starting day 5 on Optifast

Well folks I hope everyone is snug inside on this stormy New Brunswick morning.  Well all except Charline W who arrived in England to snow.  I just thought I would update you on how things are going thus far on the Optifast.  I started with my first shake on Tuesday morning and was not so keen on it.  By the end of that first day I was kind of discouraged because i was having to put my head back and just pour it in because I was not struck on the texture or the flavour.  HOWEVER I have since taken some good advice from Patsy and I went shopping for a good blender cup and I have found my groove with this stuff.  I am doing great! 

Patsy said "the colder the better" and she is so right.  I am fortunate enough to have a fridge at work so I can chill my water but I also froze water in the bottom of the bottle so that the water is icy cold.  I also went to GNC and got these little Blender Bottles with a little metal wire wisk ball in them and they blend the shakes nice and smooth.  They are awesome little bottles.  It means I don't have to carry an electric blender back and forth to work.  So once I am sure I have it icy cold, I drink can it more slowly and I really am enjoying it.

Then too I don't drink water for about 15 minutes or so before I have my shake and I wait a full hour afterwards before I drink water again.  That way the nutrition of the shake stays with me longer and I am not hungry at all.  Only a couple of times has my stomach growled.   I try to spread the shakes out over the first part of my day because I tend to be less hungry after supper.  I have one around 7:30, one at about 11:00, one at about 2 to 2:30 and the last one around 5:30-6:00.  I just drink water in the evening and go to bed a bit earlier than usual because if you are sleeping you are not wanting to eat things you shouldn't.  I am proud to say I have not cheated once so far and I doubt I will have too much trouble in that department.  One big thing that is encouraging me not to cheat is the weight loss thus far.  Since Tuesday I am down 8.5 pounds!  I know some of that is fluid but not much since I take a fluid pill which keeps me pretty much excess fluid free.  I have been swimming a couple of times this week and I am going to get on the treadmill later this morning. 

I was a bit wobbly in the knees by Wednesday but by yesterday that was all gone.  I was headachy in the afternoons on Wednesday and Thursday but by yesterday that was not an issue either.  I just took one tylenol and kept on trucking.  My only other concern is (brace yourself - TMI coming up as in - Too Much Information) constipation.  I have issues when I am eating real food.  I have to make sure my dietary fibre is high every day because of a pre-existing condition that we won't get into.  But the Optifast has no dietary fibre listed on the box so I was a bit concerned and rightfully so.  By Wednesday Oh My Goodness!  So yesterday and today I have put just a tiny bit of Fiber Sure (similar to Benefiber) in one of my shakes in hopes that it will make things more comfortable.  Nuff said about THAT!

So basically I have this to say about Optifast.  At first it is difficult.  Very difficult.  But if you hang tough and keep your eyes on the outcome - shrunken liver and lower body weight to help with a safer surgery - you will do just fine.  I have adjusted quite well I think and I am grateful for the chance to do the Optifast because I feel it is preparing me for after surgery and the liquid diet that is needed so I can heal properly and have the band get seated properly.  I am kind of sorry I didnt get at least one box of the vanilla just to give me some variety but I am not a big fan on vanilla flavoured things so I shyed away from it.  If I had it to do over again - I would try at least one box of vanilla and the rest chocolate. 

I hope anyone else who decides to go with Optifast gives is an honest try and remembers cold cold cold, shake shake shake and remember why you are doing this and it will be okay.
Ann

Woohoo 8.5 pounds!!!  Amazing Ann.  Hang in there as already you are on the successful track to your life changing journey. 

I will likely try all the flavours as prefer variety in my life - has to be really good for me to eat left overs for more than one day - rest goes in hubby's lunch even if it takes him a week to finish, lol.

What is GNC?  I am planning on using my blender or Tupperware Quickshake as it has the wheel inside to mix things well.

Good luck with the fiber - may keep that in mind when my turn comes along so thanks for the heads up!

