I have started by pre op diet a bit early...I am on a pre-op diet (liquids only) similar to Optifast...and I am HUNGRY!!!...I am at work now and feel a little dizzy. I don't want to ruin the diet....I really want to make this work....what are some of the things you all did to get through this? Pllleeeasssseeeee help!

Hi there Sweetforlife,

I was trying to figure out when you should be starting your pre-op diet, is it the 24th of July?

If it is that is a long time to be on liquid I would think. You will be on liquids after your surgery too.

Don't get me wrong It is great to want to get going! How long are you on the pre-op diet for? 2 weeks? 3 weeks?

Three weeks but I thought it would be a good idea to start now...as I am having too much fun eating.

Hi sweetforlife. I am on day 5 of my pre-op diet and so far not having a problem. Make sure you are getting your Protein in. I am doing a sweet shake for Breakfast (I like Muscle Milk Light). I tried several but so far that is my favorite.

I can have a morning snack of 6 oz tomato juice or 6 oz light juice, I'm not usually hungry midmorning (probably because I have my breakfast at 8 or 9) so I usually skip the midmorning thing and do it midafternoon. I try to drink at least 2 cups of Water between breakfast and lunch.

I (so far) have been doing either the chicken Flavor powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury in hot water

for lunch or the Unflavored Unjury with Better than Bouillon in hot water.

I usually do a great big cup of this; I like it and it really satisfies me and fills me up.

Then in the afternoon I try to get in two more glasses of water (you could do diet soda, Crystal Lite, ice tea, etc but I usually just do the water). I also usually do the snack about 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon.

For supper I get a frozen diet dinner (less than 300 calories and less than 20 grams carbs). Then MORE water in the evening.

I'm allowed an evening snack of either: another Protein Drink, or 6 oz light/no added sugar yogurt, or 3 cups unbuttered popcorn. I usually don't have the evening snack. Last night I did have 1/2 cup blueberries (nutritionist said I could substitute a 100 cal serving of fruit for juice, and since I hadn't had juice for a snack in the morning, I did the blueberries at night.

I can count all the shakes, etc as liquid, so by this time I usually have in my 8 glasses of water which surprises me, because I have always had a problem with this much liquid. I know not all pre-op diets are the same and some are radically different, and maybe you aren't allowed to have a meal a day. Hope this helps you some. I, like you, started my pre-op diet early, but what I did was have the liquids during the day, and then a regular meal at night. Also, if you are allowed to have a small meal, you might try it at lunch if this would help. I did try it one day that way, but I was starving by supper; don't really know why!!

Good luck on your diet!!

I have started by pre op diet a bit early...I am on a pre-op diet (liquids only) similar to Optifast...and I am HUNGRY!!!...I am at work now and feel a little dizzy. I don't want to ruin the diet....I really want to make this work....what are some of the things you all did to get through this? Pllleeeasssseeeee help!

From the sounds of it you are starting the pre-op diet early. Are you using Optifast for the early part, or are you using something else?

If you are taking the optifast, stick to that program. It will get better as time goes on. I was on optifast for 3 weeks as well, and it will take some time for your body to get accustomed to the new lack of calories. On the optifast, you will feel better after you go into ketosis, but you may feel like crap for a while. You may feel less energy, light headed, you may get cranky or get headaches. This is all normal as you body goes through the withdrawl from sugars & simple carbs.

Drink plenty of Water and hang in there. It is so worth it in the end.

Andrew

Is there anyone on the planet who did poorly on optifast? I am beating myself up the last couple of days because I am due for my surgery Wednesday morning and I lost zip on my 2 week optifast stage because I did NOT stick with it. I feel like a huge failure and that I can't possible succeed with a lapband if I can't even get thru 2 weeks of this...and it tasted good too. The hope I cling to is that some folk in the US had surgery without any preop diet, and they were still successful. Any comments or words of comfort?

Neef

Neefam,

You still have a few days. I pushed myself to walk, drink plenty of Water and stick to it when I thought I would go insane. You can still lose some weight - think about the investment you are about to make in yourself. It's only a couple more days and then things change.

Deb

Sweetz,

The important part of the opti-fast diet is the Protein not the liquids. I also wanted to start prior to the opti diet. The important part is to get into ketosis. You can do this by eating lean meat and low GI vegies. Once you get on the opti part you get three Protein drinks and 250 cal of low GI veg. I was banded at the same clinic as your choice. I did four weeks on opti and lost 49 lbs. between consult and surgery. This is probably the best weight loss in my life. Feels good.

Good Luck, remember this to will pass.:clap2:

When I was put on a pre op diet, it was based on my weight. Some people were on the diet 3 weeks, I was two and I know of one person who was one week.

The purpose of the pre op diet is to shrink the liver to allow the doctors more room to work around it. It is very fragile and can be damaged. Thus the importance of sticking to the diet. By breaking the diet, you make the work difficult for the doctor and maybe a bit more risky for you.

I was told it didn't matter how much I ate as long as it was the prescribed drink/food. So if you are week and hungry, call your clinic and ask them what you can have to help you thru the hunger dizzyness. Doddie