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My LRD is a 12 milk and broth diet. But I went to the latest dietician meeting with me NHS MDT and they said that from three weeks before surgery, I can do soup and yoghurt. Each NHS trust seems to have different diets. I am assuming you're not in the UK so your doctor will probably say something different. I think the general consensus is, no to low carbs, no fat, no sugar and keep it at 800 calories a day.

Hello, new here! I had mine done in the 3rd of June. Surgery went very well, my first week was awesome. Now i'm on the second week, some days away of the getting out of liquids. This second week have been not good for me, I got a lot of nausea and a lot of foaming on my mouth. The only things that been helping are orange juice and water. Tried some homemade, sugar free lemonade today and it also helped to settle my stomach. The only thing thats been really rough, even tho I wasent addicted to soda (I would have a can once a week), my mind keeps craving for it. Since I was a kid, everytime I got nauseous My granma I would tell me to drink a little bit of coke and it helped me a lot, so I carried this tradition into my life. Now that cant have it and I'm feeling sick in the stomach my mind keeps asking for it, and its so frustrating. I tought i would have this problem with coffee, since I was an avid coffee drinker but I don't miss coffee so much. Hope all you guys are doing well through the process!

Most of the people on here have said it. I do cook most of my food now, hence the name. I think I’m weird because I like to food prep. I weigh myself at least once a week or check how my jeans fit. Then jump back on track (if I’ve wandered) by weighing food, measuring, recording and checking in with my son or a friend to hold myself accountable. I stay in touch with my bariatric group of fellow WLS patients because it’s good positive energy from people working hard to maintain weight loss. I pop on here too, again nice positive energy from folks trying to be supportive and helpful staying healthy!

Same for both of my surgeries. I was on all liquid for a week and nothing after midnight (my 1st surgery was at 8am and my 2nd was at 9am). The only liquid I got was at the hospital and it was in a tiny cup when I had to take a couple of pills they gave me, and swished that little bit of water all around and savored it lol

I'm about 4 weeks post op so I don't have a lot of smaller clothes. I'm trying to go as long as I can without buy new clothes because I don't know what size I will settle at. But I really like these jeans because they are skinny cargo jeans. I might just buy these in 2 different sizes just in case. I also find leggings not being tight annoying. My problem has always been that I'm too short for standard leggings so I would need a size 22 leggings but they would be too long. Now they are baggy and too long. But I've always been able to wear legging a size smaller than jeans or trousers because of the stretch.

Wow a 6 month prep seems so long. Hard to stay motivated, I totally agree. You're clearly eating what you should be because you've lost more than you need for your surgeon. Honestly if I had a 6 month run into surgery I would have accelerated my adherence to the programme in the 6 or 8 weeks before the date itself. Agree with the others - celebrate your non scale victories (although you totally have scale victories too)! Look at where you are now compared to where you were 3 months ago. And then visualise where you will be once you have your surgery. It's hard to stick to any eating plan for 6 months. I wish you all the best.

I’m considering a balloon and want to see how others have faired. Mostly interested in the middle bit since it seems like most people get better but some still struggle with nausea etc. and nausea is the worst. And I’m a toddler teacher which is impossible to do when you’re not feeling 100% Nw I’ve got two girls. How many weeks/days until folks started to really feel like themselves again. Thanks!

Like the above poster stated little fluctuations are completely normal and they can be due to a number of factors (water weight, hormones, a full bowel, etc) . I am two weeks post op from a differnt procedure but I am assuming the post ip diet is quite similar and that happened to me as well. I attributed it to my body coming out of ketosis. The liquids on my diet were all zero sugar and the purée foods did contain some sugar which is a carb. It also could have been because I was constipated from the supplements and not getting any fiber from my diet yet. Either way I went a few days maintaining that gain and then dropped 4’pounds overnight. The advice above to weigh weekly is really good. Monthly would even be better but it’s really hard to do. I had the sleeve 3.5 years ago and what I did was to weight myself daily because I just had to but to record my weight once a week so that I could see a downward trend more easily when I looked back at the log.

