Confused about pre-op diet

[JaimeMarie 0]

I haven't met personally with my dr yet, that's tomorrow. So I don't know all the particulars, but the pre-op diet has me confused. I've tried so many diets, they haven't worked. That's why I'm doing a lap band. With the lap band I won't be physically able to eat as much as I do, and I'll feel full with what I do eat.

I know I'll be on a crazy liquid diet right after surgery and I'll be slowly adding food to the mix. That I get. So what is with the starvation diet (that's what it seems like) before the operation?

[reverie 49]

Lol. Starvation..not so much. It is a challenge though. The purpose of the pre-op diet is to reduce the body fat from the liver and the stomach, to shrink the liver and to overall increase the amount of Protein in your body that will help keep your muscle tissue protected once you do start to lose weight post-op. This way you're losing fat not muscle mass.

[erink58 8]

Hi, The way It has been explained to me is that the pre-op diet is for the purpose of "shrinking a fatty liver". The liver has to be held out of the way during the surgery. The surgeon uses a retractor based on the size of the liver. Our livers can have alot of fat which makes them get in the way. If the liver is too large, the surgeon will not proceed with the surgery and will make you re-schedule for when you lose enough weight in the liver. The pre-op diet is mostly Protein Shakes, veggies and fruit, no fat or carbs - no snacking. This makes the surgery go smoother and also the head start on weight loss makes recovery from surgery easier for the patient. My surgeon calls for three weeks of this. The thought of having surgery cancelled will help me stay on the program. I am just waiting to get the call with my surgery date. I actually have tried this out for a couple of days to see if I can do it. Hope this helps. PS go on youtube and search for videos of actual surgeries and you will see exactly how the liver gets in the way.

[Amanda1982 142]

Couldn't have said it better, this is exactly what was told to me.

Lol. Starvation..not so much. It is a challenge though. The purpose of the pre-op diet is to reduce the body fat from the liver and the stomach, to shrink the liver and to overall increase the amount of Protein in your body that will help keep your muscle tissue protected once you do start to lose weight post-op. This way you're losing fat not muscle mass.

[TracieR 88]

My doctor does not mandate a Preop diet. He did not even bring it up to me. I brought it up during our 2nd appointment after reading about others experiences. He says in his experience it deters to manyy people from not getting the band at all.

[honk 780]

I also brought up the subject of a liquid diet having read it here. Thinking it would be a two week thing. Well, he said "If you WANT to do a liquid diet then you can do HMR 500." So, yes a 500 cal. special diet that had to be purchased from the hosipital. I spent $230 and after 5 days of losing no weight (I had been losing on my own); being super obsessed with food (was not previously), and having a reaction to the shakes I gave up. I went back to my own diet. In 7.5 months I lost 52 pounds; before surgery.

[doodlebugsmom 9]

I am on day 5 of my preop diet. It is required by my doctor for all patients regardless of BMI. I was very nervous that I would be starving and cranky. I feel that this whole process is a journey and at this point it was my turn to step up and follow the program. I am not saying that I havent had moments of thinking of food. However something has come over me in the last 5 days. I feel like I am GAINING CONTROL. For the first time in 13 years I have control over food. I am down 9 points already and it could be Water weight or whatever but I am in control. Dont look at the preop as a chance to fail but a real chance at success.