Pre-Op RNY Surgery Diet....what did you do???

Alright, so my RNY is scheduled for 12/13.  I have the pre-op diet my doc suggested, however I have noticed that every doc has their own diet.  Mine suggests a liquid/protein diet for 2 weeks pre-op.  Maybe I am crazy, but the idea of giving up my last two weeks of "eating freedom" does not sound appealing.  I know there is a reason for the diet, and I know many of you would just say "do what your doc suggests"...but I am really not a "rule follower" by nature.  So, I just want to know what some of you did for your pre-op diet, and how long you did it.  Thanks!

One of the main reasons the doc suggests a diet beforehand, is to shrink your liver.  It makes it easier to get inside and do what they need to do. 

Each Dr is different and requires different pre-op diet.  I had to do a low-carb, some have to do liquid diets for weeks before.

Please look at this as a change for the "rest of your life" and not just your "last meal".  Remember why you're doing this and make yourself as healthy as you can before hand.  There ARE a lot of rules with surgery, and your surgery WILL remind you of it!  I know I tested the boundaries and - Oh boy did I pay!!  Still do 4 years out!

Congrats on your upcoming surgery! 

My surgeon required the 2 week liquid diet.  You could have 1 sensible meal a day(protein & salad or something like that-nothing fried or carby!)  It is to shrink your liver like Jody said and to make your surgery easier.

Good luck and be sure to keep us updated on your progress.

Linda

I am a rule follower and I think it has held me in good stead for all of this.  We had 4 week of liquid diet with one small food meal a day.  We decarbed and decaffiened and went off sodas.  All of that stood me in good shape for what would be the rest of my life.  This isn't another diet, it is forever. 

Drs have their own rules for after surgery also.  Some Dr have folks on liquids for a while then slowly add, others start you out on soft food.  They have their reasons.  I suggest sticking to what your group wants you to do until you are at least a few months out. 

Think of it this way, what you have been doing hasn't worked.  Give you group a shot and do what they suggest.  They have done many more WLS than you have.  When you are further out, you can make changes if you feel like they are in your best interest.  Until then, stick with the experts unless they are telling you really stupid stuff like to take gummy vitamins.

Hi,

My diet starts the day after Thanksgiving it will be one day shy of 2 weeks because they told me I could eat on Thanksgiving that was suppose to be my first day of my diet. My surgery is Dec 6. I'm having the DS and my doctor requires you to eat his meals which consists of soups and small high protein dinners. It amounts to 800 calories a day. I do have to get off caffeine which shouldn't be to hard I only drink one cup of coffee a day. I was told I could drink soda and it actually counts as my liquids as long as its caffeine free and diet (which it is) I am planning on sticking to the diet the easier I can make it on myself for the surgery the better. I know the diet won't be easy but it's not going to get any easier after the surgery either. Best of luck with your surgery.

Trish

I am not supposed to start the pre-op till the 29, so I can enjoy thanksgiving dinner, and even though it isn't part of the "diet" I already planned on eliminating the diet coke at that time.  I know they are trying to shrink the liver, and I know this is a life altering surgery...just trying to find out what people out here are doing that differs between docs.  Thanks for the feedback. 

Congrats on your upcoming surgery! In a way I think deciding to have weight loss surgery makes us all a little rebellious and fighting the "normal" weight loss rules.  Not  following the rules isn't always a bad thing. When it comes to being successful after surgery you will have to decide what works best for you and it might not be what your Dr. suggests.  That's what is so great about our LW board because you can see what works for others and then see what works best for you.

If I am remembering right I had to do liquids a week before. I did have several last suppers the week before that.  Enjoy Thanksgiving  and let loose for a couple of days and then start preparing for the most exciting ride you are ever going to be on!

what if you didn't follow the rules and your liver wasn't dry enough and your surgeon closed your incisions and wouldn't youir surgery that day? I have heard of surgeons who did this very thing. ACK

Yes but they are always with patients who are SMO. No lightweight actually needs to go on the liver shrinking diet no matter what a surgeon might say.

Let me put it this way:

A guy who weighs 400 pounds is told he needs to lose 50 before the surgeon will operate on him because it isn't "safe" otherwise. So he loses 50 pounds and now he's 350.

Another guy who weighs 350 pounds to start with is then told that he needs to lose 25 to make the surgery "safe". So he loses 25 and is now 325 and has the operation.

Now we have a lightweight who "only" weighs 250 pound and is told to lose 20 pounds or they won't operate. Because apparently even though it's safe to operate on the guy who is 350 and the guy who is 325, somehow it's not safe to operate on the lightweight who is 250 until they also lose 20 pounds?

You aren't going to convince me that this is either logical or based on evidence (as in looking at surgery outcomes to see what actually impacts them).

My surgeon says it's not our job to make his life easier. It's his job to be a good enough surgeon that he can deal with whatever is in there. And I say that any surgeon who can't handle a lightweight's liver is no surgeon I want touching my insides, diet or no diet. 

That doesn't mean that, if my surgeon had made me go on a diet for 1 or 2 weeks pre-op, I wouldn't have. You pick your surgeon, you follow their rules IMO, at least in the beginning and for the big things. But, if the diet was liquid and it was driving me crazy, I might "cheat" by eating a chicken breast instead of one of the shakes. Because I've done my research and I know what  the diet does and doesn't do and I know that 200 calories of chicken does the exact same thing as a 200 calorie shake that often the doctor is getting a kickback on so that's why he wants you to use it, not because of some medical reason.

that definately makes sense.