Hi all,

My surgery is scheduled for Wed. Dec. 9, 2009. I am supposed to be on clear liquids for 2 days after the surgery, (I can do that), then 2 weeks of a liquid diet. Like Opti-fast shakes, 3 x per day. That's only 600 calories!! Help! I have a really hard time sticking with Jenny Craig's high protein, 1200 calories per day! (That is my pre-op diet).

Did anyone else worry about this? What did you do? I"m afraid i'll cheat and mess up my surgery! Any helpful tips or info would GREATLY appreciated!

Thank you,

Michelle

Hi, I am scheduled for my surgery on 12/9 also. AND I am also using Jenny Craig for preop dieting. I think you shouldn't have any problems with the liquid diet. If you do go see your JC counselor and talk to her about it. Also, if you are having problems you can always call your doctor and tell them you are hungry and ask what they can suggest.

From what I have read here the Chicken Broth protien drink is suppose to be good, just sip it warm. If you need to crunch something, you could bite and chew a sugar free pop.

I think you best bet is to call your doctor though. I am sure they will have some great suggestions on how to handle it.

I hope this helps.

Good luck! :thumbup:

Hi, I am scheduled for my surgery on 12/9 also. AND I am also using Jenny Craig for preop dieting. I think you shouldn't have any problems with the liquid diet. If you do go see your JC counselor and talk to her about it. Also, if you are having problems you can always call your doctor and tell them you are hungry and ask what they can suggest.

From what I have read here the Chicken Broth protien drink is suppose to be good, just sip it warm. If you need to crunch something, you could bite and chew a sugar free pop.

I think you best bet is to call your doctor though. I am sure they will have some great suggestions on how to handle it.

I hope this helps.

Good luck! :thumbup:

Hi Pam,

Thanks for the support! I'm hoping I can return to Jenny Craig when I'm cleared to eat solid foods. I choose the high protein meals. I"m wondering, are you thinking of returning to Jenny Craig once you are cleared for solids also? It doesn't seem like a lot of people follow a structured food plan after the surgery. I would like to, as I believe it's helping me to eat like a "normal" person. Something I don't think I've done in a very long time!

Yes I am going to keep using Jenny Craig if possible. I am only going to buy one lunch or one dinner and use it for both meals. If I do that I will still have food left over. My JC rep said she would work with me. I will still be able to go in once a week and weigh, order food when I am able to eat again. I have my dr appt the first week in dec before surgery and I am taking my JC food list in and check with Dr. Patching to make sure there isn't anything on there I shouldn't have. If I get any more info on the food I will let you know what I find out.

You should check with your JC rep, and explain the diet to her for our first few weeks and then you two can come up with a game plan for you. After that maybe take it to the doctor and review it with him. (??? Couldn't hurt ???)

Stay in touch...

Pam:rolleyes2:

Hi all,

My surgery is scheduled for Wed. Dec. 9, 2009. I am supposed to be on clear liquids for 2 days after the surgery, (I can do that), then 2 weeks of a liquid diet. Like Opti-fast shakes, 3 x per day. That's only 600 calories!! Help! I have a really hard time sticking with Jenny Craig's high protein, 1200 calories per day! (That is my pre-op diet).

Did anyone else worry about this? What did you do? I"m afraid i'll cheat and mess up my surgery! Any helpful tips or info would GREATLY appreciated!

Thank you,

Michelle

Hi Michelle,

Did you go on the two week pre op diet of only protein drinks? I did, so when it came time for the surgery, I had forgotten what it was like to eat.

Also after the surgery, I certainly did not feel like eating. I was in lots of pain (don't worry, most don't have so much trouble as I did) and had a hard time even drinking. I sipped chicken broth for about one week, and then thinned cream soups, and then on to mushies.

I still stay full for about 5 hours now, (even though I eat what I think is too much).

I think you will be fine with not eating much.

Good luck with your surgery.

I think you will do just fine. Remember, you are making a lifelong commitment to eating better. The lap band is designed to keep you from cheating, assisting you on becoming a happier, healthier person. If you eat improperly after surgery, you will pay the consequences.

On a side note, questions like these (fear of commitment to follow the plan) should have arisen during your pre-operative psychiatric evaluation. The American Institute of Gastric Banding is adamant about the proper mental health of their pre-bandsters: their awareness of the risks of surgery and their resolution to change coupled with the comprehension of the consequences of those changes. For patients who are unable to adequately adjust, the lap band is not a suggested tool for weight loss.

So far I would have to say that the pre-op diet is the hardest part, but really.....if I can do it, anyone can! After the 1st 2 days I really did not feel hungry or crave food much. I kept telling myself, "this is only short term!" Life does get normal again! A new kind of normal, but normal!

You can do it!

Good luck!:thumbup:

Thanks for the support Girls, I totally appreciate it!

I think this is perfectly normal to stress over because it is all so new and daunting.

You can do it - one day at a time.

This is what I'm going to tell myself when I get my surgery date! LOL

It's not a bad as it sounds. Pre-Op the first 2 days will be rough but that's the worst of it. Keep giving your body proiten every couple of hours and you'll be ok. Repeat after me...."Short-term concession for a long-term gain".

Post-op you will not feel like eating but try to make sure you get enough Water. You have to stay hydrated.

Best of luck!!

Hi all,

My surgery is scheduled for Wed. Dec. 9, 2009. I am supposed to be on Clear liquids for 2 days after the surgery, (I can do that), then 2 weeks of a liquid diet. Like Opti-fast shakes, 3 x per day. That's only 600 calories!! Help! I have a really hard time sticking with Jenny Craig's high Protein, 1200 calories per day! (That is my pre-op diet).

Did anyone else worry about this? What did you do? I"m afraid i'll cheat and mess up my surgery! Any helpful tips or info would GREATLY appreciated!

Thank you,

Michelle

Michelle

I was banded a week ago and wrote a couple of questions like this myself. I was terrified about eating and being hungry. ESPECIALLY because my pre op diet was the 600cal Optifast diet and that was the hardest diet i have ever done (and like everyone else, i have done them all). I have been on fluids only for a week now post op and its WAY WAY WAY easier than i had ever dreamed. Firstly, you wont feel hungry much of the time and mostly uninterested in food (i know a first for all of us) and when you do need some nutrition you most likely wont want any food. I enjoy Soups in the food processor that are made into a thin liquid, custard and banana flavoured milk. Ask your surgeon if its ok to introduce some other liquids, it's really about digestion and not so much about the calories in the first few weeks. If i could chose today between a steak and a smoothie, i would DEFINITELY go with the smoothie, i have no interest in steak :-) It hasnt been easy and none of us expect this to be a walk in the park BUT, it will be well worth it. GOOD LUCK, let us know how you go!!

Wow, thank you all soooo much for the support! I am really grateful. Yes, I'll keep updated of course. It's so great to know others felt like me, but got through it. Thank you all again!