xKirstenx

Hi everyone! I have my surgery date scheduled for the 16th of March 2024. Due to a high BMI of 61 I have to do 4 weeks of the liver shrinkage diet. I started on Friday the 16th and I'm really struggling. I'm on total meal replacement shakes x 3 daily with just sugar free squash and water to drink alongside these. My total intake per day is 800 calories or less. How did you guys do it? I know I HAVE to do it, but it's so hard. I cry daily because I'm hungry and I want food. My stomach constantly growls, my stomach hurts and the shakes never feel like they satisfy any of that hunger. My partner is so supportive, he eats away from me and hides food so I don't feel any further distress and jealousy. I know why I'm doing this but I don't know how I'm expected to do this for a whole 4 weeks. Any advice or support is welcome. If anyone is doing the same atm for their March surgery please let me know, maybe we can buddy up! Thank you all ❤️ xKirstenx

Thank you for sharing your experience, it really helps seeing that other people are being honest but still fighting through the preop diet! Yes, my partner eats away from me, we don't discuss food other than me venting about my diet, and I have nothing in my PC room other than shakes and glasses of squash etc. It's helping a lot more but still sucks being able to smell the food in the house or on my partners clothes. Sounds silly I know! Hahaha! That's so interesting how you sat and watched most of it before realising! The things we do eh? I am avoiding all food/drink related media too, scrolling as soon as I see something or switching channels etc. Thank you for the wonderful suggestions, I'll look into them and see what I can do. Thank you! x

I'll have a look around and see what I can find. Just for when I need that little something. Thank you for your help, means a lot 🙂 x

Thank you so much for your reply, I appreciate it. I think both of your suggestions are worth taking into consideration and I've decided that if I'm still feeling this bad by the upcoming Friday then I will contact my clinic and ask for recommendations. I think once I see the first week's weight loss that will also give me a boost! I need something to make it feel like it's worth it and I'm sure that will help. Also, I'm just trying to stay positive in general, writing things down and talking to my partner about things to look forward to. Thanks! 🙂

Hi Summer! Thank you for the hugs, I really appreciate it. Thank you for the reassurance, I will obviously keep trying my best, and know that it will end in 25 days. Thank you for sharing your experience, I think you're right. It feels a bit resentful towards the people around you. I hate that most people don't go through this. I hate that my partner can eat what he wants and gain nothing. I hate the fact I have to do this for 4 weeks. But it will help in the long run of course. It's crazy that you lost 15 pounds from the diet though! Those are some fantastic tips, thank you so much! Do you just have the sugar-free jellies when you just need a cheeky pick me up? I will see how I get on this week and then contact them for advice if I'm really struggling still. Thank you 🙂

Will do, thank you! I'll start it today. I can't have anything else in my diet. Just my three shakes (to which I add skimmed milk). Everything else adds calories and they said it's a complete meal replacement shake diet only, so unfortunately I can't have anything else 😞 Do you think things would still be okay if I ate maybe broth and soup but went on just shakes for the last two weeks? I just don't know.

Wow! You look amazing. I can't imagine how much better you feel within yourself, confidence-wise, mentally and physically. This is defo something to look forward to. Never been thin, or even just a little chubby, so this is going to be so important. Thanks for sharing!

I feel the same. I was explaining to my partner that it's just liquid that doesn't even touch the sides. On top of that all the shakes are sweet, not savory, so it just feels like I'm having rubbish sweet shakes and nothing else. Sleep is the only time I feel okay because I don't feel the hunger as much. I just feel like I'm struggling on day 3 never mind another 25 days. I think maybe writing down the positives/reasons I'm doing it when I feel like I can't do it anymore or I'm tempted might be a good way to go. To remind myself. I think I'm going to weigh myself once a week to just see the scale down a little. Any weight loss is positive reinforcement. Thank you for sharing, it really helps!

That's so funny hahaha! We call it the Liver Shrinkage Diet in the UK, it's not known as anything else. So here's me writing shorthand thinking everyone will understand, but apparently not 😂

No that's fair to say! What kept you going on the day before surgery? When you felt you couldn't do it anymore? Thank you for your kind words, it means a lot. I have no one around me who understands and my partner is a fit, tall man who eats for England (literally 2 mains and 3 desserts style) and is a long-distance runner, so he will never understand. Really helps just knowing someone gets it, even if you're thousands of miles across the world!

You're all just sat here thinking I have an LSD addiction ;-; 😆

I should add that I'm in England, UK and I think the guidelines differ from the USA ones. I think in the UK there are brackets for each BMI and 60+ is 4 weeks. The others include 3 weeks, 2 weeks, and 1 week depending on which BMI bracket you fall into. They stated it's because the higher your BMI the more fatty your liver and harder to move during surgery (especially with a keyhole) and thus could cause the surgeon to abandon and I still get charged. I suppose it ensures that the chance of that happening is minimal as long as I stick to it. I do feel like it's harsh though. I feel like I could have gotten away with 2 weeks since I eat fairly well with my partner anyway.

