Got a call from the surgical scheduler this morning, and my date is set for July 11th! I was hoping it might be sooner, but not surprised it worked out this way. Means I will be starting my liquid diet while I'm traveling for work - so that will be interesting. I'm also wrestling with not having our annual 4th of July BBQ at my house (which is in a prime location for watching fireworks) - maybe I'll just have ppl over for fireworks but avoid smelling burgers on the grill all day.

Anyone else have a July date set? Wanna support each other through the next weeks?

I think the pre op diet is obviously there to help shrink the liver but I don't think if u steer off a little it will make a huge difference my doctors just told me to be very health aware and make better choices. The nutritionist I had to see gave my a strict diet of proteins shakes raw veggies oatmeal sugar free pops apple sauce. I have been having plain salads with fat free dressing and I had some fat free,pop corn last night....I'm not eating cheeseburgers and fries but the salads fill me up but I look at it like it is raw veggies. Also I have read some people aren't required a pre op so I think it is just an extra precaution for the surgeons. I can't see how they expect some people that are like 400 lbs, obviously addicted to food to have just shakes for a few days, I mean that just screams someone will cheat. I think u will be fine....as long as u made healthier choices and tried to stay away from fatty foods you will be okay. I was never ever told if you cheat ur liver will be too big and we can't do surgery. I go Thursday and I plan to do just liquids Tuesday and wed just because I wasn't on a strict liquid diet and I feel that might not be a bad idea. I can't get the protein shakes down a lot. I get sick of them. I only use water though I might switch to skim milk just for more substance and I little more taste besides the protein powder. I am nervous and scared...mostly scared about failing. Letting down the people that know I am having surgery. I am very upset with my body and feel like I ruined myself. Over four years I put on about 60lbs. I truly had a perfect body and was very athletic a few years ago and I am Hoping I can get back to that....I am worried about saggy skin. I have a little pooch (underbelly) and developed some stretch marks around my love handles and faint ones on my lower belly. Other than that none. My legs and arms are wider but still very muscular I am hoping they will go back and eh don't have any stretch marks or loose skin. I will though pay for surgery if I have a lot of saggy skin on my belly. Anyone talk to or know people that lost weight from lap band and if they were saggy...how much weight do u need to loose in order to have excess skin?

I would prefer if we steer clear of making assumptions about whether certain 'types' of people will or won't cheat. There are people (like myself) who start out morbidly obese and have not cheated. For me personally - I have too much riding on this to cheat, and in my own experience when I give myself an inch I end up taking a mile - so keeping to the particular program my nutri give me has been hard but well worth it. I am going into my surgery (on thurs) with a greater sense of confidence that I can do this and change my behavior for the rest of my life.

I would prefer if we steer clear of making assumptions about whether certain 'types' of people will or won't cheat. There are people (like myself) who start out morbidly obese and have not cheated. For me personally - I have too much riding on this to cheat' date=' and in my own experience when I give myself an inch I end up taking a mile - so keeping to the particular program my nutri give me has been hard but well worth it. I am going into my surgery (on thurs) with a greater sense of confidence that I can do this and change my behavior for the rest of my life.[/quote']

Exactly!

I would prefer if we steer clear of making assumptions about whether certain 'types' of people will or won't cheat. There are people (like myself) who start out morbidly obese and have not cheated. For me personally - I have too much riding on this to cheat' date=' and in my own experience when I give myself an inch I end up taking a mile - so keeping to the particular program my nutri give me has been hard but well worth it. I am going into my surgery (on thurs) with a greater sense of confidence that I can do this and change my behavior for the rest of my life.[/quote']

Thank you for saying this Aviva! I am not trying to be Polyanna about this new phase of my life progression. I don't think that I will *never* have an imperfect moment. What I do come into this with is a new conviction that if I am going to go so far as to allow a dr to put a foreign object into my body to help me (which I did on July 1st), then I will do what he says, and what the nutritionist he sends me to says, to make progress & eat more productively & healthily! My way has not worked for 49 years & they have helped myriads of people so I'm willing to be clay in their hands!

When I read posts where people are talking negatively or about ways to cheat or "get over" on their plan / doctor, I stop reading. I don't need that noise in my head. If people are asking for help to avoid that stuff, I'm all there b/c I need it, too.

I didn't mean to offend anyone I was simply stating doctors all have different plans and I read some people on threads on the site that were freaking because they cheated they need support too And letting them know they are okay. Once again everyone's doctor has Different pre op advice and diets and I was simply sharing mine as others have. I wasn't being negative or encouraging others to cheat by any means.

Thanks, Sprinkle - we are all in this together!

Deb - loving your updates on MFP - awesome job on the walk today!

If anyone has Japanese places near them they have great clear broths ... It's a good switch from chicken and beef broth but the miso soup is good too I just don't eat the tofu

I didn't mean to offend anyone I was simply stating doctors all have different plans and I read some people on threads on the site that were freaking because they cheated they need support too And letting them know they are okay. Once again everyone's doctor has Different pre op advice and diets and I was simply sharing mine as others have. I wasn't being negative or encouraging others to cheat by any means.

I didn't read all the way back to see what started the conversation so my comments were not intended towards anything anyone in particular said at all. Just a general commentary on my own insights into my needs for my progress. If it helps to support anyone else along the way, then great!

If anyone has Japanese places near them they have great clear broths ... It's a good switch from chicken and beef broth but the miso soup is good too I just don't eat the tofu

There is a Vietnamese pho place that I love so much but I'm wondering if they would just sell me a quart of broth to have on hand.

My mom also just made me 2 gallons of chicken stock from chickens they raise and i find if I chop up some carrots and celery to add in while I heat it up there's enhanced flavor - then I just give those to my hubs if I've already eaten my .5 cup of veg for the day.

I had miso twice this week both were a great change of taste for broth and iI got it from two different places so they tasted differently. I am picking up chicken broth tonight and also some skim milk.. I been using just water in protein shake and I think that's why I am gagging a lot

July 24th is my surgery date...start the 14 day pre-op liquid diet this Wednesday.

Congratulations!!!!

Thanks! I'm excited and nervous! I go for all of the pre-op testing tomorrow.

Double post - oops!

You will do great sunny