Ugh, questions about liquid diet --- I was supposed to start Tuesday, 12/15, and I didn't start until Friday, 12/28. On Thursday I had a lot of garbanzo beans and peanuts and raisins (chick peas in vinegar & lemon w/ some olive oil is like, my favorite thing), and even last night, after starting, I had some blue cheese (basically thinking "oh, it's melting in my mouth"), and nutella! The nutella was bad... because it is insanely high in fat and I had a lot of it... and I think the liquid diet is less about liquid and more about low fat/sugar. But I can't get the straight dope on it from my doc, and I was scheduled for surgery in October but I got an upper respiratory infection and couldn't, and I was doing fine on my liquid diet, so I know I can do this just fine, but my surgery is scheduled for JANUARY 8 and it's now the 29th and I had freakin' blue cheese and nutella in the middle of the night! If I am strict for the next 11 days, am I cool? It seems so many doctors give out so many different diets, and honestly I would be OK if it were solid but just low fat/sugar, I'm a vegetarian anyway, so what I crave is broccoli and carrots and peppers and beans and fruits (which can be high sugar). Usually I would admit what has gone on to my doctor, but they were very upset when I postponed before, and I am sure about the surgery, and I don't want them to be like, that's it, we're not doing it.... what do you guys think?? Thank you so much in advance, I'm glad I found this forum!

Crackedpepper:

You've got about ten days until surgery. Please follow all liquids until then.

My surgeon said my surgery would be safer if I was on all liquids pre-op because it shrinks your liver and helps them to be able to get behind it for the surgery. You'll need to be having all liquids post-op too. Keep in mind that three to four weeks of all liquids isn't really that long in the grand scheme of things. Think of the pre-op liquids as something you're doing for yourself and for those that love you to lower the risks during surgery.

Take care and best wishes for sticking to all liquids.

Sue

There are LOTS of surgeons that don't require liquid diet at all. There are some surgeons that require NO diet at all. But if the surgeon gets in there and your liver is too big, they will close you back up and send you home with no lap band, so it is really a serious matter. My surgeon said NO bread, NO pasta, NO rice and NO potatoes for 10 days. And that was all.

Every surgeon is different. Please communicate with your surgeon and see if you can still move forward with your date. My surgeon just requires low carb / high Protein to reduce the liver size. NO bread, NO Pasta, NO potatoes and NO rice for 2 weeks. I started a week and half early to ensure my liver is healthy since my BMI is high.

When I talked with him the other day he assured me liquid diet is not necessary, but getting the liver to shrink is essential! He HAS had to cancel a surgery because someone did not follow the diet. He said when he got in there; he could not elevate her liver and had to discontinue the operation.

I would rather be up front with my surgeon than not say anything and have issues during surgery. Good luck!

when I first went for my consult a low calorie/low fat diet ( 1000 cal.) was required two weeks before surgery.

Byt the time I went for my pre-op appt. eight months later, they had changed it to liquid diet, but they told me to floolow what I was given at consult.

My BMI was 42 at the time of surgery and my LFT (Liver function test) it was part of the blood work was normal.

I then had to do Clear Liquids for two days before surgery.

I was told my liver looked good after the surgery was done.

My surgery is also Jan.8th. I do fine during the day, til about 4-5 pm then I am starving. Last night I made chicken noodle soup using chicken broth carrots, celery, onions and ramen noodles. I set out to only have the broth but ended up eating some noodles. This just made me even more hungry. Now I feel so bad. I have to get serious or I wont be banded.

So far so good today, but I'm cleaning house trying to keep busy.

Good luck.

flip - you're right, having stuff in the house makes it so much harder. i'm at home home and not my apartment, so i have my family's food here too. i am going to make a section of the fridge for myself, and only look there, i really think this will help... how about you do the same thing and we keep tabs on each other? if the people you live with are really understanding, you may be able to put foil over their parts of the fridge, so you don't immediately see temptation. i'm jewish, and at passover a lot of the non-Kosher for passover food is covered up or put away, and you don't go for it, so i think it could work! what do you think? also, if you talk to your doctor about your cheating, please let me know what s/he says about the liver and everything. i think you should definitely talk to the doc. i am the first person to say this, and i would talk to my doc, i'm just so afraid since they were annoyed before that they will be like, forget it... and i want the surgery so badly. we can also trade tips here for the diet. i am a vegetarian, so i do not do chicken, but i have made the broth with noodles and then strained it, it's hard... you're like... oh, just one bite!! why don't you make a soup from scratch with your standard mirepoix, which is onion, celery, carrot, some herbs and spices... and then strain it all... it will have amazing flavor and not just some crap from a packet... i'm going to shop soon and i'm going to do that...

does anyone know if it is ok to puree vegetables into soup, a la gazpacho, or if that is not ok?

You are OK, right now but YOY MUST STAY ON THAT LIQUID DIET. The reason being is that the doctor is trying to get the fat away from your liver. Do you know that your liver is right behind the stomach? It could be very easy to cut into it. That is why it is SOOOOOOO important for that liquid diet.

If you stay on track now, you should be O.K.

I gave away much of my food. Really, it was hard, but I knew I have no willpower.

Start the liquid with simple easy drinks, Slim Fast, Carnation instant Breakfast, with added Protein powder. Write down when you drank it and what the calories, protein, carbs are in it. Ideally the SF keeps me hunger free for about 2.5 to 3 hours. If I felt "hunger" before that time, I knew it was phantom hunger.

Yes, I have cheated, my nutritionist let me eat some food at my Christmas Party and Christmas Eve, but also, ate about 20 olives two nights ago, and a sleeve of Ritz Crackers last week. I never ate a sleeve of those before. Gave the box to my sister after that.

But you have to stick to it. The fact that doing this liquid phase for two weeks will help ME during the surgery, keeps me motivated. Why would anyone go into the surgery and then have to be closed up because nothing can be done, why go through that whole thing all over again.

Talk to the nutritionist and your surgeon. Be up front and honest.

Its easy to slip up now and then. I did it once or twice. Do the best you can pre-op and it will only help you once you are banded. Remember, the band is just a tool and post-op, you will need to have the same willpower to control your cravings. Some people say avoid the cooking shows, but for me, its just the opposite. I now love to watch them and make notes on how to adjust the meals they make to be sure they are band-friendly. My liquid diet was protein shakes 2 times daily and a light meal, fish or chicken and a veggie. Be sure you have stopped soda's, do not drink with meals now and it will be easier later, start avoiding the snack type foods and it should be ok for your surgery. I had a specific weight to lose and if not succesful, the surgery would be postponed

I asked a similar question last week. I was on a liquid only diet for 14 days (over Christmas as well) and only cheated on Christmas Eve.

Personally, I am so glad that I stayed as well as I did. I lost 18 lbs. in 14 days of liquids only. It cuts your abdomonial weight so much, and dr. says really helps with healing and pain. Its tough-but you can do it!

I Will Admit I Am A Horrible Patient And Have Never Done What I Was Told ( And Pardon The Caps Im At Work And Its All We Use Here )

Was Told To Do The Liquid Diet , Never Did, With Me It Wasnt A Problem , I Actually Had My Coffee The Morning Of Surgery, Which I Normally Do, I Always Eat Before Hand, But Everyone Is Different.

Crackedpepper, I know what you mean. I did so well during the day yesterday. I am to have 2 protein shakes and a low cal, low carb meal. I think in my head I have to be "chewing" to be eating. I ate grilled shrimp and a salad last night. Today I opened a can of health choice soup and added a can of broth. I drank the broth twice today, and had 3 sf, ff popsicles. I have tried not to drink while eating supper, but that's hard. I also am trying to count my chews. My husband says I am doing just fine on the preop diet and he thinks I am beating myself up over it, cause I am so used to eating a lot. I think when I go back to work, ( I teach preschool special ed) that my mind will be on the kids and not wondering what I'm gonna eat, and can I eat that. I start the liquid only New Years Day. Good luck to you, and I'm gonna do the soup like you said. I need more flava. hehe

Thanks. Felicia

I am scheduled to be banded on Jan. 8th. I have been on a liquid diet since 12/26. I am also Type II diabetic and on 12/26, I had a terribly low blood sugar (47). My Dr. immediately told me to get something like an orange in me ASAP! After that, I felt much better. But here's another bonus: Since that incident and after heavily monitoring my blood sugar for the last few days, I have been told by my Dr. to not take insulin (Unless my blood sugar goes above 140, which it hasn't). For the first time since 2004, I don't have to have 3 shots of insulin/day!

