Hi everyone

My date is set and I'm looking forward to the day.

There's lots of issues I'm unsure about.

I've tried liquid Meal Replacement before but found day 3 I was feeling extremely stressed. The mental thing. But I know after the op that's all I can have for a while so that scares me.

While food seems to rule my life at the moment I'm wondering if post op it will rule my life more? I'll be fixated on what I can't have all the time.

Learning curve here I come.

I did 3 Total Lean Shakes by GNC for my liquid preop diet and it worked really well for me

you need to know that the liquid phases isn't just pre and post op. every time you get a fill you will be back on 2 days of liquids and 2days of mushies. that could mean every month four days out of the month you will be in hell. we politely refer to it as bandster hell. I am doing the liquids now after a fill and I am in mental pain over the whole dang thing. poor husband. I fixed him dinner but because I was so hungry. I purchased a 2 inch porterhouse steak and made French fries from scratched and a mushroom sauce to die for, but I didn't even taste anything. I am not tolerating anything but liquids so I feed him. lucky for him he doesn't gain weight and is healthy. but on the plus side we do this so we can get to the green zone and our appetite and hunger just might be in check. horray! be strong. you will be moving through each stage and really appreciate simple foods like eggs, refried beans, chili. yogurt, cottage cheese etc.. these foods will be your steak and potato.

No..it's not easy but you will get through the pre and post op liquid diet and once you start eating mushy and then real food, you'll feel better.

I can only tell you of my experience. I was at good restriction right away while for others it takes time to get there. It's still a mostly mental game but having your appetite tamped down helps alot and allows you to make good decisions in terms of what you are eating and how much you are eating.

So...follow your doctor's instructions, don't focus on the scale, and this I can tell you...as you lose weight, feel and look better, the food will become less important. Congrats and good luck with your procedure.

My big day is on the 18th and I'm on my last day of the liquid diet (tomorrow is clear liquids only) and I have to say, at this point I'm not even hungry anymore. I drink the shakes because I have to, not because I'm starving. Of course, I mentally want to eat real food, but it's easy to get past if I just focus on something else. Staying busy will be your best bet! The first 4 days or so are rough, but once you get past that, It's much easier than it seems, I promise. And when you're done you'll have a whole new appreciation for food. Seriously! I crave vegetables and fruit right now instead of sweets! It's an amazing transformation to feel yourself going through best of luck to you!!

Yes, this is something you MUST do. The second and third day seem to be the hardest. If you can get past those, it does get easier. It won't be easier if you cheat, so don't. Really use this time to embrace ridding yourself of your addiction to sugar and carbs. I used the time to get myself off of those, plus caffeine too. I feel liberated now.

You'll be fine, just remember it's not going to kill you. This is where you prove to yourself that you have the strength to do this. Best wishes!

Edited February 16, 201412 yr by Leepers

Here in Italy things are different.

Surgeons don't prescribe pre-op diet to people who are going to have lap band surgery.

The day of surgery they didn't give me any food or drink.

On the following day only tea.

On the second day after surgery , afer RX, they gave me a cup of tea with 2 biscuits and mushy food for lunch and dinner.

My surgeon used to say that it is useless to make patients starve on a liquid diet.

I was never hungry, also because I had my band filled (1.5 cc) during surgery.

Now ( I've been banded for 2 years and 9 months) hunger sometimes arrives.

It is often head hunger, which is more difficult to cope with.

When I want to eat ( above all forbidden or trigger foods) I feel as if life were depriving me of somenthing vital and necessary to my "happiness".

On such occasions I try to go back in my mind to my obese life and the main feeling that had accompanied those long years :HUMILIATION..That's how I used to feel

And realize I don't want to come back . It was too painful

<p>Here in Italy things are different.</p> <p>Surgeons don't prescribe pre-op diet to people who are going to have lap band surgery.</p> <p>The day of surgery they didn't give me any food or drink.</p> <p>On the following day only tea.</p> <p>On the second day after surgery , afer RX, they gave me a cup of tea with 2 biscuits and mushy food for lunch and dinner.</p> <p>My surgeon used to say that it is useless to make patients starve on a liquid diet.</p> <p>I was never hungry, also because I had my band filled (1.5 cc) during surgery.</p> <p>Now ( I've been banded for 2 years and 9 months) hunger sometimes arrives.</p> <p>It is often head hunger, which is more difficult to cope with.</p> <p>When I want to eat ( above all forbidden or trigger foods) I feel as if life were depriving me of somenthing vital and necessary to my "happiness".</p> <p>On such occasions I try to go back in my mind to my obese life and the main feeling that had accompanied those long years :HUMILIATION..That's how I used to feel</p> <p>And realize I don't want to come back . It was too painful</p>

Thanks for sharing.

I'm in the humiliation stage of my life and the body problems with the weight and the diabeties.

Can wait to be in the position to look back.

Yes, this is something you MUST do. The second and third day seem to be the hardest. If you can get past those, it does get easier. It won't be easier if you cheat, so don't. Really use this time to embrace ridding yourself of your addiction to sugar and carbs. I used the time to get myself off of those, plus caffeine too. I feel liberated now. <br> You'll be fine, just remember it's not going to kill you. This is where you prove to yourself that you have the strength to do this. Best wishes!

Thanks

<p>My big day is on the 18th and I'm on my last day of the liquid diet (tomorrow is clear liquids only) and I have to say, at this point I'm not even hungry anymore. I drink the shakes because I have to, not because I'm starving. Of course, I mentally want to eat real food, but it's easy to get past if I just focus on something else. Staying busy will be your best bet! The first 4 days or so are rough, but once you get past that, It's much easier than it seems, I promise. And when you're done you'll have a whole new appreciation for food. Seriously! I crave vegetables and fruit right now instead of sweets! It's an amazing transformation to feel yourself going through best of luck to you!!</p>

Hope the 18th was a good day.

Would love to hear how your first few days have been. Inbox me if you like as well.