Question:
Has Optifast worked for any-one?

Hello, I applaud the honesty and courage found here! I am 34,female mother of 2. 6 years ago I did Opti and managed to loose 60 lbs. 6 years, 2 kids & 1 divorce I managed to gain 80#! *sniff* I recently started Opti-fast again. The fast is easy compared to keeping it off, and I am afraid to loose/gain again. I am currently 240 lbs & my fat analysis showed to be 50% fat. I would appretiate feed back.. I am wondering if rather than continue the Opti, would surgery be a better option? Thank You All! ;-)    — Toni D. (posted on June 5, 1999)

June 5, 1999
Yes, I have tried Opti-fast, along with everything else on the market, past thru present. I lost some and gained alot. As I told my doctor this time around, I am tired of losing a few and gaining a bunch. I am tired of trying new diets, and new pills. I want the surgery. At least I know the results for losing, as long as you follow directions, and I think we are famous for following directions, are very high. So I want to go with what we know works, the surgery. But I can't tell you to do the surgery, and that the surgery is better for you. Whether you decide for the surgery or not, has got to be a personal decision, your decision. Good Luck. :)
   — Edie L.

June 5, 1999
Having yo-yo dieted for as long as I can remember and ending up at 285 pounds at 36 years old, yes, I would say surgery is the best way to go. Get rid of the optifast and any other "diet" that you've tried in the past.
   — dboat

June 5, 1999
After watching Oprah lose and then gain on National television, I figure if she couldn't maintain a large wt loss then no one could. After all, she was in the public eye and under scrutiny. I have seen OPTIFAST work for people with 30 lbs to lose and maintain. Not much more than that. (Notice that Oprah is again gaining? Maybe she should do what Roseanne has done...., just my 2 cents)I had open RNY and have lost 200+ lbs. I'd do it again in a minute. No diet ever worked for me to maintain, I always gained the weight back and more....
   — vt_rita

June 6, 1999
I used another version of liquid protein, HMR, on and off for ten years. I lost as much as 200 pounds and gained 250 back. It's a never ending cycle because of how little you can eat and maintain the weight loss. In the process I lost a lot of muscle mass and lowered my metabolism. I think the surgery is the only long-term solution that really works.
   — Ken C.

June 6, 1999
I tried Optifast also; lost 70 pounds then gained 100! That was what happened with each of the dozens of diets I attempted. This was the only thing I hadn't tried and knew I had a good chance of living a normal life for the first time. Good Luck Regards, Diane - Empire BCBS - New York Lap RNY 4-9-99 Dr. Champion - Atlanta Beginning weight - 310 BMI 55.0 Pre-op weight - 5' 4" -263 BMI 46.7 8 Weeks Post-op 231 BMI 41.0 25% of Excess Weight Lost O :)
   — Diane N.

June 20, 1999
In my opinion Opti-fast and other diets only work as long as you are using them. As soon as you stop the Opti-fast the pounds will come back plus 20 extra. The surgery is a lifestyl;e change. YOu never have to go off of it. I think that anyone that can stay on Opti-fast would definitely be able to adapt to surgery.
   — Donna D.

June 25, 1999
I lost 130 lbs on Optifast ten years ago. I continued to go back on Optifast on and off since then. I am fine dieting as long as I do not eat any food at all, but that is not normal or healthy. I now weigh more than ever and have decided to have an RNY in September. This Summer I am trying to get out of this diet mind set that has totally screwed me up. I no longer know when I am hungry or satiated. I feel I used Otifast almost as "binge and purge" way of controlling my weight.
   — cathy M.

July 12, 1999
I did the Medi-Fast diet 10 years ago. I was very weak all the time, and when I couldn't tolerate it anymore I gained all my weight back with a vengeance ! I know some people do okay on this "diet" but there are several aweful side effects and one of those is not eliminating but once a week, our bodies have too many toxins to go to the bathroom only once a week......think about it, please.
   — Nita M.

August 9, 1999
In 1991 I did a medically supervised fast (like Optifast). My starting weight was 244 and I lost l00 pounds in 11 months. Although I needed to lose more weight I was forced to leave the program and go into maintenance because I was losing less than 4 pounds a month. The fast totally messed up my metabolism and even though I only ate 1200-1400 calories a day and did at least l hour of vigorous exercise every day, I continually gained back weight. By the time I hit 200lbs again I had to give up much of my exercise program due to stress on my joints. Now 8 years later I weigh 270 lbs. and find it almost impossible to lose weight by dieting. I am waiting approval for WLS and frankly see it as my only hope of ever getting within reach of a normal weight again. I hope you have better luck with your outcome from Optifast.
   — Lois S.

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