The liquid diet that my Dr has put me on is tough, but so far, I've been good. Try to mix the liquids around, i.e., Protein shake, soup, crystal light with unflavored protein, etc. Since my first consult on 10/29, I have lost 24 pounds.

If I can do it, you can do it.

You are going to have the band for the rest of your life. It is not a big deal in the end if the surgery has to be postponed a week or two. I would call and ask the nurse at the office if it is okay or if you should postpone. Your health is the important thing here!

Cali - Yeah, I know about the liver, that's why I'm scared... my doctor showed me a tape of the surgery, with them holding up the liver. I CAN'T talk to the doc/nutritionist, because they will just cancel everything.

Chrisann - Olives are really high in fat - did you tell your doc about them? What did s/he say? I can't get rid of anything in the house, because I'm with others... but now that I am being strict, I'm tempted, but I'm in control (so far). Your surgery is today, right? Good luck! Type as soon as you can.

Dave - see, I'd be FINE if I were allowed to eat veggies... I'm a vegetarian I do have fattening and bad eating habits, but veggies are usually what I crave.. I'm not getting satisfaction from all the liquids, but I have to do it, so whatever.

Tracey - I saw your thread, and I wrote on one of your others... what I'm worried about is that it's not like I cheated once, it's that I didn't stop solids until the 30th when I was supposed to begin on the 25th. Thanks for your encouragement!

Kellie - Really? Wow. Did you tell your doc? If I did that I would feel like I was putting myself in danger - but it is good to hear someone else didn't go strict for so many days.. What did you normally eat, and what was your weight? I'm around 325 right now... plus they told me I have a fatty liver.

Felecia -- exactly, I need flavor, but even if I'm going to be bland, I just do not like a lot of canned stuff. Usually the cans I buy are garbanzo Beans, but obviously can't have those right now. Tomorrow I am going to make 2 Soups for myself -- one like I described to you, with onions, celery, carrot, tomato, mushrooms, parsley, and dill. I'm also going to make a pepper soup, I'll sautee shallots and maybe some garlic with peppers I have peeled (to get the skins off, because I think they want you to cut down on Fiber or something, right? I don't remember), and then I'll cut up and stick in a jar of pre-roasted peppers... I'll put that all in some Water with some boullion cubes, and then puree it, I think... I'll let you know how they come out.

HSBeach - That's great news for you! I have been told that I'm just above the borderline now and so technically, I have type II too, but this is recent, and I haven't had to take any insulin. Here's hoping your diabetes dissipates even further!

Anyalee - you're very right, and usually I would say the same thing, but I'm not worried about them postponing the surgery, I'm worried about them canceling it, since it was postponed once before.

I am being strict now, but that means that my fast will have begun the 30th instead of 25th.. I really hate slim fast and canned soup and stuff that isn't real food, plus I don't think just to lose weight one should have to eat chemicals... so I've been making a lot of smoothies with non-fat yogurt, soymilk, bananas and frozen peaches... those are really good. I have frozen treats that are low in fat and sugar, i have nonfat yogurt that i top with a little honey, and actually i'm doing the opposite, i bought all of my favorite sodas... i will miss them.. my friends call me a diet cola addict... but it's better not to have them, because they have chemicals. What happens when you want to have soda now?

The main thing I'm worried about is what I wrote above to Tracey - I'm really worried about those 5 days, even if I'm perfectly strict until the surgery... especially since they told me I have a fatty liver.