Feeling depressed/hopeless on liquid diet

[Vivis 40]

Hi. I need a safe place to post my feelings and I thought of posting here. I hope I can be as raw as I need to be without getting criticized or judged.

I'm on day 6 of the all liquid diet. I'm not doing well emotionally of physically. My mood prior to the all liquid diet was me always happy, active, healthy and on top of my game in all senses. Prior to the all liquid diet, I was working out and eating right and losing weight to the point that the surgeon's team told me I could stop eating right and stop working out because I had showed them I'm fully capable of following the plan and succeeding on it. I didn't listen to them telling me to stop because I was feeling great on my new routine and seeing results, so why would I stop eating right and working out?

Now that I'm on the all liquid diet, I get sudden bursts of extreme anger, extreme sadness and I feel depressed. I feel like I'm hurting myself so much. I've had six days of extreme diarrhea. I feel sick. I don't think this all liquid diet is normal or healthy. It's actually making me feel like this is not worth it. And, again -- that is not like my normal self. My normal self is the complete opposite of how I feel and sound right now. I feel like this all liquid diet, because of how harshly and badly my body is reacting to it and my mood, it's making me not even want to try to drink anything, because we aren't eating anything to begin with. This is complete and utter torture. I don't feel like helping myself, and again that is NOT my normal self.

I feel so sad and angry and I just want to throw and break things and cry nonstop. This isn't me though. I'm so displeased with this right now. I absolutely hate this and right now -- to be honest, I hate anything and everything. I'm so triggered. I feel like calling out of work tomorrow and taking a day to just be more miserable and see if I can somehow bring myself back up. But I feel so broken, physically and emotionally. I called a 24/7 nurse hotline and they urged me to go see a medical doctor ASAP. I'm probably getting 300ish calories in a day. I feel like someone pushed me, and I don't even want to pick myself back up. Realistically, I know some patients are put on a full liquid diet for 2-3 weeks. I know others are put on an all liquid diet just ONE DAY prior to their surgery. I know others are allowed one solid meal a day. My head is fighting the facts with reasons.

I've followed the diet to a T 100%. But I absolutely hate everything right now. And no, it's not a carb or sugar crash. I wasn't eating carbs or sugars prior to the all liquid diet. I've been extremely healthy for the past 2 months...I'm just shocked at how differently, in a very bad way, I feel right now. I just feel...sick.

Edited April 18, 2022 by Vivis

[Hop_Scotch 1,630]

Sorry to hear you are going through this.

If you've lost a bit of weight since you've started the pre-op diet, the emotions may be related to a hormone imbalance...its something some people feel post op too.

It may also be something else. Have you contact a medical doctor yet?

300cals is fairly low for a pre-op diet, most achieve at least 800cals. What is your pre-op diet protocol and are you meeting all the guidelines for it? Does it include low starch veg or fruit? Is there an opportunity to swap out one of the shakes to fish or a piece of lean chicken (not the day before surgery though)?

[liveaboard15 1,293]

while my program was a all liquid diet. They did say that in the event of extreme hunger i could have 1 meal of lean chicken or fish, baked or grilled with a small portion of non starchy veggies. So typically i would choose sockeye salmon and asparagus. to replace one of the 5 Protein Shakes i have to drink daily. I am on day 14. My surgery is in a few hours. I hope you start to feel better. Make sure you are drinking your shakes. Call your bariatric center to see if they allow this 1 meal that you are struggling.

[catwoman7 11,212]

I'd contact your clinic and let them know what's going on - maybe they'll make some modifications in your diet. I had the same thing - all liquids for two weeks - so I know it's tough - but your reaction to it sounds pretty extreme. I'd call.

[summerseeker 2,149]

On this site you will never ever be judged. People on here are really helpful and no problem is too big or small. I have never been on shakes but from what I have read on here, some people have reactions to certain ingredients in some of them. It gives them extreme bowel movements and nausea. Your team need to earn their money and help you. You can not continue like this, get help please. Let us know how you get on. I wish I could hug you

[Guest]

These American all-liquid diets pre-surgery are deeply unethical, and this is another example of it.

You should only be on a low-calorie diet pre-surgery for liver shrinkage. Your liver doesn't know if you had Optifast or lean chicken and broccoli. All it knows is if you've been in a caloric deficit or not.

This needs to stop. Immediately. Call your surgical team. If you need to, eat (protein-rich, low-calorie) real food and tell the uptalky nurse you did, indeed, stick to your allotted Optifast for the duration of your pre-surgery diet. Smile and wave.

[I♡BypassedMyPhatAss♡ 804]

7 hours ago, Vivis said:

I don't feel like helping myself, and again that is NOT my normal self.

I feel so sad and angry and I just want to throw and break things and cry nonstop. This isn't me though. I'm so displeased with this right now. I absolutely hate this and right now -- to be honest, I hate anything and everything. I'm so triggered. I feel like calling out of work tomorrow and taking a day to just be more miserable and see if I can somehow bring myself back up. But I feel so broken, physically and emotionally.

I just feel...sick.

Yeah this isn't a normal reaction to preop diet. Reach out to your team, and perhaps even the psychologist that works with your surgeon.

I hope you feel better soon! 🤗

[Dreamervirgo 2]

I’m actually on day 6 of my two week liquid diet and the mood swings have been insane! I’ll be honest I got very scared in the first 3 days thinking something might be seriously off with me. Extreme fits of rage followed by deep chest aching sorrow.

Now on day 6 they’ve calmed down for the most part, or at least I feel them coming and know what’s happening now and can divert that energy to not escalate any further. I’m doing my best to stay focused on the bigger picture, but boy it’s hard.

[Vivis 40]

2 minutes ago, Dreamervirgo said:

I’m actually on day 6 of my two week liquid diet and the mood swings have been insane! I’ll be honest I got very scared in the first 3 days thinking something might be seriously off with me. Extreme fits of rage followed by deep chest aching sorrow.

Now on day 6 they’ve calmed down for the most part, or at least I feel them coming and know what’s happening now and can divert that energy to not escalate any further. I’m doing my best to stay focused on the bigger picture, but boy it’s hard.

OMG! YESSSS! The mood swings are so intense. And super unfortunate. I am now in that stage of nonstop crying and nonstop anger. I've been able to control my anger and not lash out but sometimes I do make some very strong remarks to my boyfriend and I feel so guilty. I cry all the time -- I definitely release that LOL. At times I just isolate myself to make sure I keep myself controlled. I will say I feel better today compared to how low and intense I felt last night.

[Vivis 40]

2 hours ago, BypassingMyPhatAss said:

Yeah this isn't a normal reaction to preop diet. Reach out to your team, and perhaps even the psychologist that works with your surgeon.

I hope you feel better soon! 🤗

Thank you so much for just listening and reading. Writing on here yesterday helped release so much of the anger and disappointment I was feeling. I've reached out to my GI doctor and my surgeon's team and I'm supposed to get a call back today. Already seeing my GI doctor tomorrow.

[Vivis 40]

5 hours ago, summerseeker said:

On this site you will never ever be judged. People on here are really helpful and no problem is too big or small. I have never been on shakes but from what I have read on here, some people have reactions to certain ingredients in some of them. It gives them extreme bowel movements and nausea. Your team need to earn their money and help you. You can not continue like this, get help please. Let us know how you get on. I wish I could hug you

Hi! I'm going to be switching to my old vegan shakes that I never had a bad reaction to. I've also called all my offices today and I'm waiting on a call back directly from my surgeon's team. I'm hopeful they call ASAP and give me some sort of a solution. It is REALLY NICE to be able to reveal all of my feelings, as ugly as they were yesterday...it helped me SOOOO MUCH.

[Vivis 40]

8 hours ago, Hop_Scotch said:

Sorry to hear you are going through this.

If you've lost a bit of weight since you've started the pre-op diet, the emotions may be related to a hormone imbalance...its something some people feel post op too.

It may also be something else. Have you contact a medical doctor yet?

300cals is fairly low for a pre-op diet, most achieve at least 800cals. What is your pre-op diet protocol and are you meeting all the guidelines for it? Does it include low starch veg or fruit? Is there an opportunity to swap out one of the shakes to fish or a piece of lean chicken (not the day before surgery though)?

So I had contacted them on Friday. They kind of just blew it off as "normal". I understand the mood swings are normal. As is some digestive issues. But, mine have been nonstop. So they were closed this weekend and I called this morning and I'm waiting on a call back from the surgeon's team to figure out what I can do. My diet has zero solid foods. No veggies, no fruit, no meat of any kind. Nothing. The few things I'm "allowed" to eat have lactose and my GI doctor believes I'm lactose intolerant. I'm hopeful I'll get good news today. Thank you for listening and reaching out.

[Vivis 40]

4 hours ago, MiniGastricBypassDude said:

These American all-liquid diets pre-surgery are deeply unethical, and this is another example of it.

You should only be on a low-calorie diet pre-surgery for liver shrinkage. Your liver doesn't know if you had Optifast or lean chicken and broccoli. All it knows is if you've been in a caloric deficit or not.

This needs to stop. Immediately. Call your surgical team. If you need to, eat (protein-rich, low-calorie) real food and tell the uptalky nurse you did, indeed, stick to your allotted Optifast for the duration of your pre-surgery diet. Smile and wave.

It's really troubling to see how different the diets differ from country to country and from doctor to doctor. Everyone has their own twist on it. And that's the part that mentally plays with me so much -- knowing others are allowed to eat even one small meal a day while some of us are told no. And I keep telling myself exactly that -- whether I eat 160 calories of chicken or from a Protein Shake -- it's still 160 calories and still Protein. It's a very messed up game I have in my head trying to tell myself to follow their rules meanwhile I'm suffering and not feeling good.

[Vivis 40]

8 hours ago, liveaboard15 said:

while my program was a all liquid diet. They did say that in the event of extreme hunger i could have 1 meal of lean chicken or fish, baked or grilled with a small portion of non starchy veggies. So typically i would choose sockeye salmon and asparagus. to replace one of the 5 Protein Shakes i have to drink daily. I am on day 14. My surgery is in a few hours. I hope you start to feel better. Make sure you are drinking your shakes. Call your bariatric center to see if they allow this 1 meal that you are struggling.

Hi! Best of luck to you on your surgery. I'm going to message you privately to see how you're doing. So proud you made it through the liquid diet. I'm happy your surgeon allowed you to have 1 meal of meat + veggies. Mine has told me absolutely nothing solid. And, they told me 3-4 Protein Shakes. Right now I'm barely having 1. I can't stomach anything before I turn around and run to the bathroom 10 times in an hour and a half. I've called and asked for help, currently waiting on a call back!

[Vivis 40]

6 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

I'd contact your clinic and let them know what's going on - maybe they'll make some modifications in your diet. I had the same thing - all liquids for two weeks - so I know it's tough - but your reaction to it sounds pretty extreme. I'd call.

Hi! I've called and I'm waiting for a call back. It really is rough and tough. My reaction is so intense and I'm learning not everyone reacts this badly. I wish it were easier and I'm trying to stay hopeful. It REALLY helped me to release these deep and dark thoughts yesterday.