Hey everyone...

today was my first day on the liquid diet and by the time the day was coming to an end, I felt dizzy and starving!! I ended up having 2 bowls of chicken Soup and maybe 3 oz. of chicken...

I think I'm going to call the DR tomorrow to see if we can incorporate some solids (even vegies) into this...

Did anyone else have such a hard time??

My pre-op diet is a low carb diet. Liquid only would be tough but you can do it. Try and focus on the end result and on shrinking your liver for surgery.

Good luck!

ARe you allowed to have Protein drinks? Popscicles etc.

Liquid diets are hard but if you give us your guidelines we might be able to make some suggestions to help you succeed.

What are you going to do when you get banded and are on the post op diet? Solids too soon can damage your band placement and/or cause a slip.

You have to want thin and healthy bad enough to follow through with everything.

I'm supposed to be on Optifast...

5 drink boxes (each 8 oz) per day...

I think post-op...most people feel nauseous and unable to get down solids so it will be more "doable" ...and also I would feel full from the liquids because of my smaller stomach..now I'm just STARVING.

Is this head hunger?

What are you going to do when you get banded and are on the post op diet? Solids too soon can damage your band placement and/or cause a slip.

You have to want thin and healthy bad enough to follow through with everything.

Sorry I dont think this is fair. We all know pre op diets are harder than post op , or at least they are for MOST of the people on this board from what I have read. I dont think that statement was fair to say . Does she need to know NOT To do this post op YES. Does she needs to know it gets a little easier after surgery becasue the fear of screwing things up are there YES .

Just my input

Mindy

I'm supposed to be on Optifast...

5 drink boxes (each 8 oz) per day...

I think post-op...most people feel nauseous and unable to get down solids so it will be more "doable" ...and also I would feel full from the liquids because of my smaller stomach..now I'm just STARVING.

Is this head hunger?

A lot of it is head hunger. Look into what others have been able to do as "liquids " and what your doc allows. KEEP DRINKING keep fluids in you that helps A LOT . Post op is easier, its not that its not hard at times however, i wont lie to you . It gets hard , but you also have the fear of not wanting to mess things up . Also keep in mine post op you have NO RESTRICTION until you have a fill, so dont fool your self into thinking " I will have the band to help me right after surgery " that's not really true, you have to be realistic.

Drink the optifast as often as you can . if you can have other Protein drinks such as boost or add Protein powder to drinks do that. Drinking Water all the time helps. Things like Spaghetti sauce is considered "Liquid" for my doc. you CAN DO THIS . It gets easier keep your eye on the prize

mindy

I just kept thinking the reason for the pre op diet was to shrink my liver before surgery and that made me stick to my Optifast and didn't cheat once. After the third day it gets easier. Hang in there.

I was on Optifast - I know if you just have it straight you'll be hungry so you need to spice it up a bit

This is what I did -

try a spoonfool of SF Jello pudding mix (chocolate in the choc mix) blended with ice till its thick is fab!

try Diet orange soda blended with vanilla shake mix - blend with ice till its thick and foamy - viola -a 50/50 bar shake! You can also do the same thing with Diet Rootbeer or Diet Coke.

Optifast also makes a really GOOD tomato soup and that helped at lunch time especially.

If you do a search online for Optifast add ins, you'll find a bunch (there was a site in Australia that had a ton of ideas). I have a sheet of them I got from a friend - if I find that I'll share here too.

I just kept thinking the reason for the pre op diet was to shrink my liver before surgery and that made me stick to my Optifast and didn't cheat once. After the third day it gets easier. Hang in there.

I kept thinking that too I didnt have to do a liquid only diet i had to do a low carb high Protein diet and I was really hungry on that, so i cant imagine doing all liquids. Although I do have to do 6 days liquids post fills, something i would NEVER Think i could do .

I was VERY Worried about my liver and i cheated twice in 2 weeks. nothing major just one meal . So 48 hours before surgery i went on all liquids instead of 24 hours. My doc said my liver was fine.

It does get easier and I agree with Happy Camper, mix it up with something else , if you can have Soups do that, soup for some reason makes me feel more like im "eating food"

Mindy

I had to do Medifast for 3 weeks pre op. I was allotted 5 "meals" a day and that included any of their items...chicken noodle Soup, meal bars, shakes, oatmeal. I also was able to eat 1 lean meal each day and that included 3 ounces of lean Protein and vegetables. I lost 18 pounds in 3 weeks.

