Pre-Surgery Liquid Diet

[kawzican 11]

5 hours ago, LewiB said:

Thank you! I just got off the phone with the doctor and he said I don’t have to be on a liquid diet until he tells me to be so should I continue? Or maybe just watch what I’m eating?

If your doc said you don't have to be on the liquid diet yet, I'd say why subject yourself to it prematurely? It's hard enough after the surgery when your tummy is calling all the shots, but the mental game of doing it before surgery sounds like torture. My preop diet was way less brutal and allowed for actual food until the night before surgery.

[LewiB 7]

Maybe I’ll get that lucky and only have to do it for a day but something tells me it’ll be like 3-4 days before but I will cross that bridge when I get to it for sure! I have just been watching what I eat today which hasn’t been much but mostly protein!

[Arabesque 7,240]

Since you’ve started maybe just keep to one or two shakes a day & have a meal of portion & calorie controlled Protein & vegetables/salads for the other meal/s. You’ve started to break some of your sugar & carb dependencies & it seems a waste to throw that away.

A two week pre surgery diet is pretty common though some are only on a one or two diet. They can take the form of an all liquid (protein shakes) or two Protein Shakes & one meal of protein & vegetables or a specific diet of solid food (I was on keto). Just depends on your surgeon. Mine gives different patients different diets depending on several factors including starting weight, weight loss/gain history & medical status.

All the best what ever you choose to do.

[LewiB 7]

Yeah that sounds like a better idea since I’ve already gone the day and a half on strictly liquids but you’re suggestion sounds like a good way to keep going and not be as hungry for food in general when it comes the strictly liquid prior to my surgery! Thank you 😊

[tamra. 6]

I have 2 days of liquids before my surgery (8/15) - My list is SO SMALL - broth, Jello, Water, apple/grape juice, black coffee.....ugh....I am vegetarian so Jello won't be happening..

[LewiB 7]

On my first day I ended up doing broth for dinner and it actually helped I’m thinking because of the saltiness but I am not a big fan of the texture of jello! I also try the V8 vegetable juice and it’s so gross but sometimes we all gotta push through!

[CarmenG 151]

Oh yeah, there's vegetable broth. Earlier I was going to suggest chicken, beef, or Bone Broth, but then I saw that you're vegetarian. I thought it would be rude. But now that LewiB mentioned it, I remembered there's also vegetable broth. I don't know the rules of your diet, sorry.

[ShooterInTheSix 112]

I'll be doing two full weeks of liquid diet ahead of my surgery which will start, coincidentally, on the day of my hospital pre-op appointment.

[BigSexyTequila 1]

The pre-op diet may have been the hardest thing during this entire process. It took me about 6 days before those hunger pains and desire to eat literally everything I saw to go away. My pre-op diet consisted of (2) Protein Shakes and (1) frozen meal under 300 calories and under 700mg of sodium each day. I was allowed to eat all the broccoli and cucumber I wanted though. It's tough, but stick with it. You'll need that discipline post-op. I lost 15 lbs on the pre-op diet. My RnY was on May 15th. I started losing weight on my own on Jan 18th in preparation for this and I'm proud to say I'm down 90 lbs! I started at 380 and weighed in today at 290! The difference in energy is amazing, not to mention I'm wearing clothes I haven't worn in many, many years. Even lacing up my work boots can be done sitting down. I'm sitting closer to the steering wheel in the car and stupid things like putting the seatbelt on are so much easier. It's also amazing how hard it is to meet the 60 grams of Protein each day without relying on a shake. I've been released to introduce all foods. I've got what I refer to as good eating days and bad eating days. Today happens to be a bad day. Can't find any rhyme or reason to it either. But I'm celebrating many more wins than that! Stick with it - you got this! You'll be on that liquid diet for a few weeks out of the hospital too.

[AnneMarie1970 9]

I found that they key for me was staying BUSY. I worked obsessively with my job, but also projects at home to make sure the house was in great shape for when I got home from surgery. Bottom line: this will pass!

[TRAVELRN 73]

On 7/25/2023 at 3:37 AM, LewiB said:

Hello!
Newbie here👋🏽 I finished my first official day of being on an all liquid diet and honestly I’m hangry, I’m a bit irritated, and I just want to eat! Lol but I’m hoping after about day 3 or 4 I don’t feel the need to eat like I used to. Any tips on how to curve the craving for food in general?? Surgery date is August 7th😮‍💨

Hi there!! The goal of this is to decrease the size of your liver. This is very important for the surgeon to have the liver recede to avoid complications. Use this time to focus on your eating habits, why you eat and keep a journal. If you are stressed, anxious etc. This helped me down the road. I am a grazer and I never paid attention to what I ate. I wanted it I ate it. Period! Take the time you have pre op to learn about your bad eating, use the tools available to you (Meal plan! stick to it to a T!!!!!). We are at various stages of our weight loss journey on here and I found during my preop period that I had to focus on MY journey and where I was at in the process. You really need to slow things down and take it one day at a time. Set yourself up for success by using the tools that you are given, and take your own "will" out of the drivers seat. The surgery is only one part of the journey. The rest is on you and what you do each day to maintain your body. You can't go back to the same eating habits you had prior and expect to lose weight. Its very much a conscious effort on your part. Enjoy the journey and understand this is the first step to a new life. Its mind over matter at this point.

[tamra. 6]

On 7/26/2023 at 3:37 PM, CarmenG said:

Oh yeah, there's vegetable broth. Earlier I was going to suggest chicken, beef, or Bone Broth, but then I saw that you're vegetarian. I thought it would be rude. But now that LewiB mentioned it, I remembered there's also vegetable broth. I don't know the rules of your diet, sorry.

Oh girl don't trip, I don't get offended easy! haha. My surgeon keeps saying Protein (chicken fish etc) and I just smile LOL.

[Vicky82 2]

I'm on day 2. Thankfully my surgeon allows unlimited sugar free Jello and Popsicles, cottage cheese, broth. Then 1 time day 3 oz of Protein and up to 3 cups of green. (Spinach, broccoli, lettuce, cucumbers,) last day it's strictly clear liquids.

[Nissi88 5]

Hi Auggers, my pre-op starts 8/7, surgery 8/23. God Bless you all. 😉

[slimit 1]

I’m day 5 post opp. Still trying with Fluid intake and walks. It’s hard but will the Water restriction get better over time?