OPTI vs Protein shakes

how are they different ? Why do you have to be on OPTI instead of something else ? And do they push you to buy from the doctor's office or you can buy it yourself ? The price tag is kinda high. Also, anyone tried strawberry flavour ? Can't stand chocolate or vanilla

well from what I know the optifast that we are put on is 900 calories for the whole day for 4 packs were as if you were taking a protein shake it can have varying calories depending on the kind....also the doctors dont force you to purchase it from them as long as its the one they are requesting you to take they dont really question where you are getting it from...i havent tried strawberry not sure the optifast 900 comes in strawberry.

thanks for reply. I sent you a private message :)

The 900 only comes in Choc or Vanilla.  The Optifast is what is going to clean the fat from your liver before surgery.  Well worth the price tag and it's only a couple weeks worth depending on your starting weight.  The Opti 800 in the USA is not the same and really tastes BAD!  

Just my $0.02!

can you get the soup mix too  or just the  shakes ? There is whole bunch of packet or liquid diets that put you under 900. Some are even at 600-700 daily

Optifast is a meal replacement not a protein shake.  In Ontario, they want us taking Optifast 900, which only comes in chocolate or vanilla.  If you want to make it strawberry flavoured, you can add in some strawberry SF syrup or you can get strawberry LorAnn drops.  You can ask your centre about doing a different one but the answer is likely going to be no unless it's for medical reasons not just I don't like vanilla or chocolate.  The vanilla is very easy to doctor up with baking extracts or the LorAnn oils.  The Optifast soups and bars are not available in Canada and are not part of the Optifast diet here.  I mixed most of mine with cold coffee.

For me, the money I would have spent on groceries for a month equalled out to what I spent on a month's worth of Opti. It might be expensive but it's part of the program so it's super important you follow it to the letter. The Opti we need is by prescription only, so while you put your order through the hospital or surgeon's office, it's coming from somewhere else and the price is exactly the same no matter which medical supply place it comes from. It's completely different from a protein shake, it has more vitamins and minerals to make a complete meal replacement while keeping the calories low so that you're able to lose water weight and fat - especially around your organs, the liver being most important. As others have said there's no strawberry option but it's easy to turn the vanilla in to strawberry flavour. 

Some people end up not using all their Opti so when the time comes you can always post here asking if anyone has extra they're willing to sell or give away, that can help with the cost :)