so I just found out that the only thing that will help the partial paralysis in my leg and the herniated disc in my spine will be surgery. steroid packs and steroid epdiruals did not help. i did some research on the board and i see that protein is very necessary and that being on the VLCD is generally not a good idea for surgery. Luckily, I'll only be in the hospital for one night.

That being said, how soon should I transition to P3? Will 3 days before surgery be long enough to make sure my body is prepared to be put under and operated on? Luckily, it's a laproscopic surgery and no disc fusion will be necessary but any surgery (especially back surgery) is not something to take lightly and I want to make sure I wake up and heal as quickly as I can! :)

This is so unbelievably frustrating. I can't believe I went from being super athletic and active (ran 3 big races this year so far) to this... then again, perhaps it's all the activity that got me in this predicament. why did i work out again?!? LOL.

/rant



Thanks all! :D

Grammy , I just saw your response to this! Apologies for the delayed response and thanks or the reply and the kind words - very sweet :)
I've moved on to P3 since I'm going on vacation tomorrow for a week and p3 will probably make it more enjoyable than p2.

My surgery is September 24 but I'd like to do Phase 2 again to see about dropping the last 10-15 lbs so I can hit my stretch goal. How soon do you think I can get back in the saddle after my surgery without interferring with my healing process?

That's a pretty major surgery, emma. I think I'd give it at least a month to heal. Maybe one of our nurses will weigh in though.

Well according to Dr. S's protocol, 23days of hcg followed by 48hrs (for sublinq) of no hcg but continued 500 cal/day is the minimum time to reset the hypothalamus and for optimal stabilization. I would highly recommend you somehow find the motivation to continue till then. It really isn't that much longer. Are you having problems that make you feel you need to stop early? However, it is ultimately your choice and you need to do what you feel is best for you. Good luck!!!

deb

I recently had a much more minor procedure and it really messed around with things. I gained 7 lbs in one day of just fluids (not even dextrose! and surgery was my skip day) in the IV that have been stubborn to shed-they are still not all gone and it will be six days tomorrow. It is impossible to have any control over what they put into you and how they do it in that setting. There was nothing but juice and crackers to be had anywhere on the Day Surgery ward of a really well reputed hospital...

Please consider also that HCG can increase your risk of bleeding. My procedure was not a vascular area. Yours...I think it is might be more so...?

Your back health and proper healing may be more important than another VLC phase-maybe you can do one in mid-late OCT so you can be in P3 and P4 for the holidays. This procedure is something my Mom went through and it is really brutal, and you need your bones and nerves and all that good stuff to heal as perfectly and in the best environment possible. Just my opinion.... "just laproscopic" can be a bit misleading, too, IMO. I still have not felt my usual self after this much more minor procedure-and they told me I could go to work the next day. Of course, I didn't believe THAT but I thought by Monday I'd be ready to ROLL! Now, I am up because of the pain & the pain meds make me feel worse than the pain. Sheesh.

And I wish you the very, very best of luck, and efficient ant thorough recovery to you!!