Major question about liver shrink diet

[tigger101 0]

I was supposed to do a liver shrink diet of 2 weeks that consist of Protein Shakes and unlimited starch free veggies. The problem is that I have cheated throughout the whole diet . Not to say that I cheated everyday, but every other day. Has anyone did this? My surgery is Thursday (11/17/11) and I haven't lost a single pound. Has anyone every did the same thing and still went through the surgery?

[kemo46 82]

The pre-op diet is not to just shrink the liver, it is to change the texture. The purpose is to make it less slippery during surgery so they can easily move it out of the way during surgery. Please be honest with your surgeon even if it means rescheduling your surgery, let your surgeon make the call. I do not know your situation including your BMI, some patients do not even have to go through a pre-op diet. This is a call your surgeon needs to make, it is your health, do not keep anything from them.

[Liliana Arleen 173]

As much as I been tempted ,I haven't cheat one single ay of my diet, I know my surgeon told me that he won't perform my surgery if he opens me and see that I did not follow the pre op liquid diet. He will send me home. So I really need this surgery to improve my health and I am sticking with my pre op diet . I don't know how strict is your surgeon.

[Living again 11/17/2011 40]

I am scared my Dr didnt give me preop diet just no eating after midnight I am nervous

[RickM 1,747]

I am scared my Dr didnt give me preop diet just no eating after midnight I am nervous

No need to worry about it - if your doc needed you to do it, he would ask you to do it. Some docs have the skills and experience to work around any such problems while others need all the help their patients can give them. If you doc gives you such instructions, follow them as you want him to be as comfortable as possible while he's messing around with your insides; if he doesn't, then be thankful for his skills and experience.

[Felicia 28]

You need to be honest with your surgeon. It is important that they know what they are getting into when they start your surgery, for your health and safety. I just started my 2 week pre-op diet today, and I am completely commited because I want everything about my surgery to go super smooth.

So, let your surgeon know. It will all work out in the end, even if the surgery is rescheduled. Which in my very humble opinoin might need to be. If you are having a problem completing a 2 week pre-op diet you may not be as emotionally ready to get the surgery. If you cheat on the siet after surgery you could seriously hurt yourself.

Reflect on why you cheated and try to find the solution because you don't want to end up with complications after your surgery. Good Luck.

[kemo46 82]

No need to worry about it - if your doc needed you to do it, he would ask you to do it. Some docs have the skills and experience to work around any such problems while others need all the help their patients can give them. If you doc gives you such instructions, follow them as you want him to be as comfortable as possible while he's messing around with your insides; if he doesn't, then be thankful for his skills and experience.

Rick, it has nothing to do with having the skills or experience to work around a slick or fatty liver, it is more dangerous and raises the complication chances. Some patients have a low enough BMI that there is no need for a pre-op diet, there is room for the surgeon to work. If a surgeon puts a patient on a pre-op diet, it is for a reason. I know Surgeons here in the states and in Mexico that have performed thousands of WLS and if the patient's BMI is high, they put them on the pre-op diet. These surgeons have plenty of skills and more experience than most. I had an in-depth discussion with a Bariatric surgeon a couple of months ago about this topic. I was under the impression that the diet was just to shrink the liver where in reality, it is more important to change the texture so it becomes less slippery and easier to manage during surgery.

[Sonja 16]

Tell your doc. I have a BMI of 48, but I am only 31 & healthy in every way besides my obesity. All of my labs indicate that there hasn't been any systemic effects.... so no pre-op liquid diet. He does ask that we follow a low-cal & low-fat diet pre-op & liquids the day before. Good luck to you!

[RickM 1,747]

Rick, it has nothing to do with having the skills or experience to work around a slick or fatty liver, it is more dangerous and raises the complication chances. Some patients have a low enough BMI that there is no need for a pre-op diet, there is room for the surgeon to work. If a surgeon puts a patient on a pre-op diet, it is for a reason. I know Surgeons here in the states and in Mexico that have performed thousands of WLS and if the patient's BMI is high, they put them on the pre-op diet. These surgeons have plenty of skills and more experience than most. I had an in-depth discussion with a Bariatric surgeon a couple of months ago about this topic. I was under the impression that the diet was just to shrink the liver where in reality, it is more important to change the texture so it becomes less slippery and easier to manage during surgery.

I believe that it is one of the facets of whether or not a surgeon requires it - some require them for all, some only for their heavier patients, and some not at all. My doc doesn't require it and I don't know of any of his patients who were required to go through it, even the SMO 60+BMI ones like my wife was. But then, he also does biliopancreatic transplants aside from his bariatrics practice, so it seems as if crappy liver condition doesn't particularly bother him, or that there is enough change from the diet to make it worthwhile for him to require it (though he is rather anal about liver care post-op) and it is likely that he has skills and experience in that area that exceed the norms for most bariatric surgeons. My general point, however, is that while some docs seem to be comfortable with things as they are without pre-op diets and others feel that they do better with them, that you should follow your doc's instructions - he's the guy with his hands (directly or remotely) inside you reworking your insides and you want him to be as comfortable as possible while he is doing so. If your doc doesn't require it (and he is an experienced at bariatrics) while others do, don't agonize over it; just as one shouldn't agonize over their doc not requiring a trendy low carb post op diet while others do - if his experience with his patients indicate that it's not necessary, there's little need to argue about it, but if it makes you feel better, then have at it.

[fluffylibra30 323]

every doc must be different because mine just required 48 hours just liquids. its important to listen to what they say, it could be a major factor in your health.....

[LifeChanger 0]

I will admit I too have cheated. I'm down to my last 3 days before surgery and I've eaten all green salads without dressing or steamed broccli once each day for the past couple of days. I'm terrified that my liver hasn't shrunk enough and my doctor won't do the surgery. I've only lost 12lbs so far and my doctor didn't tell me how much weight needed to be lost just that if my liver hadn't shrunk he wouldn't do the surgery. :frown2: I'm sooooo scared, can someone please tell me if my veggie sabotages have ended my chances of surgery

[GetInMyBelly 80]

So weird I was allowed salad n plain veggies during the two wk prep diet n all went fine. They said my liver was fine.

[TiffanyC 7]

I know your surgery date is past, but for others reading this who maybe havent had it yet - I also cheated on the preop diet. I lost like 3 lbs and followed about 70% of the diet but I had several regular meals - out to eat - during the week, and I ate a few no-no Snacks too....my surgery still went just fine.

I'm not saying it's ok to break the preop diet but if you do, dont freak out about it.

My mom's surgeon doesnt require a preop diet.

It is not medically necessary to have a successful surgery in my opinion but some Drs prefer it. ( even if they are just doing what everyone else does or how they learned to do it).