I started my 2-week pre-op diet today. 2-3 protein shakes plus a “healthy dinner” each day. Doc said I could have “healthy snacks” if I needed. She’s not as strict as some surgeons about the pre-op diet, and I am grateful for that. However, I really need to try and stick to the pre-op diet. The goal of a pre-op diet is to get a little weight loss and shrink the liver, which sits in front of the stomach and has to be moved out of the way for surgery.

Honestly, this phase has scared me more than the surgery itself or the post-op diet. After the operation, it seems the vast majority of “sleevers” lose their cravings for food, and actually have to remind themselves to eat. That effect is what keeps me from worrying overmuch about the post-op diet that progresses from liquids to pureed foods to soft foods to solid foods over the course of about a month.

Before the surgery and the loss of appetite though, I worry about my ability to do this. When I try to restrict, I get incredibly fatigued and headache-y with brain fog, and find myself craving all sorts of things that aren’t on the plan. Add to the stress that because of the surgery I’m off my meds which means my chronic pain level has gone up from a 3 or so to a 5-6 and I’m finding the pain causes cravings for comfort food (aka sticky pastries, chocolate, and anything else super carb-y and super sweet).

In light of this struggle, I thought I’d take Monday and Tuesday and do some “dry runs”. Breakfast isn’t a big thing, since I already substitute SlimFast or something like it for breakfast periodically. It’s the 11am hungries that start the problems. For my “dry run” days, I ended up eating a protein bar for lunch. By about 2pm though I was hurting, starving, brain fogged, exhausted… and hit the snack machine.

Today I’m thinking positive thoughts. Drinking lots of water, and I have plenty of protein drinks standing by. I can do this… I hope.