Hi all. I will be having the gastric sleeve done in January 2014. Like most of us, I have failed so many times at trying to lose weight. This is my last chance. I am so worried about the 2 week pre-op liquid diet. Im afraid I will fail at that also. I'm already trying to think of ways to outsmart the docs! How can I "sneak" some sort of food into the "liquid" diet? Crazy, I know. I just cant imagine being SO hungry for 2 whole weeks! Any words of wisdom will be appreciated. Thank you

This was my last chance too. Major MAJOR surgery. The end of the weight loss road.

When I got approved? I felt blessed, I know that sounds corny but downright blessed is how I felt!

Do you know how lucky we are to have this opportunity at real help? I see people everyday, that for whatever reason can't have this surgery but need it..

Think about that...

And also know that the pre op "diet" is not a diet in the normal sense, it put in place to ensure a safe as possible surgery... A major surgery

I felt the same way. My surgeon actually referred to this as declaring "body bankruptcy" as in you can only do this once and have a clean slate. I related to that. This is a fresh start for so many.

I had to have six months of counseling to understand my unhealthy relationship with food.

Already thinking about Trying to "sneak" food into a pre-op diet is normal, but not good. Take the time you have and try to determine how you can make the diet work. Not the other way.

On a personal note, for the pre-op, I found that all that protein really curbed my appetite. Making the two weeks easier than I thought. I hope you feel the same way! Best of luck to you as said above this, we ARE the lucky ones!

Thank you all for your support. I already feel better. Im going to need this kind of support to do this. I know I am blessed. I have been wanting this kind of help for years. I now have insurance that will pay for it. I plan to start my pre op diet the day after Christmas. I didn't want to try and do it through the holidays because that is just setting myself up to fail. I KNOW I MUST succeed this time. I haven't even told anyone except my parents. I don't want to take a chance of failing again and everyone knowing.

One last thought

oh the holidays! And the thought of surgery. You have a double whammy of the two happening at the same time!

Don't do what so many do and regret.. Food funerals... Some people think they will never eat these foods again so they binge leading up to the pre op. Trust me when I say you will be able to eat "normal" again. Also when people do the food funerals they gain even MORE weight, and it just adds to total that still has to be lost

Thanks Laura! I love the term "food funeral". Im gonna be really careful!

Thanks Laura! I love the term "food funeral". Im gonna be really careful!

I know you will! The mere fact that you are thinking about these things and being honest with yourself shows that you are ready to make these changes

I have my surgery 11/21. I'm allowed full liquids, so the 2 weeks haven't been too bad. I've thought of throwing in the towel twice already, but won't. I keep thinking I'll never be able to have anything ever again.

I just wanted to weigh in on this (heh heh...)

I was feeling the same way before the diet. I was thinking, "Oh jeez, how am I going to do this??"

Days 1-3 of the pre-op diet were REALLY rough. I was craving carbs like you wouldn't believe. All I wanted was a big bowl of fresh pasta and some friggin' saltines! We had some leftover pizza and cheese sticks in the fridge and I wanted them SO bad that I could barely stand it. I was standing in the kitchen sniffing the cheese sticks!!

BUT - I pushed through it (drank water every time I felt the hunger pangs and curled up in bed and watched TV and read books to distract myself).

Now I'm on day 5 and I can honestly say that today has been SO much better. My carb cravings are much less frequent, I'm staying fuller between meals longer, and actually finding that I'm having a hard time finishing my meals because I feel full!

Point being - I know it seems impossible. And for the first few days, it will REALLY seem impossible as your body screams for those easy carbs we've come to depend on! BUT if you can get through those first few bad days, the rest will NOT be bad!!

I am so grateful for all the encouraging words! I wonder why some folks are allowed full liquid, or 2 protein shakes and 1 meal per day, or plain liquid. What makes the difference?

The surgeon makes the difference. Some surgeon's go full liquid for 2 weeks, some full liquid for 1 week, some mix liquids and meals, some do optifast, some do a restricted calorie/carb diet (the one I'm on) and some do no pre-op diet at all! It all depends on the surgeon/practice...

So the pre op diet is to lose weight. Then if I start losing weight now, I will be ahead of the game. Right?

The pre-op diet isn't to lose weight, per se. It's to shrink your liver so it will be out of the surgeon's way when they are performing the surgery.

Losing weight is just a bonus

So the pre op diet is to lose weight. Then if I start losing weight now, I will be ahead of the game. Right?

Yes... But more importantly it's to shrink your liver, so you could start it now as long as you continuously stick to it and kept losing weight..