I am relatively new to the idea of getting the sleeve and reading what I can about everything and I don't have my 1st seminar until next week. My question is this, it seems that the post-op diet is the same as a high protien diet, similar to Atkins, etc. What makes the sleeve different/better than just going on the liquid high protein/slushee diet everyone is talking about? I like Atkins but can't maintain on it. Is this post-op diet going to be the same? I'm not hungry on atkins either once ketosis kicks in but I find I need more. I don't want to self-pay for this surgery only to find I have another Atkins repeat..

Thank you everyone. so if im understanding the sleeve controls the desire to overeat but the Protein is needed for health. so' date=' down the road, I will be able to eat chicken, steak, with the occassional grapes/watermellon, etc. I will just want ALOT less. (cheaper to go out to dinner at Outback--leftovers for a week? lol).

My biggest problem will probably be sodas. I've been addicted to diet coke for 30 years. off and on with the caffinated soda. Water makes me physically ill. I've been told its proably because my body is so toxic from the diet coke. Just the thought of weaning myself off makes me ill because I know whats coming...[/quote']

I feel your pain. I had a 3-4 Dr. Pepper habit for years (not the diet kind, either). It was a sonofagun to kick. Three of us got together at work to kick our soda habit (they were Coke drinkers, yuck!). It took us about a week and a half before we started feeling like ourselves again. We had everything from headaches, hot flashes/sweating (we're in our 30s), fatigue and irritability. We were some of the meanest nurses in the dept. during that time. After going through that, I can't even drink more than a few sips of Dr. Pepper, because I'm so afraid of the withdrawals. Word of advice, break your habit months before surgery, and do it over a holiday or long weekend. Your co-workers will thank you for it. Good Luck!

Thank you all. Every bit of information helps. I almost look forward to not craving sweets/diet coke. I hope that part kicks in for me. I hate getting migranes when i'm without caffeine for too long. This is probably be something I quit and go through withdrawals before surgery.

I stopped drinking cokes on a regular basis about three months ago. I still have one occasionally, but that's going to end after surgery. Find something to switch to that you like, and don't worry about the caffeine for now (unless your doc told you to): I like Lipton Green Tea. Tea, coffee, green tea: there are a lot of drinks that are better for you than soda that also have caffeine so it will make the transition easier. I am now on one "cup of coffee" (on pre-op, so it's actually a coffee shake) and one green tea a day, and I have found that I actually enjoy Water now. I had a coke last night for the first time in a while and it bloated me so bad that this morning I'm actually up two pounds from yesterday!

It was so hard for me to do: I too am a diet soda FANATIC. For many years that was all I drank all day, every day. I feel so much better now without all the carbonation in my veins, LOL.

You can do it!!

I feel your pain. I had a 3-4 Dr. Pepper habit for years (not the diet kind, either). It was a sonofagun to kick. Three of us got together at work to kick our soda habit (they were Coke drinkers, yuck!). It took us about a week and a half before we started feeling like ourselves again. We had everything from headaches, hot flashes/sweating (we're in our 30s), fatigue and irritability. We were some of the meanest nurses in the dept. during that time. After going through that, I can't even drink more than a few sips of Dr. Pepper, because I'm so afraid of the withdrawals. Word of advice, break your habit months before surgery, and do it over a holiday or long weekend. Your co-workers will thank you for it. Good Luck!

That would be a toss up. Do it over the weekend and my family suffers, do it over the week and my co-workers and family suffer. Hmmmm....maybe I deserve a minivacation away from both. lol