[eangwin]

In a couple of weeks I am going to have surgery. The surgeries are a UPPP (Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty), Tonsillectomy, Septoplasty, and Turbinate Reduction. Basically they are going to slice and dice inside of my nose and the back of my throat. The hope is that it will get me off of CPAP and fix my sleep apnea.

My questions are about how to best control my sugars pre and post op.

My current meds to control my sugars are 1000mg Metformin twice daily and 40 units of Lantus each morning.

I have talked with the surgeon, my GP, and DE and asked each of them how I should change dosages in preparation of the surgery but I haven't gotten any definitive answers, which has me concerned. I know I will be fasting for 12 hours before. Add in surgery prep, the surgery, and post op recovery, I could be looking at 15 hours or more without food and I certainly don't to want to go too low.

What I am planning to do right now is to stop the Metformin a couple of days before. The day before I will take only half of the Lantus I normally do. Shortly before I am going to begin fasting I will eat a higher calorie/sugar/carb meal, nothing too out of control, but just something that will increase my sugars a little more than normal so hopefully give me more time. On the day of surgery I will not use any Lantus. Does this sound reasonable?

After the surgery I have concerns about how to maintain my sugars when I will have challenges eating solid foods for a few days (up to 10 days according to my doctor). In this case, I am planning on resuming my normal meds routine and to expect my sugars to be higher than normal as my diet will include softer sugary foods like ice cream, pudding, and jello.

This is not only my first surgery after being diagnosed type 2, but its also my first surgery ever, so I am very nervous and any insights and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[moon]

expect my sugars to be higher than normal as my diet will include softer sugary foods like ice cream, pudding, and jello.

Why would you have to eat these sugary foods? The jello of course can be sugar-free, and you could make pudding with greek plain yogurt, sweetener, and some powdered unsweetened cocoa.

Two good creamed foods are cauliflower mash (cooked and processed with some butter, spot of cream cheese, powdered bouillon), and broccoli soup (cooked, processed with some bouillon, heavy cream, curry if you like that) - I could live on them for a while.

I had a oral surgery some years ago (they cracked my palate) where I couldn't even eat mashed potatoes for 10 days, drank only liquids with no seeds or bits of anything - but at that time I didn't have diabetes and lived on carrot juice and Kern's fruit juice. If you pick 2-3 things you like, you'll get sick of them but they don't have to put your bs as out of control as sugary choices.

 

[eangwin]

Why would you have to eat these sugary foods?

Because this is what I have been told my diet will consist of. I did question why, given that I have type 2. I never did get a complete answer.

I do have another issue that food prep will be a challenge for the first few days after surgery because I live alone and won't have anyone helping me. I don't see being able to do a lot more than grabbing something and maybe nuking it. This does give me the motivation to pre-make some meals.

 

[moon]

I think you'll be surprised what you'll be able to do. If you have the food purchased, the things I suggest involve only steaming and tossing in a food processor or blender and mixing with butter or cream or whatever. Since the prepared food spoils, you could prepare what you'd mix into the food ahead of time (a chunk of butter, chunk of cream cheese) and set the blender/processor on the counter.

I'm not sure how well something like the broccoli soup would freeze, but you could try that, couldn't hurt. It really is delicious, soothing, nurturing, comfort food - as is the whipped cauliflower.

How long will you be in the hospital? If not longer than a day then you can prepare the night before you go in and probably be fine.

 

[Patdart]

Good suggestions Moon. Maybe he could made containers with the ingredients in them and freeze that way and only have to set them out to thaw and pop in the blender?

What about ice cream? (I lived on it when my tonsils were removed!) My son had to have his jaw broken and wired and I made some really full of goodies as ice cream. He loved it and once told me not to tell him how I did it, so I didn't! The flan Emily put in today would also be good and nutritious.