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Oh wow! I'm on full liquid for a week pre-op - I'm on day two today! So far I haven't wanted to claw anyone's eyes out (lol!) Like I said, I messed up on my first shake of the day yesterday and had one that had an insane 20g of sugar and 50g of carbs in an 8 oz serving! Since then I moved back to my 30g protein shakes that have 1g of sugar each; I had three yesterday and have had two today. I'm surprised that taking 100mg of colace morning and night hasn't had me running for the bathroom yet, so there's that! I had about a cup of sugar free jell-o yesterday throughout the day and have had about a half cup of it so far today. So far my plan is to shower with the Hibiclens Sunday morning, then when I get to the hotel that night. I'll wake up early Monday morning - no fluids after midnight at all - to shower again with the Hibiclens and head over to the hospital. Sunday is my normal sheet change day anyway, so that's good. I expect to be in the hospital for 2-3 days, hopefully getting released on Wednesday the 7th to ride home with my driver. I'll have my fella change the sheets for me at home again before I get settled in. Good thinking on packing light - I know I'll want warm comfy socks (I hate hospital 'socks' though they may make me wear them for traction, idk), the meds I am still allowed to take, and a robe that zippers all the way up the front. I don't plan to take a lot - I'll bring a set of earbuds in case I want to watch something on my phone to pass the time but other than doing the sip-sip-sip of liquids and restarting my Bariatric vitamin I imagine I'll rest as much as I can while still getting up as much as they prompt me to for walking around to work the surgery gas out. I figured I'd just toss a few changes of underclothes, socks, the robe, some comfy clothes to wear home, and meds in a backpack. Oh - And of course my phone charger. Can't go anywhere without THAT! You must REALLY be feeling it about now with your surgery tomorrow morning! Wishing you the very best!

I can't express how much I truly appreciate the honest and careful feedback from all of you... I DO want to change, and I know exactly what I'm doing to myself. NICKELCHIP you are an angel and reading your response touched my soul...leaving me pretty speechless at the moment. I do feel very alone in my journey and It's ok, but sometimes it would be nice having someone in my life who can understand the depth of my journey and what it really means to be a supportive person. I'm not asking or expecting of it, and I'm very grateful to have come across a lot of genuine and kind people on this website. Having some reassurance and affirmation DOES go a long way though. I think therapy and speaking with my team is my best option at this point. Group therapy will help with accountability and having people around who understand. It's just the act of actually doing it. LOL As NickelChip said in her response about being comfortable in failure...I felt that. Seems when I do something good for myself, I give up on continuing it. Or sabotage it completely. Thank you ALL again SO much ❤️

It’s so weird how the various doctors do things so different. Your diet is shorter but sounds harder than mine, doable though. At least you get to chew some things. I would hate to do the ALL liquid for two weeks like some people have to. I would feel full but I would just be so board with it. I am so glad you did not have to give a bunch of blood during all this. Thankfully I was allowed to schedule mine prior to the diet because I agree that wouldn’t be good. I was just cleaning today trying to get things done before next week and I guess I overdid it. I got real lightheaded so I definitely couldn’t give blood. I know it’s because it was almost 1:00 and all I had was a protein shake. I stopped and had my second shake right away then just took it easy for a while. i would hate to not know my time until the day before, though. If you can’t tell by my schedule above, I’m a planner. It helps with my anxiety to plan things way in advance. They did tell me that I will need to be flexible that day though because I could get there and have to wait. They said they will always take kids and diabetics to the OR first, bumping me if necessary. I will be done this time near week too, though. So excited for both of us.

@AndreaJD and @ShoppGirl, I also had a pre-op call from the nurse today. My PCP had ordered a bunch of labs that I felt were not needed. I feel so much better because the nurse and surgeon agreed with me. I also leary that I might pass out if I needed to have so much blood taken while on a very low calorie diet. Here is how my pre-op diet works. It lasts 13 days. Days 1-12 I have to eat all of the following: 3 protein shakes w/skim milk (8oz), 1/2c oatmeal or cream of wheat, 1/2c SF pudding, 4-6oz CarbMaster yogurt, 1c low-fat soup, 1/2c unsweetened applesauce, 1c of any combination (baby carrots, celery, cucumber, broccoli, tomato, iceberg lettuce) with 2T FF dressing, and 60-84oz clear liquids. Day 13: 64-80oz clear liquids only. Today is day 7 and as I have progressed it has gotten more difficult to get all the food/water in each day. Several days I did not eat the pudding. I decided to prioritize my protein. Also, starting today I am not taking any vitamins just maintenance meds. I will restart vitamins one week after surgery. I still do not know my surgery time, as they call the day before to tell me when to be there. So, this time next week my surgery will be done and my new journey begins. How is everyone else doing? Getting anxious, scared, excited?

