Well this is it, when I wake up tomorrow morning I will be starting day one of my pre-op diet....

It seemed like this day would never get here and now it is just a few hours away. I just read Mr. Yoda's entry and was so very impressed by his account of what pre-op was like for him. I hope that I too can fight off the temptations.

I am feeling a mix of emotion as I start on this new path in my life. Mostly I just want to be thin. I want to bend over to dry my feet after a shower and not have my tummy get in my way. To see the bumps and rolls fade into the curves I know are still there.

I am doing optifast, so if anyone has some pointers/recipes they can share to make this next two weeks a little easier PLEASE feel free to add them here!!!

This time three weeks from now I will be on the banded side!!!

WOW!

ps. thank you to everyone here for all the info and hand holding, for reassuring and encouraging. The support here is without a doubt invaluable!!

Oh Leslielee, I am so happy for you! I know how much you anticipated this day and it is finally here. Wait and see, banding date will be here before you know it.

It is a step toward hope and recovery and we are here right along with you! Keep us posted.

Good luck LeslieLee.

As for advice...I didn't do Optifast pre-op BUT I did go thro the entire optifast program several yrs ago. The trick is: extract flavourings!!

Orange was my fave. Mix it with the chocolate optifast and it tastes like a "Terry's Chocolate Orange Ball". Bananna and almond were also my other faves.

LeslieLee,

You are in good company with a bunch of us that have doen the Optifast.

Yoda is right, the flavourings are great. I got pretty sick of the vanilla and had to spice it up any way I could. Remember to blend them with lots of ice so they are thick and that will help to.

Pre-op pickles too will save you.

Andrew

Definitely flavorings. I used the SF Da Vinci syrups. Khalua in the chocolate Optifast was excellent. Fresh strawberries in the vanilla also worked.

As for vegetables. Choose your favorites. I loved asparagus topped with fresh lemon juice. Also, ice berg lettuce cut in big chucks hit the spot. I too ate pickles which seemed to help with cravings. If you make a salad out of fresh greens, balsamic vinegar is a good dressing.

I'm so happy for you, you're getting closer! Your banding date will be here before you know it!!

LOL.... I am reading your replies and my mouth is watering!! Thank you Yoda, Andrew and Janice for the hints on how to keep the optifast flowing! You are all so great!! Now to find these flavorings, can I get them at the grocery store...save-on, superstore, sobey's ?? I lead a boring life I don't think I have really ever seen them cept maybe the ones they use at starbucks. Hey can we have sugarless gum?

-=big smiles=- Susan I am excited too... day one is going not too bad. I have been busy working out in the yard most of the day. Drinking and peeing like crazy today!

ps...I also went walking to the pond this morning and one of the geese was there, not sure if it was George or Gracey. I hope the missing one is ok.

Well it is time for supper.... hmmmm I wonder what I shall have????

To add to the mrs' post... Lots of RUM! (Artificial or alcoholic is up tp you)

Congrats on starting your pre-op diet!

I get my SF Davincci syrups at wwwthelowcarbgrocery.com They have tons of awesome flavours.

yaaaaay leslie, you're almost there!!

I got my SF Davinci Syrups at the local Diabetic Depot. Look for a shop that caters to diabetics and they will have all sorts of this stuff.

Dont go too crazy, I bought 3 bottles and all totalled I have about 90% of it left.

Andrew

You are on the road to banded land. Good luck, we're with you every step of the way..

I wanted to post this earlier but I have had problems logging on. :mad:

Anyway Leslie when I was on Optifast I would make coffee and let it cool or make instant cold espresso and add it to the Optifast with ice in a blender. I would tell myself it was an iced coffee. It actually was the only way I could tolerate the optifast as it was the only thing that could cover the bad taste. With the warmer weather coming an iced coffee Optifast might hit the spot. :mad:

Hello all!!

First of it is day four and I am hanging in there! The first few days have not been too bad all in all. I don't really mind the taste of the optifast. I sure hope I am mixing it right! lol I find it a bit thick sometimes but nothing I can't get down. For me the trick is to make sure it is good and cold!

Yesterday my son and I went on a quest to find Davinci Sryups. I had done a bit of phoning around and found out there was a sweet shop sugar free and gluten free products down in Mill woods called Sweet tweet.

What a cool place, not very big but very friendly and lots of free samples! Which I did not take but my son did and he actually really enjoyed. So he got sugar free cheese cake and marshmellows while I got flavourings!

Last night I tried the kahluha with chocolate optifast it is was great! They had a few flavours in small 3 serving sizes so I got Raspberry and coconut too. I will try those today.

Dame J ... I have also tried the chocolate with cold coffee and ice and I agree it is a great way to get it down!

JLB... I tried your asparagus dish and it was yummy. what I am curious about and maybe you or Andrew can help me with this is just how much vegetable equal 225 calories?? LOL that can be a lot of lettuce!

Andrew I didn't go too crazy on the flavourings but it was hard not to...lol I just kept thinking of your post and held back!! Thanks for that bit of wisdom!

and ohhhh yes I love my pre-op pickles!!

Has everyone been totally faithful to the 2 wk pre-op diet! This is day 1 and I've already blown it! :faint:

I don't want to postpone my surgery currently scheduled for June 01. Any tips?:help:

HI there marcar,

So far I have been totally faithful. I keep thinking that I do not want to be told I can not have my band down on the 30th, nor do I want any kind of complication. Getting the liver to shrink is very important.

It isn't easy I have times like right now when I am REALLY hungry but I won't give in! Have you read Mr Yoda's little post on his epic battle?? It might help you, and also finding something to keep you busy is good, at least it is for me.

You can do it!! it is a very short time in the grand scheme of things and will be so worth it!

Who is doing your surgery?

HI there marcar,

So far I have been totally faithful. I keep thinking that I do not want to be told I can not have my band down on the 30th, nor do I want any kind of complication. Getting the liver to shrink is very important.

It isn't easy I have times like right now when I am REALLY hungry but I won't give in! Have you read Mr Yoda's little post on his epic battle?? It might help you, and also finding something to keep you busy is good, at least it is for me.

You can do it!! it is a very short time in the grand scheme of things and will be so worth it!

Who is doing your surgery?

Thanks for the encouragement. I totally failed today but I'll try to be really good from now onwards. I hope I won't have to postpone my surgery and you're right it is extremely hard and this is day 1 for me!

Dr. Yau is doing my surgery and I have the pre-op seminar on Tuesday. I'll be honest with them and tell them about my failure today and who knows they may even say that I need to move the surgery by a few days. That would really be a bummer but I brought it on myself.

Best of luck to you.