I have to be on a 10 day liquid diet and I am only on day 2. I did really great yesterday but today my stomach is making all kinds of niose and I am starving. I am not sure that 8 more days is going to be doable. I am really tired and feel really run down and I have 8 more days of this to go. For those of you that had to fast or do strict liquids what did you do to make it through? ~Mandy

First of all, the gurgling tummy probably isn't hunger. The key to the liquids phase is to continually be drinking something. When you're finished with one, start another!! You will be extremely tired for the first week or two after surgery. I know that the first week I had to go to the store or to the mall for graduation gifts and I would come home and sleep for 3 hours afterwards! By two weeks out, I was almost normal as far as energy. Matter of fact, I was eager to get started on my walking, etc.

You can do this!! Just 8 more days. Remember, drink, drink, drink!!!

Good luck,

Tricia H

Hi Mandy,

I hear ya! My surgery is scheduled for July 26th and I am on day 1 of a 7 day liquid diet. I'm having some trouble with lightheadedness, but fortunately I haven't been too hungry. I made myself a bunch of sugar free Jello and that seems to fill me up. I don't enjoy it because I hate the taste of artificial sweeteners, but it's definitely helped to take the edge off today. What kind of Protein supplement are you using? I should have taken their advice and tried a few beforehand because I can hardly stomach the one I chose.

I keep telling myself this will all be a distant memory soon. Keep me updated and we can help each other through this!

Anne

I amdoing the atkins shakes, I have used them in the past and they really aren't too bad. I am allowed sugar free popscicles, jello and broth, 2 protein shakes and 3 servings of yogurt each day. And as many sugar free drinks as I would like. I found the atkins fruit punch to be really good as well as the propel. I am just starving, I made the joke that even the catfood looked good and they are on dry food only :rolleyes . I know I can do this, I am just not sure why I can't have chicken as it is low in carbs and has no sugar in it. I would love to have anything solid right now. I am going for sugar free popscicles tomorrow, they were out of them over the weekend but should have them again tomorrow. We are in Chicago and it has been really hot lately and the frozen section of the store was pretty much cleaned out. Well I am going to make some broth and then take a nice warm bath, maybe that will take my mind off of this. ~Mandy

Hi Mandy:

Yea the two week liquid diet really is tough! I found that if I made the sugar free Jello and drank it cool before it set it really helped with the hunger. The broth also helped after all day Protein drinks (Bleagh!) I found sugar free coffee syrups that helped with the taste of the Protein Drinks. Good Luck! It's only two weeks, it's only two weeks, it's only two weeks.................................

You can do it! The first few days are the hardest when you start a program for weight loss ( Its all a mind game ) the days can be long and rough put keep thinking of your weight loss goals And how great your weight loss will make you feel look better and energy. Longer life span and much much more with weight loss!

try Soup broth slimfast ensure what ever it takes!!! you can do it. Try drinking more Water. Good luck I am down 82 plus pounds there was days when I thought was it worth it. But it sure is. just wait to you can look in the oid photo album look back at your old self. Soon you will be sceening a new person it will be hard to take your smile off your face I promish. Good luck!

Try painting your house! I'm painting my daughter's room, and it kept me occupied all day! Now, I'm sore and my arm aches, but I didn't eat, just protein shakes and water, and a nice little dinner (I'm allowed that in pre-op...don't know why there are so many different ones).

A little prayer never hurts, either.

try some hot chai tea with carb countdown milk or 2% milk. the oregon brand is awesome!carb countdown works great with it and has more protein in it. just keep drinking!

Mandy -

I apologize. I didn't realize that you hadn't been banded yet. I thought you were talking about the gurgling you get for the first two weeks after surgery!!

I didn't have to do a liquid diet before surgery so I can't help you with the pre-op diet. Hopefully you'll get help from some of the others here. There's another thread that is similar to yours and DeLarla had some good advice to that person.

The thread is under Support and titled Banded one week ago and I'm starving! It was dated 7-06-05. DeLarla really knows how to help people and she's so supportive!!!

Thank you so much Jack for that saying at the bottom of your post.

"NOTHING tastes as good as being thin FEELS......"