Just checked the protein water I have and it’s whey protein 😢

Would an unflavoured pea protein work? Or a protein water to have with your existing breakfast?

I do not want to be muscly lol, I want to be lean and toned. so maybe I cut down to 3 then...hmmmm. Now that I have lost all the fat that I can possibly lose without looking like a skeleton I wouldn't actually mind gaining a little bit more weight back. I start my weight lifting days with 15min of jogging or 15min of the stair master then do about 40min of weights. Cardio doesn't do much except I just feel good afterwards, like the endorphins, the sweat, just elevated heart rate lol which is why I wanted to do at least 2 days of that. I have been relying on the internet to give me workout regimens since weight lifting is new to me. When you 3 days do you do full body workouts each of those days? (You seem like your a guru at working out, sorry if I am asking too many questions) I agree you cant workout a bad diet so I focus on high protein low-ish carbs. My typical work days macros are 1300-1400cal 130-150g protein 75-80g carbs, 20-30g fat on my rest day its less since I am not as hungry. Idk if that is good or if I am effing up my sleeve. I haven't gained weight by doing this, but ya know its scary to fall back into bad habits.

Does anyone have any personal experience using any egg-white powders for protein, specifically in cooking or adding to other foods in lieu of other protein powders? I'm looking at NOW's egg white powder and a couple of Canadian brands (Muskoka Mornings & Canadian Protein), but if you've successfully tried another brand I'm all ears. Do you find the eggy taste strong or mild when you use it mixed in other items? How hard is it to dissolve? What did you use it in? I've read mixed reviews on both aspects across a few different brands now -- some people saying it takes a lot of 'elbow grease' to dissolve and still has a strong eggy texture, others saying they barely notice it. Specifically, I'm having trouble getting enough protein at breakfast time. Due to my meds schedule, I can't have dairy/calcium until 10/10:30, but I eat breakfast around 7am. Usually it's a high protein cereal and almond milk, or lately oatmeal made with almond milk or water -- but the oatmeal is usually 6g of protein or lower, and the cereal nets out to about 8. I've tried adding my usual protein powders but -- of course -- most the ones I can stand are whey-based. Not to mention, the texture when added to my oatmeal is just ugh. (I've got so many texture issues lately, ugh). Basically I'm looking for another option I can add to oatmeal (sweet or savoury). ((I've tried peanut butter powder these past two days and it's good -- just not something I can handle every day. I'm experimenting later this week with some other seeds & nuts, but most of them are too high fat for me as the first meal of the day and just don't offer enough protein. I've also gotten some chickpeas, I've heard that mashing some up and mixing it into the oatmeal before cooking will work as it has a bland enough flavour to not stand out and will come out roughly the same as oatmeal. That's tomorrow's experiment XD)) Any opinions are greatly welcomed!!

On Sunday morning, I was 118kg. Monday I was 118.8 and now I'm 119kg again! I'm still sticking with the diet! I don't understand it! My scale is a smart scale with body composition and says I'm losing muscle, but not fat! I'm getting more than enough protein? I've heard of stalls, but you shouldn't gain during a stall, right?

Fixed myself a small bowl of sugar free belgian chocolate ice cream (it’s super good), I crushed one pistachio chocolate protein ball on top and 3 roasted salted cashews. Had exactly 3 bites (mainly the protein ball and cashews) and started feeling sick and passed it to the hubby. I don’t even know how many calories I ate Lol.