Hey Michelle,
GNC is a store in the mall near here that sells vitamins, Health items and a lot of stuff for body builders etc.  It stands for General Nutrition Center.  There used to be one at Champlain Mall in Moncton, not sure if it is still there. I have a tupperware Quickshake and I know you are a Tupperware dealer but I found it did not do nearly as good a job as the Blender Bottle.  the metal wisk like ball is about the size of a golf ball and it does a great job because if floats free in the liquid. 

There are only 2 flavours for the Optifast - Chocolate and Vanilla.  But I am doing fine with just the chocolate and so can't complain.  I am doing better with the fiber too so I think I have things well in hand.

I will keep you posted as to how well I do over the weekend.  I was worried about being alone today in a storm with nobody around.  I am a notorious closet eater.  I overeat something terrible when I am alone so it could have been a bad day but so far so good.  Hubby is home from work and I am okay.  Just had another shake and I made sure I saved 2 for later in the day since weekends are different for me than weekedays in terms of activity level and things to occupy my time when alone.

I have had some "head hunger" - the urge to eat for eating's sake but I didn't give in and just had a big glass of ice water instead.  I will be fine I think.  Just tomorrow and Monday and then my last visit with Lise before surgery, one more week of Optifast and it will be surgery time.  Woo hoooo
Ann

You arte doing fantastic. Good on you, Ann!
What is the blender with a ball thingy?  Is it like the Bullett blender?
As for the TMI- you can't deliver, what you don't consume!!   If you are uncomfortable, call Lise. Otherwise, forget about it! i wouldn't add anything without her blessing.
Keep up the good work. I will check tomorrow to see your post reporting that you got through another day successfully!  (you best do the same for me too -I will really need it)

Hi Charline - over there in the land of my ancestors.  Maiden name was McLeod - from the Hebrides many many many years ago. 
I am doing great still - yesterday was fine.  I am still a bit uncomfortable but I am waiting to talk to Lise to see what I can do.  I really am having no trouble with the shakes - long as they are ice cold its all good.  You will do just fine, I just know it.  I was missing tea and coffee and they didn't say if I could have any so yesterday I had some ho****er.  I know it sounds funny but it was kind of comfy on a stormy day. 
The Blender Bottle is not an electric device.  I guess you could say it Eco Friendly in that you provide the shaking.  Its just a plastic bottle (oh plastic - maybe not so Eco Friendly) that holds about a half liter.  There are larger ones too that hold a liter.  It has markings on the side in 100 ml increments and although they are hard to see I just marked the 300 ml mark with a sharpie marker so I could see it easily without my glasses in the morning.  You just put the 300 mls of ice water in, add your Optifast, put on the cover and shake shake shake for about 60 seconds or so and pop the top and sip away.  I got 3 and I use one a couple of time just rinsing ou in between before I put it in the dishwasher. 

Yesterday I put in about 300 mls and then about 3 ice cubes and let it sit for about 5 minutes to get good and cold and then scooped out 2 of the ice cubes, leaving on in there and took the water down to just above 300 mls and mixed it up.  Nice and icy and went down smoothly. 

You cannot premix your Optifast it has to be consumed right away after mixing. 
Ann

great to hear that you're doing ok with the plan.  Is everybody prescribed optifast?  it sounds like it's the only thing you can have...  I was under the impression that you could have soups and different liquids.

Is optifast usually covered since it's prescrirbed?  anybody else on the great west life plan?

just curious

Thanks for your comment.  If you cannot afford the Optifast you can use Slimfast.  Dr. Beau does not mind and will give you the option but he tells you that Slimfast does not work as well at shrinking the liver as Optifast does.  And since I have had liver issues in the past I decided to go with Optifast.  He did not really write a perscription.  He has a standing perscription with the company in Montreal that supplies it and the dietician, Rinette, calls them, tells them your name and address and tells them to expect your call.  When you call and identify yourself they ask you to verify your address for shipping.  I am going to check with my plan to see if it is covered and if so I will ask for a paper perscription so I can claim it.  I have Sun Life insurance and they are not necessarily friendly to this kind of thing so I doubt it will be a claimable item.  I just paid for it from the money I had been saving for the surgery before it got covered by the province.  I wanted to be sure that I was doing the best I can do so that the surgery goes well for me.  Michelle is going to Dr. Savoie and she has commented on this so that might help you.
Ann

When I saw Dr S during the consult I asked about the liquid diet and he said he could write a prescription for the shakes so that they would be covered under my husband's drug plan (although still need to check that it is covered as some drug plans are funny - don't think they covered my birth control at one point).

