I have a 3 week Medifast diet before my surgery next week and I have 3times that I have broken down to eat. Cheese & crackers etc

should I worry? It is so hard not to eat.

I was on the pre-op diet for 2 weeks before surgery. It is extremely difficult, but it can be done if you want this bad enough. My dr. said if it got too hard I could substitute a boneless, skinless chicken breast for one of my shakes, which I did in the evening. It kinda gave me something to look forward to at dinner. I ate really slow and that is what got me through. Now I can't have the chicken breast, but it's ok, cause I'm not all that hungry. Banded Nov. 1, 2007

I was put on a 12-day diet before surgery. For various reasons, my surgery was postponed two weeks. SO.... when I have surgery next week, I will have been on this pre-op diet for 27 DAYS!!!

Diet is a protein shake for breakfast and lunch, then a lean cuisine for dinner. I have about 700 - 900 calories a day and 90+ grams of protein, and I have lost 11 pounds so far. It is much easier to follow when I am at the office since I keep myself busy, but weekends are tough.

Question: Will I be *strong* enough for surgery existing on such a reduced calorie diet? My surgeon says I will be fine and to continue on the diet. Then, do clear liquids only for the 48 hours before surgery.

Any thoughts or advice for me?

My Dr. requires 2 weeks liquid but includes salads, vegies, vegie soup low fat broth...so if I needed to eat, it was into the vegies I dove...and by the middle of the 2nd week, I couldn't even finish a small wendy's salad...those are good cause they have lettuce tomatoes, cukes just a few carrots....

The option from my surgeon was that it could move from being a laparoscopic procedure to an open one....which means more recovery time. However, one surgeon in his group did say that though they call the liquid diet mandatory, it can be done without it. It reduces the complications risk.

All that said, I vote for deciding if you really are ready for this, because as was said previously, this is just the beginning of the journey. If you can't be compliant, how will you be compliant after the surgery. Complications could be like the roomie I had in the hospital. She has had the band for a year, and is eating pasta and white italian bread...though she has lost weight, she has done enough vomiting that her band slipped...and she was back in to have it re-set. She stated she didn't realize she shouldn't eat those things...and hopefully will commit to seeing the nutritionist regularly and reading up on the nutritional constraints that are necessary for successful use of this "tool".

Good luck to all, and me too!