sewenup1

Optifast is very high Protein and very low carbs/sugar, so, if you really have to cheat, you can't take another day of Opti, at least cheat with something similar, like a piece of grilled fish or some sort of lean meat - do not go near the lollies, chocolates or carbs or you will break the Ketosis and be right back at the start. The weight won't really start to go until you have been in ketosis for about 24 hours or more. Danna

that's great:hurray: when is your op? Danna

The bad breath is due to Ketosis - this is the stage you are suppose to reach so consider a sign of success. Your body is now starting to use up the stored body fat around your liver - which is exactly what your Dr wants. there isn't a lot you can do except use breath freshner and carry some tic tacs with you. If you are worried about your hair, try taking some additional Vitamin supplement, this should help - remember you are on a very very low calorie diet and while Opti is suppose to have all your Vitamins in it, I felt much better when I used a supplement as well. With the toilet issue - not sure what to suggest, but make sure you are drinking plenty of water because you can't afford to dehydrate on such a low calorie intake. Keeping hydrated is also good for your skin and keeps it pliable - this will hopeful help to prevent any sagging skin as the weight drops off you in the future. Danna

I had to do 4 weeks on Opti so I really feel for others who are at that stage, but it is really worth it, and remember that any weight you lose now will be permanent - after the surgery it WON'T come back. Danna

Each Dr has a different requirement, some only make you do 2 meals a day, others don't let you have anything but Opti. Always go by what your Dr says. Usually if they don't give any instructions to the contrary, you just have what the leaflet that comes with your Opti says for the intense faze. If you aren't sure please ring your Dr - you don't want to risk your chance at surgery. Danna

Are you having enough water?? You should be drinking 2 litres of water on top of the optifast. Don't forget you can also fill up on the diet jelly etc. Danna

Relax!!!! It's normal Miso soup. :tea: Danna

It does get better, after 3-4 days the hunger really drops, so you really need to try to last that long without cheating. Believe me, it really is worth it to be able to have the op safely and it's a great kick start to your new life. Hang in there you can make it. :thumbup: Danna

Yes it is similar as is Tony Ferguson, but some Drs want you to do Optifast and nothing else because apparently at the moment it is the only one proven to have all the nutrients etc. Always check with you Dr before you vary the pre-op diet. Danna

Sarah, If you are on the strict 3 times a day diet, sorry no dairy products - no milk (icecream) or yoghurt (not even soy based ones).:thumbup: Try adding calorie free essences - coconut or rum to the chocolate etc You can add vanilla essence to the vanilla to give it more taste, or use a diet lime cordial and have a lime shake. Just have to be inventive. Danna

Check with your Dr, but if it is the strict Optifast version you usually have one Optiproduct for each meal + 2 cups of non-startch vege and bonox, stock cube, jelly etc. So for example you could have a shake for Breakfast, a bar for lunch, a soup with veges for dinner with jelly for desert. If you go to the following site it will tell you what you should have each meal. https://www.optifast.com.au/template/get_started.jsp?visitedGetStarted=_2 Just remember that the first 3-4 days are the hardest, after that you shouldn't feel so hungry. And the most important thing to remember is just how lovely and small your liver will be for the op. Good luck Danna:thumbup:

Hi Michelle, I have only been banded since last December, but I do know of someone else who has had this problem. She recently had another couple of fills and has now started to lose weight again. It definitely sounds like you need more fill. I have no problem with any food except bread and can eat at any time of the day, but I usually have a tub of diet yoghurt for Breakfast, and often that is all I'll have until dinner time as I just don't have any hunger. You shouldn't be feeling so much hunger so I am guessing that you do not have enough fill. Good luck with your visit to the Dr. Danna

Hi M, Bet if feels great having some real food on your plate again!!:cool2: My dietician said there is no reason I can't 'do' a diet but the idea is to learn to eat for a different lifestyle. I suggested WW, but the minimum you eat is the equivalent to 18 points, and let me tell you that once you have a fill or two, eating enough food to equal 18 points will be like running a marathon. I eat just about what ever I want, I try to eat lo-cal foods, but I am eating soooo much less than before that I can lose weight no matter what I eat. It is great being able to eat just about anything and know that I won't gain 10kg!! Of course you have to be smart about what you eat. If you eat nothing but high cal foods you will not lose weight, but as WW always says everything in moderation. My dietician feels that it is better to have a little of something that you like rather than deprive yourself and then binge eat. Danna

