Not feeling well on liquid diet?

[beachgirl 2]

Hi everyone,

Happy 4th of July. As you all know myself, Amy and fishy will have already had our surgery this time next week. Dr. Sanchez's office has told me no preop diet. But, after everyone else on here being on one I thought I would do one to. I've been on it for a coupld of days and when I wake up I feel horrible, then try to drink a slim fast and feel worse. I have almost cut out my cokes, 90 % and that's been hard. What I worry so much about is how in the world am I going to fill after surgery for a couple of weeks on this. I'm so hungry now I keep a headache, no energy and sick at my stomach. I hope someone has some answers that has done been there.

Thanks everyone,

Sherri

[Leila 0]

slim fast may not be your best option, out of all the Meal Replacements out there I remember in another thread someone saying the carb to Protein ration wasn't the greatest. I would really check out the liquid meal replacements in a big supermarket that has a really wide selection, and also check out a fitness/health supplement speciality store and look at their protein powders. What most of the pre-op diets seem to have in common is high protein, low fat/sugar, usually around 900 calories a day. and usually at minimum of 70 grams of protein. my pre-op diet used 3 liquid meals of Optifast Meal Replacement, and as much fresh veggies (no added fat) as we wanted. we could have a small amount of low cal dressing daily. I had big salads with low cal dressing and added lemon juice to stretch the dressing more, and I loved steaming cauliflower in fat free chicken or vegetable broth, and then mashing it up with some of the broth. also no root vegetables - too high in carbs, or advocado (technically a fruit, very high fat). I would look for meal replacement drinks that are really high in the protien department, or get protein from fat free cottage cheese, or fat free artificial crab, and just keep track of your total calories, try to stay around 900 a day, and make sure you get adequate protein, I find fitday.com helpful to keep track of things.

[beachgirl 2]

Thank you Lelia,

I'm have no energy what so ever. It scares me to how I'm going to fill after surgery with just broths. Maybe I won't be as hungry. Where do you get Optifast at. I don't recall seeing it. Thank you for your help.

Sherri

[Jachut 487]

I was exactly the same as you - I didnt have to do a pre-op diet and I thought I'd do the Optifast anyway for a good kick start. I felt crap for 3 days, I expected that, everyone said it would happen, got through it to day 4 and I passed out in the morning. Had some orange juice and was OK and then passed out again that afternoon. Rang my doc, he said "i said you didnt have to do it, eat something for crying out loud". So on his advice, I came off it, he said its only done when the alternative is worse than the actual diet, failed surgery due to a big liver, which I didnt have in the first place. Its not exactly a healthful or gentle diet in any other circumstances.

Then after surgery on the liquid diet I was just doing juice, V8, Optifast, some milk and again after a few days I started fainting. So again on the advice of my doc I started liquidising up some more hearty Soups, things with meat and Pasta in them and I was right from that point on. I made them more liquid at first and then gradually thickened them up.

But you more than likely will not be hungry after surgery.

[Leila 0]

the Optifast was provided by my surgeon, I don't think you can buy it in any stores. I had no problems with fatigue or low energy on the Optifast myself.

Everyone is different, you may not be able to function well on it. Most people have no problem. Now to make sure I get adequate Protein in daily I use a Protein powder called ISOWhey Breezer, I got it at a supplement specialty store here in Canada months ago, it's tropical flavored, and it doesn't thicken in Water, it just mixes to form juice, but is pure Protein, and it tastes great, you can just mix it with Water, or with a juice if you want extra flavor. there are a lot of good products out there. I've found most people that feel unwell when dieting are often because their protein intake is not high enough and they've dropped under 900 calories. Some people can't tolerate much lower than 1200 calories without feeling ill. Some people can't do well on less than 1400 for long periods of time. Sometimes it's better to alternate a day of 900, then 1300, then 800, then 1400, type thing so your body has some days where it's getting a larger calorie load and doesn't feel it's starving. If I drop below 80 grams of protein in a day I find I feel hungry all day, if I eat between 80-110 grams of protein daily I find I can do just fine all day on as little as 800 calories and I feel great, totally energized, particularly if I'm eating a lot of fresh food. Best of luck in whatever you decide to do, and don't worry! you've got a great adventure ahead of you! before you know it you'll be banded and healing, and a new life will begin!

