Pre Op Diets for VSG

Just curious about pre-op diets for the VSG. What type of diets are required and for how long? Is it also dependent on your surgeon? Thanks.

Depends on your surgeon and your insurance if you are using that.  Some insurance companies require a 6 month physician supervised diet prior to approval.  

Some surgeons require a certain amount of weight loss before surgery.  It seems that many require a liquid diet prior to surgery for several weeks.

Mine did not require any special diet prior to surgery.  I went to liquids only at noon the day before surgery and then NPO at midnight.

Ours was 5 days of low carb, high protein (from lean meat) low sugar, we had a list we could work with, it wasn't quite as strict as Atkins, we ate a lot of salad's with grilled chicken and hamburgers.  Then, 2 days before surgery we were on clear liquids only, but they had to be sugar free. 

My surgeon requires "some" weight loss between the initial visit and the 2nd one (which comes after seeing a nutritionist, a therapist, a cardiologist, a pulmonologist, and an upper GI series). Then, beginning 2 weeks before the surgery date, we are required to go on a liquid-only diet. Protein shakes and clear liquids and that's it. (Clear liquids include sugar-free jello, sugar-free popsicles, V8(!!!?), broths, etc.) The purpose of the 2 weeks is to reduce the fatty liver, which makes it easier and safer to access the stomach during surgery.

Yep, I was told mine will be a 2 week liquid diet prior to surgery

Depends on either your insurance (some require certain amounts of weight loss or certain periods of attempted weight loss), or your surgeon prior to the surgery.

I'm currently on my pre-op diet (9 days) and it's all clear liquids and protein shakes. Basically broth, sugar free jello and popsicles and protein shakes. NOT FUN....but it will be worth it in the end!

I'm in the middle of two week pre op liquid diet consisting of 80-100g of protein a day, unlimited low sodium broth (beef or chicken), unlimited sugar free Popsicles, and unlimited sugar free jello. This diet reduces the size of your liver which makes the surgery safer.

Not to mention that weight loss during the pre op diet has been a great motivator!!! 

I had a two week clear liquid and protein drink diet. Treated it like it was practice for postop. Got samples of different protein powders and was able to get some I thought I would like postop. Since I was selfpay, I wanted to see if I could follow the plan. No need to spend the money if I wasn't willing to do whatever needed to be done to be successful. Made it easier for me when I came home because I already had established a routine to survive postop. The 2 weeks on liquids were the best thing to really train me for the new journey. Good luck!