Question about pre-op diet
Options
steffyp01
Posts: 34
I just got the approval from my insurance so I should have a surgery date very soon. I'm a little concerned about the 2 week liver shrink diet prior to surgery. I have some slim fast and compared the calories of that to a bowl of special k w/2% milk, and the cereal was lower in calories. What my question is, is should the diet be all liquid, or is it better to just be low calorie? The dietitian at the surgeons office said the diet would be 2 slim fasts a day and a lean cuisine. I just wonder if there are other options.
0
Replies
-
I think that depends on your surgeon. I had my preop consult last night and must admit I was pleasantly surprised with what my 2 week liver reduction diet will be (which I start on Monday). It is much more liberal than I had expected and there is no "prepared" foods. I had expressed to my surgeon and his team at my initial consultation that I do not eat prepared food, sugar substitutes, etc. My preference is food as close to its natural state as I can have and they developed a liver reduction eating plan for me. I have a protein smoothie for breakfast and lunch (no slimfast or carnation instant breakfast for me). Lunch also includes small amounts of food and I have one snack of yogurt or something comparable. Dinner is a regular meal with precise proportions. I have read on here so many different plans for this phase.0
-
The lean cuisine was my concern also. I try not to eat processed foods and those things are packed with salt. I don't need that because I have fluid retention issues. I was thinking protein shakes but I was not sure if you could use those as meal replacement. I suspect my surgery date will be some time early next month so I have a little time to do some research. I'm just glad to know I have options. Thanks!!0
-
I am on a FULL liquid diet for the week before, which is this week. I wish I could eat something!:sad:0
-
If you have concerns, talk to your doctor about them. But in the end, do exactly what your doctor says. Something may seem to make better sense to you, but they actually do know best.0
-
I should clarify that the foods I can eat during the 2 weeks is a very short list and I will follow my surgeons directions precisely. Each of our preop diets has been designed for our particular bodies and circumstances, as you can see by the vast array of eating plans for those two weeks.0
-
They did say I could skip the lean cuisine but strictly stick to portions at dinner. So that's a good thing. I can do the 2 slim fasts. In fact I have started on them some already to try to get used to it.0
-
Wow! Those of you who can eat something solid are lucky! When I did mine, it was 2 weeks clear liquid only. I about went nuts. :sad:
I called my nurse regularly to ask about what was considered ok and what wasn't. If you question anything, ask. I think that phase was harder than any other part of my journey. But it is so worth it in the end!0 -
I guess I was very fortunate. I was considered a "lightweight" before my surgery (which totally cracked me up!) and only had to do a one week pre op diet. The diet consisted of strictly 2-3 Bariatric Advantage protein meal shakes a day and at dinner 5 oz. of meat (chicken, fish, pork chop) and 1/2 cup cooked low glycemic veggies or 1 cup raw. I LIVED for the dinner meals, but I did enjoy my shakes because they were really good. I chose the orange cream (and at that time I had to mix with water for the diet) then but since I have had all of their flavors and they are all absolutely delicious, especially with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Anyway, the diet wasn't so bad--it got my mind prepared for what was coming.0
-
My pre-op diet was all liquids for 1 week. Protein shakes, jello, water and broth until the day before surgery which was clear liquids only. That was a long, hard week but so worth it.0
-
I just got the approval from my insurance so I should have a surgery date very soon. I'm a little concerned about the 2 week liver shrink diet prior to surgery. I have some slim fast and compared the calories of that to a bowl of special k w/2% milk, and the cereal was lower in calories. What my question is, is should the diet be all liquid, or is it better to just be low calorie? The dietitian at the surgeons office said the diet would be 2 slim fasts a day and a lean cuisine. I just wonder if there are other options.
I had my RNY 11 years ago and I never heard of the "liver shrink diet," why is it done? I was able to eat the way I wanted up to midnight before the surgery.0 -
Many think that the preop diet is designed to show that you are dedicated to losing weight, or eating better, or some such. It's not. The purpose of the preop diet is to make your liver shrink, which makes it much easier for the surgeon to move around inside. If they were cutting you open and doing the procedure that way, it wouldn't matter as much. But laparascopically, navigating your innards is so much easier without your liver in the way.0
-
Wow, it is really crazy seeing how each doctor's office is different! I didn't have a pre-op diet at all. I ate what I wanted (stuck to my normal healthy routine) and only had to do a liquid diet 1 day prior to surgery...that was it. Everything went well.0
