Pre-op Liquid Diet

Hi, I amon day 5 of my 2 week liquid diet...omg, the first 3 days were easy, but it is getting harder and harder, I think. I have been doing this everyday and sticking to it. I lost 5 pounds in the first 3 days and and have been there for the last 2. It is kind of depressing to me, because I feel like I should be losing some everyday. Am I wrong? I have a Carnations SF Instant Breakfast shake every morning and and cup of broth or Campbell's cream soup to go for lunch. I am getting less than 400 calories before I have my dinner. I look so forward to dinner every night...I had a baked Chicken Breast and salad last night. I do notice that in the mornings I have to make myself do the shake, but the afternoon I get so weak and hungry. Tonight will be a hamburger patty (without the bun) and salad. I absolutely love the Spring Mix salad kit.

Kim, I am also Dr Jawads patient and I am about 4 weeks post op.  You should be doing something like Slimfast or Atkins instead of just liquid.  It will help you not be so hungery by the end of the day.  Also drink water or flavored water all day.  Good luck. Sandy

Hi Sandy, I totally can't wait to be where you are.  I hope that you are doing fine with everything.  I tried the Slimfast and just could not do it.  No matter how I try to focus, it just doesn't make it down.  Any suggestions?  I haven't tried the Atkins, does that one taste any better?  I am and have always been a water drinker, that is not a problem for me.  Thank you so much for your encouragment!!! 

Hi Kim, I am not a big fan of the Slim Fast drinks either. It doesn't matter how cold they are or how fast I try to drink them.  But, I tried the Atkins drinks and while I'm not jumping up and down excited about them to me they are better tasting than slimfast.   Someone else gave me a good suggestion as well.  If you go to a Weigh****chers meeting and buy their shakes(You don't have to be a member) and make them with skim milk. They are very tasty! Good Luck with your surgery! ~Cassie~

Hi Cassie, Thank you so much for the advice, I think that I might give that a try.  I have a really bad gag reflux and I just can't stomach the Slim Fast.  I am so ready for this!!!

I know what you mean about getting them down.  At this time I cannot seem to get them down either. I switched to my old medifast shakes to continue with my post op liquids but the chocolate is making me sick.  I used to love chocolate but not cannot stand it.  I stayed with the vanilla slimfast and managed to stay on it.  Try the atkins it may taste better.  Remember that after surgery you are going to need to keep up with some kind of protein shake forever.  Slimfast only has 10g of protein.  But also do not stock up on something you like now because that may change after surgery.  I am mixing plain protein into my old shakes for now.  I am still on liquids and having a tough time with this last week.  Monday I get to have eggs and mushed up stuff like mashed potatoes and a little fish and chicken really small pieces.  Also did you check out Dr J patient forum, it has alot a advise on it as well.  It is very active.  keep in touch. 

Sandy, I think that I will try the Atkins this weekend, by the time I am done, I will have a fridge full of stuff that I hate...hey, maybe that would work??  HAHA.  I think for the protein, I am going to stick with the Unjury for now.  I really like the taste of that one.  I have a friend who gets some shakes from her gym and she is going to bring me one to see if I like it.  I took your advice today, I had some broth for lunch today.  I am hoping that I am going to get through this just as good as everyone else, I am trying to do everything that I was told to do. 

Hey there - I would suggest speaking with your NUT, but my Dr and his staff strongly suggested I use ISOPURE whey protein powder and I did - it kept me filled consistently, let me lose 32lbs pre-op and also provided 25 grams of protein - that's so important to our system. I opted to drink my protein shakes 3xs a day instead of solids for dinner. I also supplemented with chicken broth and s/f popcycles and lots of Crystal light - that to me was my treat because I went cold turkey on sodas. I do NOT have will power but I told myself I had to prove that I could do this pre-op due to what lay ahead.  Congrats to you on your upcoming surgery! Be strong and be happy the best is yet to come! Keep us posted.

Hi,  Thank you for the feed back.  I suppose that I will go out and find me some of the Isopure and try it then.  Yeah, I quit the diet coke about 4 months ago when I started looking into this.  I woke up one morning and said no more and I haven't even craved one at all.  I took a sip off of my husbands pepsi one day and almost gagged.  I didn't like it anymore after I switched to the Walmart brand CherryLimeade.  That stuff is AWESOME and it is about all I drink of the flavored stuff.  I just started drinking milk...I have always hated the taste adn texture, but my husband "accidentally " picked up the fat free one and now I am hooked.   My mom used to water it down for me as a child so that I would drink it and never had it since then until recently!  I still have to put a glass full of ice in it to drink it though.  I am going to try the Atkins shake for lunch today and see how well I can tolerate that taste...fingers crossed!!!