I am scheduled to have the same revision in 12 days and I am seriously stating to freak about whether the bypass would actually be better for me. I am concerned about the post op diet like you but I suppose I can tough it out if I’m allowed 3 shakes a day plus the tiny meals they suggest for the virgin surgery. Please let me know how you are doing. Whether you felt the weight loss was adequate. How much torture was the post op diet while still having your hunger hormone? Do you wish you had done bypass instead?!

@LisaCaryl Sorry, I didn't want to worry you! I'm close to giving up on trying to make healthy food choices is what I really meant. I'm feeling slightly better this evening although I'm freezing again because of the cold and rain in the UK. I think I'm just so so done in by all the traveling for work - I've still had less than 30 days at home since my surgery at the end of Feb and I know I'll be travelling pretty much non stop till mid July - and I'm so over the cold and the random hotel rooms and the living out of a suitcase. My partner is also travelling a lot so we barely see each other which normally we're fine with but the last 7-8 months have been especially bad travel wize. I think I just need a few good nights sleep in my own bed... I get home on wednesday evening and have a week a home before fmying off. Thankyou. Clothes feeling looser is a hard one because I travel light so basically just swap out one work dress for another from my suitcase when I'm home without trying anything on. I do have a dietician from the clinic I was operated at but the contact is just through whatsapp. I spoke to my partner earlier about how down I am (partner is not a GP or a psychiatrist but is a doctor.) and he thinks that it's just really because all this travelling and rain and cold is shitty and to keep upbeat and work i have to find something to get the negative emotions out on so I'm going with the lack of weightloss. The rational person inside me knows that this stall will pass but the emotional person is just so over the struggle allready!

I am scheduled to have the same revision in 12 days and I am seriously stating to freak about whether the bypass would actually be better for me. I am concerned about the post op diet like you but I suppose I can tough it out if I’m allowed 3 shakes a day plus the tiny meals they suggest for the virgin surgery. Please let me know how you are doing. Whether you felt the weight loss was adequate. How much torture was the post op diet while still having your hunger hormone? Do you wish you had done bypass instead?!

Oh no! 12 weeks is so long! Now that I think of it, this will likely be me also since I have no desire to completely opt out of the liquid diet in case a cancelation happens with someone else. I'm currently doing the shakes and a cup of low calorie soup. Thank you for your message. 🤍

Made refrigerator pickles, dried strawberries, dehydrated bbq zucchini chips, split pea soup, and pikliz (a Haitian pickled slaw) this week. But since I didn’t have lime juice or habanero peppers I used lemon juice and sriracha instead. It’s pretty tasty and I can’t wait to have more with fish stew on Friday. (I’m currently reading a book by a Haitian author and the way she mentions fish stew made my mouth water!) Only ate half the dinner roll but all the soup and half the pikliz.

I struggled to eat enough to slow my losing though not as much as you are. I reached goal at 6 months and was barely eating 900 calories. It took another year to get to about 1300 calories and for my weight loss to stabilise. To increase my intake I was eating all day long or it certainly felt that way. I had three meals and 5 or 6 snacks, predominately in the afternoon and evening. It took another year +/- to get to around 1600 calories which is about what I eat now to continue to pretty much maintain that initial stabilised weight.. And yes I still snack but only 3 or 4 times a day now to meet my caloric needs. So, yes, some of us do take time to get those calories up. But you are a more extreme case. If this has happened in rare other cases, what did they say what treatment was used in those cases? Can they stretch your pouch via an endoscopy or balloon? Have they suggested you incorporate those nutrient dense, high calorie smoothies like Ensure used for those with digestive and eating issues?

I am 6 months post op and I’ve been experiencing uncomfortable pains in my left upper area by where my pouch would be. It’s been a dull ache cramp and when I eat or drink it gets worse. I’ve noticed I’ve been gassy as well and can feel the gas being trapped as it moves through me. I have IBS and noticed these symptoms late last week and have read IBS can either be made worse or better by this surgery. They have improved but they are still there. Could this be a probiotic issue? Has anyone experienced these pains?

