Optifast is ghastly. I thought I saw somewhere that they had reformulated it, but it sounds like they haven't (maybe in the States). I find with any of these shakes (and there will be whey protein shakes after surgery) that if you add some unsweetened cocoa powder and/or instant coffee granules, it cuts the sweetness and makes them a bit more palatable, whether you're starting with vanilla or with chocolate. If you can't find the decaf coffee granules, you can brew some decaf coffee, refrigerate it, and use it as the fluid in your shake.

But I'm going to be a troublemaker and give you some information I gleaned from a dietitian with a long list of credentials who has specialized in bariatric surgery for a decade.

The point of the pre-op diet is to shrink your liver, and to do that you need a very low calorie diet (about 1000 cals/day) that's also very low in carbs (less than 50 grams/day) and high in protein. Optifast is a simple (not easy!) way to do that, but it isn't the only way. Any program that still requires Optifast despite new developments in bariatric surgery is simply sadistic.

In this dietitian's program they prescribe a pre-op diet as follows: 2 to 3 protein shakes (they use Orgain), 1 meal with less than 20 grams of carbs (e.g., chicken avocado salad), and a couple of low-carb snacks such as a cup of non-starchy veg, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, or a boiled egg.

In other words, if you stray from the Optifast but keep your calories and carbs down, you will be fine. Now, without a solid knowledge of nutrition, you might not be able to put together such a diet without a dietitian's help, but you really can't go wrong snacking on celery and cucumber if you're desperate for some crunch and some relief from the sweetness of your "meals."

I totally spaced on posting this morning!! I had to make a trip to Shoppers - 20% off coupon plus a formula coupon. It was too good to pass up ;)

Hey, we have the same surgery date!!!

I am going to try your ice cream method, sounds good! Today I added ice and it has been much more tolerable.

I will also pick up some mint extract on the way home, hopefully that will give it a little kick.

I will be thinking of you on surgery date! Good luck and update me on how you are doing!

Melissa

I'm in Saskatchewan and here we use a protein powder called Isoflex. Like a previous poster stated, I can only drink it super cold and I always add stuff to it. I buy the flavourings for water that you squirt into your water. I have added the sugar free country time lemonade to the vanilla as well as a tangerine orange (that tastes like a creamsicle). I have also add the orange to the chocolate powder to make a kind of chocolate orange. The other thing I've tried is freezing it. I put it in the freezer and then stir it about every 20 minutes for an hour or more and it turns into a kind of ice cream. The vanilla lemon is really good this way. Good luck - my surgery is June 17 so I have a ways to go as well.

You're a week after me!

There actually isn't a strong taste of coffee - more a "malty" taste - lucky you- allowed veggies LOL! I really like the Ramen broth (President's Choice)- it's warming and tasty - but you have to measure as 1 cup as I said is 15 calories - so 2/3 is 10.

I'm on Day 1 of Week 2 and it is better - so it does get a little easier (still can't do the vanilla).