Would love to help. I have an on-line journal that I have been using to help myself with this journey, so I know that hearing the experience of others when I first started out would have been great. (your welcome to read it anytime - just click on the link below) Danna

If you really miss the taste of diet Coke etc you will need to beat the daylights out of it to make it go flat, or you could try a trick I have just been told - drop a Degas tablet into your can or small bottle of soda - takes the gas out real fast. Haven't tried it myself so would be interested in hearing anyone else's thoughts. Oh and if you add soda to your Optimuck, remember to beat the cr*p out of it with your blender - takes the gas out too. Danna

I was banded Dec 3 2007. I have now lost 17.5kg (or 38.5 pounds), I am eating pretty much whatever I like but only about 1/4 of what I used to eat. *does a happy dance* Danna:teeth_smile:

Opti also makes Soups - I didn't try them myself, but if you want something savoury others have made up the Soup and added some of their veges to it to make it more filling. If you need to chew, you can get bars. The link for Optifast food list is attached. Most doctors have you do the intensive stage, but if unsure, contact your Dr first. https://www.optifast.com.au/images/pdf/allowed_foodlist.pdf Danna

When I asked my dietician it was 2 cups of cooked - which is good as you get that bit more. With the chocolate, try adding either coconut essence or mint flavour and freezing (kinda like a choc-mint ice cream). I found lime cordial was great in the vanilla too. Keep on the diet as best you can - it's a great kick start to the weight loss - people lose between 5 and 15kg on this pre-op (depends on how good you are and how long you're on it) It will also make the op easier and less risk of any problems or your liver being to big (then they would have to give you a full cut op not just keyhole- to be avoided!!) Not long to go now!! Danna

Hi, I did Optimuck for 4 weeks before banding. Check with your Dr before using additives but there are ways of improving the taste. I made an orange soda spider with the vanilla opti - just add your favourite diet soft drink instead of Water, some ice and blend. Also you could add some diet cordial to make different flavours, the little bottles of essence that you buy in the baking aisle in Coles can help. Melt some diet jelly crystals in a little hot water and mix - creates some great flavours especially if you also add essence. Also the colder the water is the thicker and better the Opti tastes. You can also freeze it and eat it with a spoon rather than drink it. Are you allowed the veges? If so try making a salsa that you can pick at during the day - helps to tame the hunger. I was also allowed diet jelly, so this helped with the hunger as well. good luck, it's worth sticking with it in the end. Danna:cool:

Another way to move something that is stuck is to have a nice big mouthful of diet soda - the gas in it moves the stuck bit like a gyser - make sure you are near a sink when you drink the soda.:confused: Danna

Hi, I was banded Dec 3 and have lost 14kg (or 30.8 pounds) since then. I'm aiming for another 12kg (or 26 pounds) by end of April. Danna

You should be fine to take a shower - just remember to gently pat dry around your incisions. Depending on what diet instructions your Dr has given you, you should be having at least one Protein Drink each day, Sustagen etc. This will help to curb your hunger. If you are only on clear fluids, broth based on chicken or beef stock will help to up your protein level. Now go have that shower before your friends and family start to complain :biggrin: Danna

You probably should contact your surgeon, but are you drinking too fast. At this stage you should just be sipping a little at a time - one glass should probably take about half an hour to drink. I have been banded since December and find that if I gulp a drink too fast it sits in the upper pouch and can cause the same sort of pain that eating to fast does until it drains past the band. Remember you are still recovering and you need to take things nice and slow. If slowing down on your drinking doesn't help you need to ring your surgeon asap. Danna

If you really have to travel and eat fast food, as long as you have at least the mushie stage you could try KFC mashed potato and gravy. Any mashed veges with some sort of gravy would be ok at the mushie stage. If you are on normal foods - anything you can manage is available - but some lean Protein and veges are always best. Danna

To all of you due for surgery soon - best of luck - you won't need it and soon you will be on the lighter side!! When i started this journey I first went to an information night, then saw the nurse, dietitian and then the Dr. Had no trouble being accepted - and I am very large and a definite risk under anaesthetic - so my Dr kept me in ICU the first night and then in the ward a second night. Have just had my second fill and have been on a downward slide (a slow slide but still down) even over Christmas. Have now been banded about 8 weeks. Danna