Pre-Op Diet : How Well Did You Do?

Yes it sucks!  I was actually on mine for several days, then my surgery got postponed 4 days.  They let me take a couple of days off and then restart right after thanksgiving b/c of the delay.  

I was not 100% compliant.  I wouldn't recommend not following at all.  The goal is to shrink your liver and you want to do everything you can to make the surgery easier for the surgeon and ultimately safer and more successful for you.  

This is by far the hardest part. 

Good luck!

I agree that this is the hardest part and I thank you so much for being transparent and honest about not being 100% compliant. I am going to try and stick it out. THanks for sharing. 

You are not alone! I don't know of anyone who didn't "struggle." Going from a food addiction where eating is emotionally/physically satisfying to a medically necessary restriction without a surgical restriction is very difficult. Remember, many of us could eat a half pound (or more) of pasta in one sitting! I know I could and truly felt I was starving the first few days.

My pre-op diet was for 7 days and I was allowed low-sugar yogurt, jello, strained cream soups, liquids, and protein drinks. I'm somewhat weird about texture and was very anti sugar-free (am now sucking it up with some of my foods or I would suffer some). I gagged down the yogurt, but mainly survived on Premiere Protein shakes, yogurt, and broth.

I did not cheat whatsoever and, like you, have a toddler and a non-cooking husband. That week the two of them ate with family members at their homes (my parents and FIL) or ate out. I cooked for them once and then excused myself and went upstairs to avoid the temptation. The hardest was when I had to travel for 2 days in the middle of the pre-op phase. I travel once a month for work and over the last few years, this trip was a total binge-eating fest. I'm talking 3 meals of take-out, snacking the entire drive to and from (3 hours, which is a lot of snacking), and more snacks in my hotel room. Leaving my toddler and my husband who has a chronic illness was/is very stressful and binging was my way of coping. It was nothing for me to eat a huge fajita meal with chips and salsa and then return to the room to down a second bag of chips and at least one king-sized candy bar. I took my electric tea kettle and probably drank 4 16 ounce cups of broth that night along with yogurt and shakes.

I was compliant because I wanted to prove to myself and others that I really was invested in making this tool work. Also, I was terrified of surgical complications and wanted to make sure I followed all of my instructions to the letter.

Keep plugging along! You're in the homeward stretch now and life gets so much better after you're sleeved.

Deb

Thanks Deb,

I wish my pre-op diet was just 7 days....I think being on the liquid diet for a little over 3weeks is alot.

I have already lost 12lbs in 9days and I continue to lose weight. I am a girl that likes variety and the sweet shakes are not working. I am only allowed to drink shakes, water and crystal light or broth. I am 267lbs and don't really understand why others were placed on the diet for less time than me.

I lost 30lbs on my own but due to my heart condition had to have weight loss surgery to get the weight off faster. I think that is why I am having a hard time with it as well because I was already on a diet and eating clean before I decided to have surgery and now I have to drink liquids all day.

Before I drank nothing bu****er with meals (protein/veggies only)maybe some lemon or lime in the water because I don't care for sweets.     Today has been really rough because I have a headache and upset stomach. I am going to keep pushing through but I am just a bit frustrated.