabetes centre. But there seems to be a huge gap in the market for qualfied nurses who specialise in both wls and diabetes. And a definite lack of info.

 

[Postop]

I got tons of written & oral info. from my surgeon and his nutrit. But it never seems to be enough. I had to learn from experience and, thankfully, from others on the boards.

 

[Meggie]

Now you mention it, I've not been given any information from the bariatric team about either pre-op or post-op diets either. Everything I know is what I've picked up either at the support meetings, here or through my own research. I've not even seen anything of Lucy since the initial 3hr appt!

I've already started to build a stash of store cupboard things like packets of jelly/soup/tapioca, frozen mash, jar of bovril, protein powders etc as I won't really have any support post-op, other than my son who is at college full time and stays at his dad's most weekends, so will be on my own most of the time.

Twiggie, you'll get the pre-op info at your pre-op appointment (the blood test one!!). When is your appointment???

 

[Mandie]

I had a gastric band fitted on NHS on Tuesday , Heartlands hospital team have been great , they gave me a very detailed booklet that took me through every stage of the op and recovery month by month. I also saw the dietician on the morning of the surgery and was told to ring the team shoud i have any questions , i must say they have been brill, i understand that it does vary from area to area , luckily there is all the info you could ever need on this site , and you also get it from the horses mouth so it is as truthful as it can be , GOOD LUCK for the 19th .x

 

[hopelesscase]

This doesn't apply really to me as i was a private paitents, though will say my provider gave me some excellent literature and food advice pre and immidiately post op, daily calls from my nurse and dietician for the first couple of weeks to see how i was doing and and at 2 weeks i had my first of many follow up appointments with my consultant, knowledge wise they were brilliant.
I will say though that the food advice they gave was just suggestions and the averages i should be able to eat at various stages, i've always felt that the advice is designed as a prompt to get the paitent thinking about food and what they are eating, which i think is another one of the success keys for longer term success rather than just give you a diet sheet to follow religiously !

Although you went private richard luckly for me mr ammorie gives his NHS patients the same info as his private and like you cant fault it. very true about it being a prompt and im sure yr right in that it is this that has made out journeys so sucessful.