Hi,
Just curious....how much does the Slimfast or the Optifast cost for the 2 weeks?  And does anyone just do a liquid diet of their own such as soups?  I did my own, (as was recommended by my surgeon) and lost quite a bit, but I would think it is easier for the Dr. if he knows exactly what people are eating, or should I say drinking those last 2 weeks. 

and...it may surprise some of you to realize...that if you study the top WLS surgeons around the world....Weiner, Himpkins, Hess, Scarpio, Gartner, etc...and the other hundreds around the globe...it is a point that they differ on.  

Some do not do the presurgery liquids or any diet beyond just eating normally or to cut down a bit, etc.  Some do it for the DS, but not for their Band patients.   I did alot of research into the presurgery diet before my surgery, as my surgeon just said "low cal liquids". 

And it is interesting how different the approach is.  For me...the idea of Slimfast/optifast looks easy.   Not easy to do, don't get me wrong, I admire you immensely gals/guys...but easy in your head to know you are doing the right thing if you know what I mean...it is black and white. 

If you cheat you know you cheated.  For me...define low cal?  What was too low, not low enough?  Did I get enough, did I sometimes get too much?  and during this time, when I was really looking into others presurgery diets...I really became aware...it is not actually done all the time.

interesting eh.
Take Care,
C
Thx,
C

Hi there,

I don't know what the Slimfast would cost since I chose Optifast because Dr. Beau and his dietician Rinette suggested it was the best way to go.  The Optifast was about $220 for the 2 week supply.  The reason Dr. Beau wants this rather than food is because if you follow the plan of 4 shakes per day with water for snacks, the liver shrinks.  Each shake is 225 calories for a total of 900 per day.  That is what it is really called on the box - Optifast 900. 

By having his patients follow this regime prior to surgery, Dr. Beau has seen the difference in the liver and strongly believes in the benefits.  I would not want to trust myself quite frankly to try to eat just 900 calories a day at this time to ensure that my liver is properly shrunk to assist the doctor do his job.  I would be afraid I would eat something that would be metabloized by my liver causing it to enlarge.  Alcohol is another factor that your liver needs to be free of so that too is an issue. Thank goodness I don't drink.  That would be another tough spot to get through otherwise.

They told a story at our information session about a woman, *****mained nameless, who had gotten to the last weigh in before surgery and then the week before surgery decided she wanted to say good bye to ice cream and ate liters and liters of it daily for the week before surgery.  When Dr. Beau got inside,  her liver was huge because of all the fat from the ice cream that she had devoured the week before.  When the liver is enlarged it becomes brittle and so he refused to lift her liver to place the band for fear of injuring her liver and putting her life at risk.  So the woman woke up from surgery with a couple of wounds but with no band.  She was upset as you might expect, but she was not where she needed to be nor was she willing to do everything she was told prior to surgery. 

I am lucky I could afford Optifast but in lieu of that I would have done Slimfast so that my doctor will not have to worry about my liver compromising my surgery. 

I am not sure if one could just do their own thing, that is not an option that was offered to me.  I was told Optifast or Slimfast.  I did not consider doing anything else.  And yes I agree it is easy in your head  - I know that each pouch is 225 calories and at the end of the day I have had 900 calories exactly.  Its also not so hard once you get past your first day or 2.  I found a grove and a routine and its working for me. 

Hope my comments are clear and present things in a way that helps others with this step of the process.
Ann