Any advice

Hi everyone! I posted this on the main board, but I wanted your thoughts as well.. I am having surgery in Cedar Falls with Dr. Glas**** on Dec 4th.. Thanks for your help! I really could use your help right now. Maybe I am overreacting. I am having surgery December 4th (yeah!) and I am on the 2 week clear liquid diet to shrink the liver and shed some weight prior to surgery. I am on day 6 and so far have only lost like 4-5 pounds!!! I hear people all the time saying they lost 18-20 pounds on this thing, maybe even 12 the first week! Why aren't I? Here is what I am doing, and maybe wha tI am doing is not good enough: 1) I am supposed to keep my caloric intake to around 1000. So far the most I have gotten in is 800. Why? Well honestly I am not much of a "sweets" person so the thought of more jello or more popsickles or more anything sweet makes me gag. I am doing what I can... 2) I am not getting in any free fluids other than maybe a bottle of water a day. I can have ulimited crystal light (more sweet stuff yuck) and water, etc. I haven't really gotten in any b/c it is just even MORE fluid to drink, which I am working on water.. I will try harder there. 3) I am drinking about 3 cups of broth a day, the diet sheet I have doesn't say any type of limit. Low in cals but high in sodium, am I retaining? 4) I am diabetic and got diagnoses this June since then I have dropped 35 pounds on my own but by avoiding these things that have sugar in them, do you think my body is in shock from the sugar in these things? I can't do anything about that though as this is my diet for 2 weeks and the only way I get cals. 5) I should be on my period around surgery time (great!) as most others are do you think it is holding fluid for that? I donno, feeling discouraged. Also my body has been so yo-yo'd with diets over the years that maybe it thinks I am yo-yoing it again and is freaking out. I haven't cheated at all!! It so upsetting to me.. and I know I shouldn't be discouraged that at least is is some loss, but maybe because I was aleady watching what I was eating with the diabetes that it just isn't gonna happen for me like it does others. Thanks for listening to me vent. Any suggesions would be appreciative.. please no flames. I am already upset. Thanks everyone! *big bugs* Melissa

Hi Melissa, first of all congrats on your journey with Dr. Glas****'s office. They are super there! Next, don't worry about your weight loss right now... yes, you could be retaining because of the sodium in the broth. Do try and get in lots of water. No one probably mentioned to you that when you have your surgery that you will gain back any weight lost because they are pumping you full of IV fluids -- so really it's not a big deal as long as you are following his rules. I've heard that Dr. G has been known to cancel surgeries if he finds out someone has been cheating on the liquid diet -- so BE GOOD.... Best of luck on your journey -- I'm 2.5 yrs out and this is all completely worth it. I started out in 24, and currently wear size 12's. At my lowest (which was too low for me) I was in a size 8...... this will be the journey of your life. Keep posting -- you will find a lot of support on the Iowa board -- far more than on the main message board. Janie 272/135/170

HI Melissa, Hang in there you can do it!!!!!More water maybe is the only thing I can think of that you are not getting in...yes it sucks but you really need to get in water,now and after!!!And excercise even if it is around the block just something dif then your usual,start on a routine and just add from there as you can......dont be upset tho ok!!! You are about to start on the adventure of your life!!!! I have loved it I am a lil over a year out I weighed almost #300 and now I weigh #127-8,I have went from a size 26 in waist womens jeans to a size 6 juniors.....Good Luck on your journey,prayers in the air for ya...let us know how your doing ok!!! Lori A.

I agree with Lori and Janie....more water. You need copious amounts of water to gflush away the fat cells you are shedding and the toxins that were held in those fat cells. If you don't drink enough water you won't shed the weight. So, if I were you, I would #1 increase my exercise, even if it is only 10 minutes of walking ; #2 increase my water intake, because you have to get used to that anyway -- after surgery you need to get in at least 64 oz of water every day; and #3 try to get your calorie intake up to that 1000 mark. If you are not getting in enough calories, your body thinks it is starving and will go into starvation mode and will hang on to every pound of fat that it can. So, eating more is what will produce the best result. Good luck and welcome to the loosers!!! jean

Dear Melissa, Did your doctor say how much he wanted you to lose? Mine didn't--just that I couldn't gain any. I started at 398 and only lost 8 pounds after my two weeks of liquid. I'm now out a year and have lost 192 pounds, so pre-surgery weight loss has not been a good predictor of my success. So unless the doctor told you how much to lose, I wouldn't worry about it. The shrinking of the liver will still take place--and that is the real point--to make the surgery easier. Good luck, Sally