Texarkolina

Congrats! I call those old skinny clothes my "I have a dream....." wardrobe. If I were you I would wear my outdated "I have a dream" wardrobe proudly until they are saggy. It will make the moment when you HAVE to buy something because NOTHING fits so much more exciting!

I was told something similar by the insurance company but still had to do a few things to get approved. I had to see a psychiatrist, nutritionist, go to a class (did mine online) and have my PCP clear me for surgery. It wan't too bad. What they probably mean is that they don't require a pre-op diet. Good luck on whatever you decide!

I am soooooo with you. I am on day 6 and the pounding, disabling headache went away on day 3. Perhaps yours will too. The entire liquid diet got easier on day 3. If you can, sleep. Run your family off and get in bed. I was allowed to have diet soda, so I had one when it got really really bad and that helped a lot. I took Tylenol--didn't help. Excedrin Migraine helped a lot. I know today blows, but it does get easier a few days in--most people say at the end of day 2 or 3. Don't be too hard on yourself. I was a whiny emotional wreck the first couple of days, but I feel so much better now.

Wow--that is awesome. I would love to see some before and after pics!

Welcome! Lurk around on the boards and you will get all kinds of information. I have not been sleeved yet--9 days to go--but if there is anything I can help you with yell!

Wow--you guys are freaking me out. What can you do to cause a leak? I have a toddler and am worried that I may pick her up out of habit after the surgery. Can that cause a leak?

Stop now! Take a walk, take a nap, go see a movie, get engrossed in a book, but do anything you can to get away from the food. Be super aware of your body and how you are feeling. If you notice anything at all call your doctor. You may have done some damage and need to be checked out/treated. I know it is hard, but it really isn't optional right now. You can and may have done real damage to yourself. I know it seems like forever, but you will be back to regular foods before you know it. However, if you damage your sleeve and/or get a leak it can add months to the liquid stage....not to mention worse consequences. I am praying for you.

My surgery is also on July 23 and I have found that the pre-op diet---well---sucks. We are being asked to do an extreme diet for 2 weeks without the tool that we will have after surgery. Plus, add to the mix the anxiety of an impending surgery, getting things wrapped up at work for your time out, getting family settled and prepared for your hospital stay, reviewing the risks vs benefits of surgery to make sure we are ready to go through with it...the list goes on and on. If you are at all an emotional eater.....and I don't know how in the world I would have reached 300 pounds without being one--some nice comfort food would really help. The first few days I was whiny, overly sensitive, had a headache, shaky, irritable and just basically unpleasant to be around and miserable. Then I made a mistake of posting something on here and got a dose of "tough love" and comments like "if you can't do the pre-op maybe you shouldn't have surgery." It was not helpful at all. Look at all you have done thus far. You have already broken several bad habits....that is great. Some people try to quit smoking for years without success. Pop was very hard for me to let go of. I of course will encourage you to stick to the diet, but I would also encourage you to not be so hard on yourself. After surgery you will have a tool to help. Also, consider going and seeing a movie. I have found it is the perfect thing to do for a distraction. I sneak in a bottle of crystal lite and take only enough money for the ticket. Then I can relax and get engrossed in the movie and all the diet issues take a back seat for a while. We can do this! Surgery day is just around the corner!

I am 9 days pre-op and it is currently all-consuming. I made the mistake of watching multiple surgeries on you tube.....I have been dreaming about that for a while now.

You may want to shoot for a little bit longer recovery time then you can go back earlier if you are ready early. I am in Human Resources and will tell you that the managers really appreciate as much warning as possible. Having someone out longer than you thought is a real burden, but having someone come back sooner is a good thing. If you work for an employer that has 50 or more employees, you can apply for FMLA to cover your time away from work. If you have Short Term Disability, time off for the surgery (less any waiting period) would be paid time off. Good Luck!

Congrats!

My diet is very strict--just the packets of shake mix and water. I have added boiled chicken breast strips on days when I just couldn't do it, and I am concerned that it is going to be a problem. I am still in week 1 and it gets easier each day. I know I will need to 100% stick to the diet a few days out. I am kinda like--how do people do this and work/take care of family, etc. I guess I am doing it, but I don't know if I could function if it weren't for that few bites of chicken. It is less than an ounce at a time and I am having 3 or less a day, so I think it should be ok, but you never know......

Dang----I want veggies.....sigh.....Enjoy them!

My surgery is July 23. I am concerned about getting through the weekend with this diet. It is hard enough preparing food for my toddler once a day. Three meals and 2 snacks is going to be rough. I know the emotional bit will level out, and I have been told that it gets way easier after the surgery. Keep strong! Good luck on your surgery--I can't wait to hear how you are doing!

