How Bad Did I Mess Up?

[jennygirl37 47]

Hello...I am scheduled for surgery on the 18th. Currently doing a 2 week diet pre-op diet of shakes and bars. Meant to shrink my liver. I will totally admit I cheated today and I feel terrible about it. Will a one time cheat ruin my success of shrinking my liver? I hope not! I am nervous enough about surgery and just want everything to go smoothly!

[CHEZNOEL 4,061]

This falls into the category of "if you have to ask...."

The answer is probably no, but the whole point of the pre-diet is to shrink the fat around your liver so the surgeon can see what he is doing while in there. Doesn't want to nick the liver, for example. Be good and help him help you as much as you can! Good luck with the surgery, but I will say, try to stick with your post-op diet, it is meant to provide proper healing, and that is important. Just do what the doc says... you paid him after all!

[jennygirl37 47]

Good advice, thank you.

[nurse535 30]

There's no way to know for sure, but it's unlikely that you have caused a serious problem by cheating. As the earlier comment said, the point of the pre-op diet is to shrink the liver. There's really no way for the doctors to know whose liver will be a problem and whose won't, so they recommend the pre-op diets to be safe.

In my case, I was having Migraines from the lack of food, so when I went for my pre-op visit with the surgeon, he said it was ok if I ate some small meals as long as I went back to liquids only 24 hours before the surgery and then nothing after midnight the night of the surgery.

It really was hard getting through those pre-op diet days! But it is worth it!

[SageTracey 608]

It's also a good test of how compliant you will be post-op. You've done it now, you know there could be consequences so firm up your resolve and stick with it to get the success you want.

[Erin O'Donnell 61]

Just as losing weight doesn't happen in one day, putting on enough fat to ruin the chances of the liver shrinking in just one day is not likely, but as everyone else has said, you don't want to cheat anymore. You don't want them to get in there to start the procedure and then realize the liver has not shrunk enough. Then you will be sore and uncomfortable AND band-less :/ but yeah, I wouldn't worry if it was just one time.

[TKW 501]

My pre-op diet (also to shrink the liver) did not involve shakes or bars. I had to lose weight... period. No funky shakes or just liquids, Lose some weight, which I did (18 pounds)

The key is to lose weight. Obviously, keep on track and follow your surgeons directive, but I don't imagine you caused much harm.

Good Luck!

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

There are several reasons my dr said he uses a two week liquid pre op diet...

1)To shrink the liver so he can see the stomach clearly...it's behind the liver.

2)To make me understand I can survive without eating food. I just need nutrition.

3)to measure my commitment since I would be on liquid 2 more weeks following surgery

4)to get a jump start on losing which is very motivating.

Cheating defeats the purpose...and while it was a one time even hopefully...you need to consider why it happened and decide if you can not do it again... It's so important for a bandster to follow the drs orders... Your health depends on it!

Best of luck to you for success!