Shrinking your liver.

[littlebare 10]

I have my pre op appt Aug 6th then my surgery the 13th. I read on here that most ppl are on their pre op diet for 2 weeks it'll only be 1 for me. I also read that the diet is the help shrink your liver. Why does your liver need to shrink?

[MandaMom23 684]

Being overweight causes a fatty liver, and shrinking it makes it easier for the surgeon to operate. Seems to vary by doctor whether or not they do this, as I've seen some people don't have to do a pre op diet at all.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

When the doctor is doing the surgery, he has to work very close to your liver, in fact sometimes it even has to be moved a bit. Because obese patients usually have fatty livers, they do the pre op diet to shrink the liver to make it safer and easier to do the surgery.

Interestingly, there have even been times a person didn't shrink their liver enough to do the surgery safely and the surgeon will sew them back up without placing the band.

[SolracSpree 133]

You liver is very large and in order to perform the surgery safely with laparoscopy your liver needs to shrink enough that the can maneuver the medical instruments around your abdominal cavity. If it does not shrink it they might not do the surgery.

[littlebare 10]

Ooh ok. Makes sense. I'm sure he will tell me all of this on the 6th but was curious now. Thanks for the info!!

[Sharpie 3,306]

Since your starting weight is lower than most (165) your dr. is probably not worried about your liver being too large.. that's probably why you only have 1 week ...

[littlebare 10]

Alright that's good to know, thanks. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I know 165 pounds doesn't sound like a lot but when your 4"11 it is. I've lost weight before but always put it back on. And then 6 months ago was put on blood pressure & cholesterol meds. Still having a lil problems w my pressure but can't up the dose bc my heart rate will get to low. There's also big family history of heart disease. So I'm really hoping the lap band will help.

[Sharpie 3,306]

at 5'0 on a good day I know about it.. I was 198 lbs and even the nurse who checked me in on the day of my surgery made a comment that I didn't look overweight.. but, I had health issues, diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure and after losing 50 lbs I have gotten off of my diabetes meds, cut my cholesterol med in half and blood pressure is normal.. it will help you .. Good luck.

[littlebare 10]

People tell me the same thing every time, that I dnt look overweight so I just stopped telling anybody about it. So it's nice to hear that there's someone else like me out there to. Thanks.