Pre-op liquid diet is rough... ~_~

[wildwolf235 2]

Hi all, I have my surgery on 3/14, so 3 days!

I started my pre-op liquid diet on 3/5. My doctor has sort of started his own little bariatric empire and does all counseling, blood work, EKG, literally everything in his own office, including providing all pre-op liquids prior to surgery for a single fee.

After 5 days on the liquid diet, I am kind of just... blah. I have a very active job and I actually had to go home sick after the 1st day of the diet because I had no energy, headache, diarrhea, etc... wasn't 'til I mentioned that to my dietitian did she tell me that was "normal" for detoxing carbs... nobody warned me beforehand!!!

Anyways, I feel terrible because I have cheated twice on the diet. I didn't go have any big full meals, and actually because I know the goal of the diet is low cal/no carb/high Protein, I cheated by "only" eating plain boiled eggs and cold cut no carb lunch meat... just felt like I need SOMETHING in my belly to help the hunger pangs. Just feeling down in the dumps about it... I feel like a failure and I'm scared of feeling like this AFTER surgery... I mean, you DO feel a lot less hungry afterwards, right?? I also know some people have to do way longer diets than one week, so I definitely just feel all around upset with myself over it. Any advice, support, etc would be so welcome.

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[JamieLogical 8,727]

Truer words have never been spoken. The pre-op liquid diet is a bi****. That's all there is to it. It's almost no calories... your body is entering ketosis... you still have to go to work every day... and you still have 100% of your stomach! SUCKS!

Post-op is very different. I wouldn't say "easier", just very very different. You'll still just be on liquids, but your life will depend on getting those liquids and you will need to work at it all day long like it's your job. The only "hunger" you will experience post-op will be head hunger and/or excess acid. Hopefully your surgeon will have you on a PPI for the acid. But if you are like me, every single food commercial will drive you crazy with head hunger. Even though you KNOW that eating those things in the commercial would literally put you in the hospital, you will see them and think "THAT LOOKS SO GOOD! I NEED IT RIGHT NOW!" It's going to take your brain a while to catch onto the limitations of your new stomach. But it will happen eventually.

For right now, just fight through this pre-op day by day. You will have all new struggles post-op.

[wildwolf235 2]

Luckily, I have already been able to put head hunger aside. I see things and think... mmm, I'd love a giant plate of that RIGHT NOW... but I know it will be a long time before I am able to eat normal foods and I know I will never eat in excess like that again. Right now it is the literal physical hunger and "hangry" feelings that are getting at me. Thanks for the words of encouragement.

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[Commander 12]

I am so scared for my liquid diet.... Fortunately I only have to do it the 3 days prior to surgery... But I have to work all those days (13hour shifts)... So yeah, it's the thing I'm most nervous about.

[Dub 10,022]

Pre-op liquid diet sucks.....no way around it.

Lot's of benefits of it, though. You'll feel a sense of pride and gain some self confidence as you get into it.....becoming your own cheerleader sort of thing. "I got this". "Hell yes....I own this".

It'll get you rolling along and after the first week.......bigtime scale victory will be noted.

Mine fell over a period of 13-14 hour workdays and days off. By far.....by a tremendous margin....the work days were the easiest. I was not distracted and thinking about it.....just spaced out my shakes and drank 57 gallons of Water in between. lol.

Don't sweat it unduly. It's just a brief period of time that you'll back o with pride knowing you did something that took you closer to your improved health and better ensured a safe surgery.

It's really not so bad.

[mizzzzzzT 80]

I have to do Optifast diet for 3 weeks starting Monday ahhhhh it's actually going to be crazy but I figure when I get hungry head out for a walk with my dog or something to distract and I am allowed 2 cups of broccoli if I absolutely need to eat....it's really psychicing me out though not gonna lie

[wildwolf235 2]

Yeah, I also have to work 12-hour shifts and that has been rough to get through, mostly because of the tiredness. 3 more shifts...

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[breezy25 69]

Oh mine is coming up and I dread it!! I "tried it out" for lunch today - I drank just a Protein shake, and I was starving two hours later. I ate some strawberries lol. I figure since I don't HAVE to do it right now then why torture myself.

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[xochtlem 54]

Reading your post, I felt like you were in my head. I'm on pre-op and cheated at day 7 the exact same way - bites of Protein here and there (cold cuts, grilled wings, cheese). I felt bad but it felt sooooo good to chew on something and feel it fill up my tummy. But you can't beat yourself up about it. Just move on, and try to maintain the liquids. Good luck!

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Edited March 12, 2016 by xochtlem

[wildwolf235 2]

Thank you! 2 more days! [emoji33] [emoji33] [emoji33]

[mizzzzzzT 80]

I start my 3 week long pre op liquid diet tomorrow ahhhh

[dashofsunshine 876]

I had a two week, liquid only pre-op diet. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I cried most nights. My food addiction was STRONG. I was jealous of my friends who were allowed one or two low carb, healthy meals per day on their pre-op diet. I didn't understand and I was emotional and frustrated. I cheated a few times with some tuna because the head hunger just about drove me mad, and then after I cheated I read things on this board about how "if you cheat on the pre-op, that means you won't succeed with surgery!" And then I cried more and felt guilty.

Don't believe any of that. You can do this. If you have to have a little bit of deli meat, and have a really strenuous job, try not to beat yourself up about it. The pre-op diet is to shrink your liver. A few slices of deli meat is not going to make you inoperable. And don't believe anything anyone says about you being unable to succeed afterwards.

I lost 100% of my excess weight. I committed 200% after surgery. I wanted it. Surgery really helped me in the early days. I woke up and felt so awful for several weeks that I didn't even want food. After losing 40 lbs in a month, I felt that for the first time in my life, I had a chance at losing this weight. I was encouraged. And I did it. And you can, too

Edited March 16, 2016 by dashofsunshine

[mizzzzzzT 80]

Thank you so much for your words they mean more then u know! I am on day 2 and so far I'm not finding it super difficult I'm allowed 4-5 shakes per day and today had to have a 5th one but trying to stick with 4 shakes a day and if I absolutely have to I can have 2 cups of broccoli celery or lettuce haven't yet so we will see...my head hunger is serious though more then anything so far and Water is tasting blah...but I have been chewing sugar free gum and chewing ice so that seems to be curbing my eating urge so far I don't know how I'll feel a week or two into it but I'm hoping it will be ok...last night I was hungry and decided to take my dog for a walk instead of eating so I think just finding ways to cope or keep busy will help

[dashofsunshine 876]

Thank you so much for your words they mean more then u know! I am on day 2 and so far I'm not finding it super difficult I'm allowed 4-5 shakes per day and today had to have a 5th one but trying to stick with 4 shakes a day and if I absolutely have to I can have 2 cups of broccoli celery or lettuce haven't yet so we will see...my head hunger is serious though more then anything so far and Water is tasting blah...but I have been chewing sugar free gum and chewing ice so that seems to be curbing my eating urge so far I don't know how I'll feel a week or two into it but I'm hoping it will be ok...last night I was hungry and decided to take my dog for a walk instead of eating so I think just finding ways to cope or keep busy will help

You've got this! Just keep pushing forward and try to stay positive. If you slip up, just start over the next day. Unless you're eating donuts and full calorie meals, your liver WILL shrink and you will be on the other side before you know it. So much of it is a head game, which makes it really difficult. But I promise it's worth it!