I tried. I really tried.

I found the pea protein powder disgusting and threw it away. I really like the fuzzy navel flavor of Syntax Nectar with water. If you can get it, that is a good option. I also like Cappuccino if that is more your thing. While the preop time is limited, you will need to find a shake to use for after surgery too. Hoping that you find something that works.

Unjury chicken soup flavoured Protein is pretty good, at least post-op. I added cayenne or some Mrs Dash and it was pretty tasty.

Clear protein that mixes instantly:

http://www.bariatricchoice.com/bariatric-choice-protein-frui t-drinks-concentrate-pomegranate.html

I buy the green tea w/ cranberry, pomegranate, and berry. They're a little tart for me so I mix a little Crystal Lite into my water first, then just add the syrup. Voila, easy to drink "juice" with 15 grams of protein.

If you cannot handle a non-food diet before surgery -- before your insides are operated on, maybe surgery isn't the best option. It doesn't get more tolerable afterwards.

Seconding this. Cheating on your pre-op diet may not put you in danger, but eating off-plan in the first few weeks after surgery could LITERALLY kill you.

Time to get your **** together and stop making excuses.

I'm not sure I agree with this entirely, though you have a point.

Physicians tend to think about pre-op and post-op as separate things in their heads, and forget that the patient has to experience all of it together. If someone has a 2 week liquid diet before and a 2 week liquid diet after, that's a full month without anything solid to eat. It's not detrimental, of course, but it is a serious challenge.

Change that to a CLEAR liquid diet, and it is even more challenging.

Add in an apparent intolerance for more than 50% of the food you're allowed on that incredibly restricted diet, and I don't know anyone with the will power to deal with that, especially when that 50% is where your protein is coming from. My nursing program emphasized the absolute and critical need of protein when healing from any kind of trauma or stress. If I had a pre-op patient who wasn't able to tolerate any of the protein options allowed, I'd consider that a serious issue in need of immediate attention. This is why I won't use a surgeon *****stricts protein post-op for 2 weeks, as I've heard from a few patients over the couple of years I've been in online WLS groups.

Additionally, research has shown that our ability to resist temptation wanes the longer we have to deal with it, and usually also over the course of a day. So the longer you are demanding such a restricted diet, the more you are setting the patient up for non-compliance.

I know from my personal experience, that the pre-op diet restrictions were sheer hell. And my doc doesn't even require a completely liquid diet. I was allowed a regular meal daily plus snacks around my protein shake. The surgery provides a really powerful tool to help us deal with the diet restrictions post-op, but that tool isn't present pre-op. I don't know that I'd have been able to stay compliant with a liquid diet for 2 weeks pre-op, and I know good and damned well I wouldn't have been able to stay compliant with a CLEAR liquid diet for 2 weeks pre-op. (Hence why I'd have FIRED a surgeon that insisted on it.)

Medical professionals need to remember that they're dealing with real people in these situations, and not impose restrictions, especially pre-op, that are setting the patient up for non-compliance. ESPECIALLY when non-compliance AFTER the surgery can be life threatening.

One of the reasons my surgeon gave for not requiring a full liquid diet pre-op is that in her experience patients were largely unable to remain compliant before the surgical tool was in place, and she won't put a patient on restrictions that don't have a sound medical basis. It's much more important to her that they follow the post-op instructions, and the compliance rate is higher post-op with patients who haven't already been fighting a severely restricted diet pre-op. (I love my surgeon.)

Now, I agree with you that patients need to understand that there are severe diet restrictions post-op and they need to be prepared to 100% comply with them. They are risking their life otherwise.

But in my opinion, many surgeons impose ridiculous dietary restrictions pre-op with no real scientific evidence to the efficacy, and it's to the detriment of many patients.

I would agree with you about the actual necessity of the restrictive liquid diet before surgery, but that isn't what the post is about. I can completely agree with you reference that aspect, but our opinions, no matter how well researched they may be, are irrelevant to the poster's issue.

This is the surgeon she has chosen, the restrictions put in place by that surgeon, and the pre-op regimen that is required by that clinic. Further, and harshly frank, the post simply doesn't ring true about a "clear" liquid diet. What does ring true is justification for doing what the patient wants to rather than what she is supposed to. That, is a red flag to me.

We can argue all day about the whether or not a pre-op diet is even necessary -- but ultimately, one should be compliant with the surgeon that they chose. One is always free to choose a different surgeon with different requirements. That is exactly what you did -- and that makes complete sense.

Consider, however, that this poster first claims that she is on a clear liquid diet for the pre-op period. Then she states that Premier Protein, Slim Fast, and EAS are allowed. None of those are "clear" liquids. It doesn't make any sense. If things aren't clear, then questions should be asked of the surgeon/center -- not modified however she sees fit. Doing this could be dangerous and even deadly after surgery.

Secondly, when she apparently had trouble with feeling sick on the protein shakes, she didn't call the clinic or surgeon and discuss different options. She didn't try different liquids, get advice from her nutritionist -- she went straight to eating "some food." It's telling that she didn't even say what the "food" was -- I can only imagine.

Then she posts what she did, and less than 30 minutes later is upset that no one posted "encouragement" -- she wants us to encourage her justification on why she is special and so it's okay to disregard her program's rules. Um, no. It's not okay. Call your program, talk to your surgeon, --- christ -- even post to us before you completely go against your pre-op diet to get some ideas to overcome your obstacle.

I don't think many of us can claim to just love protein shakes. A lot of people have to search around to find one they can tolerate. She isn't special or unique.

None of us are going to die without solid food for a week. She didn't even make it FOUR DAYS.

On a personal note, I did three and a half weeks of a liquid pre-op diet that incorporated Thanksgiving and Christmas. I had two weeks of liquids after surgery, too. I am not cold to how hard it is to get through.

If she's so weak stomached that she cannot tolerate anything but "real food" -- I stand behind that surgery may not be the best option for her. It isn't going to get easier after surgery, and arguably it can actually cause her great injury/harm.

My post is in response to the OP's post that she deleted:

" First, I DID call my nutritionist after day 3 and we discussed trying the pea protein. Which I did. I made it through FIVE DAYS, not "even" four. I mentioned that I didn't just get nauseous, but I threw up. Believe me, if I had been able to keep them..."

So, when you called the nutritionist on day 3, the advice was, "if the pea protein doesn't work, you should just go ahead and eat real food." ???

Okay! I stand corrected!

Just to let you know, support means different things to different people. Sometimes the things you don't want to hear, are exactly what you need to hear.

If you were an alcoholic in a support who drank a beer on day 5 -- should you be told, "Oh, it's okay!! I know you tried!" -- or is real support and caring pointing out that you made a bad choice.

I've lost all my weight. You are the one at the beginning. I know it's hard, I have been there. Surgery isn't going to magically solve your food issues.

I have been here nearly every day for FOUR YEARS. I have seen multiple people fail who show the red flags you are showing. Guess what? I want you to succeed -- but that isn't going to happen if you continue like this.

I am sure you may choose to block me. That's your choice. However, maybe pull up your britches, admit to yourself that you screwed up, call your surgeon and work out a plan to get back on track.

Prove me wrong about you.

edited to add deleted post for context.

I wasn't looking for "Oh, it's okay!! I know you tried!". I was hoping someone else had been through the same thing and came out on the other side. Or had another drink to try. Or something.

Sorry I'm not going to conform to your expectations of me and block you, but I won't be turning to this forum for any more advice. I have no trouble with tough love, but the spirit in which you replied was not that.