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So I finally got approved for my surgery after 8 months of waiting. And I already had my 6 months of supervised weight loss done when I started going to the Bariatric center. I was on phentermine for almost 7 months when I went to my first seminar. So I was at my lowest weight when attending around 260 ish. They took my weight, did the seminar. The next couple months I did all my other requirements but stopped taking the phentermine. So I gain most of the weight back that I lost. Now that I finally got approved I was told I have to loose a min of 20 lbs from my seminar weight.. which mind you I have gain a good 20 lbs back on since that weight. So I explain that and I still have to loose the same weight 40 lbs in total min. I start my four week classes in less then a month and depending on my weight I will schedule my surgery. So she suggested to do 4 weeks Optifast and I agreed it was best until I heard the cost!!!! There isn't a way I can make that work financially. So my question is has anyone tried anything else similar to optifast that is cheaper but works in the same way. Mind you have already on a low cal diet and exercise. My doctor won't put me back on the phentermine because I already can't sleep well and that stuff made me feel like I was going to stroke out. Please help and let me know what worked for you!!

Thanks guy!

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Optislim is the same but cheaper. Also buying online makes a big difference. Other weight loss shakes aren't usually complete Meal Replacements. Want you want is a VLCD Meal Replacement shake. Also, there's probably so many people on this forum with left over shakes that live near you. Maybe they'd be willing to give them over? I can't imagine anyone wanting to hold on to them when they don't have to haha [emoji14]

Sent from my LG-H850 using BariatricPal mobile app

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Wow! Why do you have to lose 40 pounds? This might be a dumb question - sorry-


Well it was suppose to only be 15 lbs, it was their requirement before surgery. but since I've gained since then I have to loose almost 40 now!


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Optislim is the same but cheaper. Also buying online makes a big difference. Other weight loss shakes aren't usually complete meal replacements. Want you want is a VLCD meal replacement shake. Also, there's probably so many people on this forum with left over shakes that live near you. Maybe they'd be willing to give them over? I can't imagine anyone wanting to hold on to them when they don't have to haha [emoji14]

Sent from my LG-H850 using BariatricPal mobile app




Thanks, I've never thought to ask anyone for their leftovers. I don't think I've talked to anyone that loves near me yet, but I'll give it a shot! I hear optislim tastes horrible, is it really that bad? I just heard about Unjury but I haven't done much research on that one yet.


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Thanks, I've never thought to ask anyone for their leftovers. I don't think I've talked to anyone that loves near me yet, but I'll give it a shot! I hear optislim tastes horrible, is it really that bad? I just heard about Unjury but I haven't done much research on that one yet.



Really? I bloody hate optifast! Optislim is much better but that's just me. There's a couple other brands too, like Tommy Ferguson. Just google VLCD shakes and look for ones that are complete meal replacements.

Sent from my LG-H850 using BariatricPal mobile app

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Really? I bloody hate optifast! Optislim is much better but that's just me. There's a couple other brands too, like Tommy Ferguson. Just google VLCD shakes and look for ones that are complete meal replacements.

Sent from my LG-H850 using BariatricPal mobile app



Okay will do, thanks for all the info!


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Really? I bloody hate optifast! Optislim is much better but that's just me. There's a couple other brands too, like Tommy Ferguson. Just google VLCD shakes and look for ones that are complete meal replacements.

Sent from my LG-H850 using BariatricPal mobile app




So I have another question. I have been looking into very low calorie meal replacement shakes.. I bought a couple waiting for them to come in the mail.. but now I'm thinking the calories are to high for what I need. What should the calories, carbs, Proteins be? Everything is so different I don't no what to get.


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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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