New here - Optifast is scaring me

Hi everyone. I am new here but really enjoying all the information and posts.

I am scheduled for surgery at Humber River Hospital on March 31st and I am supposed to start my Opti tomorrow. I have a few questions that I'm hoping you can help with:

1) I am really nervous that I will be so hungry all the time! I have tried to cut back on my food intake over the last few weeks in preparation, but I feel like 4 little drinks and max 2 cups of limited veggies is going to have me ravenous every day.

2) I have read that many people experience diarrhea while in the Opti. I am supposed to work a 7 hour shift alone on Saturday (lots of getting up and down, helping clients and answering phones in a busy medical clinic). Would I be better to start Opti on Saturday instead of tomorrow, just in case? Will it make any difference? Will it be a problem to work on Monday? (note I will have help on Monday so bathroom breaks will be a possibility then)

Thank you everyone. This Opti diet has me way more scared than the surgery itself ?

The first few days on it, I just peed lots, diarrhea hit either day 3 or 4. We were told to add Metamucil to our shakes as it helps soak up the excess liquid in the colon. Once I started that, it went back to normal so I kept adding it with each shake. As for hunger, the first few days are the toughest and you will likely feel hungry. I mixed mine with lots of ice so that I almost had to eat it with a spoon. I had one at 8, 12, 4, 8 every day just to keep a type of normal meal schedule. Sometimes I would pu**** to 6 and 10 at night as I found between 12 and 4, I often didn't need anything. I would keep the veggies for whatever your toughest time of day is, which is night for most of us.

Congrats on your upcoming surgery!

It's normal to be nervous about Optifast but I think most of us find our fears were unfounded. There are some that struggle with it but I think the majority find a way to enjoy/tolerate it and the routine gets easier. The first few days are a challenge though, just like any major shift in routine would be, but you'll get through it.

I had the opposite issue with regards to the bathroom. If I started Opti tomorrow I would be fine to wait until Monday for a bathroom break. I don't think it's possible to plan for that one, everyone reacts differently.

The unknown is scary, I was full of nerves too but a month from now you'll wonder what you were so worried about. Good luck with everything!!

Hi,

I'm just on Day 2 and it's been great. Switching from vanilla to chocolate each meal and I am drinking lots - 48 oz. of water, 1 decaf. coffee in the morning and 2 or 3 decaf. peppermint teas. I haven't been hungry at all. The Guelph program allows 1 cup of broth per day and that's it. I didn't have any yesterday and may sip of a cup before bed. I find the Opti is filling and also put in lots of ice, water and blend it. It tastes just fine - no problem getting it down. I missed putting in the fibre last night, but I will do so tonights. Lots of peeing, as mentioned, but my BM's, so far, have been fine.

I was also a bit worried, but now I am happy, excited and full of energy knowing I've made the best choice. You will do well, I'm sure.

Best of luck.

I really liked opti and didn't have the poops at all. I bet it won't be as bad as you think.

Thank you so much everyone! You have made me feel a bit better already. I am excited about this whole journey, but as said, the unknown is always scary. Having support and encouragement really helps :)

I only had 1 week of Opti to do, but I feared much the same. I read about the Optitrots, and I walk to and from work, 11km round trip and no toilets on the way.

It never happened with me, in fact it was the opposite.

I just resolved to plow through the week. I didn't do 350 ml of water for the mix, I did closer to 600-750ml to make it feel like more. I figured I'd be getting that much more water in me which was a good thing. I did pee every half hour though, because I was sipping water all day too.

I got through the week, and it was better than I thought. We're all different, but the stories and experiences here can really bring inspiration

Congrats and good luck

Hi Jen,

I think you will be pleasently suprised as to how filling the Optifast shakes are. I never thought I would survive but by the end of my 3 weeks on it, I was 28lbs lighter and never felt hungry other than when it was time for the next one every 4 hours.

I took 2 tablespoons of metamucil once a day in jus****er. It was like drinking pulp orange juice but tolerable. I did not get the runs at all. I still have a big container of it because I bought a costco 2-pack. I only used half of the one I opened.

Enjoy the journey.

I thought too I was going to be hungry but never experience it. Optis are pretty filling and I added 2 cups of greens and was fine. Never had diarrhea and took 3 Metamucil capsules with each shake and no constipation.

My evening treat was 4-5 decaf coffee ice cubes crushed in a mini food processor with a chocolate Opti and 3-4 onces of water, mixed well and boom! this was my "ice cream" for the night ;-) I wish I could buy more Opti just to make this again.

I didn't have to drink that but it's time to break it down for you. You will most certainly be ravenous all day especially if you think you will be. So stop that right now, think of things to do and ways to keep busy these next couple of weeks. If you think about how deprived you are, you will be hungry all day I promise.

Next it's only two weeks. You will not starve or face medical issues from eating your doctor's plan. Your doctor can tell if you staid on plan or not so don't cheat yourself or lie to him. If he gets in there and your liver is too big you will not get your WLS completed. You have to eat this way to shrink your liver and the big bonus is you'll be well on your way to loosing weight.

Now you will probably be a terrible person for the first 2-4days of this new plan. You will be grumpy, you could have headaches, and your brain will cry out for you to eat. This is your body's addiction to sugar hopefully leaving you for good. DO NOT give in or you will just reset the clock and your 2-4days will last the entire time if you sneak food.

How do I know? I've done this twice. The first time I fretted and worried about my lack of food, I snuck food, I didn't really know why the doc wanted to torture me and I cheated. I was miserable for the full two weeks. The second time I did this I stuck strictly to the drink these two shakes and eat only this food. It sucked at first but I made it and after a couple of days it was easy. Yep easy. So this is the time to become a donkey and just do the plan. Many of us have done it, it's sucked, but none of us actually died or seriously hurt anyone :-)