XO

Leila

[ericsmom 2]

I've been on a liquid diet since the 21st of June, on orders from the doctor. I was told that any weight loss would be a bonus, that this was to shrink my insides and liver for surgery. I couldn't stand the CIB, so they said I could do Slim Fast, which I already knew I liked. I added chocolate Protein Powder to the chocolate royale SF and blended it with milk and ice in a blender and it was good. I've been on Clear Liquids since Sunday and now I feel sluggish. Thank goodness I go to get banded tomorrow. Then I won't hungry anymore.

[Time to love me 0]

Hi everyone,

Happy 4th of July. As you all know myself, Amy and fishy will have already had our surgery this time next week. Dr. Sanchez's office has told me no preop diet. But, after everyone else on here being on one I thought I would do one to. I've been on it for a coupld of days and when I wake up I feel horrible, then try to drink a slim fast and feel worse. I have almost cut out my cokes, 90 % and that's been hard. What I worry so much about is how in the world am I going to fill after surgery for a couple of weeks on this. I'm so hungry now I keep a headache, no energy and sick at my stomach. I hope someone has some answers that has done been there.

Thanks everyone,

Sherri

Sorry you feel so yucky!! If I were you, I just wouldn't do it.. unless the Dr. required you too. I know you want to jump start your weightloss.. But you want to have strength for your surgery.. so try to save it. It's not worth all the symptoms you are having right now, In my opinion. I definiately see your point and what your trying to do. I admire you for that, I just am too damn selfish to start a pre-op diet.. just for the jump start. When I'm not required to do so. Best of luck to you!! Get better soon.

[Jachut 487]

Its not the best weight loss anyway, the quick weight you drop on a liquid diet comprises of an awful lot of Water and lean body tissue and less fat than is desirable over the long term. You just do not lose pounds and pounds of fat in the space of a week or two. There's NO reason to put yourself through it if you dont have to. You'd be doing your metabolism a favour to just diet moderately.

[Leila 0]

The reason for pre-op diets isn't to jump start weight loss, it's specifically designed for the maximum loss of fat off of the liver. In lapband surgery the Dr. has to navigate around the liver to place the band. Most overweight people have enlarged fatty livers. A low calorie, low carbohydrate, low fat high Protein diet will work to shrink the liver rapidly. The smaller the liver the easier it is for the Dr. to secure the band properly around the stomach. If your liver is too large, several things can occur, if it is very large, they may not go through with the surgery. People have had their surgeries cancelled because the Dr. could not work around the liver. Usually they don't know until they actually get inside you and look. You could potentially wake up without a lapband. The liver may be small enough for them to place the lapband, but they are able to secure the lapband with stitches only part way around the stomach, if the liver is on the larger side, they may not be able to secure the band all the way around. What this means is it is you are more vulnerable to having a band slip than if you are secured all the way around. They may have to switch from a laproscopic procedure to an open procedure (large scars as they go in with their hands) in order to be able to place the band. I would ask your Dr. what he would do if he discovered when he went in laproscopically if he cannot work around your liver because it is too big, is his policy to cancel the band placement, or to proceed with an open procedure? Also your liver may be small enough that they can place the band laproscopically, but you may end up with bigger scars as they will need to navigate more around a larger liver. I would be interested to see if Dr.'s who don't require a pre-op diet have any difference in their rates of complication than Dr.'s that do require a pre-op diet. Are the Dr's that require a pre-op diet telling their patients that it really makes for a safer more effective surgery exagerating? Why would they bother? I would do everything I could to make sure the procedure is going to be as effective as possible, and give it the best chance possible for success. If it were me, even if my Dr. did not require it, I would choose a pre-op diet. I would err on the side of caution. I would always wonder if I didn't do it, and I did end up with some complications, whether I could have avoiding them simply by making different choices for a week or two out of my life. Take care of yourself, do the best you can for you, and all will go well!

