Hi so I am new to this forum.. Actually I am new to forums in general, however I need to talk to people going through the same, or have gone through the same thing I am...

That being said, I am super nervous about the 2 week pre-op diet. I started my journey at 460lbs. currently just under 300lbs. One day after giving myself insulin and hitting a sore spot I got up off my butt and started walking and swimming (felt more like re-enacting some show at Sea World... seriously...) I didn't change my eating at all... I suck at diets. When I restrict I tend to CHEAT!!!! When I say Cheat I mean like the banker when playing monopoly..

I was just scheduled for surgery 4/24/18 and pre- op diet to start on the 10th...

I instantly went into this mode where I was mapping out all the places I wanted to eat before the 10th... Like I am going to take down some olive garden salad in a few hours...

I am concerned that i may cheat and go down in a blaze of glory...

Do any of you have any suggestions?

Well, you need to remind yourself of why you started. What’s more important that 10 minutes of eating food you shouldn’t have, or a healthy life with no insulin shots? Just remember- it’s not a game, it’s not monopoly, if you cheat the only person you are going to hurt is yourself. I don’t mean to sound harsh- it’s just reality. This is our life- cheating doesn’t hurt the doctor, or the surgeons, or anyone else but yourself. ALWAYS remember why you started.

I also think that outside of some selected saints here most of us "cheated" to some extent or the other. I'm not sure specifically what your preop diet consists of, but if its a completely liquid diet those are tough. The trick comes down to sticking as closely as you can to the plan and if you are going to cheat cheat in a way that doesn't hurt the purpose of the preop diet, namely to get you into ketosis so that your liver shrinks. If you have to cheat, cheat with chicken (protein) not with sugar.

Edited April 5, 20188 yr by aNYCdb

Thank you i just started my preop liquid diet today and already failed. However it was not with sugar but with protein. I needed to chew.

Heidi w007 may I make a quick suggestion? I am just about your size a little over 300 lb. Something I like and maybe you will too. SunKist tuna in pouchs. Comes in multiple flavors, it like chicken would make a good cheat food. I open mine I'm also presurg but trying, and add diet mayo to moisten. You could eat it totally,plain but this way it's as good as tuna salad without the bread ,crackers, or other carb containing things. And it usually keeps Mr Hunger Monster at bay awhile. And isn't as dry and choaky as chicken can be.

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The pre-op diet for my surgeon's office was terrifyingly awful, but mine was only one week. If I remember correctly (I try to block it out because I hated it with a fiery passion) all meals were replaced with a protein shake until 2 days before surgery and then it was "basic" liquid like broth until surgery. I was the most tired, miserable, headachy person for that week. I just kept telling myself--if you can't make it through a week of this, how do you expect to make it through a lifetime of healthy lifestyle? And every time I wanted to eat ACTUAL food and CHEW something I just said it again....and again...and again.

I’m four days away from surgery. I was told to have two Protein Shakes a day and one meal. I’ve been not adhering to that. Now I’m ready to just do liquid fast to ensure I can get my liver to shrink.

Might be a little too late to do the right thing now, but on the other hand you might sqeak through. You do realize by not following instruction you only hurt your chances of surgery? You would have been better to follow, Anyhoo its water under the bridge now. Good luck and I hope you still,make to surgery and heal okay[emoji13]

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so my mom had the sleeve 4 years ago and she gave me some bad advice tonight. i found out insurance approved my surgery yesterday so i'm expecting a surgery date on monday. my surgeon only schedules 2-3 weeks out.

my mom told me that i don't even need to follow the liquid diet really and definitely not for two weeks because i'm not big enough to have that much fat around my liver and that if they have a opening in say, 10 days, they'll probably book me for it. she said she barely had to do the liquid diet for hers. we also just had a family friend get sleeved last year. her surgeon had an opening and she just went. it happened very quickly.

so my mom had the sleeve 4 years ago and she gave me some bad advice tonight. i found out insurance approved my surgery yesterday so i'm expecting a surgery date on monday. my surgeon only schedules 2-3 weeks out.
my mom told me that i don't even need to follow the liquid diet really and definitely not for two weeks because i'm not big enough to have that much fat around my liver and that if they have a opening in say, 10 days, they'll probably book me for it. she said she barely had to do the liquid diet for hers. we also just had a family friend get sleeved last year. her surgeon had an opening and she just went. it happened very quickly.

