Does the liquid diet get easier??!!!

[Stephanie MG 0]

:phanvan Im on the pre surgery liquid diet and am going a little nuts.

My Dr. Says liquids only for ONE MONTH after surgery.

My question is once the band is placed, will I feel less hungry right away? The things Im eating (drinkning) are getting boring already. I am a very motivated person and am SOOO excited for this new time in my life, although the past couple days of this are really wearing me down. I almost feel, airheadish.

I have been getting 60 grams of Protein, and my Calcium, and Vitamins.< /em>

Please tell me it gets easier after surgery!

Thanks for any reply and for words of incouragement:rolleyes

[ericsmom 2]

I'm on my second day of my pre-op two-week liquid diet. Yesterday was fine except I had a headache when I went to bed and I woke up with one this morning. I think it's a sugar withdrawal. I've had the airheadedness as well. I am being banded on July 5th and it seems like it's so far off right now. I'm having a tough time with that Protein powder messing up the taste of my Slim Fast. I couldn't do the CIB - it made me gag...so I was told I could do Slim Fast. I put the milk and ice in a smoothie maker and then add the powder for a shake. Problem is I always had skim milk and now I have to have 2%, which is like drinking cream to me...and the vanillia Protein Powder cuts the chocolate flavor. I'm pretty much guzzling just to get it down. I had Jello for lunch. I'm hoping that the post op week of liquids goes better than this...

I see your surgery is tomorrow - best of luck to you!

[barbara465 2]

It doesn't get easier. Its pretty boring. After surgery I was hungry within hours. I don't think I swelled much as a result of the band being placed. I don't think I really could eat, but I felt hungry. I'm on thicker liquids now so the Soups with a little texture are helping. Its worth it I keep saying to myself so hang in there.

[msbug 0]

I'm so not looking forward to that part. My surgeon is very conservative and I'm not allowed regular food till eleven weeks after surgery! :faint: I'm going to be putting lots of things in the blender in those weeks to keep me from eating the table legs! I think the post-op diet will be easier than the pre-op though, just because we get more variety. It's not like you can only have the Slim Fast for the month after, there are lots of other things that fall in the liquid diet. From what I've heard at the support meetings and online the pre-op diet is way harder than the post-op. So if you can get through these 2 weeks, I bet you'll be fine!

Hope it goes fast for you!

[JulieLu 0]

I had my band surgery a little over a week ago. The pre op diet was much harder for me than the post op diet. I've used Myoplex shakes and they really fill me up. I haven't been very hungry.

[Drifter 0]

Stephanie - I have yet to be banded, but have alot of experience with liquid diets. I have done both Opti-fast and HRM programs where you drink only liquids. They are very hard to do at first, but you can get used to them after a while. They also really work for weight loss if you stick to it. I am doing it now to get ready for my surgery and to prepare me for post band.

The key is not drinking too much at a time. You want your stomach to get used to the smaller quantity - to shrink, if you will. Therefore, don't drink your liquid meal, then drink alot of Water at the same time. Try to regulate so you take in the same amount of liquid at all times. So, drink 10 oz of liquid meal and then wait 1 hours before you drink your Water. Use multiple small drinks.

I was on these programs for up to 3 months, and yes, it did get easier after the first 10 days. Some people were in the program for over a year and stuck to it. Problem was - You know what I going to say - they (like me) could not keep it off once that starting eating normal food. That's were the band will come in.

Good luck. Email me if you need more info. Drifter.

[Kat817 19]

I did not have a full liquid diet pre-op, only post op. And my experience was totally different from barbara's, I was not hungry for probably 2 weeks easy. I did have a high Protein, low fat pre-op diet, that I followed, and my Dr. said my liver and stomach looked very good, that he could tell I had done the diet! I was on Clear Liquids for 10 days after surgery, then on full liquids for another 2 weeks. By the time I was ready for mushies, I had begun getting hungry. ericsmom--have you tried using chocolate Protein Powder so you don't lose the chocolate taste? Unjury has a chocolate, and also an unflavored so you can use it in anything...and I have used it in ALL kinds of things!!! www.unjury.com I would use the unflavored, and sugar free syrups from DaVinci, and made myself all sorts of flavors. I also could add the unflavored to broths, Jello, and since eating normally, if my protein intake is low for the day, I sprinkle some in the gravy, after it has cooled a bit, or in a cup of applesauce, or pudding.< /span>

I believe it will get easier, as your body quits craving sugars etc., and after the surgery the stress you are under awaiting it will ease as well, and I found it easier. I had a very easy surgery, no issues with gas, or much pain involved. I was done in Mexico, and flew home on day 3, with a 5 hour plane trip, and another 5 by car, all I took was one shot of liquid tylenol. And that was the last time I took anything for discomfort. I hope the diet becomes easier for you, I really feel it will. It works in 2 ways, not only does it shrink your stomach and liver, it begins the mindset of not everything involving food. Good Luck to you, I hope all goes wonderfully for you!!

