Pre-op liquid diet, help! - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

Olusha · 10-06-2006, 06:55 PM

My doctor requires a 2 week liquid diet before the surgery. I'm on day 2 and I'm DYING! My stomach is constantly growling, I'm feeling weak and I can't think of anything but food.

Did any of you have to do a liquid diet before the operation? If so, how did you handle it? Did anyone cheat and eat something? I asked if I could eat vegetables and they basically told me no, I can't eat anything.

My mom had the surgery in Feb. and she just had to go on a no fat diet for a month beforehand. I'm SO jealous of her!

I feel really lucky because my sister (who lives with me) and my best friend are doing the liquid diet thing with me (except they're eating a small dinner), so I have support...but neither of them are as big as I am.

Please help? Any words of encouragement would help me right now I think.

kittens4 · 10-06-2006, 09:43 PM

I start my 2 week liquid diet Monday. It consists of a special bariatric meal replacement shake $155.00 for 4 tubs of it...which you consume in 2 weeks! I kid you not! Also, you can have up to 2 cups of veggies per day. They gave us a list of the good ones. That's pretty much it. I'm not looking forward to it! I will try it though. I did it the other day until around 2pm and then I had a sandwich and chips, knowing I don't really have to start it until Monday!

A girl at work had the bypass done in March. She didn't do the diet...she just had liquids the 1st week or so..but liquids like soups, milkshakes, puddings, etc. then 4 days before the surgery she stayed on clear liquids and the shakes. She did just fine. Her way sounds nice....but I'm going to try to do it the way my surgeon recommends and see what happens. I figure there's a good reason for it. I don't think he's recommending it to torture me! lol! I could be wrong though!!!!!!

I figure it's only 2 weeks..so I'll try to do it the right way! The purpose of the liquid diet is to reduce the liver size and intra abdominal fat which will make for a safer surgery....so I owe it to myself to give it my best effort. However, if I pass out, I'm going back to soups and puddings!!!! I'll keep you posted. Good luck to you! Please keep me posted on how you're feeling.

Livin' La Vida Lori · 10-06-2006, 10:02 PM

My Dr just put me on the bariatric meal replacement shakes for breakfast & lunch and said to eat a small, sensible dinner. So far it hasn't been too bad, but then again, it's only been 2 days...

Olusha · 10-07-2006, 03:35 AM

Well, I've made it through the second day. I did break down and eat a pickle, but I figure that can't really hurt, right?

I think tomorrow I'll eat some vegetables and maybe some fat free cottage cheese. I can't choke down three of these protein shakes a day, so I need protein from another source.They don't really taste BAD, they're just not satisfying.

I will definitely do it at least 4 days prior to surgery. I figure doubling what my mom did should be good.

UGH. It's like asking a heroin addict to just go cold turkey for 2 weeks before they go into rehab!

coptergirl · 10-07-2006, 10:45 AM

I had to to Optifast for the month and a half preceeding surgery, so you can do 2 weeks!! Optifast was good b/c with the shakes you got everything you need as far as nutrition and it was 800 calories - I lost 24 pounds during this period. Talk toyour doc about it - it was good for me because it was exactly whatI could eat - nothing more and nothing less - no questions and no prep/clean up

PaulaC · 10-07-2006, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olusha

Well, I've made it through the second day. I did break down and eat a pickle, but I figure that can't really hurt, right?

I think tomorrow I'll eat some vegetables and maybe some fat free cottage cheese. I can't choke down three of these protein shakes a day, so I need protein from another source.They don't really taste BAD, they're just not satisfying.

I will definitely do it at least 4 days prior to surgery. I figure doubling what my mom did should be good.

UGH. It's like asking a heroin addict to just go cold turkey for 2 weeks before they go into rehab!

Hi, apologies for jumping in like this (never posted before

), but my consultant said that the surgeon will know if you have not followed the diet rigerously. So my advice is Suck it up...do as the nice man asks....you know its important & you know you can do it - its for the right reason, bonus could be that you may well have an easier time of it post-op. Good Luck :-)

Just my humble opinion

MILA · 10-07-2006, 02:13 PM

I had a tough time sticking to the 2 week pro op liquid diet .. especially since broth makes me gag. So I lived on protein shakes, SF popcicles, SF jello, along with some ccasional light yogurt or low fat cottage cheese. I have to admit that I added a piece of chicken or turkey or hard boiled egg whenever I started to feel too weak. Despite not strictly adnhering to the rules , I still lost over 10 lbs so all was well with the surgeon - do your best - dont freak out about it (you dont need the added stress) and make sure you WALK a lot every day and I bet you will be fine.

Soon this phase of the journey will be a faint memory ...

Good luck!

kittens4 · 10-07-2006, 03:01 PM

I am enjoying my last 2 days of eating. I'm not going crazy though...today I started with a shake for breakfast. I'm getting in the zone! I'm having chili and cornbread for dinner though! Tomorrow...my last meal.....will be ribs! Monday morning I shall begin the 2 week diet. I'm sure I'll be fine. I have a good variety to choose from. I got banana, chocolate, vanilla, and cookies and cream protein suppliments! 3 tubs of them are the expensive...BariatrXEssential meal replacements...the other Cookies and Cream tub is made by Isopure. Yum!! I also got a bunch of sugarfree jellos and popsicles today at Walmart. I'm ready!!!!! If it'll help make my surgery/recovery easier, then I'm all for it!

tandy42 · 10-07-2006, 03:07 PM

i am not sure why alot of you have to do the 2 week liquid diet. i was very lucky that my doctor didn't require it. all i did was not to eat after midnight the night befor the surgery.

Olusha · 10-07-2006, 06:15 PM

Thanks everyone for your responses! I'm on day 3 now and I've lost SEVEN POUNDS. I weighed both times in the morning, completely naked. Seven pounds seems like a lot in 3 days.

I did eat some veggies today and I probably will tomorrow too, but I'm gonna cut out all food 4 days before the surgery. I emailed my surgeon and told him I couldn't hang, so he's aware!

Good luck to everyone else who's just starting it. It's harder than I thought it would be.