Wow 3 weeks post op and only 2oz? I would contact your clinic and see if they have any recommended plan. Did they tell you how many meals a day? For my program they told me to have 3 meals a day. I use my shakes as snacks. My meals at 3 weeks post op is 5oz tho. 3oz pf protein, 1oz puree vegetable and 1oz of starch. I can’t finish all, but I would stop and go back to it.

Tonight I went to the required education session that my NHS Trust has as a non-negotiable requirement of being accepted for surgery. I will be honest and say I was left feeling completely underwhelmed with it. There was about 16 of us, all pre-op but at different stages of the required tests etc plus some family members (hubby went with me) There was also a Bariatric nurse, a dietitian and a former patient who had had the bypass in 2022. She explained her journey but it seemed very…I don’t know, sterile? Wrong word I know but I don’t know how else to explain her approach. She’s obviously happy with how it all turned out for her but it all seemed very whitewashed, which I found odd. She only mentioned one case of dumping syndrome but everything else was a walk in the park, which had me internally questioning things. She said she was currently in a months long stall but again, everything was hunky-dory. Someone asked about a typical days eating and it seemed really carb-heavy - toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, cheese and crackers for a snack, sausage and chips or mash for dinner etc etc. I asked about what additional protein she had - didn’t/couldn’t answer, asked about exercise - some walking and that’s about it. She mentioned hair loss being an issue but that it all grew back and was great. I know I’m being picky but I honestly wanted a more rounded discussion about of lots of different challenges that we could face with WLS and living the life post-op. I’d say out of the group that was there, maybe 5 had done any wider reading or research. I did find out that the hospitals approach to caffeine post-op is you can have a couple of cups of tea/coffee a day but they would rather patients filled up on foods/drinks that added protein, especially at the beginning. I also found out about the vitamins they give you and that they put the timings on the boxes to aid patients with timings etc, which was useful. Something that was bothering me was if my BMI dipped below 40, would I still be considered for surgery as I don’t have any co-morbidities like diabetes, heart issues etc. I need to get it below 40 before I will be considered for knee surgery, and I’m hoping that will happen end of Oct/beginning of Nov all being well. I was reassured about that, saying that they go off the booking weight reported by the GP when referred initially 🙂 I will be completely honest and say that, apart from some very specific questions I had of my hospital, I actually find this forum of much more use and beneficial to me personally. I have found out so much information from people who are further along in their own WLS journey, plus I know I’ve felt really supported by lots of very lovely and helpful users. There is such a wealth of experience on here that I know that if I have a question, someone will be along to answer it! Roll on the dietitian appointment next week 🤞

Hello! First time in this forum, so glad I found it! I am scheduled for gastric sleeve surgery on June 14, and am finishing day 3 of the liquid protein diet. So far, so good - tbh, I’m amazed at the energy I have. Altho talk to me on day 6 or 7 and I might change my tune lol

It’s so weird how the various doctors do things so different. Your diet is shorter but sounds harder than mine, doable though. At least you get to chew some things. I would hate to do the ALL liquid for two weeks like some people have to. I would feel full but I would just be so board with it. I am so glad you did not have to give a bunch of blood during all this. Thankfully I was allowed to schedule mine prior to the diet because I agree that wouldn’t be good. I was just cleaning today trying to get things done before next week and I guess I overdid it. I got real lightheaded so I definitely couldn’t give blood. I know it’s because it was almost 1:00 and all I had was a protein shake. I stopped and had my second shake right away then just took it easy for a while. i would hate to not know my time until the day before, though. If you can’t tell by my schedule above, I’m a planner. It helps with my anxiety to plan things way in advance. They did tell me that I will need to be flexible that day though because I could get there and have to wait. They said they will always take kids and diabetics to the OR first, bumping me if necessary. I will be done this time near week too, though. So excited for both of us.

