I'M STARVING

I'm two weeks pre-op and started my opti-fast diet two days ago. I'm soooo incredibly hungry. My doctor is telling me to tough it out. I've got a huge headache, I'm tired and want to eat.  I'm I going to blow everything if I have a fruit salad, soup, sandwich... something? Advice on getting through two weeks of grueling weight loss on Opti Fast.

You need to be tough my friend! Dring lots of water, stay away from the kitchen, go do something else you enjoy. Hang in there!!!

Been there, eat sugar free jello or sugar free popcycle, chicken or beef broth. it has to be liquid but worth nothing. Lea Ann

Try extra chromium supplements, too.

I pureed regular chunky soup through the blender and drank that.  The point of the liquid diet is more about shrinking your liver than weight loss.  It does not have to be calorie free--Optifast has calories, doesn't it? I did not do Optifast.  I got my own whey powder at Walmart.  Body Fortress with 32 grams of protein, only 3 grams of carbs and zero fat.  I mixed with skim milk so I got extra nutrition and protein from that as well.   Blending the soup got me through 25 days of pre-op liquid diet!  And I was not hungry at all.

Dear Trafficdonna,
This is unbelievable. I'm scheduled to have surgery with Dr. Kriplani on 5th October. What did you think about him? I'm pretty nervous.

About the liver shrinkage... I thought you had to have fluids and high protein. He never told me that I could put any soup through a blender? I'm confused about that?

Thanks for any advice about Kriplani and about shrinking the liver.

Veronica

As with most surgeons, he tells you only what he thinks you need to know.  So if you are nervous, make a list of questions and be sure to ask him everything before surgery.   He really did try to save me some money by ordering medications through hospital pharmacy instead of local pharmacies. He brings in a huge group of associates whenever he visit you in the hospital.  Basically they stand around and do nothing.  Being a pushy American, I refused to pay any of the consulting fees that showed up on my bill for them!  If you read my archived profile posts, you can find out about my whole experience.  My surgery was April 17, 2007. I did pay for a suite after I saw the very small standard rooms.  The nurses on sixth floor, Tower II were angels and I still e-mail them regularly.  They were absolutely wonderful! Dr. Kriplani did not tell me to use the soup.  I added that myself because I could not afford Optifast.  We have Walmart brands of whey protein as I mentioned which were far less expensive here in the States than Optifast.  I did two whey protein shakes a day and the soup once a day.  I still lost 13 pounds and averaged 56-60 grams of protein a day.  He said my liver looked fine prior to surgery. By the way the upper GI endoscopy was the worst thing I have ever experienced.  Here in the States, the patient is put under anesthesia for the procedure.  Basically all they did at Apollo was hold me down so I didn't move, sprayed my throat to numb my vocal cords, and then instructed me to swallow two feet of a fat hose!   It only lasted about ten minutes but it was definitely the most awful experience I have ever had!  Other than that, I was impressed with the care. Good luck and I will be praying for you next week!