Pre-Op Eve and I'm nervous!

[ElaineB 207]

I'm start my pre-op diet tomorrow morning and I'm having a lot of anxiety about it. I am not a good dieter and this one feels pretty restrictive. I guess they all feel restrictive when you are the one having to do it:) Anyone else starting their pre-op diet this week? I have to do a shake for Breakfast, one for lunch, then a lean Protein and veggie for dinner. I'm starting a couple of days early so I can get this going on a day off before I have to try to do it at work. I have started a VLOG and did a post about this.

Check me out if you get a chance.

[Susie in Lima 320]

Hey there! You can do this! I know it will be hard at first (actually many of us only were allowed liquids, no real food for the pre-op diet) But you are going to be so glad that you did this! If you start feeling like you need to cheat, go for a walk, call someone, take a bath etc. This is the hard part, your stomach isnt tiny yet so you will just have to talk yourself through it. Drink alot and that will help with the hunger and will also help you start a new habit of getting in lots of liquids. It wont be long now! You can do it!

[ElaineB 207]

Thanks for the encouragement Susie. I am nervous, but I am ready to get this thing started. You gave some good suggestions. It is helpful to know that I'm not the only one who has gone through this.

[court2180 30]

It will be hard but after awhile you kind of become numb. I copied and pasted the post below and had it on my work computer and read it EVERYDAY for my preop diet. I did not write this, I can't remember who did but it is in the preop section of the forums. And yes, I was on Clear Liquids only for a week so if I did it YOU can do it. Best of luck!

Hi guys. I see a lot of you are struggling and worried pre-op about the pre-op diet. It is a HUGE challenge, but for me, it was an important one.

Exactly 1 year ago, I was in the middle of a 2 week liquid pre-op diet because my BMI was 55+ and I was self-pay in Mexico. Traveling from Canada meant that a reschedule would be A LOT of extra expense if my surgeon had to stop due to an enlarged liver mid-surgery. I had NO CHOICE but to follow the diet.

It also meant that cheating would increase the chance of complications and a longer recovery (or worse), all because I could not follow a 2 WEEK diet. Really? Here I was, about to take a seriously radical, life-changing step and get 85% of my stomach cut out permanently. But I can't follow a 2 week diet? That's crazy.

Post-op was going to be difficult for MONTHS, not days. So if I couldn't get my head in the game for the pre-op diet, then maybe I wasn't ready for what was going to follow post-op. I was terrified!

So I started the liquid diet. And I was STARVING. I was dreaming of all the foods I thought were leaving my life forever. Suddenly I didn't care that I had spent my life morbidly obese, I wanted my comfort back. I wanted to fill myself to bursting at every meal, like it was my last meal forever.

But I didn't break my diet.

Because for once, I wasn't going to cheat myself. It was time to grow up (I'm 43....) and take responsibility for my health, my future and my choices. A lifetime of justification, gluttony and excuses brought me to that operating room. Now it was time to face the music and get on with owning my future.

The first 3 days were HELL. That is when your body is detoxing from the carbs. You are using up the glycogen in your liver (to help "shrink" it) and it's screaming for replacement carbs to fill it back up. You can get through it. After 3 days it gets MUCH better. After a week you start to feel normal and more healthy than you have felt in years. You may be hungry, but you don't have the carb cravings anymore.

Most importantly, you feel IN CONTROL; and mentally and emotionally strong for battling your demons and winning. This is the first tangible proof in an unsure future that you CAN get through the post-op recovery and that you CAN succeed in losing the weight this time, FOR LIFE.

Whatever weight you lose during your pre-op diet is really inconsequential. What is important is what you gain:

- Confidence

- Emotional and physical self-control

- The desire to succeed and overcome "impossible" obstacles

- The knowledge that you are a WINNER as long as you do your best

Please don't look at the pre-op diet as a "condition" that your surgeon imposes on you (and some surgeons don't require it!). It is an OPPORTUNITY for you to test yourself, to help build your will, character and emotional toughness BEFORE you have the surgery.

It's like training for a marathon.....you put the blood sweat and tears in before the race to help you finish the race on game day. Without training and preparation, you will likely fail and you can get hurt really badly along the way!

Use your pre-op diet to work through your demons, build up your confidence and prove to yourself you can do it. If you "fall off the wagon" one day, the next day is a fresh start.

Aim for excellence. You owe it to yourself.

[ElaineB 207]

Wow, Court. Thank you so much for that. I've been awake and freaking out bc I felt like the axe had fallen at midnight and that just changed my whole perspective. I feel so calm and peaceful right now. I am going to read that over and over these next few days. I really appreciate that.

[court2180 30]

Not a problem! I had it at work & on my phone so whenever I needed a reminder it was there & gave me the will & determination to stick to the diet. It will pass but just a warning...there are A LOT of food commercials on TV lol!

[allysonk2009 3]

Hi Elaine,

I start my pre op on Tuesday and am honestly scared. I have my surgery on the 23rd, I was told to have a shake every 4 hrs I bought carnation instant breakfast , ensure and GNC lean shake. The worst part is during my breaks from school I work at McDonald's as my summer job. I know I am just really nervous but I know in the end it's going to be all worth it.

[ElaineB 207]

Court, I guess it's lucky we don't have cable:0

Allyson, I understand the fears. I was having a major anxiety attack last night. Totally freaking out. This morning, the first day, I feel calm. I'm just going to take it day by day. I will keep re-reading the post Court put here. I realize that food and the physical is not the main issue. I can go the next two weeks without a bite of food and physically be just fine. It's the emotional thing, the psychological thing, really. This is going to be a fight with myself, but I'm determined. We just have to keep it in perspective. It's 2 weeks for goodness sakes:) Now the working at McDonald's thing is rough. Drink a lot of that delicious unsweet tea. Or look for another job? This is a great source of support too. We can do it together. Your date is the same as mine, right? The 23rd? I'm posting another video tonight after this first day is over.

[babsvt 20]

What wonderful words.

I am also on my preop liquids. I was to be on 3 shakes a day and one Protein meal with vegetables for one week, and Liquid Protein and liquids for the 2nd week. I started the liquid only phase several days earlier than what I was supposed to so I could get used to it.

They're not bad. Had a Decaf coffee shake for bfast (rounded decaf instant coffee 1/2 tsp, unflavored Protein powder, Water, splenda).

Just had lunch -chocolate raspberry Protein Shake (1rounded tsp choc sf instant pudding, unflavored Protein Powder, raspberry extract, Water and splenda).

I leatned if I use too much sf instant pudfing, it gets very thick. The pistacho sf pudding is great too. Just spit out the pieces of pistacho.

[allysonk2009 3]

Yes Elaine I would like that a whole lot!!!

[Frustr8 7,886]

And these are a few other ways past posters approached surgery.