Kat

[*susan* 1,709]

Why are you on liquids only for a month after the diet? Are you sure your doctor didn't mean you would be on liquids for one month total, i.e., two weeks before and two weeks after your surgery. A month just seems extreme to me.

Actually, you will probably find for the first week or so after surgery you are not very hungry. After that, I think it isn't so much that you are physically hungry, you just start craving real food. But, it really is important to do whatever your doctor tells you, as he knows what is best for you. Try finding a hobby or something to do with your hands that will take your mind off of the head hunger, or go for a walk or something.

Good luck.

[THEQUEEN 0]

GOOD LUCK TOMORROW STEPH!!!

I'LL COME VISIT TO SEE HOW YOUR DOING :omg: LOL

[Stephanie MG 0]

You guys are all so great, Thanks for the repy's! I have made it through! I even had to go out to lunch with my co-workers today (celebrating a birthday) and I sat there and had WATER....Bad enough not getting to have a glass of wine or a gin n tonic but to have NO FOOOD, was not very fun. I did it though!

I came home and had some chicken noodle Soup broth yum.

They didnt serve ANY broth Soups.< /span>

Im READY. Just going to pack up tonight and by this time tomarrow it will be done YAY!!

On to the next step I go!

[juliegeraci 7]

1 month sounds like a lot to me. My doctor had 2 weeks liquids, 1 mushies, 1 reg food. In the meantime, follow what he says but double check.

[Stephanie MG 0]

Yah, Im hearing that he seems a bit strict. He say's One month after surgery- liquids only,60 grams Protein, 3500 calcium citrate, 4 chewable Multi Vitamins.< /span>

Then 2 weeks of pureed food (mushies)

Then slowly add foods.

ONE ounce 3 times a day (A shot glass full of food)

He says the weight loss that his patients have is more than the "average"

I will do what he says, and try to make it through.

MY BIG DAY IS AT 6AM tomarrow!!!!!!!!! YAYA!!!!!!!

[juliegeraci 7]

Stephanie, sounds like I could take some of his advise too. I want my weight to fall off. I lost 11 lbs post op 1 1/2 weeks later. I'm stuck right now but have my first fill on July 17th. Good luck with the procedure. Mine was a piece of cake.

[msbug 0]

Yep, sounds like our docs do a very similar plan. Liquids till week 4, then pureed food till week 7, mushies from week 8-11. I'm hoping the strict diet will be made better by the good weight loss he says his patients have!

Good luck tommorow and let us know how you're doing when you get a chance.

[Loving-It 0]

For my pre-op sugar free popsicles and sugar free Jello were lifesavers. I drank the Slim Fast low carb and Atkin's shakes. I had to have four a day to meet the Protein requirements that were set for me pre-op and that worked for me. I was always having something which was nice. It helped take the edge off of not being able to munch on something. I also was allowed cream of mushroom Soup, mainly Campbell's Soup At Hand. They also have blended vegetable medley. I didn't have a hard time with the pre-op.

Post-op is a different story. I don't think my stomach is that swollen from the banding either. The first two weeks (which is up tomorrow!) I could have it if I could drink it through a straw. Still having the shakes, pureed Soups, broths, just as long as it goes up the straw. I'm pretty sick of soup. LOL! Tomorrow I get to move up and have "foods that you don't need teeth to eat". oatmeal, cream of wheat, I can have chicken salad, ham salad, egg salad, turkey salad, tuna salad, but I have to puree them into a paste. A poached egg broken open. My doctor told me that during this phase most of his patients tend to lose about 3 lbs or even gain 3 lbs, so I'm planning on being careful. Still doing the shakes for sure. I do this phase for two weeks.

The main thing during the liquid phase that made it easier was I kept telling myself, "this isn't forever". It's just temporary. I crossed off the days on the calendar as a countdown. Time has flown by. I can't believe it's been two weeks since my procedure already.