I am not handling this well at all! It's supposed to be one week of nothing but Water, broth, skim milk and Protein shakes (sugar free Jello counts as water apparently) but I haven't been doing the Protein Shakes that much because they are just terrible, which of course has left me hungry and I cheated and had creamy Soup with corn and rice in it!

I'm SO upset with myself for doing this, I told myself time and time again, for weeks that this was the most important thing for me to do and STILL.... I was just so starving and just didn't know what I was doing. I'm now SO scared that my liver won't be small enough (only 4 days to go!) and they'll convert to open or just not do the surgery at all etc etc.

How can I fix this? And how/should I stop beating myself up over this? This is really the worst way, emotionally, for me to start this whole process. It feels like some huge setup for failure for me

Also, on a related topic... WHY can't they just do an ultrasound or something to get an idea of the shape/size of the liver before going in there? Wouldn't that make a lot more sense?

You are AWESOME! Thanks so much for doing that. I plan on trying some of those myself. :thumbdown:

Well, then it might be a different clinic.

I am allowed about 250 kcal of low starch veggies (or green leaf salad) and I often cook them, and put a little instant broth on it... voila, soup.

I sometimes season cauliflower with a little instant broth and put it in a blender. It's a really good creamy soup. Even my 2-year-old likes it... well he has pancakes with it, I don't.

Having a little lunch or dinner and have the shakes in between makes it easier for me to get the "boring" drinks down. I am sure glad I am not stuck with vanilla and chocolate for the rest of my journey.

Good luck!

~Kat

How did the surgery go? How much have you lost? I have cheated also, only big time?

Kat,

I wish I was allowed broth...your soups sounds yummy. I managed 2 shakes today - used crystal lite tangerine in a choc with lots of ice...tastes like Terry's Orange Chocolate....Had a vanilla one with strawberry/kiwi - a little sweet but managed to get it down. I am with the Surgical Weight Loss Centre in Toronto - Dr. Mumford

Just calm down a little, you will be fine. This is about more than your liver, that's just one reason they say be on liquids before. They do not want you vomiting up all the anesthesia is another reason. Nausea and other issues is a third reason. So many reasons!! Do your best to coax yourself into cooperating. The pre-op diet is awful, I remember it well, and post op I had to do it again also. I will probably never eat Jello again my whole life with any luck.

I turned to Campbells chicken noodle Soup, drained, drinking just the broth. It calmed me down and helped me feel like I was not going to starve myself with the band before surgery and like I was closer to normal after surgery. But then after surgery I got over-confident and ate a sandwich and boy it HURT sitting there on top of my lap band. I called the doctors office and they were not happy with me at all!! They were telling me liquids only after surgery so that the sutures and area could heal up. I was aching something terrible, but I lived through it and it finally went into the band.

Do your best to comply. Soon you will be focusing on more important things like how to change your life and your habits entirely after the surgery. Best of luck to you!!

How did the surgery go? How much have you lost? I have cheated also, only big time?

I don't have it until Monday, but I'll let you know.

Also, general news is that I went in today for my final pre-op test (blood test) and hopped on their scale just to see and I'm down 8lbs since the last time I was in there 10 days ago, but probably all of it gone since Monday because I treated myself to all my favorites that I won't see again for a good long time right up until Monday. Either way, 8lbs down in 5 or 10 days is a pretty good indication that the liver is shrinking and I didn't totally railroad myself.

Thanks again, all, for your support!

Ohhh - me too! I'm on day 6 of 14 of Optifast shakes. I really like them, in fact actually look forward to my next shake. Guess I'm crazy. But I always loved choc milk, slim fast, instant breakfast drinks anyway. I don't use much water - love them thick, only about 5 ozs. I drink one about 7:30, then 11, then 3, then 6:30, then right before bed to fill my tummy. I feel like a newborn baby on formula!

My mother made me some homemade chicken broth (YUK) and beef broth (YUMMM). I think I must be addicted to beef, so the beef broth actually helps with those cravings. But homemade is best - she boiled stew meat, carrots, onions & canned tomatoes and seasoned it then strained for me. She & my husband ate the stew and left me the broth.

BTW: My husband came home the other night and started to saute' onions in a pan for something and I jumped all over him for the food smells in the house. Now he just has a sandwich for dinner and there's peace once more!

We can and will do this. :thumbup:

I am with the Surgical Weight Loss Centre in Toronto - Dr. Mumford

Same clinic, but with Dr. Cobourn. That might explain the difference.

