Start the Pre-op Diet Tomorrow!!

[sandiegokate 0]

The day is finally here! I start my pre-op diet tomorrow! :thumbup:

I am so ready to start it. I first had my consultation April 30th and due to a job change I needed to delay surgery for a month or so longer than I originally anticipated. Therefore, I definitely feel ready to get on with it!

Does anyone have any advice to share after having been through it? Any and all ideas are appreciated! :wub:

My pre-op diet is quite typical, Protein drinks, broth, liquid or near liquid. I asked the doctor if I could add strawberries/blueberries/half a banana to my Protein shakes and he said that was fine. I thought I could have some egg drop Soup from the local chinese restaurant too. I thought that tonight as I picked up some good and greasy chinese takeout for my last supper! :thumbup: It was very good.... as was the Ben & Jerry's for dessert. I'm so bad... but honest!

The fridge is cleared out, only contains various sugar free drinks, pre-made Protein Shakes and iso-pure clear Protein Drinks.

Wish me luck!

[MissK 0]

Hi Kate,

I'm so excited for you - it's great to have things underway, huh?

Seeing as I am almost at the end of my pre-op diet, my hints and tips are this:

• If you want to weigh yourself daily, do it - people will tell you not to, but it's your choice. For me, seeing those scales moving south was the one thing that put a smile on my face each morning and made me realise the journey was worth while.
  
• Keep hydrated if you can; I'm not a Water drinker and struggled with this. I was so dehydrated they struggled to get blood out of me for my pre-op blood tests.
  
• Keep a fibre supplement handy, and use it if things aren't exiting the back door in the correct fashion.
  
• It is okay to say "no" to seeing people who you know will make this journey hard; I have a friend who has little consideration, who will drink her coke and stuff her face in front of me and for that reason I've avoided seeing her for these two weeks and have politely explained that I'm sorry but it's just a difficult time for me to be around food.
  
• Find a Protein drink that you like - I didn't have a choice on brand, but I did have a choice on flavour and it has made a WORLD of difference just switching from the chocolate to the strawberry.
  
• Keep some sugar free gum on hand; you will get funky breath when your body goes into ketosis (and I don't mean funky in the good way - LOL)
  

My number one tip above all else - DON'T OBSESS OVER FOOD - on my first day I became completely obsessed with what I couldn't have, I kept thinking about what I could next put in my mouth, I cried when I got really hungry, I hated myself for crying. The best thing you can do is try your hardest NOT to think about it, plan out what you can have during the day and at those times have that item, and then get on with things. It makes life so much easier.

Your first three days are the hardest (and of those, only one of the days was REALLY hard) - beyond that, it's smooth sailing.

Go for it Kate... you're going to be awesome!

Although you have cleared the house of things you can't have, I did something a little different - yes, I cleared the house BUT I left one can of my former obsession on hand (cocacola). It's been in there the whole time, I've left it there to prove to myself that I am stronger than it is. Every time I go to the fridge, I tell the can of coke that I am winning. It's a power struggle between me and the drink, but I haven't even come CLOSE to caving in. I'm proving to myself that I am ready.

Edited August 15, 2009 by MissK

[morphiend 0]

Good Luck on the preop diet!! MissK gave you lots of good advice. The only thing I would add would be to keep busy. And be prepared because the first 3-4 days are pretty miserable, but you can do it!!

[sandiegokate 0]

Thanks so much for the good advice!!! :biggrin:

Today is day 1.. so far I just woke up and had coffee with some milk and half & half (not much..). Next will be a Protein shake.

MissK.. good idea on the can of soda in the fridge. For me, it would be ice cream. Not sure I could put a pint of Ben & Jerry's in the freezer at this point... but I might try it after surgery! I also love your online journal!!

Today I need to take measurements and a good picture as I start my journey. A friend and I are going to a ballet at a local city park (Balboa Park) and that would be a perfect place to take pictures.

Have a good day everyone!