I am on day 2 of my 11 day liquid diet and let me tell you that I think I am going mad! I hate it and it seems to me that everyone around me is eating constantly. I am watching Letterman right now and he has a comic on that is doing his whole stand up bit on bacon. Ahhhhhhhhhh I will be so glad once I can move to the clear liquid stage at least I will be able to have SF jello at least I will feel like I am eating something. 9 more long days to go. I have been drinking slimfast with added protein powder and as of right now I am really starting to hate the chocolate flavor. I was never a big fan of chocolate so it is a bit much for me. The only thing that sucks is chocolate slimfast is the only one I can stand. I think I am going to go buy some carnation instant breakfast, boost or ensure tomorrow for something different. I have been eating chicken broth for dinner so thats something different. My family had pepperoni pizza for dinner tonight and I had to do everything in my power not to eat a slice or 5! I know that it will all be worth it in the end, but is anyone else feeling like I am? Sorry for the long post!

don't feel discouraged. I was banded 1/8/08 and your diet after will consist of protein shakes and mushy foods. keep the faith if you can get through with the shakes it will be worth the sacrafice

Hey Chrystal,

I'm on Day 4 of my 14 day liquid diet and I totally sympathise! I watched TV yesterday and everything seemed to be a cooking show!

I'm living on Optifast, V8 juice, UpnGo (weetbix made into a drink - sickly sweet, but more filling) and Soup. I'm totally over it and can't wait to eat some mashed potato, banana or other pureed foods.

Keep your chin up it will be worth it.

Jen

I am on day 2 of my 11 day liquid diet and let me tell you that I think I am going mad! I hate it and it seems to me that everyone around me is eating constantly. I am watching Letterman right now and he has a comic on that is doing his whole stand up bit on bacon. Ahhhhhhhhhh I will be so glad once I can move to the clear liquid stage at least I will be able to have SF Jello at least I will feel like I am eating something. 9 more long days to go. I have been drinking slimfast with added Protein powder and as of right now I am really starting to hate the chocolate flavor. I was never a big fan of chocolate so it is a bit much for me. The only thing that sucks is chocolate slimfast is the only one I can stand. I think I am going to go buy some carnation instant breakfast, boost or ensure tomorrow for something different. I have been eating chicken broth for dinner so thats something different. My family had pepperoni pizza for dinner tonight and I had to do everything in my power not to eat a slice or 5! I know that it will all be worth it in the end, but is anyone else feeling like I am? Sorry for the long post!

Another Protein Drink that I've found and really like is the EAS carb control shake. They sell them in 4 packs at Walmart ...I like the chocolate & the vanilla...but they have strawberry too. They are bigger then the Optifast, so they are more filling. Hang in there, I about lost it doing my 13 day pre-op diet. Just had surgery on the 17th, and all is good so far.

Watch your carb intake with the drinks. The idea of the pre opt liquid is to reduce the size of your liver.

If you are allowed broth, switch to that. See if you can have ice pops or Jello too, just to switch things up. Try the sugar free carnation instant breakfast with milk, ice cubes and a scoop of Protein powder, its like a shake.

It gets easier. Really. I had to do it over Christmas.

I was banded on 1/3/08 and I know exactly how you feel. I was totally on the countdown to the mushy stage. I had envisioned my first meal as 2 soft scrambled eggs w/ cheese..boy it really tasted great in my mind. It wasn't nearly as good when I actually got to have it this past Thursday. My words of advice...hate the liquid diet as much as everyone else does, but stick it out. You'll be glad you did. I got to eat broiled flounder last night for the first time and it was wonderful. As bad as I hated the liquid diet, the mushy diet was worth the wait! Now, I'm looking forward to the solid diet...Jan. 31st..here I come.

Oh, I also bought some protein drink called Profect online. They are fruity flavored protein drinks (25 mg/drink). I put ice cubes, the Profect, 1/4-1/2 banana & 1 packet of Splenda and blend it up well. They taste just like a slushy...pretty good. I hate all those other protein shakes, drinks, and especially yogurt. Hope this helps.

Thanks for your support! I was super crabby last night. I only have a few things I can drink for protein shakes per my surgeons orders and those are slimfast, boost, ensure and carnation instant breakfast. I am going to call on monday to see if I can have anything on the clear liquid list cause I can't just drink slimfast and water for 10 days. My surgeon wants me to get in 5-6 of those shakes in a day does that sound like a lot of carbs or something?

I was banded on 1/15/08 and have been on liquids for 5 days now. I started drinking Muscle Milk which has 20g of protein. I cannot wait to have oatmeal, or split pea soup. No wonder the band works. You have to starve after you have it placed. If only we could have starved ourselves without the band, we could have saved a whole lot of money. I saw a show on 20/20 last night about the 45 yr old woman with anorexia. I told my husband all I can think about is food, and chewing, so I don't get how people can starve themselves on purpose. I cannot wait until I see the Dr. On Wednesday. I am praying he lets me go on mushies, or soup or oatmeal, any thing but muscle milk and jello:eek:Diane

I can 100% relate to you. I just started the mushee phase yesterday. The liquid phase is very depressing, but worth it. I lost 15 pounds in 2 weeks (and not Water weight!). During that liquid phase, you start to see food everywhere! I was thinking about it constantly. Going grocery shopping for my family caused such frustration and anger.

It does help you really appreciate your food when you begin to eat again. I have never enjoyed a spoon of cottage cheese, with salt and pepper, more than the one I had as my first soft food. Oh...and a scrambled egg, with a little cheese....delicious! Who knew such simple, healthy food could be so satisfying?

I totally agree, food is every where! I have started making shakes from Soups and tofu. They are good and satify my food cravings. My husband bought silk tofu and progresso 0 calorie soup. pureed the soup in the blender. Measured 1/2 of broth, 8 grams of tofu a drop of vegatable juice and mixed all together with hand held shake maker, than I microwaved the soup for 40 seconds. Best creamy soup. I know that I won't be able to make it drinking sweet stuff only. I found this and more ideas on this forum of a sticky thread talking about food stages.

I even cried today because I was so frustrated at the commercials about food. It made my teenage sons really upset, so I wiped my nose and found away to create better tasting fluids.

Fran

Hang in there! You can do it. Pre-op was HARD.. but so worth it. I lost 20lbs on my pre-op.

Now 3 days post-op I am not even interested in eating! It takes me all day to down a glass of V8 fusion.

So weird.

Hang in there!

Ok, so I'm on day 6 of my liquid diet and I'm back to the I'm not hungry stage. I'm weak from not having too many calories but I'm really forcing myself to at least have something. Gone are the starving days where I just couldn't get enough. I've never had to force myself to eat before!

Hey Green,

Are you getting enough Protein? I have to 60grams per day. I found this site called Revival soy that sells shakes made with any sweetner that you like. I chose splenda. I use soy milk that is 9g of protein per 8oz, 80 calories per serving, the shakes are 120 calories per serving. My total intake for the day is 600 calories and I am getting 75g of protein. I'm not weak or dizzy. I've also ordered the plain soy powder so I can make other types of liquid and add the protein into it.

Are you taking your supplements?

The slimfast I drink has 10g of protein and I add 1/2 scoop of protein powder to 2 of the 5 shakes. So I am getting roughly 70g of protein a day.

Make sure what you are drink is sugar free, or low carb. The carnation instant breakfast with the protein powder with 2 ice cubes and the milk in a blender is like a shake.

Why 11 days of liquids? I am on day one or just two days, before surgery on 1/23/08.