I'm 200 lbs and have been trying to do the pre-op diet for over a week now. I do well for a few days -then I blow it! I'm still at the same weight as when I started. Anyone else have this problem? Is this indicative of how I will do post-sleeve? 6 days till surgery and frustrated with myself!

The surgery is a "tool", you still have to eat the right foods. I was sooo ready for the surgery that pre-op was just something I had to do and never thought of cheating. Make sure you are really ready for this, it is life changing and food will no longer be your best friend.

You're going to think I am a big scary bad person, I'm sure, but I'm not.

Think about this ...

This is about shrinking your liver so the surgeon has a nice little liver to move around so they can tear out 85% of your stomach. They have told you they feel they can do their best job if it is shrunk. They don't want to nick it during the procedure. I don't think you want them to nick it either.

If they get in there and discover your liver is larger than they are comfortable with, they have three options.

1. Convert to an open surgery
   
   
2. Cancel the surgery
   
   
3. Throw caution to the wind and hope for the best and do it laproscopically
   

So, you do what you feel is best, but your inability to follow the pre-op diet for a few days is an indication of your relationship with food. The sleeve is not going to change that. You may want to schedule some appointments to address food issues.

Sorry, mean part over.

I just want you to be successful and reach the goals you have set for yourself.

Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

You're going to think I am a big scary bad person' date=' I'm sure, but I'm not.

Think about this ...

This is about shrinking your liver so the surgeon has a nice little liver to move around so they can tear out 85% of your stomach. They have told you they feel they can do their best job if it is shrunk. They don't want to nick it during the procedure. I don't think you want them to nick it either.

If they get in there and discover your liver is larger then they are comfortable with, they have three options.

[*']Convert to an open surgery

[*]Cancel the surgery

[*]Throw caution to the wind and hope for the best and do it laproscopically

So, you do what you feel is best, but your inability to follow the pre-op diet for a few days is an indication of your relationship with food. The sleeve is not going to change that. You may want to schedule some appointments to address food issues.

Sorry, mean part over.

I just want you to be successful and reach the goals you have set for yourself.

Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

Thanks for the feedback. The problem is I get so HUNGRY! I'm hoping the surgery will help w that. But you've given me a good kick-in-the-but. Best behavior from here on out.

So how did you help curb hunger???

May I ask how much reading you have done? about the head hunger and such? Consider reading The Power of habit by Dughill, it has been an AK-47 in the aresnal of my "defense" so to speak...

For me, personally, I have learned to define a difference between hunger and head hunger as in if I can switch up my routine, get away from my triggers, and distract myself, then it is possibly genuine hunger...the surgery will help with the real hunger, but you will still need to work everything else out. That is the really, really hard part.

I like what PdxMan had to say, however, I'm not convinced this means you will fail later because you are having so much trouble with the pre op diet. You hit the nail on the head about hunger...you ARE hungry! And because you aren't sleeved yet, it's probably feeling a bit like one of the thousands of diets you tried before and failed at. I haven't even been sleeved yet but I can totally understand where you're at.

Read what PdxMan said again and again about the liver needing to shrink...that is def scary. I read somewhere about a girl who thought she was having surgery and woke up the next morning after they had cut her open and her doctor did not even do the surgery because her liver was too big. Imagine the disappointment! And being cut open for nothing!

It will get much easier it appears once you are sleeved as far as hunger goes so don't think you are going to fail afterwards. Print some stuff out about why the liver needs to shrink, why the pre-op diet is so important, etc and then look at it whenever you wanna cheat. Only six more days of the pre-op diet! You can do anything for six days right?! Remember, you're worth it!!!! Good luck!!

I think I may need to get that book Pookeyism just mentioned too!

Thanks for the feedback. The problem is I get so HUNGRY! I'm hoping the surgery will help w that. But you've given me a good kick-in-the-but. Best behavior from here on out.

So how did you help curb hunger??

At this point curbing the hunger will take lots of fluids and willpower. Do things to keep your self occupied. Some clean closets, etc get your mind off ot eating. I really do wish you the best.

I agree with the liver issue and maybe getting some more counseling on it. Have you talked to your surgeon? I know mine told me that should I feel the extra actual hunger (not head hunger) I could up my protein. I found out how to distinguish hunger from habit and then if need to add some more protein.

What is your pre-op diet? Here is thread I replied to today that describes mine. Perhaps this may help?