I would have had a very difficult time sticking to pure liquids.

I would suggest, call your dr. and see if you can have other items from Optifast. Also, sugar free Jello, sugar free hot chocolate, popsicles (although I don't typically like them) and sugar free pudding all helped me get through the preop and the first few weeks post op.

Post op is easier because you really don't have a choice.

Good luck and keep your chin up! You can do this!

Sorry I dont think this is fair. We all know pre op diets are harder than post op , or at least they are for MOST of the people on this board from what I have read. I dont think that statement was fair to say . Does she need to know NOT To do this post op YES. Does she needs to know it gets a little easier after surgery becasue the fear of screwing things up are there YES .

Just my input

Mindy

We disagree. We most certainly do not know that pre op is harder than post op. Perhaps that was your experience but it is not the experience of everyone. Pre op is usually 10 days, post op is MUCH longer for most.

If the post op diet can't be followed then plans need to be made now with her doc for something she can handle. Not when she gets there and she realizes she can't do it.

Nobody is more sympathetic to post op diets and the frustrations they cause then me. I am the one that my personal opinion is that I think it is silly to have someone restrict caloric intake during the post op diet. As long as the person sticks to the stage of the diet they are in, I personally don't care how many calories they consume. If that means 40 cans of soup, so be it. That's my opinion only, I'm not suggesting people not follow their doc's advice. I am saying I don't think many docs realize that if we could restrict calories without restriction, we wouldn't have needed a band.

I'd rather she talk to her doc now and make plans for post op than to risk a slip later.

We disagree. We most certainly do not know that pre op is harder than post op. Perhaps that was your experience but it is not the experience of everyone. Pre op is usually 10 days, post op is MUCH longer for most.

If the post op diet can't be followed then plans need to be made now with her doc for something she can handle. Not when she gets there and she realizes she can't do it.

Nobody is more sympathetic to post op diets and the frustrations they cause then me. I am the one that my personal opinion is that I think it is silly to have someone restrict caloric intake during the post op diet. As long as the person sticks to the stage of the diet they are in, I personally don't care how many calories they consume. If that means 40 cans of soup, so be it. That's my opinion only, I'm not suggesting people not follow their doc's advice. I am saying I don't think many docs realize that if we could restrict calories without restriction, we wouldn't have needed a band.

I'd rather she talk to her doc now and make plans for post op than to risk a slip later.

Well, I agree w/ you to a point, I think it depends on where your at in the process maybe . At the time pre op SURE seemed hard. and a lot of people seem to have ( in my opinion ) a hard time sticking to pre op diets. I do agree with you about restricting caloric intake, I find it SOOO GOOFY for people who are banded and then say " Im on the Atkins diet or some form on diet" What is the point of getting a band if your going on a diet or restricting your intake ? I dont watch my caloric intake other than making sure i get ENOUGH calories in . My doc is good about being flexible with my post fill diet and was with my pre op diet, i wouldnt have gone with someone who wasnt so , I agree with you as well on that , she should talk to her doc about something that is doable for HER. So I think im agreeing with you LOL

Mindy

Well, FWIW, I disagree with a liquid pre op diet. I think it's stupid. The same thing can be accomplished with a low carb, low fat, adequate Protein diet so the reason for liquids would be?? What? I don't get it. A method for torturing we fatties? What's the value?

I've yet to get a good answer on this one from docs.

I agree , I dont see the point in it either. Im glad my doc did not require it.

one of the reasons I chose him . It sort of proves for those of us who go on low carb high protein diets to shrink the liver and the ones that go on liquids , when the livers are shrank the same , that its not needed.

Personally I think the docs do it to see if we will comply post op . Which if that's the case I understand but say that !

Mindy

My pre-op was not all liquids. 2 protein shakes per day and a sensible meal for lunch or dinner. Sensible meaning no fried food, pizza, small normal sized portions and stuff like that. My dr told me the reason we do the pre-op is to shrink the liver and also to show the level of commitment that will be required post op. Just my opinion, so dont kill me, but anyone witing till the last day pre-op to give up things like sodas and junk food are making it real hard for themselves once they are banded. There were enough things for me to think about without worrying about giving up the things like these that I enjoyed, so I quit all of them a month before my pre-op diet started.