Optifast/ defending Dr. Bour

I feel the need to post this. It is 5 shakes a day and one meal. Every doctor is different. It is to help you start to get used to the restriction for after surgery. No caffeine, no sugar, no carbs. Keeping a food log, etc. It also serves as a way for the Dr. to see who is more likely to be compliant after surgery. You get weighed and counseled at each meeting. You talk about all the different phases after surgery and things like fitness, etc. You get plenty of opportunity to ask questions. A guy in my optifast group was late more than once to a meeting and he had his surgery postponed. Dr. Bour is really concerned about his patients understanding that this is a TOOL and that they are fully informed prior to going into surgery. He makes it absolutely clear that you can and WILL gain all your weight back if you don't make lifestyle changes. He also makes it clear that he will NOT do a revision if you gain weight back as a result of stretching your pouch. You are as educated about this surgery as possible BEFORE you get on that table. He also makes you go on clear liquids the day before surgery - no bowel prep. I was thankful for that much. Dr. Bour is strict and clear. He won't coddle you, but he's great and he was exactly what I (and people like me) need. He wants all of his patients to be successful. And I must say, even though his office staff transitions are making people crazy (including me), I don't regret him doing my surgery. I still feel he was the best surgeon for me. Of course, aren't we all a little smitten with the surgeons responsible for changing our lives for the better? Off the podium now... Kathy

Oh yeah. I HATED Optifast. I was hungry all the time and I even cheated a couple of times. (Come on now, I was on it for 4 weeks. - I've never survived a diet without cheating for 4 weeks!) So no one is perfect on that crap and if you say you WERE you either: 1) didn't have to do it a full 4 weeks or 2) are a BIG FAT LIAR. Love you guys! Kathy

Day 2 of optifast was a little better today.... I found away to make it more tolerable. It might be cheating a little...but don't tell... I have been mixing my shakes with milk... It makes it much better. Also, I put fresh strawberries in the strawberry and it was actually yummy. The chocolate was NASTY!!! It had a horrible after taste. Anyway...I'm doing better and hanging in there. Thanks for listening to me vent. By the way...Dr. Bour is the greatest....that is why he is doing my surgery!!!! Rachel

Girl you are in rare form today!!!!! Melissa

I did Optifast when I was on a medically supervised diet...like 4 yrs ago, but I can't remember if I posted this for you or not.....try adding some flavored extracts that are sugar free (they are all SF) and it really helps. I also would mix the plain chocolate with the mint choc. and it really made it more palatable....they are just soooo sweet. I can't do the shakes anymore after doing that for 3 months! I lost 30lbs in that time, but gained it all back plus some. Anyway, I wasn't coming out "against" your doctor before, just the part about the pre op diet.....I can concur that if I had done something like that for a week or so before surgery, then I would have been able to not had the problems with head hunger or caffeine withdrawal. I think reading Lisa's post, he seems awfully strict...but it is not his responsibility to make sure people are going to stick to the diet, that seemed like punishment for bad children or something...yeah? Anyway, I hope you guys do good and hang in there, its only for 4 weeks That will be the hardest time, after surgery it is a lifestyle change, and you can do it!! You will love, love this surgery and if you make sure you stick to the rules, you should not gain back weight, which now I am on a "soapbox" I hate that post at the top of the page, and yes, that was me *****sponded!! Love ya, Deb