I like what PdxMan had to say, however, I'm not convinced this means you will fail later because you are having so much trouble with the pre op diet. You hit the nail on the head about hunger...you ARE hungry! And because you aren't sleeved yet, it's probably feeling a bit like one of the thousands of diets you tried before and failed at. I haven't even been sleeved yet but I can totally understand where you're at.

Read what PdxMan said again and again about the liver needing to shrink...that is def scary. I read somewhere about a girl who thought she was having surgery and woke up the next morning after they had cut her open and her doctor did not even do the surgery because her liver was too big. Imagine the disappointment! And being cut open for nothing!

It will get much easier it appears once you are sleeved as far as hunger goes so don't think you are going to fail afterwards. Print some stuff out about why the liver needs to shrink, why the pre-op diet is so important, etc and then look at it whenever you wanna cheat. Only six more days of the pre-op diet! You can do anything for six days right?! Remember, you're worth it!!!! Good luck!!

I totally agree, non-compliance pre-surgery does not mean failure post sleeve, but, IMO, it is an indication of food and perhaps even food choices. What are you eating now to satiate your hunger? I know for me, it was meaningless carbs ... crackers, Cookies. But they made me feel good and satisfied my hunger ... for the moment. A on hour later, "Why am I hungry again?" And away I'd go with more poor choices.

For me, I had my Come To Jesus moment pre-surgery where I knew I was killing myself with these behaviors. I treated this as my last chance to be at a healthy weight and be there for my kids. As is pointed in many threads, the sleeve is a tool to help you eat less. That is it. It is nothing more. There are some side benefits for many people. Some folks who don't have acid issues post-op, find they don't really have any hunger in the few months post op. I am one of those. I had to set reminders to eat for the first 6 weeks as I would be at work, look up at the clock and it would be 4:00 and I hadn't had lunch, yet. Never even thought about it, which, for me, it just mind blowing. As my surgeon explained, the body will develop new ways of telling me it is hungry and that is true. Instead of my stomach feeling hungry like it did before, my body just feels nutritionally short.

When I am with people and they ask, "Hey, are you hungry? Want to grab lunch?" I say that I'm starving, or yes, I'm hungry, without going into the bigger explaination that, "Really, I'm not, but my body could use some nutrition."

But, there are those who do still struggle with hunger post-op. I don't know if it is the acid. Perhaps it is an early return to the habit of eating comfort food and now that is how they respond and the cycle continues, even though they are truly not hungry. Head hunger or the like. I don't know as I fell on the other side of the fence and cannot see over.

Good luck to you and I do wish you the success you are looking for.

I don't think it means you will fail. I was so hungry on the pre- op and for the first 2 weeks on the post op but now that I am on the puree/mushee stage where I can actually eat some food like beans, applesause and thick soup I am starting to feel satisfied and I get full on much less. You won't fail. Who can really live on clear liquids for a week and not be going out of their minds? I have found there a people on this board who are very negative to anyone who asks a question. I can not tell you how many people have told me I will fail, I need counceling, I have a food addiction. People on here can not diagnosis you or me from a post. So take the good, toss the bad and above all stay positive, you can do this!!

I hear you I'm having a time as well we will be ok. I also hear that some people didn't have to do a pro op. Just be mindful about your intake.

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Dont beat yourself up. I was that way with all diets. I would do good for 3-4 days then blow it. I would lose 5 pounds and gain 7. My surgeon only requires a 3 day pre op diet. He says that is sufficient and there is no need to put us through anymore than that because it is hard. The liquid diet after surgery was even hard for me. I was so tired of liquid, I felt I was starving and I wanted to put something in my mouth so bad. I felt hungry the day after surgery. I was told this is head hunger but not sure I believe that. I had that pain that you get right before your stomach lets out that large growl but my stomach didnt growl but what I felt was a hunger pain was there.

Just try to make better choices for now and then 3 days before surgery, do the liquid diet. I understand it is important to shrink the liver and it will shrink with a 3 day liquid diet.

I am amost 5 weeks out and it has been hard but getting so much better now that I am starting to handle real food again.

Just be prepared, the first month may be easy for you like some but for me it was harder than I thought it would be.. After surgery is when you will need to be diligent with the diet, I was a revision so was terrified to eat anything that I wasnt supposed to.

My surgeon was Dr. Ponce in Tj Mexico. Good luck with your surgery!