Struggling with pre-op diet..... any advice is appreciated!!!
Hi All,
My surgery is scheduled for December 19, 2014 and I am required to do the pre-op diet for 3 weeks. I started this on Saturday and by Sunday was ready to chew off my husbands arm and eat it. Today is going a little better (so far) but I get so hungry that I am in tears and questioning whether or not I will be able to pull this off - I have wanted this for as long as I can remember.
I spent a lot of my weekend doing research, reading blogs, talking to friends who have had Roux En-Y done... but am still left with so many unanswered questions.
My pre-op diet consists of 4 x Optifast 900 shakes per day, SF jello, SF gum, SF popsicles, SF drinks and some broth. I feel like I am desperate for ANY food - vegetables, salad.... anything. I have seen so many posts of people who are on the pre-op diet who are allowed their shakes, a certain amount of protein, some specific veggies, salads with low/no fat dressing, etc. I am on day 3 out of 20 and wonder how in the world I am going to make this happen.
Being at work today is a bit easier, but while at home, this time of year, watching TV, going shopping, etc. I am literally surrounded by food - TV commercials, in public.... its everywhere....
This is going to get harder before it gets easier, isn't it? I feel desperate to eat!!
PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!
So I am onto Day 11 of Opti, I noticed that some people are on modified pre-op diets, your center decides what works best for them and you. I totally get it, my day 2 was my son's b-day party with family with all the glorious food and cake, you are always surrounded by food and that is not going to change post-op. It took a few days but it does get better. I haven't felt hungry on opti aside from day 1 & 2, its more the mental desire to eat rather than my tummy saying "feed me"
Stay strong, try and space out your shakes and broth so your not going long stretches with nothing, lots to drink too. If you feel like you want to chew off your husbands arm, try to occupy your brain with something else, go for a walk, do something around the house, do a puzzle.....anything.
It gets better and it will all be worth it.
So I am onto Day 11 of Opti, I noticed that some people are on modified pre-op diets, your center decides what works best for them and you. I totally get it, my day 2 was my son's b-day party with family with all the glorious food and cake, you are always surrounded by food and that is not going to change post-op. It took a few days but it does get better. I haven't felt hungry on opti aside from day 1 & 2, its more the mental desire to eat rather than my tummy saying "feed me"
Stay strong, try and space out your shakes and broth so your not going long stretches with nothing, lots to drink too. If you feel like you want to chew off your husbands arm, try to occupy your brain with something else, go for a walk, do something around the house, do a puzzle.....anything.
It gets better and it will all be worth it.
I was on a similar diet for two weeks pre-op and now two weeks post-op. I know it's hard, but it will get easier aound day 5. Keep your eye on the prize. Being the strongest you can be for surgery, and a good start to your new life. You can do this!
Height: 5'7". HW: 299, Program starting weight: 290, SW: 238, CW 138 - 12 pounds under goal!
on 12/1/14 1:49 am
My surgery was Aug 27, 2014. I have lost 52 pounds as of today. The hardest part of all this was the preop diet. Our brains are wired to eat and eat and eat. That is what has brought us together in this forum. After your surgery the psychology and exercise will be very new to you. It is for me. I am getting ready to go to exercise class at 2 PM. I do that three times per week now. I walk on the inbetween days. I no longer have Diabetes type II and I am down to two pills for high blood pressure, soon to go away I am told by my primary care doctor. It is without a doubt that what got us to where we are with our weight is a uncontrolled diet full of the things that will kill us. You will get this done and soon you will be writing to someone like am to you. It is like a parent talking to their child. The child is saying "I have problems" and we reply, "I know, I know". The child does not believe we do. The parent knows better, right? Stick with it countrybella! You can do this.
I was on a liquid diet for 3 weeks pre-op and for 2 weeks post op, 800 calories. No food. I don't think of SF jello, broth, sf popcycles as food that fills you up. I drank a lot of water and crystal light.
The first 4 or 5 days were the worst, I had such a headache, I was told it was carb withdrawl. After you are on this for awhile you get use to it. Then I kind of lost interest in food for awhile because I knew it would be a total of 5 weeks on liquids.
This was the hardest part for me. Good luck you are not alone, other people feel the same way you do. But after surgery i was so happy I didn't cheat on the liquids and I lost a lot of weight. Keep your eye on the prize.
Thank you so much for your reply!! 5 weeks on a liquid diet, wow!!! I thought 3 weeks was bad, however, I know that after surgery I will be on liquids again for a while too.
I am relieved to hear that others feel the same way I do. Last night seemed unbearable, I went to bed as soon as I got home from work, had planned to get up and have some broth, but instead just ate my last shake of the day and some jello. After that I was nauseous, at times gagging and nearly running to the bathroom to puke. I went back to sleep shortly after.
This morning I felt a bit better, I didn't feel as desperate for food.... maybe that's because it is first thing in the morning. I really hope the hunger subsides. It is taking everything in me to not eat a piece of baked chicken, or some celery, steamed veggies - ANYTHING. Last night I was happy that I didn't "cheat" afterwards.... I feel like this is going to be a long time.
I can't believe that I never noticed how food oriented everything is... Christmas probably makes this worse.
I appreciate all of your comments, suggestions, and kind words. THANK YOU!