Hahaha! Nothing wrong with being a bit of a silly goose! Proper made me giggle

Hi all! I'm looking for some UK-based friends, but other bases are fine too! A little about me: I am pre-surgery, 23 years old, and based in the East of England. I love music, gaming and animals. My favourite bands are Muse, Radiohead, Placebo and My Chemical Romance. As for gaming I'm a PC gamer and it is my main hobby. I have plenty of pets, and I love them all dearly. I have chronic pain from a variety of conditions but my PCOS, IBS, Fibro and Hypermobility are the main ones. I'm studying to be a midwife but I'm currently on a gap year due to mental health and the pandemic. I don't mind having friends younger or older than me, pre-surgery, post-surgery or just losing/maintaining weight. Anything is fine by me! Just people to related with, discuss weight loss and recipies and all the other nice things. I have no friends who understand what I'm going through, and I know friends and connections are important for support during these difficult times. Let's make some friends! 😛

Hi there! I hope some of you could enlighten me. I am potentially having surgery next year, and my bariatric nurse recommended I do the Liver Shrinkage DIet for 2 weeks to add favour to my referral to the surgeons. I am 9 days in and I have only lost 0.6kg (just over 1 pound). Prior to this, I was eating "normally"-carbs, and treats when appropriate as part of a normal lifestyle and I was losing around 2-3pounds a week (just under 1kg). I feel really deflated and feel like I won't hit my weight loss for the surgery referral, and that this diet is just not working. I've read other forums, and people have said they're losing 21 pounds in 2 weeks! I really don't understand why I'm losing LESS than I do on a normal diet. Typical intake: -Breakfast: 2 pieces of fruit or meal replacement shake -Lunch: Soup with a side of poached egg or a piece of fruit. -Dinner: Salad (Lettuce, cucumber, onion and spring onions. Small amount of added vinegar and light salad cream) with some protein of choice eg chicken, ham, beef etc. -Drinks: Water, diet Pepsi (one a day) and 1-2 cups of tea with sweetener and milk. All of these are done to the portion recommendations, and free foods and allowances. Please note I am using Orlistat every day and have been for the past half a year. Hope someone can relieve some imposter syndrome! TIA x

Hi there! Thanks so much for replying. I'm glad to hear your surgery went well and you're having a steady recovery. Good luck for the rest of your journey! I have seen a few lovely people and I would love to chat outside of this forum! It seems slightly impersonal but it's a good start on finding like minded people. X

Thanks for the recommendation. My app does exactly the same but focuses on UK brands and typical portions etc. Thanks x

Sorry, all! I read my calorie counter wrong last night and gave you all the wrong numbers! Yesterday's total was 44.1g carbs, 19.7 protein, and 351 calories! Thanks x

That's a very good point, I never thought about a stall! It could well be that indeed. I will see my loss next week and if it isn't anything brilliant I will inform my bariatric team that I successfully did the 2 week period but didn't have a big loss. I suspect the actual pre-surgery one will be more liquids than solid meals, so that might have more of a success. I have downloaded a UK-based calorie counter to make my life a bit easier so I can track things better too. Fingers crossed! Honestly thank you so much, I find it hard to lose weight because of my PCOS so I should give myself more credit than I do. Congrats on your 36 pounds! I hope you hit that target weight! X

Thank you I will look into it. I've been having a greek yogurt with strawberry mashed on top for a sweet snack. Will see how I can improve this snack option x

Excellent idea. I dont "love" avocados but I dont mind them with some egg. Thanks a lot x

Oki doki I will give that a try. I only have 1 or 2 pieces of fruit a day anyway but I will try to keep then at bay for now. Would you recommend just having some protein as a snack replacement? Eg a chicken breast. Thanks! X

Thank you so much for making me feel normal. I really was wonder if something was wrong with me. I'm considering dropping soup, and upping my protein intake. I will ask my team for a specific amount of carb and protein I should be having. I feel so hungry all the time, does a larger protein intake help with this? I will be starting from tomorrow, and hopefully see more than 1kg loss in 2 weeks time! Thank you, it has been hard but any loss is a good loss. It's hard to remember that. I'm trying to find like minded people to chat with too. I have no plus size friends who understand the hard realities of losing weight and Bsurgery. X

Hi Thanks for your advice. I'm actually under the tier 3 weight loss service and this is through them. I am following their paperwork. I will potentially seek out further advice very soon x

Total carbs yesterday was 239.6g and protein was 65.4g. I havent been told the amounts I should have. Maybe the soup should be stopped and I should find an alternative? Thanks! X