Hi everyone! Just got my surgery date of August 12th. Suddenly it's all so real. So it looks like we'll all be surgery buddies!! I am really excited, scared, hopeful, and anxious. But at this point, I just want it done. I started my liver shrink diet yesterday. It's going great except that protein shakes really don't agree with me. I found one that is not so bad, but when you're drinking 3 a day (that was my doctor's minimum) it's a lot. My husband is super supportive although he doesn't like the idea of me having this surgery because he doesn't understand why I can't just lose weight and keep it off. (I bet you all do, though!) The good news is that he is a great guy and he's been with me every step, which is good because he's the cook at our house. I had my pre-anesthesia call today and I have my last appointment before surgery with the Physician's Assistant on Friday. Two weeks to go from today. I have done a lot of things to get ready. Since I work from home, I got a treadmill and an adjustable desk, so I can get up and walk on my treadmill during meetings. My goal is to walk 30 minutes 3 times a day (I'm up to 2 mph so that's 3 treadmill miles, although I know it's easier to walk on a treadmill than on the street). I don't always get 3 in, but it's SO much more exercise than I have gotten in years. I want to be in the best shape I can for surgery and recovery. I also got a bullet blender, tiny silverware, an electronic food scale, new measuring cups and spoons, and tiny storage containers to put pre-measured portions in so I can grab n' go. (Amazon makes it TOO easy to spend money!) I have read The Big Book on Gastric Bypass and I got several bariatric cookbooks so I can plan meals that meet the post-op requirements. I think the biggest part of all this for me is the idea of eating differently for the rest of my life. I have failed SO many diets (or they've failed me...) that it's really difficult to think I will really be able to lose my excess weight for good. I know that it is all up to me, and I am really hoping that having a tiny stomach and the new, shorter path for food digestion will be the key I've been looking for. I think it will be, because if I have a reason why I must eat small portions of nutritious foods and cannot eat sugar, that will make it much easier. Before, I could always say, "Oh, screw it, I'll just try again tomorrow" and give in to "mind hunger". That is why, like many of you have said, I will definitely need your support, and the support of my surgeon's clinic, to be successful in the long run. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and may we all be celebrating our successes together soon!

Checking in! I started my liquid diet today and I'm feeling fine so far. I did initially mess up this morning because I'd bought some Equate lesser protein shakes (13g/protein rather than my standard 30) and failed to realize that the one I drank this morning had 20 grams of SUGAR and 50 grams of CARBS! In one little bottle; I was very angry at myself for not checking the nutrition facts better - I got a 24 pack of them, too! *Facepalm* Thankfully I still had some of my Max Protein 30mg/Protien & 1g of sugar ones, so that's what I had for lunch and 'dinner'. I'm waiting on my sugar-free jello to set up - Here's hoping it hurries! I hope you other gals are doing well! @Rosslyn @Shop Girl

I am only 6months out and I eat more than the average sleever..so my doc told me. I also workout 6 days a week and am active. I cannot eat 1.5C of food. if I want to add a veg or carb to a meal then I will eat 2C of protein and then some veggies and if I have room like 1-2 TBLS of carbs. I eat around 1200-1300 calories but my protein is around 130-150g. I fear that I have stretched out my sleeve but I never eat to being full. ok ok maybe once or twice. but I don't feel sick or miserable just like I might eaten too fast. Anywho, For lunch today I made a jalapeno chicken salad with bacon bits and I was able to eat 4oz of that with 1/2 bag of quest chips. and I am good for about 2-3hours. So I think that equates to .5C? its a constant worry I think for all of us to not mess this up. I know for me I fear that I will wake up and be 300lbs again and that fear makes me stop eating shi&&y. I think my comment mightve been a tangent...Ill get off my soap box LOL

Funny you mentioned the ice cream pint. I remember for 3 months straight my husband and I would eat a pint of ice cream each every night LOL. My husband of course has never been overweight and probably never will be, I on the other hand kept getting bigger and bigger, just a few minutes ago I fixed myself a tiny bowl of sugar free belgian chocolate ice cream, added a crushed protein ball on top and 3 salted cashews. I literally had 3 bites and got sick and put it away. The licks do add up but they’ll nowhere be near what we used to eat. But I digress lol As for workouts, I took up Pilates a few months ago and I’m obsessed. I do 3 days of heavy lifting (back/chest, bis/tris/shoulders, legs) and 2 days of pilates. I feel it complements my strength training so well because these sessions work out my big muscles and pilates targets my smaller muscles and I’ve progressed a lot and seeing great definition all over. One of my 2 Pilates sessions is circuit training so it burns quiet a bit and raises my heart rate, the other session is on the reformer and it burns so good! I always end my weight training days with a 20 minute jog to close my steps. Ugh I was a big fan of F45 until my ankle injury!!

