Starting my pre-op shakes tomorrow, advice please

I'm starting my HMR's tomorrow. Everyone has asked me what i'm going to eat as my last meal tonight. Honestly, I don't have a request or craving for anything in particular. Ever since I found out my surgery date, Food has been the last thing on my mind. Not even really bummed out about not having Thanksgiving Dinner. But anyways, does anyone have any advice about these shakes? I know I can flavor the vanilla with SF pudding mix and  crystal light, do they really taste bad? My NUT told me if I get the craving to chew something, i could have pickles, but i'm afraid to eat them and risk having my surgery delayed because I ate something solid. I don't want to be a mean old grouch because I'm hungry, will the shakes keep me full along with the 64 oz of fluids? You guys are so much help, I'm counting down the days, only 15 more to go!!!

Michelle

Michelle,

Hang it there...I won't lie, it will be tough!!  But beleive it or not, it really does get easier after a few days.  you'll wanna kick the cat or something for a couple though.  Don't be silly, eat the pickles, you'll want something salty, I had pickles and still had surgery.  Dr. Baker told my family right after surgery that my liver looked great and that's his main concern with the pre-op diet anyways.  Good luck!!!  I'm prayin for ya!

Thank you soo much, guess i'll go out and buy some pickle spears tonight. Congrats to you on your weight loss. That is awesome. I can't wait to be on losers bench soon. 15 days doesn't seem long, but I know it will go by so slow. Dr. Baker is the best!! I know I'm in good hands and this site has been so great for me too. Hope to meet you at a support group soon.
Michelle

The HMR shakes don't taste bad.  I did the vanilla and never added anything to me (even the stuff they allowed you to add for flavor - I just never did). 

The vanilla by itself taste like a melted vanilla milkshake.  They are sweet and have the EXACT flavor of a vanilla milk shake you'd get at the local dairy bar. 

So, in short, they don't taste bad if you like vanilla milkshakes.  But... they DO get old after doing them for 2 weeks.  LOL

I just kept telling myself.... I'm doing this to get my surgery.  I only have to do this for XXX many more days. 

So glad to hear they don't taste bad. I did go out tonight and buy a few flavors of SF pudding mix, but if I don't need them great. I'll make it up for my kids to have as snack. I'll be counting down these next 14 days.
 

WEndy,
Thanks for the advice. I did my first shake this mornin, Vanilla, nothing added, it was okay not the best thing in the world. but will be worth it in the long run.

Sorry I can't be much help with the pre-op diet for Dr. Baker.  I can say not to worry about the pickles though.  Dr. Roller has us do the high protein, no fat, no sugar, and no carbs for the two weeks before the surgery. Then clear liquids the day before surgery.  So I do know that the pickles definately won't hurt.  Now is a good time to practice the sipping water all day if you're not a big water drinker.  After surgery it is really important to get in at least 64 oz of water every day.  They say that you really should drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day so my intake is 108 oz a day.  The water will help to fill you up too.  Good luck.  Can't wait to see you on the other side.

Michelle,
I flavored mine, b/c I got tired of vanilla.  Im not a sweet eater and never have been, so this part was pretty tough for me.  My favorite shake was to flavor w/2 tbsp of s/f strawberry jello and 1/2 frozen banana, and my hubby's favorite, (he has done every step w/me, if I didnt eat, he didnt eat!!!) was vanilla shake powder and intstead of water add s/f orange soda and ice in the blender, tasted just like an orange cream shake from sonic.  We tried different flavors of diet soda, I liked the Diet A&W instead of water w/the shakes, and I almost always added ice to mine in the blender to make it thick and creamy.  I also flavored with s/f puddings, but I'll warn you, dont add alot, b/c it tends to make them very thick and slick. 

I also used any fresh fruit and added a container of splenda sweetened yogurt to mine for flavor.  Like I said, I dont do chocolate, and the vanilla got old.

Another thing I did was to freeze them a few hours and they got like soft serve ice cream.  Id go and stir it every now and then, and when it got to the consistency I wanted, I pulled them out.  I made some of mine up into popscicles and they were like pudding pops.  Had to get creative, cuz I am not one to eat the same things over and over and over.

Good luck, you are in great hands, and be thankful for the pickles, b/c when I had my surgery, he never told me I could eat pickles, so I did NO chewing at all unless on the ice cream shakes or the pudding pop ones. 

Like Wendy said, every day tell your self you only have to do this for xx # of days.  We are here for you.  Hope to meet you at support group soon.

Rhonda D.

I'm not a milk drinker or shake person, but for the next 14 days, I'll live with it. Thanks for the advice on making the shake pops and adding the jello and fruit. Whatever it takes I'm willing to do, Come to far now to not follow Dr. Baker's orders. The only thing I'm worried about is drinking all 5 of them. Do you know if it will be bad if I can only do 3 along with all the non calorie liquids? If I have to do all 5 I will, but gosh that seems like soo much.

This is not the answer Dr. Baker would want me to say, but no, I didnt get in all 5 of mine ever, thats how hubby tried some.  It was just to much for me, too much sweet.  I drank lots of crystal lite and diet coke then, and will be honest and say, even drank some pickle juice b/c I craved the salty.
So, no, I never got 5, one day I got 4, but only one day.  I still lost 12 pounds and he was happy w/me. 

Good luck,
Rhonda D.