Hi,

Ok, so I have a high BMI, like 61, so my doctor recommended doing the Optifast pre-op for six weeks. I started the pre-op on May 22nd and my surgery date is July 7th, which actually is a little more than six weeks. I was so ready to get started that I totally agreed with him and said "let's do this!" It is funny how in when in the moment you will agree to something. Anyways, I have not cheated at all (yet). I am however suffering greatly.

I was just wondering if anyone else out there has had to do the pre-op for a longer period of time and if so, how did you make it?

Thanks,

Michelle

Hi,

Ok, so I have a high BMI, like 61, so my doctor recommended doing the Optifast pre-op for six weeks. I started the pre-op on May 22nd and my surgery date is July 7th, which actually is a little more than six weeks. I was so ready to get started that I totally agreed with him and said "let's do this!" It is funny how in when in the moment you will agree to something. Anyways, I have not cheated at all (yet). I am however suffering greatly.

I was just wondering if anyone else out there has had to do the pre-op for a longer period of time and if so, how did you make it?

Thanks,

Michelle

Several years ago I did Optifast very successfully for 9 months. Honestly after the first few days, I did not find it a problem. I did enjoy the chicken Soup at lunch every day with a little extra boullion, and 2-4 saltine crackers. I think the crackers where the extent of my cheating. I think I had shakes the other 5 times per day. Are you having 6 meals of Optifast every day? I can see where just three would make one nuts, as well as deficient..

I was put on a high protein, low carb pre-op diet. I didn't have a time frame, I was given a goal. My surgeon made me lose 20 lbs. I also have a high BMI. They would NOT schedule surgery until then but I also found this to be better. I was still eating food! I stuck to meats and daily, high in protein and lost my weight this way. No liquid diet for me at any point before and in fact I go in for banding on Thursday and was told that tomorrow, I could still eat light foods and no meat but can still have food. This way I wasn't losing much energy since I am working all the way up until the afternoon tomorrow. My meals tomorrow will be cottage cheese, a cheese stick, protein drinks, Crystal light and eggs. I don't think I could have done a liquid diet like many people had to do. What is the OptiFast diet consist of?

Hi,

Thanks for your replies. I am no the Optifast 800, which is an 800 calorie a day intake. It consists of three Protein drinks and two Protein Bars a day. I could have chosen the Soups instead of the bars, but I don't think I would like them. I can have limited amounts of cucumbers or celery, raw with no dressing or one serving of SF Jello per day or a SF popcicle.

I have heard of people actually only doing the Optifast to lose weight, in fact my doctor said that some people do it for months.

I just keep the end in sight and so far I have done ok. My husband is not as on board as he could be. This past weekend, we went to to parties on Saturday and then was invited to one on Sunday and I just had to say no. The ones on Saturday had GREAT food and I made it through, but the one on Sunday night was a pizza party and just the smell of pizza gets to me. He really doesn't understand why I could not just go and be social, but two parties in one weekend without food was my social limit ! lol.

Are there any ideas out there to spice up the Optifast. So far, mixing it with Decaf coffee is the only thing I have tried.

Thanks,

Michelle

I was put on a high Protein, low carb pre-op diet. I didn't have a time frame, I was given a goal. My surgeon made me lose 20 lbs. I also have a high BMI. They would NOT schedule surgery until then but I also found this to be better. I was still eating food! I stuck to meats and daily, high in protein and lost my weight this way. No liquid diet for me at any point before and in fact I go in for banding on Thursday and was told that tomorrow, I could still eat light foods and no meat but can still have food. This way I wasn't losing much energy since I am working all the way up until the afternoon tomorrow. My meals tomorrow will be cottage cheese, a cheese stick, protein drinks, Crystal light and eggs. I don't think I could have done a liquid diet like many people had to do. What is the Optifast diet consist of?

My pre-op diet was similar; I was given a goal of losing 20 pounds (I lost 25 total); and was asked that I take approximately a month to get there, but as long as I needed. I was told to call the doctor when I was getting close to the 20 pounds. I was on a 1200 calorie regular food diet. Once I got close to the 20 pounds, I called them, and they gave me my surgery date; and was told that a week before the date to be on liquids; with Clear liquids the day before.

My non-liquid diet consisted of a ton of vegetables (most out of our garden, woot!), lean meats, protein shakes; and no breads, limited on other carbs like oatmeal and Pasta.

Then for the liquid diet, I had pureed soups, yogurt, sugar free pudding, Protein shakes, vegetable juice.

Today I've had some sugar free Jello (NASTY, but I'll do it), some fruit juice, vegetable broth, and Water.

Hope that helps give you an idea of what I had to do.

My doc put us on a 3 week diet. Mostly protein shakes, salad, oatmeal. 3oz. Chicken, yogurt, jello, pudding, and popsicles. This is done to shrink the liver which is right in the way of the stomach. A fat liver can break up if it hasn't shrunk prior to surgery.

Hi,

Ok, so I have a high BMI, like 61, so my doctor recommended doing the Optifast pre-op for six weeks. I started the pre-op on May 22nd and my surgery date is July 7th, which actually is a little more than six weeks. I was so ready to get started that I totally agreed with him and said "let's do this!" It is funny how in when in the moment you will agree to something. Anyways, I have not cheated at all (yet). I am however suffering greatly.

I was just wondering if anyone else out there has had to do the pre-op for a longer period of time and if so, how did you make it?

Thanks,

Michelle

How much Protein does each Optifast shake have in it? Just started my pre-op diet. Surgery will be June 27th.