Milk Diet Whoas

So I'm only 3 days into the pre-op milk diet and I'm feeling like I'm going to lose it! I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to keep going for another 18 days!!!! My daughter was eating Dorito's in the car tonight (we were running from one thing to the next, as usual) and I wanted to grab one and just lick it.  My brain kept saying, "it won't hurt, its only MSG and some fake cheese, right?"  My triplets' birthdays was this last week and I ended up throwing away their leftover cake because I couldn't stand seeing it all the time.  I had to lie and say the dog ate part of it so they wouldn't be mad at me.  My husband made a tuna salad sandwich and left the tuna salad sitting out on the counter where I could see and smell it.  I've never thought tuna smelled SOOOOO good in my life.  I yelled at him for leaving it out.  I'm snapping at the kids when they want a treat and I'm avoiding social outings because I don't want to be tempted.

I thought I was going to handle this just fine since I've had 7 months to plan for this, but I'm seriously losing it! 18 more days seems SO far away. Am I going to continue to go crazy until the surgery or is there hope somewhere that I'm not seeing. HELP!!!

Can you describe what your "milk diet" entails?  I've never heard someone use that term for their pre-op diet!  

Some ideas:

1. The first 3-4 days of the pre-op liquid diet seem to be the worst for most people.  Once you make it through, it gets easier.  
2. Sit down with your family and have a good talk with them.  Explain that this pre-op period is particularly difficult for you and that you'd appreciate any extra kindness and support they can give to you.  Explain some things that this entails - not eating around you, not leaving food out, etc.  Apologize for your snapping and yelling.  Tell them the truth about the cake - not only do you not want to get into the habit of lying and blaming the dog, but they should know that the cake being around was hard for you and that you threw it away because that's how serious and committed you are to success.  
3. Use this time to find a therapist if you don't already have one.  It is hard.  The whole process is hard.  It messes with our brains and sorting out the brain is the only way we'll have long term success.  Therapy can help you to recognize better when the warning signs of "I'm going to take my frustrations out on other people" are cropping up so that you can remove yourself until it passes.

You'll make it through this.  Keep your eyes on your goals and the reasons why you chose this for yourself.  :)  This early in your liquid diet, I don't see much wrong with avoiding social interaction.  You might feel differently after you've survived the first week.  For me, keeping busy during the pre-op period was a HUGE life saver for me.  

On the UK Fat Doctor series, they call it the milk diet and literally drink milk for the whole pre-op diet.

Thank you so much Gwen for your response.  The milk diet is essentially what others posted. My 3-4 meals consist of 8-20oz of skim milk (I recently changed to soy since the cow milk was giving me acid reflux) drank over 20minutes.  On the side I can have water, crystal light, chicken broth or propel.  Your advice about the counselor was perfect. I teared up when I realized this process is going to seriously mess with my brain.  Over the last 20 years I've allowed it to be trained to think one way and now I'm basically reprogramming it.  There's bound to be some glitches and power downs in the process of rebooting, right? ;)

Thanks again for your advice

Weird!  I had no idea that some liquid diets were literally just milk.  Mine was 5 protein shakes a day for 2 weeks.  It sucked :P  All liquid diets suck.  But, remember it's short term and you'll get through it.  :)

as Gwen said, the first three or four days are the worst.  It gets easier after that.   If you can really drink milk on your diet, be glad for that.  I could drink four (or maybe five?  It's been awhile) protein shakes a day, plus clear liquids (broth, Crystal Ligh****er, SF jello, SF popsicles).  I've never eaten so much SF jello and SF popsicles in my life because they were the closest thing I had to solid food.   Just white knuckle it for a couple of days, and the worst will be over.  The pre-op diet truly is the worst part of this whole experience.  The diet gets much better after surgery, even though it's very limited the first few weeks.

Thanks Catwoman! The jello and Popsicle advice was mind-blowing and a bit humbling to hear (i'm a nurse and we use those for clear liquid diets all the time and I didn't even think about it).  It is nice to hear that there's an end in sight too.  I'm making a list of the things that sound amazing right now and plan on seeing how they sound after I'm cleared to eat regular foods.  I figured tuna salad is still ok for post surgery, but I have my class on my postop diet on Monday so I'll find out soon enough if my list will last.

Thanks again Catwoman! :)

the pre-op diet is tough.  After surgery, you have the physical changes in your tummy and metabolism to help you, but pre-op you are operating on pure force of will.  You can do this, but it is tough. 

You might talk to your surgeon or nutritionist.  Sometimes they will allow cucumber slices, or other low cal foods as snacks.  They have so few calories that they don't do any harm, and will give you something to chew on.

I avoided social situations when I was doing the pre-op diet (I did three months of low cal, low carb dieting before surgery and two weeks on the liquid diet.)  I just didn't want to watch other people eating all these yummy foods when I couldn't have any.  Even if  knew I could find foods that would match the diet, I just didn't want to feel deprived.  After surgery, it wasn't such an issue, but before surgery it was important to me. 

Actually, I still avoid parties and going out to eat when I can.  Its just easier for me to avoid the temptation.  I'm happy eating my healthy foods at home, but I feel deprived when I can't eat all the goodies at parties. 

Well, Hang in there.  You can do this.  Its hard, but possible.  And the rewards will be so good.  I lost 225 pounds in about 18 months, and I'm maintaining at (or at least near) a normal BMI.  I have energy and mobility and I'm able to do so much more.  It is so worth it.  You can do this!

Carol

Cappy, thank you so much for your response.  I loved hearing that this will get better after the surgery.  I've been questioning my plan since this has been very difficult for me, so it is nice to hear that it does get better even if the solid food doesn't start immediately after surgery.  I'm not sure if they'll allow the solid foods, but no harm in asking, right?  And I'm trying to stay busy so I'm not tempted.  My daughter even helped me today when she was eating a chicken quesadilla (again, on the go) and I was starving since it had been hours since I'd had anything besides crystal light.  I was tempted to eat just a bight of it and when I finally put it down without eating any of it she rubbed my arm and said, good job mom. She's 9, but understands what and why I'm doing this.

Anyway, thanks for the advice again. It was much appreciated!