MBY

I haven't told many. I was open whilst on the shakes, so I just say hard work & perseverance. High protein, low carb diet. I know one friend has told possibly two people, it's hard. But I also would rather those who are genuinely caring know & those who just want gossip to talk about someone else.

I've lost 37kg total since 25 April, but 16kg since surgery, which was 6 weeks ago.

I too was drinking from sun up to sun down in the first week post hospital. I tracked it per hour. It's winter in Australia, so my dietitian is not concerned about extra water, she just recommends the protein as priority. Add extra protein to the shakes. In Australia I'm adding 1x scoop of Beneprotein to Optifast & this helps the amount of liquid you consume be cut down. Good luck.

This feeling was my most painful part of post surgery, you need to walk. Walk & walk & walk. It makes it move. I was so tired my days in hospital because I couldn't sleep from the gas pain, all I could do to relieve it was walk. The shoulder tip pain continued on & off for three weeks for me.

Hi all, I'm 1 month post op, I have lost 13kg in this first month, and 35kg since starting Optifast on ANZAC Day (end of April). My sleeve has been all good. I'm back at the gym most days, and am never hungry. I desire water, but not food, so am happily taking my 3x daily shakes & 3x small purée meals still. I start soft food this week & have faced my first 'function', where I ate the soup & some potato. Am pushing through the myriad of supplements my dietitian has me on. I'm taking movicol, fish oil, vitamin D, 2x multivitamins, reflux, B12 + what I was already on. I hope those who are going into surgery know that this is not a 'quick' fix or the 'easy' path. My life has been dictated by times, millilitres & sipping these last 4 weeks. It's a life changing choice for a restart at life. Good luck.

I was sleeved on Monday (23rd June). So am behind most of you ladies. I am only on day 3 of full liquids. Pre surgery weight was: 182kg Surgery Day Weight: 161kg No weight measured till next Friday, but I too am not expecting massive losses, just a loss is better than nothing. My surgeon & dietitian have a very strict program for food. 3 weeks liquid, 4 weeks purée, 4 weeks soft food. And even then the liquid phase is graduated, so I have to have 98g of protein every day. But for the first two days I could only have 50ml per half hour, today it's 80ml per half hour, and it progresses up each day. My day is a series of Optifast shakes with added protein (Beneprotein), lucky it's winter here in Australia & I don't need to add much water for hydration on top of these, because it's a full time gig currently, I feel like atom Cruise in cocktail mixing up drinks left, right & centre.

I'm on my 8th & final week of optifast. I mix it up, blend with ice, blend with frozen berries (only fruit I'm allowed). The soups were ok, but I got tired of them. The bars were ok, the deserts were ok, but also tiring. The shakes will get you through. At first I had a variety of their products a day (I'm on 5 a day), but now I'm just shakes, when hungry drink water. I now see the shakes as convenient. A nutritious drink I made in 30 seconds. My nutritionist told me to eat a cup of diet jelly (Australian term for jello in US), that helps break it up. Use your time better, keep out of the kitchen!

I'm June 23rd too, in Australia. I have a big journey in front of me but I've done 6 out of the 8 weeks of Optifast & successfully lost over 20kg, so I feel confident the surgery will help me get down & stay down. I've been reading so many websites, forums and blogs, I think I'm scaring myself. I have one friend who was done in January, she's already at goal. I certainly won't be able to say the same, I have to lose 60+ kg to reach the dietitians goal! but 100kg to reach the bad end of the healthy range on the BMI scale. I'd be stoked to get to 80kg lost. I've read stalls and regain a lot lately. They scare me the most.

I'm June 23rd in Australia. Two weeks today till I'll be all done. Nervous now. Am reading & hearing easy through to agony descriptions of post op days.

I'm getting sleeved on June 23rd in Rockhampton. Am in the throes of 8 weeks of Optifast, have lost 21kg in the past 6 weeks. Looking forward to being on the other side of my surgery.