Pre op and post op diets

I feel lucky, my surgeon allows one meal on the pre op diet. So I can have one slice of whole wheat toast or whatever and one meat of up to 6 ounces. So like today I had a piece of toast n last night a piece of salmon. And then 2 protein shakes a day and they can have 1/2 cup of fruit. So it hasn't been too bad. Y do people's pre op diets look so different?  Also the post op for me is "full liquids" not just clear liquids. From what I've read many people have to have clear liquids, but even cream soups are allowed without chunks. The nut said use a strainer. 

I was on full liquids after surgery. The nurse brought a protein shake the next morning for me to drink. I was really only on "clear liquids" on the day of surgery! Weird!

I wasn't even on a pre-op diet other than instructions from my surgeon: "Do your best not to GAIN." I was only on clear liquids the day before surgery while I was doing my bowel prep. I asked about the varying pre op diets and what I had heard/read about shrinking your liver before surgery so it is out of the way. His response was that the liver theory is "a bunch of malarkey." Yes, it would make his job easier, but the liver would have to be retracted no matter what because of location. He said that many surgeons put their patients on pre op diets if they need to lose more than 100 pounds to give them a head start on weight loss, while some do it to give patients a few weeks of disciplining themselves before the huge changes that come with surgery. 

Post op I was on clear liquids (anything you can read a newspaper through) for 3 days, full liquids (up to the consistency of a THICK milkshake****il my 1 week follow-up, purees (if I could mu**** up, I could eat it) for a 10 days, then soft foods for a week. I'm 4 weeks out as of yesterday and just starting on more dense proteins, which are proving challenging.

I don't think I could have been faithful to a completely liquid diet pre op. I was so lucky!

Every doctor's plan is different.

My surgeon's pre-op plan was 3-5 protein shakes/bars plus one "lean and green" meal of lean meat and non-starchy vegetables.  I was not allowed starches or sugars at any time pre-op.

Post-op, his plan is extremely conservative.  I was on clear liquids for the first 2 days (I extended it to a week; it didn't hurt me) and then full liquids until yesterday.  Full liquids for me included broth, protein shakes, strained soups, including low-fat cream-based ones (I didn't have any) and fruit juices diluted with water (I chose not to drink any).  I could not have anything thick or that had lumps and bumps.  So that meant no yogurt, no pudding and no jello.  Other doctors "full liquids" include those things but my doctor's plan does not.

Today I got to graduate to soft foods.  First soft food?  A scrambled egg with cheese.  It was the best freakin' egg in the history of eggs. 

no, I am pretty sure the first egg I ate after full liquids was the best egg in all of egg history

The whole point is not to gain weight pre-op and to deplete the liver of glycogen and if possible some fats.  A ketogenic diet (one very low carbohydrates) will deplete the liver and muscle of glycogen  this makes moving the liver around easier during surgery.  Glycogen depletion happens around 3-5 days.  After that, the body starts breaking down fats and ketogenesis occurs.  Any weight lost pre-op will help in recovery. 

Caveat...I read an article in a medical journal just recently that compared patient outcome of those on a full liquid diet pre-op to those not on a full liquid diet pre-op. In this study, there were no significant differences in outcomes.  It really is determined by surgeon preference and what they personally believe is better. 

My surgery is Thursday.  I actually haven't done as badly as I thought I'd do.

I was dreading the pre-op liquid diet  then found out that my pre-op diet is 2 weeks restricted to 40 carbs or less. Then full liquid the day before and clear liquid the day off.  I was so relieved. 

Although my surgery is not until 9/12, I have started lower my carbs now. :)

I don;t seem to be dreading it at all. I know the first few days will be rough, My Dr. told me the reason the put you on the liquid diet is to shrink your stomach and de-fat your liver, making them smaller making surgery easier. My dread is no caffine as I love my coffee.