No cheese? That’s the best part 😂. My husband may have tried to steal your slice though. He usually picks off the cheese. I had to look up aubergine and couragette. We call them eggplant and zucchini. I’ve never had them on pizza but now I’m going to have to try it. I like pizza with bell peppers and onion. Those and mushrooms are about the extent of the veggie options around here. I actually had a lot of pizza shortly after my sleeve. I would do it with cauliflower crust then add ricotta, mozzarella and chicken plus pepper and onion. It was quite tasty. Then my capacity grew larger and the calories just added up too much to be on my plan. If only I could eat one slice and stop myself. Guess I wouldn’t be needing this surgery. 🤣

If you're able to have sugarfree jello puddings instead (I was, at the liquid stage), they're much easier to mix protein powder. Thicker soups too, like cream soups and tomato soups. Thinner soups like broth, try adding a bone broth powder if you're not vegan/veg. I personally found every popsicle treat I tried to make with protein shakes or powder were disgusting (texturally), but have heard others say they had no problems. Maybe try a single one and go from there? Don't worry about throwing out things you don't like and 'wasting' food -- at this stage, you're eating so much less than average that it really shouldn't be a concern. In the liquid stage, I feel like 80% of my diet was protein shakes, with a few other liquids scattered through my day for variety.

That time it was a pizzeria pizza (not too big and not too small) and it was so yummy, no real protein though as it was just tomato sauce, aubergine, peppers and courgette - no cheese and no meat.

A new week beckons 🙂 London was fab, a break that was very much needed by both of us. The hotel was very nice, the staff were fantastic, couldn’t do enough to help but some of the guests were just entitled dickheads. You know something is amiss when you say ‘thank you’ and the member of staff looks completely surprised. There were film crews there - one was something about a reality music show shown on MTV/Paramount possibly Love and Hip Hop Atlanta?? Not my thing so wasn’t too fussed. Did chat to a lovely crew lady though who filled us in on what was happening. Also there was some setting up to do regarding some additional Mission Impossible 8 shooting. Apparently the hotel was used for a lot of interior shots 🤷‍♀️ Didn’t see anyone famous though! Anyway, I was complemented on a couple of my outfits which gave me a real buzz! Having my makeup done was actually a lovely thing. It really helped that the MUA was very approachable and actually listened. The Pet Shop Boys were as brilliant as ever and a wonderful time was definitely had! Hubby bought me a commemorative PSB sweatshirt which is a XXL and fits like sausage skin. So, my next goal is to fit in to it comfortably. I think it’s definitely losing a couple of dress sizes 😬 (if not more) I’ve added 3.5lbs to last week’s weight, which isn’t bad, considering. I have my dietitian appointment in 3 weeks and I’m hoping to get that gain and a few more lbs off by then. I never thought I would miss protein shakes and protein yoghurt quite so much! I hope everyone has an awesome week ahead Onwards and Downwards!

I wish I had taken some 'before' pictures so that I could see the great changes. I still don't think I see the real me in the mirror at times so wish I could look at how fat (I can now say that about myself 😄) I was pre-op. I did switch to decaf for the two weeks pre-op as read it online but the hospital were giving me (disgusting) coffee the day after the op and continued to offer it to me every day I was there but my tastebuds couldn't hack it so I went with herbal tea each time. Now, a year later, coffee is no problem and have it running through my veins. I also made a batch of liquid soups for the first week and froze them in 150ml containers so that I wouldn't have to worry about it, just needed to add protein powder at the time, plus I prepped the veg for a second batch of soup and froze them so it meant I just had to put them in the slow cooker with a stock cube, no standing around peeling, chopping etc.

