OK, so my surgeon isn't having me do a pre-op diet. I was thinking that maybe I should do it though. It's my thought process that I'd rather be used to the taste and the routine of the liquid diet BEFORE I go and get the surgery. (Plus a little weight loss before hand couldn't be too bad either, right?)

Do y'all think I should?:confused2: (I was going to go on ahead and do the full two weeks, so I'd be starting it on the 1st.)

Thanks in advance!!!:coolgleamA:

the doctor that i will have, puts his patients on a 2 week liquid diet, i'm not sure if it's the clear or the full. the reason for it ( i learnt at seminar ) was that it makes the liver small so that it is easier to get underneath it to get to the part of the stomach where the band goes. which makes since to me. i hope i have helped. i would do the diet if it were me. Good luck.

Kristey,

My doctor put me on a No sugar, LOW fat, protein-rich diet for a week now and I feel Fabulous! Apparently the lowering of my carbs has been tremendous in making me feel better and having more energy. I wouldn't have believed anyone who told me that it would do that but it sure has! Plus I have lost 4 pounds and I have only been on it for 5 days.

If nothing else, cutting out all carbonation would be a great start!

Good Luck!

My doctor/hospital requires a 3 week pre-op diet. I started my diet 2 weeks early. In those 2 weeks I lost 15 pounds so I'd say it's worth starting your diet early.

I too was told about the need to shrink the liver.

My doctor's pre-op diet is pretty painless. Slim Fast for Breakfast, Lean Cuisine for lunch and dinner (keep it under 300 calories). I'm allowed 1 cup of cooked or 2 cups uncooked veggies and a 90 calorie yogurt. I can also have all the Crystal Light I can drink and sugar free Jell-O.

If you're not into frozen meals, 4 Slim Fast shakes are allowed.

I'm pretty happy on this diet and not really hungry. It's helping me shrink my stomach down and I love the fact that I've lost weight before the surgery. If I can do some now, that only helps me in the long run.

Take care!

Kristey - I say go for it!! It could only help.

Congrats Erica!! Sounds like you are doing really well on your pre-op diet. I go in tomorrow for all of my pre-admission testing and hopefully I will know when to start mine...I am just ready to get going already!

I went in today for my pre-admission testing and no pre-op diet for me either. I only have to "watch what I eat"...and not gain any weight. I was shocked that 5 months after my first appointment in November, I only gained .4 pounds. I knew for sure I would be up by at least 10, the way I have been pigging out!

Anyway...I am kind of bummed - which my husband could not understand...I just want to get started.

I say if you are motivated to begin that you should. I wasn't all that fired up to go on a diet but the benefits I have reaped from being on it has not just been weight loss.. I have had a couple of episodes where I actually got pretty anxious about not being able to eat something and it really kind of happened out of the blue. It wasn't something I was expecting so I am glad that I was able to face it and learn how to work through it before I was in the midst of a liquid diet, postop, and possibly in pain.

Following an Atkin's-type diet is pretty much standard for most and seems to do a good job of shrinking the liver. I have also heard that following a preop diet as well as trying to start some type of exercise are both beneficial by making the recovery much easier -- don't know if it's true yet but I have nothing to lose by trying! :smile:

Cool! Thanks y'all! I was talking to one of the nurses at the hospital earlier today and she said the pre-op diet is usually for people who's bloodwork comes back high for the liver function and since mine was normal I didn't require one. She did echo all of you though in that if I felt the need to, that it wouldn't be a bad idea to go onthe diet now.

I also like the idea of learning how to deal with the demon of "OMG! I can't eat that???" now rather than later.

I've been on 4wks of 2 protein shakes with one "sensible" meal (per guidelines from my doc's nutritionist). I do say it's trained me to savor what food I can actually put in my mouth...AND...it's definetly got me anxious to savor broth and creamed soups for the 3wks post-op because NO MORE PROTEIN SHAKES!!!!!-ha!

I wish I could be on some kind of sensible diet, but the pre-op diet for my surgeon is ten days, liquids only. I wouldn't mind it so much but my whole family is going to cape cod for my grandfather and my uncles birthdays. Its something we do every year, it also falls 4 days into my liquid diet. We are camping so I'm really worried I'll be tempted with all the bacon and eggs for breakfast, the fresh cape cod seafood for lunch and dinner, and all the smores and birthday cake at night. My grandfather is getting up there in age so I really don't want to compromise any time with him so I'm not about to not go. I'll just spend the day at the beach drinking protein, so maybe that might help. Good luck with all the diets everyone! I'm just trying to think of how it will help in the long run!

Today was day 3 of 14 days of preop diet--Optifast and Clear liquids. I have lost 8 lbs. Today was the worst as far as hunger goes. I was told that my body gets used to it and I will be not be hungry soon.

And yet, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I am in this 100% and will not eat anything except what I am supposed to eat, uh..drink. I want this to work!

So who else is feeling preop hunger? Does it get better?

Allison, go and allow your g-father to be blessed!! Perhaps take early morning walks with protein shake in hand, then about 10-15mins later when you return to camp site, the smell will not bother you asmuch.

Drink plenty of water (as feasible with potty place) and just do as much as youc an for your g-father. Focus and concentrate on him. You're a beautiful person and I know he'll be blessed!!!!

I am being banded on May 9th. I am on day 2 of liquids-6 carnation breakfast drinks, broth and low cal/sugar free drinks. I find out really quickly if I don't drink enough water I get a headache. I have a lot of temptations coming up next week at work. I tell myself this is not an option. good luck to all of you!

I am on day 9 of my 10 day pre-op diet. The first 7 days were liquid Protein only, no extra meals. I drank lots of Water as well as whey shakes. They filled me up and I wasn't really aware of the hunger unless I let myself get too hungry.

I also was allowed SF popsicles and Jello. I was able to lose 16 pounds on this phase.

Now I'm on day 2 [of 3] of CLEAR liquids. Diluted juice, decaf coffee/tea, beef/chicken/veggie broth as well as SF popsicles and jello. NO protein.

I find the CLEAR phase to be a little more difficult. Not that I'm hungry, but rather that I'm constantly drinking something. And the juice, while diluted, is so sweet it leaves a bad after taste.

I'm glad that I've taken this time to really LISTEN to my body. I am surrounded by food and I have 'head' cravings. But I feel cleansed and detoxed. My skin is very clear!

Still I gotta tell you -- I am the FIRST one to notice if some one in the neighborhood is barbeque-ing!!

Good luck to you, use this time to prepare your body for new beginnings

I am on day 6 of my 10 day preop diet...and I am starving..but dont know how much weight I've lost....dont own a scale for various and obvious reasons..the mirror tells me enough..dont need a scale also...LOL

One atkins shakes, sf jello and pops, cottage cheese, and bouillon and broth and so far I havent killed anyone yet...I'm actually starting to get used to it...Kind of scary huh?? me used to being on a liquid diet. Hubby and the boy made cinnamon rolls this morning and that smell...OH MYLANTA talk about drooling....but I just sat there drinking my shake saying mmmmmm delicious....LOL

thin dolphin, good for you for having such strong will power!!! I'm freaking out about the liquid diet!!! Mine sounds similar to yours, sugar free everything, popsicles, jello, fudgesicles, protein shakes, and broth is about all I can have (I can have like a teaspoon of cottage cheese... but I hate that stuff anyways...) Haha oh mylanta...!