Halfway through liquid diet from hell

[Mhy12784 423]

1 hour ago, Creekimp13 said:

UPDATE ON vanilla ANCHOVY SHAKES****

Ok, yes they're disgusting. Horrible, in fact.

BUT...and this is a big BUT.... I feel SO much better than I have since starting the liquid diet. My brain fog is much better...just night and day. I'm not concerned about being lightheaded driving anymore...I feel like myself.

So while I don't like the taste of the fishy torture gulps.... they've made me feel so darned good, I have to say I like them.

Just figured good news deserved a mention:)

This shake thing sounds highly suspect to me. A shake made by Nestle (the chocolate company) where (according to their website) most flavors have between 40-65 g of sugar. And they all list sugar as the second ingredient after Water.

Unless there's some special sugar free version elsewhere, and I'm just reading the wrong thing.

They must pay out a helluva referral commission

Edited December 1, 2017 by Mhy12784

[sandra305 54]

Yeah I've been considering on starting the liquid diet (a week) early, too. My surgery date is on the 27th of this month, but I've decided to start a little early to get adjusted and will start on the 4th. Two Protein Drinks a day and a light meal for supper. I don't want to shock my body and feel like I'm starving itself if I suddenly go to liquids. Hope this will be beneficial!

[kaydo 63]

@sandra305, it's worked well for me. I've been down at least a half pound every day this week and the Protein Shakes are keeping me pretty full. I do still have 3 cups of popcorn most nights (when I'm hungriest) but the days have been pretty manageable. Good luck! (My surgery is the day after yours.)

[Creekimp13 5,840]

Mhy....you must be looking at the Nutritional Supplement version of the shake. The one I'm using is specifically for patients having major surgery and I had to buy it at the pharmacy behind the counter. This one has 15 g of Carbs per shake. It says right on the box that it's to be used only for a short time under the supervision of a doctor.

While I understand that Nestle makes chocolate, they also have a huge medical nutrition line (Nestle Health Science) that provides many of the liquid food formulas given to Tube Fed patients, and special liquid supplements for people with specific nutritional needs in medical recovery. Yep, they make candy. Apparently, they're also a huge name in medical nutrition.

I'm not saying these shakes are necessary. I'm not plugging them....if I were, I sure wouldn't talk about how God-awful they taste. But it's disingenuous to say they're made by a candy company and are "suspect".

And like I say....since I started drinking them in place of 3 of my other shakes...I've felt amazingly clearer. They make me feel a LOT better.

Also, the protocol I'm using that was developed by University of Michigan (that includes these weird shakes) is being picked up by Cedars-Sinai and some other super reputable research hospitals. I don't think they'd steer anyone to junk to make a buck because, frankly, they have a ton of money and don't need to. Their bread and butter...is in cutting edge research and having great outcomes.

[Creekimp13 5,840]

Had my last pre-surgical appointment today!

Learned some really weird stuff that I wanted to share.

WARNING: What i'm about to describe is unique to my particular surgery protocol. Your doctor might have an entirely different approach and you should follow the instructions of YOUR doctor, always. I'm providing this for folks who are curious about an example of what happens....not what necessarily will happen in their procedure. Your particular doctor and facility might do things completely different.

I've been told to take a shower with Chlorhexadine soap the night before surgery (was given a bottle), and to get into freshly laundered bedding. Was told underarm deodorant is desirable, but any other scents should be avoided. No makeup or fingernail polish (has to do with anesthesiologist monitoring your color).

I'm supposed to finish all my shakes for the day by 6pm.

This is the weird one!!!!

From 6-9pm on the night before surgery, I'm supposed to drink 24 ounces of White Grape juice. At 2:30 am I'm supposed to have an additional 12 ounces. Apparently carb loading the hell out of folks in front of the surgery helps to carry them through the nutritional rut, aids in healing, and helps clean your bowels out more naturally.

In the morning, i'm supposed to take 1000mg of Tylenol and my regular meds (minus Vitamins and blood pressure meds). I'm also supposed to take a medicine I picked up today called Emend that helps with nausea for a few days. Additionally, i'm being put on a medication called Omeprazole for three months while my stomach heals. I'll start that after surgery and break the capsule into a blob of fat free sugar free cool whip to get it down.

Surgery is at 7:30am. I'm supposed to be there by 5:30. They're estimating 1-2 hours of surgery, two hours in recovery. They said I should expect to be in my room on the bariatric floor by 11am-1pm.

At that point, I start the sip/blow/walk routine. if I'm able to hold down one ounce of clear liquid an hour, after a few hours, I'm told to do four ounces an hour....with each ounce being consumed in ten sips over 15 minutes. If that works out for a while....they switch it up to Protein drinks every other hour. Four ounces clear liquids...four ounces protein drinks...four ounces clear liquids....alternating for ten hours per day. The hope is 40 ounces of Fluid per day in the first week. After the first week....we add some other stuff in like pudding and cream of wheat and strained cream Soups. With our protocol, about three weeks out you start eating semi soft foods. Takes about six weeks total to heal and have the freedom to try things on impulse.

I know a lot of folks do this different...and some have no problems jumping in to semi soft earlier....have heard all sorts of stories. (and a few horror stories) We all have.... And I know we're all interested in when solid food gets reintroduced.

I'm gonna do my best to follow instructions and do as i'm told. I want the best outcome possible. Strong suture line healing. All the professionals are saying slow and steady wins the race on this one. As tempting as it will be to eat...I'm gonna do my best to follow instructions to a T.

After surgery, I go back in one week for a recheck with both the doctor and the nutritionist. We'll talk about vitamins...which we start taking again after week two. Then, I go back at three weeks, and then monthly for a while...then less frequently.

Again...this is just the way one particular office does it....your surgeon might differ a LOT. Follow your surgeons instructions.