I was a teaspoon dipper or baby bite person too. My bites were just want ever was on the end of the teaspoon I dipped into my food. Don’t be afraid to wait longer between bites: a couple of minutes. Even eating 1/4 cup of food would take me 20 minutes or more. I would avoid the crackers and focus only on eating protein at this stage and any incidental vegetables like what might be in a soup you’ve blended. Generally any carbs should be left to the last thing you eat & only if you are able. So eat your protein first, then if you are able any vegetables then finally carbs you’re allowed at each stage (usually whole or multi grains not the more highly processed, less nutrient dense breads, rice, pasta, crackers). So if you were able to eat the saltines, you would have been able to eat more of the chicken salad & therefore more protein. There were many times I ate protein & nothing else for some meals for months. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

I had mine on the 23rd. Haven’t managed to make my hydration and protein goals yet- I hear that it’s a work in progress! But I have one incision that seriously hurts when I move. Ready for that to stop!

Actually he said I can always decide to do the bypass instead.on surgery day. In fact he asked me if he gets in there and can’t do the SADi for some reason if I want the bypass since he can’t exactly wake me up to ask. I said yes. I am 90% sure I want the SADI now though. I’m just scared. Scared of the what ifs that are more with the SADI. What if I am one of the ones that has problematic diarrhea that doesn’t resolve, what if my lifelong commitment to PPI’s causes ulcers or kidney issues. Even worse, what if that results in my needing a transplant now that I know that’s a problem because i can’t absorb the anti rejection meds properly. It was so much easier when I thought bypass was my only option. Now that I have a choice I am just petrified I am going to make the wrong one. I thought about postponing for a little while but I honestly don’t think that I am ever going to get to the point that I am 100% certain in my decision either way. I don’t think any amount of research is going to give me the clear cut assurance that I want. I know that I will lose with either surgery and that they both carry risks. I am just letting my anxiety get the best of me I think. I guess I really do just have to take the plunge with one of them and hope for the best.

So I'm thinking now you're finally comfortable and sure about the SADI, correct? Since you're already doing the LSD, you probably need to know what surgery you're having lol Just eat until you're satisfied, not full. Make smart choices, track what you eat and how often, don't graze, don't cheat (especially in the beginning) and make sure you move your body. Prioritize protein and fluids. You know the drill. You'll be fine

I still add protein to my meals because I have a hard time getting 80grams in 800 calories (I'm a picky eater with food texture issues). Protein drinks don't do a lot for me - leaving me still hungry, so I add protein to most things if it won't alter the taste.

Sounds like I am actually a lot better off than I thought I was. As most of you probably know I am on my LSD now which is two shakes and then a low carb dinner of 3oz lean meat, 1 cup of cooked veggies, and 1 cup berries or melon. Well, I do not feel stuffed to the brim, but I am satisfied after just the meat and veggies. I end up having the berries later as a snack which cuts out one of the snacks I am allowed for the day so win-win. . What worried me was that this diet was written for someone with normal anatomy and I was getting closer than I thought I should to finishing it. That and some of the plates I’ve seen posted on here by veterans seem to be such tiny portions compared to my 8” plate full. I felt that my restriction was way-way less than anyone else with a sleeve. I worried that even if I was keeping it to healthier choices and some was being malabsorbed that the portion size would still get me in trouble if I don’t eat lean meat and veggies forever. i do realize that it’s more about what the foods are than how much I eat but I would like to add in some other options eventually (for maintenance at least). . I am fighting against a pretty complex scenario too. Not only am I asking for this surgery to help with obesity but I also have Bipolar Disorder. I have been on meds and doing okay but the meds are not a cure. I still have episodes and during those periods things like healthy food choices are…well…out the window. I try not to keep unhealthy options in the house but I have things i am allowed in moderation and my husband has some bad foods that he eats as well. On top of that I cannot go off of the meds that make me gain. Long story short, I really do need the most aggressive surgery I can get to give me the best chance at this. it sounds like my stomach is pretty normal for someone that is over a year out though. Some of the doctors redo the sleeve when during a revision which sounds ideal but mine does not. He says I that’s not worth the risks involved. Obviously I don’t want to risk more side effects, complications and lifestyle changes to get the SADI if I’m not going to get anything more out of it than I would a bypass which would also be more likely to resolve my mild gerd. I just wish there was more data to go on. I guess what it boils down to is having to trust my doctors judgement. Past experience witb doctors just make that SO difficult for me. Thank you all for sharing your experiences with the sleeve and the bypass.🩷 This does help me a great deal. Now I know that I actually am where he should expect me to be in terms of capacity. At least I know he did have all the correct information when he said the SADI was my best option.