My surgery is scheduled for 12/8! I am starting to have a lot of anxiety about being on nothing but liquids for 2 weeks solid afterwards! So I was hoping some of you all might be able to share with me and others on how you all dealt with it?

I am on day 4. (this is the 3rd time I have done this because I've had my surgery postponed two other times). But...I was extremely nervous at first. The first day I was apprehensive but just kept drinking between my Protein shakes so I wouldn't experience hunger....yes, I had to go to the bathroom ALL the time. By day 3 I wasn't even thinking about it. It was actually quite pleasant not having t worry about what I was going to eat at each meal. I just knew.

You can do this! The little bit of inconvenience we will experience for a month or so will be so small when we have the rest of our lives to be at our healthy weights.

Good Luck!

Since you have almost four weeks left, I would start liquids now...it will train you to succeed on the post-op liquid diet. Additionally, it will really help you with any pre-op diet your surgeon requests, whether it is clear liquid or just simply low calorie. It takes some time to settle in to liquids, and it gave me major irritation until the last three days before surgery.

As to how to do it during post-op...the best advice is just to sip as directed...don't go long periods without having your Protein drink and try to keep it steady throughout the day. Best of luck!

@@Sleeved Nurse -- If you expect it to be monumental, it will be monumental. Why give it so much thought?

"I CAN DO ANYTHING FOR TWO WEEKS."

Edited November 13, 201510 yr by WLSResources/ClothingExch

I think what helped me the most is about two months prior to my pre op liquid diet I cut out all sodas and caffeine. Then one month before I cut out all refined sugars. I didn't lose a lot of weight (I was a bulk eater); but at least when I started that two week liquid diet I wasn't having the headaches and cravings. It seemed to make mine easy.

I had a friend who had her surgery a week after mine and she had a worse time with her liquid diet because she quit everything cold turkey.

You can get through it. Focus on the end result and the fact that it's for your safety.

Good luck!

I'm on the two week pre-op diet now and I have been trying hard to stay busy. I am also trusting my own process. If I'm hungry, I let the hunger bring me to tears, if that's where it wants to go. We must remember to be gentle and compassionate with ourselves throughout this process. It is more than a physical journey. It's a psycho-spiritual, deeply emotional, alchemical shift.

After surgery you will be fine. You won't be hungry much and just trying to get in your protein will be hard enough. For variety, sugar free Popsicles and broth are good. Sugar free jello is great as well. The pre op liquid diet was more problematic but after the third day, I was fine. I kept thinking about my liver shrinking so the surgeon wouldn't knick it on surgery day that it kept me focused. Good luck to you.

Edited November 14, 201510 yr by katcycler

It's just a couple weeks.

You should be able to endure anything for 2 weeks.

Just think of the downtrodden folks who would love to have nutritious liquid Protein to sustain them vs going hungry like they generally do.

Stop working yourself up over a non-event.

Not trying to be a jerk......but don't churn over this. It's simply a part of the process.....a fairly routine, boring part.....by the time you get tired of it.....it'll be over.

The preop diet wasn't as bad as I feared it would be... I didn't lose any weight on it, but ate all of the allowed food I wanted. I was never hungry. I was eating most of the time.

Not going to lie, the pre-op diet was hard. By the end, I was starting to look at people like this:

I'm 4 days post-op now and solid food isn't even in my vocabulary.

The 2-week post op-liquid phases are not even comparable to anything I experienced pre-op. Instead of minimizing calories while trying to maximize volume, the issue is turned upside down: to maximizing nutrition while minimizing volume.

Initially, I was extremely thirsty, but was only allowed ice chips.

Once I was cleared for liquids, I could still only sip small amounts slowly.

Post-op I wasn't hungry but still had to force myself to sip all day in order to get in all of my protein and fluids.

As I healed, it became much easier.

It is hard to describe until you experience it.

But, you will make it. You just have to be committed to making it work.