purpose of liquids 2 days prior??

Just wanted to know what is the reason for total liquids right before surgery other than losing weight?  Is this what makes the liver smaller or is it the diet before that makes the liver smaller?  Obviously, I am in the 2 day pre op liquid phase and not happy about it.  Can't stop thinking about food and something I want to snack on right now.

No, two days will not make the liver smaller.  That takes at least a couple weeks.

I'm guess just to make sure you have no food at all in your stomach at the time of surgery, but if you have questions about your doctor's advice, you should always ask him.

Part of it is to encourage some pre-op weight loss and help shrink up a "fatty" liver.

Part of it is to make sure you don't binge on tons of crap the day before surgery.

It also acts as a semi-bowel prep, less solid food in your intestines to possibly cause a surgical ileus (slowing of intestinal movement that can lead to a blockage).

My surgery is this Wednesday and I have to do the clear liquid diet 2 weeks before my surgery - but with the protein shakes I have not gotten hungry - but eating is a mind thing for sure. It's given me a chance to think and kind of observe my attitudes during the day when certain things happen and how I snack when I'm stressed, or bored at work - but it's going to be a whole different way of life soon... My doctor said this is to shrink your liver before surgery. Hang in there - so tomorrow is surgery day for you??

Deby

Tuesday is surgery.  I just started liquids this AM and hate it but hearing you all is making me rethink this and keep it together.

A two week liquid diet will shrink the liver.  But two days is just not long enough to make a difference in your liver.

I don't know YOUR surgeon's actual reasons, but frankly, I am more impressed with doctors who have their patients on liquids for 48 hours and/or who do a bowel prep.

All the solid stuff in your system is going to exit, and your bowels will be cleaned out (you may not be asked to do the bowel prep) and then, when the doc goes in, if he accidentally perforates any part of your bowel, there won't be any junk in there to spraed and make you very ill..... seriously, your doc wants to minimize all risks, and he's WORKING on your bowels..... you don't need junk in there that might make you very ill if it gets loose in your abdominal cavity.

I had surgery on my tailbone and had to do the same thing. Not because he was working ON my digestive system, but because he was working CLOSE...... he didn't want there to be a HORRIBLE complication if he accidentally perforated my bowel..... just a tiny complication....same with you.

You'll have your whole life to eat..... right now be safe and follow his orders.

I had to do a bowel prep the day before my surgery.   The doctor didn't specify what I should eat for the 2 days before that, other than to follow my pre-surgery diet which was all the vegetables I wanted, 3 oz. of lean meat per day, and LOTS of clear liquids.  It was the bariatric nurse, who had gastric bypass herself several years before, who said, "If I were you, I'd switch to nothing but clear liquids about 2 days before your bowel prep.  It just makes it a WHOLE lot easier when you do the prep if there's not much in there to begin with.  I'd say she was right.

 I was told the two day liquid diet was to help clean out inside and be ready for the surgery.


I had Dr. Liao at GBMC. My surgery was August 30, so I am seven months out. If you have any questions about the program, I would be glad to answer them for you.

I have never seen Dr. Mo though, so I don't really know if he says anything differant than Dr. Liao. The only differance I have heard of is that Dr. Liao takes the drain out the day you leave the hospital and Dr. Mo leaves it in and takes it out at your first follow up appointment. 

Trust me when I say this.  You do NOT want post op ileitus!  I didn't do the bowel pre before my gallbladder surgery because the hospital I was at didn't require it.  I ended up back in the hospital after my 3-day stay with bowel issues.  I had to have 5, yes 5, enemas in the course of 12 hours to get my bowels going again.  I was miserable, embarassed and in pain.  

I know the 2 days sucks.  It will be over before you know it.  After all what is 48 hours in the course of your life?  It's just a blip in time.  Be thankful some people have to do 2 weeks on liquids pre-op and they tough it out.  

I know it may seem like your surgeon is sadistic while you battle the sugar cravings and everything else.   However, he is just trying to make this surgey as easy on you and him as possible.