Liquid Diet Questions

As you all know, I'm working my way through a 3 week liquid diet.  The instructions from the surgery center say that I can have the following:  Meal Replacement drinks (including SlimFast, Boost, Ensure, or similar), Carnation Instant Breakfast made with Skim or 1% milk, 8 oz. Slim or 1% milk, Yogurt Smoothie, 8 oz. Creamed Soup made with Skim or 1% milk.  So far, I have tried both SlimFast  (Optima and High Protein) and Atkins Advantage Protein shakes.  The problem is, after a couple of days of the shakes I physically cannot keep them down anymore.  There's something about the smell and taste of the protein that makes me gag the whole way through it and for about an hour afterward (if I can keep it down).  I talked with the Dr. about it on the 6th day of the liquid diet and they told me to eat a bland meal (like deli meat or a chicken breast) when the nausea got too bad and I've done that two times already - once on Day 6 and then again on Day 9.  They seemed completely stumped and really not too invested in helping me resolve the issue.  I really want to follow the true liquid diet as closely as possible as my surgeon said that he would not operate if he couldn't get past my liver laproscopically (this was a blanket comment made to all patients, not me specifically).  Today is Day 12 and I've lost 20 pounds since the start of the liquid diet.  My next solution is to eat the creamed soup 3 times a day even though I'm already sick of eating it, it doesn't make me sick.  Does anyone have any other ideas?  Is it too soon to just switch to clear liquids for a meal or two a day (and the above recommendations for the other meal or two)? I really appreciate any advice. 

I understand your frustration.  I had to do the liquid diet for 2 weeks prior to my surgery and what I ended up doing was drinking one Slim Fast and then I had a hard boiled egg for lunch and a lean cuisine for dinner - with my nutritionist's approval.  I lost 20 lbs. in those two weeks and was fine. I think you would be okay eating the creamed soups but also think that you should eat a bland meal with mainly protein so that you can go into the surgery as healthy as possible. Do you think if you called and spoke to the Doctor's office that they would approve this?  It's worth a shot. Just keep in mind that after surgery you are going to have to drink protein supplemental drinks for a while - and your tastes will probably change.    For me, the only one that I halfway like is the CIB NSA and I mix it with 1/2 cup water, 1 1/2 cups skim milk, 1/2 cup powdered milk and one packet Chocolate CIB NSA - this is a reicpe that my NUT gave me and it increases the amount of protein I am able to get in. Good luck!

Thanks!  I'm going to try the CIB NSA and see if I like that better.  I'll mix it with powdered milk too to boost the protein.  The Dr. office said that they are fine with me doing the bland protein meals, but they sounded like they thought I shouldn't need to do it. Maybe it's psychological - I feel like if I eat something bland (even if they say it's OK) that I failed at the liquid diet.  I get a little weird when it comes to doing things "perfectly".  I'm worried about having the same issues post-op.  I know that I will have to get through one more week of it.  After the first week I get to move on to the mushies and my Dr. office says NO protein shakes or liquid calories after week 1 unless there is NOTHING else that you can keep down.  I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to that day.   I'll see if there's additional advice that can help me stick with just the liquids, but I'm thinking I'll start to incorporate a few more bland foods into the diet and just keep watching to make sure that I continue to lose weight.

oh do I soooo understand I was so sick of my liquid diet before surgery I  was crushed that I had to stay on one after surgery. I have a protein drink that you might like it is called Fruit Blast and isolete I by it at the Vitamin world and it is good. it comes in Stawberry Kiwi and cranrazz it is not bad at all and tast nothing like slim fast or some of the other protein I have tried. but it you can't handle it stick to the soup it sucks but you seem to be doing so well just remember this to will pass.

The liquid diet pre-op is one of the hardest things ever! SF CIB is really good mixed with nonfat milk or soy milk. I really liked Unjury protein powder, it's about the only one I could drink on a daily basis. Another one that was OK was Necter Roadside lemonade, but it does have the smell. I had to mix a packet of Crystal Light Lemonade (the to go kind) in for more flavor and have it really really cold. Can you have SF Jello or SF Popcicles? I swear I lived on those. This is tough, but your doing great and just keep telling yourself this is all for a better you! You can do it!!

We have the same surgeon and the same liquid diet!  I ended up drinking a lot of milk and substituting the soups and drinks in.  I ended up going with Ensure as they had pecan and berry flavored and didn't seem to be as sweet as the slimfasts.  You can have sf popsicles and jello as wanted.  Feel free to pm me!

Thanks so much for your support everyone!  It should get me through at least a few more days.   I'm absolutely going to try a lot of these suggestions and just keep plugging away at it.  For those of you that use Unjury, how long does it take to receive a shipment?  Does the Unjury have that smell?  I've thought about using that and mixing it in to SF jello - it might make things a lot easier.  I like SF jello although I haven't eaten much of it since being on the liquid diet for some reason.  I don't really get hungry anymore and when I drink the shakes I just focus on choking those down.  Again, thanks!  I feel a lot better.

The one and only time I got Unjury and it smelled icky I called Jerome and it was replaced right away. Normally it doesn't have the smell that others have. Not sure on the shipping time, guess it depends on where you live. I wanna say it took 4-5 days but I'm on the other side of the country from them. I think they would ru**** I lived on the Unjury Chocolate for the first month after surgery.  I used to add Unjury unflavored to everything, SF pudding was really good.

How about the smoothie?  I would take the protein powder, ice, yogurt and some skim milk and whir it all up in the blender.  Disguises that protein powder great.  Not sure, but if you can, add 1/2 bananna to it.   My unjury takes 3-4 days from the order time for me to receive it.  In my opinion, it's the best.  No aftertaste, no gagging smell, and it's smooth...not gritty.  If you are scared about ordering a big tub of it, they do have samples you can order to try. I was on a 5 day clear liquid diet.  Could have shakes the first 2 days and then no more after that.  I couldn't imagine 3 weeks!  My my liver was fine because they did it laparascopically and no problems.