Hello, everyone, my surgery is scheduled for the 29th of this month, I am on my fourth day of the liquid diet, I have read a couple of post where people say that they are allowed to eat a small meal per day. This is not the case for me. I just happened upon this site while I was searching for the answer to a question about the length of time on the liquid diet. I dont understand why it takes so long to shrink the liver. I a out of school for winter break so I cant ask my teacher. I am starving out of my mind, I ate 5 pecan halves this morning, sorry!! but I will ask my dietitian about the small meal. does anyone know where I can get coupons for the slim fast low carb shakes? And any advice will be helpful. hungry and frustrated :ohmy:

Hello Zionsma,

Congrats on your upcomming banding. I was banded on the 5th this month and am on the full liquids right now until the 20th. It's something your just going to have to work through. Biggest things I can tell you is to get your protien shakes weather it's slim fast low carb or Atkins or something along those lines. They will really help you with getting the protien you need which in turn will help you in feeling full.

Everyone is a little different in how big their liver may or may not be. Not to mention every surgeon is slightly different in what they want their patients to do is a little different too. For me it was a 3 week liquid diet two meals a day and then the third meal was low carb and low fat. Usually the heavier you are the long the surgeon will want you on a liver shrinking diet.

So get your protien shakes and do your best to maintain the diet. It is essential that your liver is shrunk for this operation. The last thing you want is to go in there and then be turned away because your liver is to big.

:tongue_smilie:I am being banded on the 2oth. Luckily my surgeon only requires 3 days of clear liquids but I am having a tough time with broths and soups. I am also having the nagging thoughts.... AM I DOING THE RIGHT THING!!!" Can you give me some ideas as to what you have been eating?

:tongue_smilie:I am being banded on the 2oth. Luckily my surgeon only requires 3 days of clear liquids but I am having a tough time with broths and soups. I am also having the nagging thoughts.... AM I DOING THE RIGHT THING!!!" Can you give me some ideas as to what you have been eating?

I'm getting banded on the 20th, too! I've got a 2-day liquid diet. The broth I bought tasted gross, so all I've had today is a lot of Water and SF Jello. I'm going to go get some Soup tonight for dinner and just eat the broth ... I'm sure it will taste much better than what I had earlier.

I was on a 3-week "liver shrink" diet, read here about people who didn't have to do it for that long, and "did my own thing". I lost 15 pounds! I was so happy! BUT...when the doc opened me up, my liver hadn't shrunk, or if it had, not enough. 2 1/2 weeks of HIS diet, 17 MORE pounds, and the surgery was successful.

A high Protein low fat low carb diet causes the body, apparently to pull calories and fat from the liver, first, thus shrinking it.

My advice to you (and I wish someone had said this to ME) DO WHAT YOUR DOCTOR SAYS! There's a reason for it. Don't do what someone here says and "got away with" LOL I'm sure the posters I read weren't trying to undermine anyone's diet, but because I was HUNGRY, I rationalized that if they could do it, so could I. NOT! LOL

So just follow your doc's advice. You'll be glad you did.

I've been drinking chicken noodle soup minus the noodle and chicken. I thought I wasnt going to be able to continue since I have a sinus infection. My Dr. said that it was still OK. Good thing I didn't sneak any FOOD.

Congrats, I too am getting banded on the 29th. I am suppossed to do the Liver Shink diet, but I find myself mourning my fav foods.

Stick to your diets people! Do exactly as the doc tells you! That is the KEY to a successful surgery. I know it's tough. But you have to remind yourself why you are doing this. You don't want to go through the same experience that RestlessMonkey did in going in for surgery only to be sent home to do the diet more and then finally have surgery two weeks later! No be tough on yourself and be the success that you can be!

We've all been there. On day 2 and 3 I was literally crying in my room. But this is a lifechanging thing (for the better I believe!) and it takes a few weeks of willpower. It was worth it to me. So I cried. I freaked out. I bitched about food until my friends were ready to come knock me out and stick me in a shed somewhere til surgery.

Then I decided bitching and moaning were probably not helping so I sucked it up. (as best I could.. course it was a rollercoaster lol)

I can tell you day 4 will start getting better. You will occasionally all of a sudden see dancing cheeseburgers in your head but nothing like day 1 -3.

Also.. anytime you are STARVING drink a Protein shake. It fills you up. It stopped my tears.

chicken noodle soup unless it's fat free has lots o fat and tastes basically the same as fat free broth in my opinion.

I'm on day 9 after surgery. Yesterday was my big positive day. I'm really happy I got this done right now. I am on the same diet I was on for the 10 days prior to surgery. Lots less hungry. I've lost 25 pounds.