Last year I had given my daughter a bunch of jeans that were too small for me. I just got to take them back!! She brought me 10 pairs of jeans and 3 pairs I got to send back because they were too big!! The ones I got to keep were size 9’s. I didn’t want to go buy clothes yet because I’m still 9lbs from my goal weight and 19lbs from my surgeons goal weight. Very much in need of toning my stomach though. I keep hearing my surgeons words in my head over and over “skinny fat””skinny fat” if you don’t exercise you’ll look “skinny fat” ugh, this is my stomach right now. Never mind I’ve had 4 babies and that last one I had when I was 38 so my abdomen has not been bikini ready in a lifetime. So small win for me, I fit in a size 9 jeans, big loss…out of the jeans is not as pretty. Time to really get to toning and exercising and move onto the next steps in getting healthy. I haven’t stepped on the scale in a few days. Eating wise I have not been sick in over a week. All my vitamin levels are where they should be. Things are finally falling into place.

I'm only losing a pound a week now myself...docs say not to worry about it, these things go in cycles...and to up my physical activity. (grumble). Don't get discouraged. You are the heart of the May Surgeries board. Keep the posts coming.

I put mine as the weight on the day I went to my first surgical consult, which was also my highest recorded weight. With the diet and lifestyle changes I made as part of the program, I lost about 13 lbs in the 6 months between then and the start of my pre-op diet. I lost another 13 lbs in those 2 weeks of liquid diet before surgery. But I want credit for all the weight I lost! Interestingly, Dr. Weiner recently said on a podcast that the weight lost on a pre-op diet definitely is credited to the surgery in his opinion. The reasoning was that if you go on a liquid diet, lose 13 lbs, and then try to keep that weight off without having surgery just by eating right, you are going to regain most or all of it in a matter of weeks. The fact that we lose that weight and then keep losing more weight instead of gaining is thanks to the metabolic changes of the surgery. He also told me in a live Q&A support group a while back to use my weight from before the pre-op diet as my starting weight if I wanted to plug it into a prediction calculator. I raised the concern of being a bit behind the prediction based on one of those calculators and he asked me what my weight was before the liquid diet. When we used that number instead of my surgery day weight, it tracked much better (and is still looking very accurate at 9 months out). He said if I had always been 225 lbs (my day of surgery weight) that would be one thing, but in reality, my "true" weight was somewhere between 238 and 251 in terms of what my metabolism was trying to overcome with the surgery. I feel like that's one of those big questions a lot of us have in the beginning and nobody really gives an answer on the calculator sites.

How frustrating when you're already doing so much! All I can offer is my experience with my pre-op liquid diet. For the weeks, I had 3 protein shakes per day, sugar-free jello, broth, and the occasional sugar-free popsicle. Averaged around 600 calories per day and around 20 carbs or less per day. It was effective, if not pleasant. I lost about 6.8 kg in 2 weeks.

Thank you for your time and your answer 'Cat'! It helps me alot. I had the sleeve and I have being obsessing ever since that something is wrong because my hunger (I don't which type) never went away and my restriction seems quite forgiving. Till yesterday that someone told me that maybe the surgery didn't cut a big enough piece of my stomach.. I've been crying all day. I do follow the portions the nutritionist gave me but got scared when I compared myself to others, some of them saying the could not even tolerate soup 2 or 3 weeks post op. It is surely a struggle, mainly mentally, and I have decided to go to therapy about it. I will keep in mind the things you said about hunger and head hunger and try not to panic when I feel them. Thanks again for your reply❤️

My sister who was sleeved on Aug 30th and now myself who was sleeved on Dec 28th both have trouble sleeping. I am used to being exhausted and sleep a good 8 hours a night, but since surgery, I wake after 5 hours and just can't go back to sleep. If I do get up for awhile and go back to bed I can get in another 2-3 hours. I am back to work now so I don't have the time to do back to bed. Does this ever change? Does anyone out there have a remedy? I blame it on all the Protein so I've been trying to get my daily requirements in before 2:00, but it didn't work last night. Bingo, 3:00 am and I am up for the day. Help!!!!!!!!!!!