Oh yikes... that is terrible advice... stick to it with all you've got! I've been looking at it as a test. If I can do this, then I know I'll be successful! My preop diet is 4 weeks long... 2 weeks done, 2 more to go!

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You say you suck at diets, but lost 160 lbs?

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Well i started the pre-op diet early.... I figured that if I do not start it now my anxiety about it is just going to make it harder on me.

I am hopeful.

11 minutes ago, wjgo said:

You say you suck at diets, but lost 160 lbs?

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yes... i didn't diet at all... i ate all the same things... I just started exercising. Honestly if i wanted a donut i just made sure i was in the pool 20 min longer.

Maybe you are not ready for this surgery yet. I would think about it. The entire surgery is about your diet. You will have the change the way you eat. And even after surgery, what you can eat, will change as your progress to normal foods. And then, it will be different. For example, even a year after surgery, a hamburger patty (not the bread included) will fill you up. And, it not about eating small, you have to eat right. You can only eat so much, and you need to follow the diets to get the right amount and mix of nutrients. It will be the most physically restrictive diet you ever faced. Yesterday, I succumbed to "anger eating" and ate a package of 6 Lance crackers near dinner time - ... well, that screwed me out of protein I needed, because I was too full to eat anything else - hard lesson learned - a package of crackers filling me up was unfathomable before I started my program - more like a box as an appetizer. One of the insurance requirements for almost all patients is that one completes a 3 or 6 months supervised diet. Maybe its something you need to put off until you can maintain a good diet, so that the surgery can be successful for you. Going off a diet is OK, but there will be little room for it post-surgery. Please evaluate if you can go through all the post-surgery food stages, and follow the post surgery normal diet.

Edited April 9, 20188 yr by wjgo

11 hours ago, heidiw007 said:

Well i started the pre-op diet early.... I figured that if I do not start it now my anxiety about it is just going to make it harder on me.

I am hopeful.

Congrats on your big weight loss already!

I think we all have that desire to have a "food funeral" of all the favorite foods and places we want to eat before surgery. When I got my surgery date, it was far sooner than I was expecting, just under 2 weeks from then. I had to start my pre op diet 2 days after my appointment. At first, while I was excited to get it done so soon and not have to wait a long time for it, I was almost disappointed that I wouldn't have time to go to all the places I had wanted to. Now, I am thankful that I didn't have the opportunity to go "all out". I did eat a few things and went out for dinner the night before with a friend to my favorite place. Just know that no matter how much of your favorite things you eat before your pre op diet starts, no matter how many places you go, it will never be enough. Once you start the pre op diet, no matter how much you had, you will want more. Just one more time! The first few days are rough, with a lot of thoughts of cheating for just "one more time" with your favorite food. Unfortunately the "just one more time" feeling doesn't stop after that one time. You just have to push through, you can do it. It sucks but it will be worth it in the long run. Just remember that it isn't forever.

My experience is that the first few days of the pre op diet is the hardest. Once you get into it, I found that my cravings and hunger were much more suppressed the longer I was on the diet. I still get them, but it's easier to ignore, especially being so close to surgery. My pre op diet allows for raw veggies and 3oz of lean meat but honestly, whenever I tried those things, eating such a small amount made me more hungry. I have been just sticking to liquid protein shakes and veggie juice (home made with a juicer, no added sugar). My surgery is in 2 days, April 11th.

I had the same issue when I got my referral to the surgeon. I actually gained a pound the first month. Went crazy eating foods I knew I wouldn't be able to eat after. My liquid diet starts in 10 days. I'm nervous but I know I've learned some great tools to overcome head hunger. I've worked really hard to get approved and have to stay positive. You've got this!!