heres a question....

Why do some Drs require  pre op liquid diets and some don't  what exactally does the diet do(  beside shrink liver)

I think the main reason is to shrink the liver to give them more working room.
Some insurance companies require it.
Some doctors want to see how compliant you will be, I think.
My doctor only gave me one day, but gave others up to 2 weeks; maybe it depends on starting weight. I was considered a "lightweight" at 250 lbs.

I think Donna is correct. My doc required me to do a 2 week liquid diet. He was going to make me do a one MONTH liquid diet due to my starting weight and since my insurance didn't require me to do a 6 month supervised diet. Thank God he changed his mind and let me do just a 2 week liquid diet instead of 1 month because getting through those 2 weeks was really hard. And I know others that see him that only had to do a 1 week liquid diet so I really do think it depends on your starting weight and maybe even on how you carry your weight as I carry a lot of might weight around my middle.

My MD wanted me to lose >15 lbs pre-op to shrink my liver. When he examined me, he found it to be enlarged. Shrinking your liver above the bottom of your ribcage protects it from injury and it enables the surgeon to see better during laprascopic surgery.

Shrinking the liver is important.  That is reason enough.  It lowers the possiblity of complications during the surgery.  It also gives you a head start on your weight loss.  I was diabetic and therefore had a high risk of having a fatty liver.  Therefore I had to do a 6-week Optifast diet.  It wasn't 100% liquid since we could have their bars as well.  But I lost 30 lbs and my liver was not fatty during the surgery.  The surgeon was thrilled.

The preop liquid diet is by far the hardest part, but shrinking the liver makes it easier for them to work laproscopically.
Mandy

My surgeon did not require me to do a preop liquid diet (thank God!) but I know he did do a liver biopsy and cholecystectomy during surgery.

I thought the liver reduction diet was the no carb diet that I was on for 4 1/2 months. I lost 35 lbs, 10 lbs over the requirement. Normally it is a 3 month diet but due to Drs. vacations, etc, I had to delay my surgery. Then two days before surgery, I had the liquid diet to eliminate body waste. Just my view point.

Winnie wrote, "Shrinking the liver is important. That is reason enough."

I am NOT disagreeing, only adding:

Testing compliance is also important, and that too is reason enough.

In my two weeks of protein shakes, I was often tempted to cheat, but I told myself, "If you can't handle two freakin weeks, how are you going to manage the rest of your life? Use this time to develop better habits!"

Plus, I kept imagining my surgeon cutting open my stomach and exclaiming, "What is THAT in there???"

Together, these thoughts did a great job of keeping me in line and getting me ready for my new life.

 Mine had us on a low fat diet for 2 weeks prior to the surgery and then liquid only the day before.