Optifast

This is my first time posting. I am scheduled for bypass January 12th 2017. I go this week for my pre-surgery diet class and to purchase my optifast. I've been reading lots of post here and other places and curious if anyone else had to do the 4-week optifast? It seems like most do two weeks. The cost of over $450 is really tough this time of year but I've made up my mind and I'm not going to let anything derail me. I'm just curious why my doctor would require four weeks when most do only two. Thanks so much and I'm very excited to join this community exclamation point

4 weeks is long... usually it's 2 weeks but plans do vary, sometimes amount of weight or where you carry it has something to do with it, liquid diets are usually required before laparoscopic weight loss surgery procedures so that the tools and camera that will be used have more room to maneuver around your organs and then the final night before they ummm have you clear out EVERYTHING ;) which will minimize risk of infection. Optifast is great, medically low calorie, and you will lose on it... the benefit to having a set liquid diet provided is there isn't any daily thought... you can focus on other things. It's costly... perhaps see if your insurance will cover it... it's a medically supervised weight loss program so must be prescribed (not available over the counter) so maybe?

Best wishes to you on your surgery! What a great way to start the new year!

~Shelly

Hi there, 

i was on opti for 3 weeks. It seems like a lot, but the better you do pre op, the better likely hood of a smooth surgery and fast recovery. To get through pre op, I made a list of reasons I was having surgery to refer to. I would log on here, or other sites like Instagram to follow other wls stories. I started new hobbies to kept my hands and mind busy.

Pre op won't be easy in the beginning. you'll want to find a way to distract yourself and stay focused on your goals.

good luck! 

Hi Ali-Jo, 

I also had to do 4 week of Optifast, today is my last day!

I questioned the length I was on it as well, everyone I'd known (all of whom weighed more then I did) had been ordered 2/3 weeks. The only difference was we had been to different hospitals within the same city. It frustrated me at first because 28 days seems like such a long time. It starts out feeling that way but it comes to an end pretty quickly.

in regards to the price, do you mind telling me where you are located? I am in SW Ontario and my Optifast for a 4 week supply was $320 so $450 does seem very high.

Welcome to our forum.  I am also new to this forum.

My RNY is in 31 days- January 4th, 2016 

My weight loss clinic recommends 3 weeks.

I paid $300 Canadian.  I initially thought WOW this is crazy expensive. I then broke it down $14 day.  I though to myself grocery bill for me is 0.  Your grocery bill in the next few months will be less.

 Yes... This is a new beginning... Nothing is gonna slow us down or stop us.  I am like a runaway train...

My friend is also on a journey to her RNY.

She went on Kijiji (website that people sell their stuff).

I guess Craig's list in the USA

She scooped it up for half the price.  Someone who clearly did the Optifast program but did not like it too much.

I caution you if you choose that path because Optifast  has an expiry date.

Hope this helps

Mahalo

Everyone that goes through my doctor's office has the same protocol, one month on Optifast. There is a nutrition store connected to my doctor's office and all supplies must be purchased from there. If you don't purchase enough they will cancel your surgery, so no purchasing it from Amazon or eBay. I guess it is what it is, a small price to pay for changing my lifestyle for the better. I am located in the upstate of South Carolina. I'm so excited to start. I began making changes as soon as I knew that this was the reality so hopefully it won't be so hard.