The NUT says it has to be a MD followed diet and if I want to get the surgery that I have to do the pre-op diet through them or the MD won't do the surgery. my daughter went to her pre- op diet NUT appointment yesterday and called me told me she needed to get the post-op diet too...so I'm not sure what they told her but she was made to believe that it is necessary. she is getting a bypass at the same place. Unfortunately I can't help her pay for the post op since I've already helped with some of the pre op which was 249. So I wanted to make sure that there was other sources of obtaining the necessary post op needs ....thank u everyone for your responses