You will be on a rollercoaster of emotions and such for a few weeks I'm willing to bet. Find support people or post like nuts here (like I've been doing!) and it will help you get through it.

Don't cheat. What RestlessMonkey went through would have broke me. No way I could wake up without a band then do it again.

Good luck! And check out the chat at night. it can be a lot of fun and informational.

A big Congrats to you Beth on losing 25 lbs! That is great and just shows that it can be done but that it does take work and dedication.

I hope I didn't come off to harsh earlier but I just want everyone to understand that it is rough and it will take self control and willpower to get through really this short time period. Only now after 2 weeks post-op have I even had any hunger and that is quickly cured with a small bowl of soup or an Atkins shake.

It may seem like a long time to be on the liquid diet but really it goes by fast. You can do it and you can be successful with this surgery and then with working the band. You just have to remind yourself to why your doing this.

I am having surgery on the 23rd. Started the liquid diet a week ago last tuesday (dec 9). Have not been following it 100%. I follw it during the day and sometimes eat dinner at night. NOW I am worried that I won't be banded! I can tell that I have lost weight, though. Dr. Rehnke in St. Petersburg is doing my surgery. I hope it goes through!!!!!!

I am having surgery on the 23rd. Started the liquid diet a week ago last tuesday (dec 9). Have not been following it 100%. I follw it during the day and sometimes eat dinner at night. NOW I am worried that I won't be banded!

Congrats on your upcoming surgery. Promise yourself you will follow it 100% the next four days! Aren't you worth it? I know it's tough. I had to do it for 2 weeks. I was banded on the 10th of December. I have lost 17 lbs. I am still sore, expecially in the afternoon.

The liquid diet before doesn't just shrink your liver, I believe it prepares you for the two weeks after. I have just started on "real food" like cottage cheese and Soup with stuff in it! If you find yourself really hungry and wanting something, try some warm broth. warm liquids make you feel fuller. fight the urge to cheat. distract yourself, get on the boards, go for a walk, just get away from the food.

i would have been devastated if my surgeon opened me up and said no to banding. I am self pay too so I can't imagine where that would have put me!

Good luck!

Kelli

self pay

banded 12/10/08

start 239.5

12/19/08 222.5

Hello, everyone, my surgery is scheduled for the 29th of this month, I am on my fourth day of the liquid diet, I have read a couple of post where people say that they are allowed to eat a small meal per day. This is not the case for me. I just happened upon this site while I was searching for the answer to a question about the length of time on the liquid diet. I dont understand why it takes so long to shrink the liver. I a out of school for winter break so I cant ask my teacher. I am starving out of my mind, I ate 5 pecan halves this morning, sorry!! but I will ask my dietitian about the small meal. does anyone know where I can get coupons for the slim fast low carb shakes? And any advice will be helpful. hungry and frustrated :biggrin:

I am having my surgery on the 22, and had to liquid diet for two weeks. I am getting mine at Hurley in Michigan, and they gave me a number to call to order shakes, drinks, and Soups designed with protien and something else to help shrink the liver. I will give the website- maybe it can help you.

clinical weight management solutions by betterMD.net

or order by phone 877-578-1067

Just tell them what you need and they will send you the packs. Now, it is all powders, but the shakes are good, and the Fiber drinks are good too. The soup I have to add a bullion cube, but not too bad. There are also "cool" drinks that are ok, but I can taste the Vitamins and stuff...

I drink 3 shakes, 1 cool drink, 1 fiber drink, and 1 soup. I also must have an additional 8 oz of milk (on top of the 8 that go with each shake) and 40-60 oz of Water in addition to everything else. I can also have one Dannon lite smoothy a day. Also, sugar free non caff drinks and sugar free Jello and popcicles.

You can do it- keep going!

I had a 2 week preop diet that allowed 1 small meal a day. I did not follow my diet really. I did low carb/high protein after researching the whole liver shrinking idea.

I feel your pain.

If you're going to do something so drastic as this you really need to follow your doctors advice. It's important. Even if all opinions differ between doctors. It's very very hard but the 3rd or 4th day you go without cheating it gets easier. Otherwise you're torturing yourself.

Hello everyone, thank you for all of your support, I am sorry to say that after only 4 days I couldnt take it any more. I talked to my dietitian and she has given me some other things to do that may help, but with nine days until surgery who knows I may have blown it, I didnt eat a lot, but I ate nonetheless, I am hoping that my primary will give me something to help curve my hunger. I am sorry guys, thanks for all your support, I thought I was prepared for the absence of food, because I only ate once a day anyway, but my plan did not work out the way I had hoped, I will start over with my last nine days, I ate this morning when I got off work:mad: (I am really upset with my self) so I start all over again. I will keep you guys informed on my progress. thank you all again, keep me in your prayers :biggrin: