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Hi, I'm wondering how much people lost on their pre-op diets. I am on the two week optifast diet but I am really struggling and I'm embarrassed to say I cheated quite a bit over easter! I just couldn't seem to get control over myself. Now I feel really guilty and I'm worried I won't have lost enough and my liver won't have shrunk for my op.

That's awesome Tracy! Let me add my love too and best wishes for a speedy recovery. Can't wait to hear how you go. Ellen.

Awesome trick. :girl_hug: I bet it's the swelling. Don't stress too much, I hear that stress and tention can actually make things feel tighter. Someone said that they can only eat and drink if they are feeling calm, otherwise it's very difficult for them. It is amazing how everyone's experience is so different but this seems like such a great place to get support and I'm sure someone with more knowledge than me can give you some more advice.

<p>Hey Laura,</p> <p> </p> <p>Wow, I wish I could do that manipulation thing. My pain just says put and I can only fall asleep on my back and my back is getting quite sore!</p> <p> </p> <p>At first I was also worried about being able to drink too much. I have been able to drink fairly freely from about day 3 but eventually I decided it was probably normal. I'm really glad that you can get water down now, I'm sure that can only be a good thing. :girl_hug: <img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/happy.gif" border="0" alt="" title="" smilieid="60" class="inlineimg" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Good Luck!</p> <p>Ellen</p>

Hi All, I am now banded yay!! I have been away for a week as I had to go out of town for my op but it was soooo worth it. My surgeon was wonderful, infact I found the whole experience wonderful. I can't stop smiling!! I am so pleased with how everything has gone and I'm really pleased I didn't get any gas pains (they sound very painful). The best thing I have found is that my cravings have all gone (for now anyway). Seeing as I found my pre-op diet such a massive struggle mentally I thought I might not cope post-op but I am. :girl_hug: It is all easier than I imagined. I am so happy with my band! I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off me and it's strange but I already feel like a different person - a happier one. Thanks for the good wishes, Ellen.

Hey, thanks everyone for your comments. I have just got back from having my op. I ended up losing about 10 pounds pre-op and my surgeon was very happy with that. It's been 6 days now and I'm really happy with how things are going. All my food demons seem to have gone for now and I'm finding it incredibly easy to stay on track. I feel like I had a brain transplant as well as a lapband. I just can't believe I'm the same person who started this tread!! Yay! youtalk: My surgeon was really pleased about me being 28. He said he likes operating on people around my age because there are less or no co-morbidities to deal with and we should recover quicker etc.. So don't worry at all about your age. :girl_hug: My BMI was 43.1 pre-surgery and now 6 days post op it has just dropped under 40 so I'm inside the next risk factor range. Yay! Good luck.

Hi Rachel, I'm also being banded on the 18th. This site has been great for answering lots of questions and finding out lots of things about being banded - some I never expected! I'm also a bit afraid of waking up after the op! I guess I'm just going to leave it in the hands of the docs. This is the main link for all the April 07 bandsters - there are lots of us! Come and introduce yourself over there and get your name on the surgery list. :mad: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/april-2007-head-t29472.html Ellen.

Well I have found the past week and a half incredibly difficult. I have not been able to stop thinking about food. I feel like an addict trying, and failing, to detox. I have cheated every day except today! I just couldn't get control of myself. I didn't realise just how much pleasure I got from food and eating. I felt like my best friend had been taken from me never to be seen again! I know this is irrational but the 'need' to eat was so overpowering I just gave in. I truely admire people with will power! Luckily I seem to have gotten over this difficult time and I haven't cheated, or wanted to cheat, at all today! YAY! It is such a relief! I can only put the sudden change of heart and mind down to the support of my lovely boyfriend and the lapband site. I had been avoiding it during my 'cheating' stage as I think I just didn't want to NOT cheat. If that makes sense. I finally got back on it today and I'm really pleased I did. It is very supportive and I just feel so much better and sort of 'at peace' with the diet now. Gosh, what a head case! I also weighed myself today and I'm really pleased that dispite my best efforts to sabatage my progress I have lost 2.6kg/5.72pounds. I'm really hoping I will have lost a bit more before my op. The last thing I want is for my surgeon to tell me I haven't done enough!! I have really tried, really struggled, and now I'm finally suceeding! MUST KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!!!!

hi guys, Cate I am so excited to hear that you were able to have easter eggs!! Nice one! I did too. Infact I cheated terribly over Easter. I have been really struggling badly with the pre-op diet. I was so shocked at how much I craved food once I wasn't allowed it. I really felt like I was an addict trying, and failing, to detox. I figure that's because it's probably true! For some reason I am back on track today and I haven't cheated. Somehow today it just doesn't seem that hard to stay out of the fridge. My mind has finally stopped working against me! (for now anyway) I also weighed myself today and I'm pleased that despite my efforts to ruin my diet I have lost 2.6kg. Hopefully I will lose a bit more before the big op day arrives! Anyway, I'm glad to hear you are all doing so well.

Well I have found the past week and a half incredibly difficult. I have not been able to stop thinking about food. I feel like an addict trying, and failing, to detox. I have cheated every day except today! I just couldn't get control of myself. I didn't realise just how much pleasure I got from food and eating. I felt like my best friend had been taken from me never to be seen again! I know this is irrational but the 'need' to eat was so overpowering I just gave in. I truely admire people with will power! Luckily I seem to have gotten over this difficult time and I haven't cheated, or wanted to cheat, at all today! YAY! It is such a relief! I can only put the sudden change of heart and mind down to the support of my lovely boyfriend and the lapband site. I had been avoiding it during my 'cheating' stage as I think I just didn't want to NOT cheat. If that makes sense. I finally got back on it today and I'm really pleased I did. It is very supportive and I just feel so much better and sort of 'at peace' with the diet now. Gosh, what a head case! I also weighed myself today and I'm really pleased that dispite my best efforts to sabatage my progress I have lost 2.6kg/5.72pounds. I'm really hoping I will have lost a bit more before my op. The last thing I want is for my surgeon to tell me I haven't done enough!! I have really tried, really struggled, and now I'm finally suceeding! MUST KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!!!!

Hey April Band Buddies, I was away for Easter and it's amazing to see how many of you are now in bandland - congrats! I can't believe my date is now fast approaching but I have been really struggling with the post-op diet. I cheated over Easter. I'm back on track now but I'm quite worried I'm not going to have lost enough weight and my liver might not have shunk. Is anyone else finding it hard to find the will power? I was really really shocked at how much more I thought about and craved food once I wasn't allowed it. I felt like an addict having withdrawals, but then I guess I am!

Wow, you guys all have such great will power! Thanks for your comments.

Hey, thanks to both of you for your support. I'm definately feeling a bit better and more positive now! I will try very hard to stay on track for my last few days.

I haven't been banded yet but my Dr. has told me that post-op I will be on a liquid diet for 4 weeks followed by another 4 weeks of mushie food. Right now that seems forever!!

Today I started my two week post-op diet. I was doing really well until lunch when I was completely famished!! Luckily some steamed vege did the trick - I wonder how long before I crave something terribly naughty! I took my 'before' photos which was very brave of me. Braver still was going out and buying a new sexy set of scales (if you can call scales sexy... somehow I don't think you can). Later in the day I finally plucked up the courage to jump on. I had prepared myself for it to be bad but I obviously hadn't prepared myself quite enough!! After not weighing myself for about a year I thought I would be around 115kg/253pounds. (which would have meant I had gained 20kg in a year) BUT NO!! I was shocked to find I had eaten my way to 121.2kg/266pounds!!!!! A weight gain of over 25kg/55pounds. My boyfriend weighed himself too and he was a mere 76.8kg/169pounds. Ahhhh!!!! I am nearly twice as heavy as him. So my goal is to get to 70kg... well and truely under him. And there you have it. I just need to make it through the rest of the day and there will only be 13 more to go until the op that will totally change my life. I just can't wait!!!!!

Today I started my two week post-op diet. I was doing really well until lunch when I was completely famished!! Luckily some steamed vege did the trick - I wonder how long before I crave something terribly naughty! I took my 'before' photos which was very brave of me. Braver still was going out and buying a new sexy set of scales (if you can call scales sexy... somehow I don't think you can). Later in the day I finally plucked up the courage to jump on. I had prepared myself for it to be bad but I obviously hadn't prepared myself quite enough!! After not weighing myself for about a year I thought I would be around 115kg/253pounds. (which would have meant I had gained 20kg in a year) BUT NO!! I was shocked to find I had eaten my way to 121.2kg/266pounds!!!!! A weight gain of over 25kg/55pounds. My boyfriend weighed himself too and he was a mere 76.8kg/169pounds. Ahhhh!!!! I am nearly twice as heavy as him. So my goal is to get to 70kg... well and truely under him. And there you have it. I just need to make it through the rest of the day and there will only be 13 more to go until the op that will totally change my life. I just can't wait!!!!!

Hi, my name's Ellen and I'm having surgery on April 18th. I am just about to start my 2 week optifast pre-op diet. Right now I can't imagine how I'm going to cope on this liquid diet for so long but the thought of losing weight is really keeping me going. I can't wait!!

Hey, breathing tube is great, but I am going to ask them to be super careful. Last year I had my tonsils out and when they removed the tube they slightly chipped one of my front teeth! Not a major but something I'm aware of now and I will definately mention it when I have my surgery in a couple of weeks.

Hey Lapitup, 25 pounds is fantastic!! I am officially starting on my 2 week opti-fast program today so will weigh in and take a 'before' photo. I am a bit nervous about the weighing in part as I have just been guessing my weight for a long time and I soooo hope I'm not miles out! It's a bit of a pain it's Easter break too. I'm going to visit friends for a long weekend. I have told them I am on a special diet but I'm sure they will offer me wine and treats anyway. It's going to be hard!!! Anyway, best of luck with your program Lapitup. You should be really proud of what you have achieved so far! I am really looking forward to that first pound coming off!!! Ellen.

Hey skinnysomeday, I'm not good with computers either but somehow I managed to get mine up! I went to www.tickerfactory.com and basically followed the instructions. On the main page, scroll down and click on 'weight loss' to create your weight loss ticker or 'event' to create your countdown. Then when you have finished making your ticker you copy the first link provided and paste it into your signature box (which you can find under 'edit signature' in the 'user CP' section of this site). Then don't forget to click on 'save signature'. I hope that helps. Ellen.

Awesome! Good luck.

Wow Maziemommy it sounds like everything went really well for you.. well apart from the Wal-mart mishap.. I'm really impressed you had company over and did housework! For some reason I have to stay in hospital for 2 nights so there won't be much socialising for me. Anyway, all the best for your recovery. Ellen

Hmmmm, I know what you mean. I have read about all sorts of various pre-op diet things on here. I just assumed everyone would be doing the same but that seems far from right. In one post I read a patient was told not to bother because it would only be effective if the liquid diet was for 6 weeks pre-op!!! All I know is what my surgeon is having me do... 2 weeks of Optifast shakes (3 per day) and in addition to that I am allowed 1 piece of fruit and 2 cups of vege. It is meant to shrink the liver and to kick start weight loss prior to surgery. I was told this can make the surgery easier and faster. But who knows, a lot of people seem to be able to skip this stage and they all seem to do just fine... Another reason I was given is that the pre-op weight loss is meant to give you more confidence and motivation so that it is easier to continue on the right track post-op. I guess I'm just going to do what my surgeon has prescribed for me. Post-op I have to do another 4 weeks on just the opti-fast!! I'm going to be well sick of it by then!! Hope that sheds some light. I would actually like to know more about it myself. I'm glad I found this site though, it's full of great info. Ellen.

Hi All... I'm Ellen and I've just joined this wonderful site. My op is April 18th and I'm told that you April 06 lot are incredibly supportive and an inspiration to all the newbies. My 2 week liquid diet starts tomorrow so I figure I might as well get off the couch and do some exercise too. So I'm setting myself the bronze target. Yay, hopefully actually telling people will help me to achieve it! Thanks everyone for letting us join in, Ellen.

Wow Terry!! I wish I looked that good in my workout gear!! In fact, come to think of it, I don't think I even fit them any more! Ooops. Great idea to take a 'before' photo - I will take one tomorrow. Thanks for the link. I will check it out. Ellen.