Good luck--I will stress again that while the first 1-3 days are not fun, you will feel better soon. It gets way easier! Good luck!

I hate the little voice. He lies. Tell him to buzz off!

I know there was some disagreement earlier in this thread but may I just say for someone struggling with the liquid diet that I am pretty sure we would all agree that....... LIQUID DIET SUCKS! Not just sucks a little bit but really really really sucks. So if you are all whiny and angry and down and thinking about driving up to a window for a heart attack in a sack....don't think there is anything wrong with you. If there is anyone out there who can say that the liquid diet was a breeze then they most likely wouldn't need surgery. The good news....it starts getting easier about day 3. Somewhere along day 3 you go into ketosis if you are on a high protein/low carb diet. This acts as a natural appetite suppressant. If I had to do 14 days of day 1 or 2 I would never make it. I am on day 4 and it was doable today. Not fun, not pleasant, but doable. To be honest, however, I have been an over-sensitive, emotional wreck for the past 3 days. If you are reading this on the first few days of your pre-op diet you are probably overly sensitive, tired, shaky, have a headache, and are absolutely starving. The entire world is probably ticking you off and you could come through the computer and slap someone that says "if you can't do the pre-op how are you going to do the post-op?" I caved and had a boiled chicken breast and asparagus on the first night, then a boiled chicken tender on day 2 and 3. Today I did ok. If you do cheat, make it a smart one. Don't cheat with carbs or you will kill the ketosis benefit. Good luck. My Nut. swears it is easier after the sleeve. Oh yeah--I am down 10 pounds in 4 days.

I would be ticked off, too. IMO, no one has the right to judge your personal medical decisions weather that judgement is good or bad, and you have the right to keep your personal medical issues--well--personal. No one talks about "being happy for you" when you go in for an appendectomy. It is not the talk of the Water cooler. When weight loss surgery is announced, however, everyone has an opinion and a comment. It is almost demeaning to have people comment in that way like they have the right or knowledge to have an opinion about something that you have been studying and learning about and living for a long time. That being said, you do need to try to let it go. You can't unring the bell, and it could become an unneeded distraction for you if you focus too much energy on it. Sorry that happened to you. Try to forgive their ignorance and move on as quickly as possible.

This may sound crazy, but when trying to lose working with a doctor and nut a few years back I got stuck at a certain weight. The doctor told me that I should skip working out and sleep a minimum of 10 hours for 3 days in a row...then go back to my normal routine. Worked like a charm. Used it at every stall and it always got me going again. I will be sleeved soon, so I don't know if it works with the sleeve but it sure does work with diet and exercise.

Welcome! First of all--take a deep breath and let it out slowly. All the concerns you mentioned are part of this. We have all asked those questions. When I first started seeking weight loss surgery I was irritated that the approval process and pre-op testing and such took so long. Now I am 11 days away from my surgery and am glad I had a lot of time to really ask all the questions and get answers. You don't have to have all the answers right now. Give yourself some time. Look around on this site--it is really helpful. Go to the consult--ask a lot of questions. In a little while you will know if this is right for you or not.

If your employer offers Short Term Disability this will qualify. Talk to the HR department. I am in Human Resources, so I deal with this stuff every day. Message me if you need help/advice on this and I will walk you through it.

I wonder how many of you were large in your teen years and feel this way???? I have wondered if the image of ourselves that we carry in our mind comes from those teen years. I was big as a teen and feel very big now. I once lost 100 pounds, and still felt as large as I do now.

July 23 here----pre-op diet blows.....but I am gonna make it just fine and you will too!

So I am apparently the world's biggest wuss because I didn't even make it through day 1 of my pre-op diet without cheating. I am on a "Protein diet" that consists of 500 calories worth of protein--in various little packets like pudding,shakes, drinks--a day. End of day one and I am dizzy,lightheaded, and starving......so I ate chicken breast and asparagus. I have an upper GI tomorrow and then a doctor's appointment. I wonder if I should tell him that I caved on day one. I am really embarrassed. Part of me wants to yell, "Hey--fat lady here--can't make it on 500 calories a day for 2 weeks" I mean, that is like 3500 calories a week. I can eat that in a day easy. Who am I kidding--I am 300 pounds--I can eat double that in a day with no effort. Any tips or hints about how you made it through your pre-op diet will be appreciated. I have 4 phentermine left over and am considering taking them to get through the first few days. I have 13 days to make up for today.

Thanks for the encouragement!