I was warned of products high in carbohydrates and Aspartame.

The body goes into ketose if the diet is low on carbs and there is less hunger as long as the body keeps it up.

Newer theories (scientific studies?) say about Aspartame that it induces hunger. I once learned they use it in pig fattening big time (at least in European Countries) so it might be true.

The Opitast 900 contains a fair amount of Aspartame already. I wonder why they can't sweeten it with Splenda.... My theory: Aspartame is cheaper than Splenda. And the companies are usually more concerned about their profit than the consumer's health.

For recovery time after the surgery I think I am going to use a different product with all natural substances (I think in English it's called a "holistic" product?).

Well, the surgeon told me that Optifast diet has proofed to help shrink the liver, so that's what I use.

The broth cubes I use have just 1 g of carbs and 15 cal per 1/2 l of broth. So I think it's okay.

~Kat

Kat,

My gal friend had that Dr. do her surgery last year...she is down 70lbs. Funny how the same clinic has different preop diets. I was told it was ok to use Crystal Light so I use that in my shakes and in my water. I think the trick for me with the shakes is to make them really cold and slushy. I am going to try a root beer shake today. I do wish I could have broth though. I am down 9 lbs since Tues. When is your surgery?

Four days to go! You'll never regret your decision to have this surgery. For me, all the stuff you have to go through before having your procedure is the hardest part. Just like you, I slipped up and didn't do everything perfectly. The liquid diet leading up to surgery was torture. If you ever want the corn and rice soup again, just strain it. I was allowed to drink Instant Breakfast before and after surgery. That didn't taste as yucky as the Protein powder. (There's flavorless Protein Powder you can get, called powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury.)

Here's the best part. Your band will help you with your appetite. Now I know that before banding, I was hungry allllll the time. And, the quantity I could eat...tsk. I used to be able to eat a LOT of pizza. Now, I eat a reasonable amount of food and feel satisfied. Diets used to be torture for me because it felt like I was holding my breath and starving. Like everyone else, I could loose weight, couldn't keep it off. Now I'm at peace with food. I feel like a "normal" person dealing with food. Anyway, we all wish you and everyone else who is scheduled for lapbanding all the very best of luck and good wishes.

a little off topic - I love those tickers that you guys are using - how do you get it to post once you have set it up?

Four days to go! You'll never regret your decision to have this surgery. For me, all the stuff you have to go through before having your procedure is the hardest part. Just like you, I slipped up and didn't do everything perfectly. The liquid diet leading up to surgery was torture. If you ever want the corn and rice soup again, just strain it. I was allowed to drink Instant Breakfast before and after surgery. That didn't taste as yucky as the Protein powder. (There's flavorless protein powder you can get, called unjury.)

Actually, sadly, I can't have that soup even strained because it's a creamy soup not a broth. I'm allowed Water, skim milk, sugar free flavorings to water (clear Jello included), chicken broth and Protein shakes. I think that "clear liquid" is some kind of code for "abject torture".

I've been on this board for several years, trying to decide to have the surgery. My date is July 28th. I've been on a Clear Liquids diet for 2 days now, and have 8 more to go. I am STARVING. And I have a horrible headache to boot. I counted the calories that I got today, and it couldn't have been more than 600. My doctor does not even allow Protein shakes, only clear liquids, clear juices, SF Jello, SF popsicles, Kellog's Protein waters, and broths. I already hate the broth, it completely disgusts me, but it does help for a while.

Why doesn't he allow me to have shakes? It sounds like everyone else is allowed to!!

Lookingforme - I would trade you the shakes for the broth. I hate the shakes and only manage to get 1 or 2 in per day. Hang in there...it will be worth the weight (or loss of)

hmm well that would make since as it seems but i am not sure they can see the fatty slime in the ultra sound. The liquid diet is very hard for all of us trust me i finally had my surgery yester day and i did 10 days liquids 2 days clear. I dont like soup without anything in it so i only dranks to ko protein water and atkins drinks. They actually are good. I didnt like they other protein drinks. So dont beat yourself up just tell yourself you have to do this and do the liquids the remainder of time you have. You dont want them to open you up just to close you back because of your liver or worse complications because of it. My surgery went great. As you can see i was banded maybe 15 hrs ago and im online lol

congrats, i'm proud of you. I started liquids on july 15. My surgery is july 29 and i'm losing my mind totally. How do you do liquids for so long. I'm always hurgury.