What Have I Done and WHY???

First off, Good luck to everyone who is having surgery this week, I wish you all the best of luck and a speedy/easy recovery. Congratulations on making it this far. OK - I saw my surgeon on Thursday for my pre-op, found out I lost 15 pounds and he said there was no reason the surgery won't go and go great. (I was suppose to lose 25-27 pounds before sugery) Somehow that gave me some ridiculous right of passage or something because I have been cheating on my optifast liquid diet ever since. Not too terribly until today. What I mean by not too terribly is a few bites of regular food here and there, some cherries and popcorn last night, a handful of chips Saturday but today while I was out, I actually bought a 3 musketeers candy bar and stopped by a drive through and got some onion rings. I was so good about my liquid diet for almost 2 weeks and with only 11 days to go before surgery and I go crazy. WHY??? Can I get back on track? I have to, now I am 9 days out, I have to concentrate on this diet to get my liver and stomach shrunk down so I can reduce the risk of complications. I really need some support and encouragement. If I can't stick to this and all I think about is food, how can I possibly succeed with this surgery, I'm scared because I am self paying and if I don't succeed, I will be out $22,000. I need a swift kick in the butt. ANYONE?

You are doing great. I am certainly glad that my surgeon does not require the liquid diet before surgery. I would have cheated much more than you have. I keep looking at food and thinking, I will probably never be able to enjoy this again. I think that is why I am eating more than normal. I do know that I have my mind set on doing this surgery thing right. I will lose weight and he healthy. We are almost there. I am trying to stop smoking right now, and I smoked one today. Then my evil side started telling me, come on you already smoked one, you might as well smoke another. I am just going to pick myself up and start again, stop listening to that evil side that says one more want hurt. We are almost there, and you will do great. Debbie

Thank you Debbie, I know a lot of doctors don't require the pre-op diet, but I feel like it's a test for post-op compliance and I'm failing. I will forgive myself, hopefully, it will be easier when I'm at work all day rather than home with all the food available. I just hope I can't tolerate anything bad for me post-op. Is that bad to hope for?

Janice, my surgery is on the 27th. I start my liquids on the 13th. I remember a couple of months ago, I tried the liquids for a day, but by the time dinner came around I was ready to eat my right arm. But I have learned since then that the protein makes all the difference in the world. When ever I feel like eating, I am going to have a protein shake. I have noticed when ever I have done that it makes me feel satisfied. I am sure when I am doing it full time I will want something to eat as well. But I am going to try chewing sugar free gum. I have done the high protein low carbs and I have lost 49 pounds since Feb. so I am hoping this is going to give me a head start on the liquids and the surgery. I also have been walking 1 mile in 26 minutes 4 times a week. And they tell me that if we walk before and after, we will heal much faster. So let's work toward that. Thanks for listening to me too. Rita 325/276/140 date set for 7/27/05

Thanks Rita, I've tried and succeeded at all the hints, gum, water and cucumbers (which are allowed by my surgeon) but I still fell off....I will get back on the right path. Good luck to you and your diet and surgery.

DEBBIE , I FEEL YOUR PAIN .. I QUIT ON THE 12 TH OF JUNE AND ITS STILL SOOOOO HARD I WANT A CIG SOOO BAD . BUT WE CANT SMOKE IF WE WANT WLS .. SARA

I quit smoking 2 years ago and I figure if I could do that I could do anything. Good luck with your quitting.

Hang in there. It may seen hopeless now, but you can do this. I think it will be alot easier to not think about food when we are not hungry, or we get full faster. I think this is normal and you will get past this feeling of disappointment. Stay positive!! Good luck!!

Janice, My surgery is this Wednesday and I have only had to be on high protein/low carb and that has been hard enough. You are doing great. Just a little back slide. Just take each day one at a time. From what I have read, it is quite normal for all of us to be even more obsessed with food right before surgery. Always wanting to have a last bite of something we think we won't have again after the surgery. Just do your best and you everything will work out. Good Luck, Brenda

I sure hope you're right. I actually have heard that too. Best of luck to you on Wednesday.