I have to keep reminding myself of this - don't know why I should. I mean I felt desperate enough to have myself cut open and foreign objects stuck inside for this very reason and yet my brain has not quite been able to bend around it yet.

That is my new moto, Nothing taste as good as being thin feels, it is even on my personal e-mail signature. I am not allowed ensure, boost or any of those drinks. Only carb solutions or atkins shakes. The problem is I don't tolerate sugar substitutes well, I would rather drink unsweetened drinks. I am getting there today is day 3 and I didn't wake up ravinous so that is a start I think. I am going to be out with my mom all day and I am packing a bag of stuff that I can have with an ice pack to keep it nice and cold. I think I might go for a swim this afternoon too, then get to bed early. I have several books that I picked out for after surgery but I may need to get more as I have been reading during meal time at my house, it keeps me away from the table. Thanks for the encouragement and kind words, you all are the best. ~Mandy

Oh my God Mandy...Im right there with you, girl! I am so tired all the time and the hunger pains are horrible! But, as the marines say.."Pain is just weakness leaving the body"! Keep up the good work...one day this will be just a memory!

Ok Mandy..I have been on the liquid protein pre op diet for almost three weeks now. I have cheated and totally regretted it. My stomach would feel soo engourged and after being on the liquid diet for as long as I have been I feel that I ruined my previous work. I was 335 pounds three years ago when I was diagnosed with PCOS. I had gained 80 pounds in a year with no change in my diet. My hair was thinning and my skin was getting darker and my menses were totally out of control. I actually had a period that lasted for TEN (yes you read that right 10) weeks. Talk about feeling like crap during your one week periods try ten weeks straight. I was starting to think that I was going to menstrate myself to death. Then I got scared and started walking 30 min EVERY day!! I lost 35 pounds in 4 months and my stomach muscles started taking on a shape other than SAG. my periods have since been pretty much normal again. but now I need to get the rest of it off. I have been flip floping ack and forth from 310 to 300 since april. I started my liquid protein diet july 5. I love my shakes they are sooo awesome. I use Pro Rated Alpine Vanilla. I got it at Costco for $20 for a 6 # tub. I mixed it with 2% milk at first and I loved it. then I thought to incorporate more protein in it (the powder had 22 grams per scoop) I started using 8th Contintnet Light Soy milkVanilla flavor..its adds 7 more grams of protien to my shakes. they taste like a treat. I have them for my three meals and drink drink drink drink all day long of my FLAVOR SPLASH AQUAFINA water..sooo freaking good tasting I had to call them to make sure there really was no cal no carb no sugar. They said no none. I also enjoy the crystal light water pack on the go mixes. they taste good too. then I have sugar free fat free jello. it satisfies my urge to chew. I live in northern nevada where we have had over a week straight of temps over 100 and there had been a run on the sugar free popcicles here too.

I know that there are more options out there that i am not aware of but, I love ones i have been told of and discovered. Keep your chin up and know that the more you lose before surgery the less you have to loose after. I think of it as a farewell to dieting forever..This sugery is teaching me to eat right for the rest of my life and there will be nore more diets.

I found a quote that inspires me and i will share it with you..

"It's never too late to be what you might have been."

I have small quotes like that all over my house to help me keep my chin up. I put my fat picture on my freezer door as to see it everytime i open the doors to my fridge.

I dont like the person i see in it and think everytime i choose not to open that door and binge of how much sooner i will be saying good riddance to the old unhealthy me and hello to the new me.

Well I am off to my pre op appt for blood work etc. talk to you soon and i hope that something i shared with you will help. if notheing more than to diatract you from your humger, Best of luck to you

I used Real Meals Protein shakes, they were really good. Also I drink Bolthouse Farms Soy protien Chai tea...it's awesome and lots of protien in it. You can get it at Walmart.

Hang in there. I was recently filled two tight and was on liquids from July 1 to July 20!

The fasting part before surgery is the scariest part for me. I dont know if I can do 10 days of liquids. I am going to ask for appetite suppresents.

The first few days are the hardest. Today was day 4 and it was a bit easier today than the last few days have been. I am allowed lowfat yogurt and cottage cheese, I hate yogurt and I am living on it right now. Maybe I will even check out cottage cheese. Anything is better than broth and sugar free drinks. ~Mandy