Surviving the pre op times....

 I understand the reason for the 6 months, but I am only 2 months in and this is sooooooo rough.  I always feel hungry (this is one of the reasons I selected surgery because this often steers my off course).  I am working my way up to all shakes because the surgeon wants me on all shakes (and a bar or two) for the two months prior to surgery.  I am committed, I truly am, but I'll admit at the same time this is HARD... but I am hanging tough, today I felt like I had a real victory - my daughter wanted pancakes and I made them for her and put the remaining batter in the fridge and made my shake. I am very proud that I didn't give in and that there is will power regarding food in my body... 

What about you - how did you survive the pre op times?  What were / are your favorite meal replacement shake recipes?  Did you find some great recipe??

Morning Amiesue, I just left a message for you, ignore my plea.  Thank you for the post.  I celebrate your ability to leave the pancake alone and go with your shake. 

What are you using for shakes at this time?  You can do what is needed for the best surgery.  My surgeon had me on shakes for 3 weeks before surgery due to my high bmi.  His instructions had me mixing 5 packets of sugarfree carnation instant breakfast (cib) with a scoop of powdered protein and 5 cups of milk.  Mix well and divide into 5 servings to have during the day.  I alternated flavors of cib to vary the taste.  Several months after surgery, when I needed something different for protein shake, I added my scoop of protein powder to some 1 cup milk in a blender and added about 1/2 cup ice cubes.  Pulse the blender to get the ice into small slivers.  Made a shake that had more consistency to it, more like a malt.  I made it through those 3 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after surgery on the shake recipe.  Now, at over a year out from surgery, I rarely use shakes, but when I do, still like the ones made with ice.  In addition to the shakes, I was allowed tomato juice or V8 (low sodium), broth, sugarfree jello, crystal light.  I never really felt hungry, was always drinking something.

Continue to make a good example for your child.  Here to help you get through this, you can and will.  Hugs

 Hi Kathy - thanks much for the info.  I am using Bariatric Advantage right now, I have the chocolate and vanilla - I tend to mix them with 6 ounces of 1% milk and 4-6 ice cubes.  With the vanilla I also add a container (7 oz) of pineapple or a banana and I have to say it is incredibly good but I know within a few weeks I'll be looking for something new.  This morning I had the chocolate the same way but without any fruit and it was almost like a milkshake.  I tried substituting the milk for coffee with the chocolate the other day but it tasted off for some reason, I may have to play with that one a bit.  My surgeon put me on them for 2 months because of my BMI as well, they want me to lose what I can before surgery, which I understand but he doesn't have a number requirement - I think if I just maintained until surgery he would be happy because I was able to lose 20+ that first month but I want to try and lose more.  My first goal was 50 lbs but it seems that may be a bit much to expect - so I am TRYING to get away from the number and focus on the changes in eating patterns and my relationship with food - but it is hard.  I had also been backfilling that first month with diet soda to make me feel full and after some good advice here I decided to back off of that, and while the weight loss has diminished quite a bit since then, it is still moving in the right direction and ultimately I need to be using water for that anyway and diet soda is out of the picture after surgery.

She asked me today why I wasn't having any and I told her (I have always been honest with her about my weight and tried to keep an open dialogue surrounding it) I was trying to make preparations for my surgery and that it wasn't what I was supposed to eat right now.  She asked if she shouldn't eat them and I told her - no - it was fine, that you need to have the things you like in moderation and balance it with a good overall diet and exercise.  She made a good choice herself and asked for strawberries. That has made my whole day.

I am impressed with your good attitude about the changes needed.  Soda was a hard thing to drop, I do feel soooooo much better without it.  Consider investing in sugarfree coffee syrups to add a change of flavor to your shakes.  You can also add a little sugarfree jello powder and/or crystal light powder for a change in flavor.  Think lime jello powder in vanilla shake to get close to a key lime flavor, red jello (1 tsp.) with a little red crystal light.  There are multitude of combinations possible.

Check out "the world according to eggface" and "cleopatra nik" here on OH for more shake recipies.  Looking forward to hearing other combinations that work well for you.  Others will also learn from the experience.  Come join us for monday evening chat sessions for feedback from other members.  We talk about any topic that is important to those present.  I send out a reminder notice before chat sessions on mondays.  Hugs