Pre-Op Diet Not Required Is My Doc A Quack?

[Falicia004 26]

I just wanted to compare pre-op diets I am not supposed to have a liquid diet until the day before surgery I know the reason for liquid diet is to shrink the liver just want to hear from both sides to get a piece of mind thanks!

[Cheryl Barfoot 69]

i didn't have a liquid diet. losing weight shrinks the liver, and i lost a lot of weight before surgery.

[kisersassy 369]

the one thing I wish my surgeon required before surgery would be the 2 day bowel prep. it was the worst part of post op I went through

[MillyBell 36]

I only have to do a two day bowel prep liquid diet right before the surgery. No weight to lose before hand. I think that depends on your initial weight and how difficult (or not) the dr feels it could be getting around in there. In "obese" patients (most of us) the liver is enlarged. It sits next to or in top of the stomach which could be a danger. Obviously, they want to avoid as many complications as possible. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

[kiwiladydee 402]

I did not have a Pre op diet, just clear liquid day before surgery.

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[worm2872 635]

I spoke with my dr about this. She said that when your BMI is under 50 the liver is not much of an issue. She has been doing this surgery for five years and only had a "liver" issue once with a high BMI patient.

Plus she wants you as strong as possible before surgery and that's hard to do on Clear Liquids or all liquid for two weeks prior. I have to do a pre op bowel prep (clear liquid) diet about two days before.

[kisersassy 369]

yes worm I recommended the bowel prep. I would even do it sooner if even just one day depending on your food intake as I got out Thursday and from Friday to Saturday I dealt with the worst impacted bowel and it would not come out. I did suppositories and Miralax and it did not work. it was a real nightmare

[Vicki Loichinger 444]

I had a two weeks "diet" but it wasn't bad, A shake for Breakfast one for lunch and then meat and non starch veggie for dinner, and a snack of yogurt if needed. and then Clear Liquids day before. No bowel prep but I had been taking miralax about every other day, so I just increased it couple days before, so I was pretty empty and clean by yesterday. Of course all for naught since surg. rescheduled for Dec 5. But I am just going to keep following that pre op diet as close as I can so I don't undo the good I have done. And try to get my blood sugars under control.

As far as your Doc not having one, just his preference, you have to think that if we were having an emergency surgery of some type we wouldn't be on a two week liquid diet so that could be some doc's thinking. I would never tell someone to eat more than their doc said, but you can use your own judgement about eating a little less or replacing a meal with a shake just to get you used to them or used to eating less.

[LosingItForMe2011 320]

No pre-op diet was given to me, I was just told to lose 10% of my bodyweight so that my liver would be in the best shape because it's the first to lose fat. Other than that no diet given...I pretty much put myself on a liquid diet a few days before because I figured it was best.