At my surgeon's seminar they mentioned that typically everyone who has their weight around their middle and has skinny legs (that's me) most likely will require a liquid diet a couple of weeks before surgery to shrink the liver. How do you handle a liquid diet with 4 adults in one house and only one of you on a liquid diet? OMG! How will I manage this when my time comes?

I'm going through the pre-op liquide diet now (opti-fast) and it's hard, but not imposible. I don't like it, but it's for a week and a half (some had to do it for longer). I keep thinking about what's at the end of all this, and it's worth it.

Good luck and let me know how it goes, my date is November 25th, it will be here before I know it. :thumbup:

Oh, I failed to mention I have 5 other people in my house. My husband and 4 kids, ages 14,16,18,21. So there's food every where and i don't touch any of it.:thumbup:

Good luck!

To be honest, I think it was easier that everyone in my family could basically fend for themselves during my pre-op diet. It seems like it would be harder if you had small children that you had to feed three meals/day over the duration. I was allowed one very small meal per day (besides the two shakes, or I could sub a shake for the small meal..but, no thanks..lol).

Hopefully, you're family will be sensitive to your needs, and tone down the eating a bit. I know some people have said that they did not want to cause others to make eating adjustments because they were the ones who had to go on liquids, but just as I would bend over backward to make things easier for my family and have, they do the same for me. It's especially important because this is a health issue.

On the other hand, I was on my pre-op diet over a holiday weekend, and we had out of town family visiting. I had such resolve to stick to the mostly liquid diet, that I just ignored the eating and enjoyed the company. I had pre-prepared foods, and my husband was a huge help with meals. I think he was more worried about it bothering me than I was. He grilled, reheated, etc. I was keeping my surgery quiet, so I said I was on a modified Atkins diet.

Edited November 14, 200916 yr by kiz

I didn't have too much trouble staying on the 2 week Optifast diet. My DH and I live next door to our son and his family. They are all very supportive and tried not to eat in front of me. My DH is Cajun and is a marvelous cook, but during this time he refrained from cooking any of those marvelous smelling (and tasting:tongue_smilie:) dishes. In fact, he is now eating the same things I eat and has started losing weight!!

There is a lady in my support group who is starting her liquid diet on Thanksgiving Day :thumbup:!!! She is going to her sisters home, and her sister told her not to worry about it, as the whole extended family will help her get through the day. They are all very supporting and understanding!

You can tell your family how hard it is for you and I'll bet they will be very understanding and try not to eat in front of you very much! Just keep reminding yourself how proud you will be when you have made it through the day and haven't been tempted to nibble!!:cool2: