Tips for surviving the pre-op diet

[GivinItMyALL 169]

So I start my pre-op diet on October 23. I plan on having my last hurrahs before then (certain foods I will likely not be able to eat, as they are, again), but I am really concerned about how I am going to not starve on the actual POD. 😁 I know I will get used to it after a few days, but those FIRST few days... ouch. I do have a few (literally 3) phentermine left over from a past diet attempt... those would probably get me "over the hump" a bit, but I don't know if I should risk taking those and having them come up as meth or something on my pre-surgery labs on the 28th (surgery is November 2).

Any tips for getting through, when you are normally hungry ALL. THE. TIME?! 😔

[Pandemonium 515]

Yes, those first 3 or so days are the absolute worst and I wish I had some magic trick to make it not be so bad. I focused on just keeping fluids going into my body so it at least felt like I was consuming something to try and fool the head hunger (body hunger was not as much of an issue). It mostly worked, but I was most definitely one grouchy jerk for a couple of days. I quarantined myself to my office when my boyfriend was cooking or eating. If I didn't do that, there might have been bloodshed. Then after the 3rd day, my body just kind of accepted that this was what was happening and it went more smoothly.

Up until the point I had to do the bowel prep, but that's a whole other thread.

[colormehappy 123]

If you can get through Day 3 it’s much smoother sailing. Pickle Juice saved my life. It helped a lot with my headaches and also sort of bolstered me through tough spots in the day. I just sipped it here and there.

[Sam1979 5]

I would go for a walk around the neighborhood when the family had dinner. After day 4 I was fine. Good luck!

[ChubRub 1,696]

All of us who have gone before you managed to do it, and you will be able to do it too! I used to eat fast food 2-3 times per day, wash it down with a few sodas, etc. Like others have said, the first few days suck, but your body gets used to it.

Toss the phentermine, as it will only make things worse. You can DO this!!

[GivinItMyALL 169]

3 hours ago, Pandemonium said:

Up until the point I had to do the bowel prep, but that's a whole other thread.

Please tell me the bowel prep is something not everyone does? LOL!

[The Greater Fool 1,953]

Stick to plan like I didn't. I'm glad I didn't have to explain the pound I gained.

Tek

[brebrexoxo 25]

Omg going on day three . I needed this cuz I am having a super hard time being faithful to this diet. Ugh

[GivinItMyALL 169]

3 hours ago, colormehappy said:

If you can get through Day 3 it’s much smoother sailing. Pickle Juice saved my life. It helped a lot with my headaches and also sort of bolstered me through tough spots in the day. I just sipped it here and there.

Thanks... 😊 I wonder if I can do this with like... Bouillon or something. (I despise pickles, and the juice 😁)

2 hours ago, Sam1979 said:

I would go for a walk around the neighborhood when the family had dinner. After day 4 I was fine. Good luck!

I'm the one who MAKES the dinner. 🤣 I suppose I could make theirs, then leave while they're eating. I used to do that when I've dieted in the past, so it could work. Thanks!

2 hours ago, ChubRub said:

All of us who have gone before you managed to do it, and you will be able to do it too! I used to eat fast food 2-3 times per day, wash it down with a few sodas, etc. Like others have said, the first few days suck, but your body gets used to it.

Toss the phentermine, as it will only make things worse. You can DO this!!

I know I can do it, but... I'll whine about it. 🤣 Fortunately, I don't drink pop anymore, so at least that hurdle has been overcome. Maybe I'll just take the phentermine over the next couple weeks (well before the pre-op) to get stuff done around the house a little easier 😁😁😁 or maybe I'll toss 'em.

Thank you for the encouragement. 😊

[Pandemonium 515]

6 minutes ago, GivinItMyALL said:

Please tell me the bowel prep is something not everyone does? LOL!

Bowel prep is one of the many things that varies from doctor to doctor and program to program.

May the Bariatric Surgery Gods bless you with not having to go through THAT particular experience.

The worst part for me? The first of two days of bowel prep was on my birthday. Crappy Birthday to me!

Literally.

[GivinItMyALL 169]

3 minutes ago, The Greater Fool said:

Stick to plan like I didn't. I'm glad I didn't have to explain the pound I gained.

Tek

I'll for sure try my best!

2 minutes ago, brebrexoxo said:

Omg going on day three . I needed this cuz I am having a super hard time being faithful to this diet. Ugh

Aww... I feel ya. I'm excited for you, though!

[GivinItMyALL 169]

2 minutes ago, Pandemonium said:

Bowel prep is one of the many things that varies from doctor to doctor and program to program.

May the Bariatric Surgery Gods bless you with not having to go through THAT particular experience.

The worst part for me? The first of two days of bowel prep was on my birthday. Crappy Birthday to me!

Literally.

LOL... I can relate! My birthday is during the pre-op diet, so... yeah... At least it won't be AS crappy (literally) 🤣 I'm just consoling myself with the fact that the surgery is my belated birthday present 3 days later. 😁

[catwoman7 10,874]

you will starve, but you just have to white knuckle it. It gets better by about day 4, because your body goes into ketosis.

I remember eating sugar free popsicles and sugar free Jello with abandon. Like - tons of it - I'd make it in the morning and eat the whole thing that evening. Also, I was allowed something like a cup of broth and a cup of V8/tomato juice per day, and I took advantage of that. Those both have sodium in them, and I retain Water, so those made me feel kind of full and bloated, which helped, too.

at any rate, it's an ordeal that many of us have to go through - and somehow, we do survive.. I remember being relieved the morning of my surgery because it was finally over!

[Pandemonium 515]

1 minute ago, GivinItMyALL said:

LOL... I can relate! My birthday is during the pre-op diet, so... yeah... At least it won't be AS crappy (literally) 🤣 I'm just consoling myself with the fact that the surgery is my belated birthday present 3 days later. 😁

I made sure that all of my friends knew my birthday was really going to be in October or November this year because of the timing of my surgery. When they called me in June to schedule and said that July 7th was the earliest date, I ALMOST asked to schedule later in the month. Except with COVID, it really wasn't like I had any way to do anything for my birthday, so I grabbed the open date and charged forward with it.

[GivinItMyALL 169]

12 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

I remember eating sugar free popsicles and sugar free Jello with abandon...

I haven't yet looked for the SF jello... I get a nearly instant Migraine from aspartame, so if it has that in there, I'll have to skip it. All the other sweeteners, I'm okay with. I tried looking for SF popsicles the other day in Walmart, and didn't really see anything. Are there particular brands I should look for?