XO

Leila

[Time to love me 0]

Leila,

I have to say that I do not have to have a pre-op diet and I'm quite confident in the Dr. I have. (He's from the Boston, Mass. area.) Anyway, I was, however, required to lose 10 pounds prior to my surgery and I had to keep it off or my surgery was a deal breaker. I do know that there are many people in my support group who have had to have a pre-op diet with him and many who did not have to have one. It really depends on each person, their weight is a factor and the Dr. can tell after he feels around your belly too see if it will be easy to manipulate in surgery. For example a softer belly verses a hard belly. From what I understand, for surgery, you want the softer belly. I'm sure all Dr.'s have different opinions/reasons or methods. Of course we want what's best for surgery, one thing my Dr. does tell his patients is that if there is a problem they will NOT revert to open surgery. They will stop the procedure. Which I know some might be pissed about, but I'd want to talk to my Dr. to see what the problem was before I went ahead and be banded. This is just MO. Does anyone know if there is any bloodwork that is done to help the Dr. find out how fatty the liver is? I gues I will ask my surgeon when I see him next week.

[Leila 0]

Time to love me, I think we're essentially saying the same thing. Checking with your Dr. to find out what their policies are is always the best plan. In a way you did have a pre-op diet too, to lose 10lbs. A lot of my Dr.'s patients, like me, are from far out of town, I only did several phone consults with my Dr. pre surgery, and only had a chance to meet him in person the day before. He had my family Dr. examine me, and send in all my blood work and test results pre surgery. He may very well have some patients he does not require a pre-op diet from, but as far as my understanding goes, his personal choice is to have all patients go on a pre-op diet, some a two week program, like I did, and some even a three week program. I know there are tests you can do to find out how fatty the liver is, I believe it's a scan or x-ray, they have to be able to see the physical mass of the liver. I remember seeing a thread from a potential bander here in the forums that had a Dr. who did have him go for some kind of x-ray/scan to see how large his liver was, and then subsequently told him he could not have surgery due to liver enlargement. It sounds like your Dr. has a very good approach to pre-op diets, as I'm certain not all patients would require one. My Dr. is super cautious in everything, pre-op diets, post-op diets, sneaking up slowly on fills, etc, that's his style, and the one I'm most comfortable with myself, one of the reasons I chose to go with him. Every Dr. has their own style with pre-op diets, post-op diets, and fills. Mine is on the extreme end in terms of cautiousness. Other Dr's seem to be on the opposite end of the spectrum, some Dr's seem to have a blanket no-pre-op diet approach. I think it's really important for people to find a Dr. whose approach they are comfortable with. I also think it's okay to go with a Dr. who you think may be not cautious enough, or too cautious, and then modify your own behaviour to what your preferences are. I think as long as we educate ourselves well, discuss things well with our Dr.'s we have a right to take charge of our own health and well being processes.

XO

Leila

[Loving-It 0]

I used and still use the Slim Fast shakes, but I use Low-Carb which has better numbers than the high Protein Slim Fast shakes. 2 net carbs and 20 g Protein, during pre-op I drank 4 a day. Make sure to drink plenty of Water or Crystal Light. As my body went into ketosis the Water got fishy tasting so thank God for Crystal light. I drank some broth but also Campbell's Soup to go creamy mushroom or blended vegetable medley. Also sugar free popsicles, low carb yogurt smoothies and sugar free Jello. I was told to get at least 60 g of protein in. If you are feeling weak you might not be getting enough.

I hope you feel better. :-(

[Mvpo8961 1]

Sherri how are you feeling now? Did you increase your intake? I did the South Beach phase 1 for my preop. Not long now. Wishing you best of luck.

Myra

[lianna 3]

Since you are doing this on your own there is no reason you cant tweak it to give more nutrition. Have some grilled chicken and some salads. You should be able to add just about any lowcarb veggies. Hope you are feeling better! It is getting close to surgery day for you, I will be thinking of you and sending prayers!

[Stitchy 0]

SherriJo

Why are you doing that to yourself? Most of the people here went on pre-op diets because they were advised by their doctors. If you aren't planning on going against your doc's advice after banding, why are you doing it now? There are many reasons for pre-op diets so do what your doc says. My doc recommends pre-ops only for patients over 300 lbs. Since I wasn't there, no pre-op diet. After banding, you probably won't feel hungry because your stomach will be swollen and irritated (and smaller). You won't want to eat much for a while and you will (probably) feel OK.

Don't be so hard on yourself. Remember what our mothers said when we wanted to do what our *all* friends were doing - something like "if they jumped in front of a car/off a cliff/etc, would you do that? Just do what I tell you."