Hi There! My name is Jill. I am a 40-year-old mother of three from Southern California. I am an avid reader of this discussion board but have never posted. I am getting banded on January the 13th.

I have been on a pre-op diet for 11 days now. My doctor recommended a full liquid Optifast diet (800 calories a day) but I have modified it to keep myself and my family sane. The first three days of the pure liquid diet was...well, pure misery. I had headaches and mood swings. My poor 14-year-old son was talking me out of quitting like I was some kind of drug addict. HaHa.

So in an effort to help all the others that might be struggling here is what I have done to stay on an 800 calorie diet, lose 14 pounds in 11 days and not go crazy.

First, I drink 3 Protein shakes from costco daily. Each has 30 grams of protein (160 caloroes) so I find if I stagger them out through the day I don't get as hungry.

Then to satisfy my chewing craving, I bought fat free cottage cheese (1/2 cup 80 calories, 14 protein).

A typical day...wait...I mean EVERY day!

9:00 Protein shake

10:30 1/4 cottage cheese

12:00 1 cup broth(Better Than Boullion-Reduced sodium chicken broth. 15 calories) + 1/2 cup cottage cheese

2:00 Protein Shake

4:00 Jello cup (sugar free 10 calories)

6:30 1 cup broth + 1/2 cup cottage cheese

8:30 Protein Shake

9:30 Jello or sugar free popcicle

This diet keeps me at about 700 calories so if I need to snack I can have an extra bowl of broth or an extra popcicle and not go over the limit. Since I eat every two hours, I keep myself from getting too hungry. Two days before the surgery, I will cut out the cottage cheese and be on a full liquid diet.

My only concern with adding solids was that I wasn't sure if an 800 calorie diet with solids would not be as effective as an 800 calorie diet of full liquids. Luckily, I have a doctor in the house so I consulted my husband and he assured me that calories are calories so it doesn't matter how you take them. Of course, it will matter two days before surgery so I will definately switch to a full liquid diet at that time.

I hope this might help someone out there who is struggling like I was. Hang in there. It does get easier!

Welcome to LBT. I see your doctor recommended Optifast, but that he let you actually pick something else. Did your doctor tell you it was okay to have solids? Soem do and some don't on the pre-op diet. You might want to talk to your doctor just to make sure.

You don't want to do anyhting that might cause a delay in your surgery.

Good luck!!!!!

hi jill my surgery is tuesday the 13th also. i didn,t have to do a pre-op diet,had to do the 6months dietian classes lost 40lbs, since april,i started early with the sugar free stuff an chicken broth, an watching what i eat.the hoildays was rough, but i maintain the weight so far can,t wait for tuesday, wishing you the best on your new life journey.sil

A caveat Jill...besides the fact that it would've been prudent to clear that diet with your physician (I lost 15 in 3 weeks on my own "modified" preop diet and didn't get banded the first time because of that...my liver was too thick)...POST OP it is VITAL that you stick to the diet prescribed by your doctor. If you eat too early you can hurt your stomach, risk slippage, etc.

You're safest to let your surgeon know what you've done and clear it. Not knowing you, your medical situation, OR your surgeon, I don't know if you'll probably be ok or probably not, but you do need to let the doc know!

Good luck! I'll cross my fingers that you are good to go!

I am actually only required to diet two days before surgery (full liquids) but I am doing the extra two weeks because my doctor's dietician suggested it as a good way to kick start the weight loss process and give my body a chance to adjust to the lower calorie intake. The dietician recommened the Optifast but also gave me the nutritional criteria to look for in other types of shakes if I didn't want to specifically use Optifast.

I tried a few different shakes, Bariatric Advantage (Chalky and not tasty), Atkins Dark Chocolate (too much fat, tastes awful), Atkins milk chocolate(too much fat, tastes okay). The Costco brand is the best by far and has helped me stick with the liquid for the most part.

Sil, good luck with your surgery as well. Jill

I am actually only required to diet two days before surgery (full liquids) but I am doing the extra two weeks because my doctor's dietician suggested it as a good way to kick start the weight loss process and give my body a chance to adjust to the lower calorie intake.

That's lucky for you! People who ARE put on a specific preop diet, however, need to follow their doctor's orders. That's why we pay them the big bucks! :grouphug:

I had my surgery successfully on 8/29 after doing exactly what my doc told me (and lost 17 MORE pounds, which shocked me! pleased, but shocked!) !