Pre op liquid diet.

What it the point of the before surgery liquid diet? And what were you allowed to have?

i started 1 week before.   i had to have 4 or 5 protein shakes (the one from my dr office i had to buy )  depending on whether i made it with skim milk or water...     i was also allowed, water, crystal lite,  1/2 a cup of low sodium broth a day, sugar free popsicles, decaf cofee and tea with no sugars...

 

 

The point is to shrink your liver, so that surgery is easier.

This answer really varies depending on the doctor.  Most commonly the liquid diet is to help shrink the liver since they have to work around it.  Sometimes it just to help lose a few lbs and this might reduce the risk of complications...  When I was sleeved in 2007, my Dr didn't require a liquid diet.  Just clear liquids the day before surgery.  When I was switched in October, my Dr had me do a 2 week liquid diet.

He had me use bariatric advantage protein, but I didn't tolerate it well.  So I used other protein powders I had.  Crystal light...  SF jello...  low sodium broths...  Calories need to stay between 500-700 a day.  And at least get 64 oz of water a day...  According to my Dr.

Hope this helps.

Dr. Kim did my DS, so same thing . . . 4 shakes a day if mixed with milk, 5 if with water.  sugar free jello and popsicles, broth, crystal light.  I also drank a lot of diet root beer.  I had to give myself something extra for what I went without, I have a family of 4 that didn't go liquid with me, so I was around food the entire time, cooking for my children.  That was hard!   I ended up cooking them good food, then going in my room and closing the door while everyone else ate so I wouldn't go nuts.

Dr. Kim's offce also says it's to make the surgery easier to do lap by shrinking the liver, plus any additional weight lost makes the surgery less risky.  I had to do two weeks, lost about 14 lbs prior to. 

The reason I asked was I have surgery on the 7th of January... so in about a week. I was told by my doctor that I only needed to do a liquid diet the day before surgery. However the size of my organs are the reason I am having the DS to begin with. I know the liquid diet is not fun, but was wondering if it would be a good idea to do it longer than one day to help my liver come down in size a bit more. 

No---in order to truly shrink you liver you'd have to diet far longer than 7 days. And there's no real virtue in a liquid diet as opposed to a 'real food' diet. Eating a sensible diet that's high in protein and low in carbs will reduce the glycogen stores in your liver, making it less 'slippery' and easier to work with. The day-before-surgery liquid diet is to clean out your intestines, and is pretty vital.

Are you having an open DS. Most that are having an open DS aren't required to follow a diet before hand. I was on a two week diet before surgery.

Trish

No mine is laparoscopic. That's part of the reason I'm concerened.