Why are some people not required to do a 2 week pre-op liquid diet?

I don't know, but it shrinks your liver and makes the surgery safer for you. If your surgeon doesn't have to fight the liver he has a better chance of placing the band where he wants it for optimal performance. Its worth it.

Different doctors have different philosophies/approaches.

Those who recommend the preop diet generally do so in order to help ensure that the liver--which is a storage site for carbohydrate (and therefore fluctuates in size) is as small as possible before surgery. This makes it easier for them to move around inside your belly & install the band.

Other doctors don't find this to be critically important.

While it was difficult, I am personally glad my doctor did require it--I think it's a safer practice.

While it was difficult, I am personally glad my doctor did require it--I think it's a safer practice.

Ditto! :wink2:

I had no pre-op diet requirements or testing.

My surgeon does not require the preop diet for everyone anymore. He did previously and didn't see where it made a difference in most of his patients during surgery and he felt that it was more important that the post op be followed. In his experience, people were more likely to stay faithful to it if they didn't have 2 weeks of dieting before the surgery.

Edited March 14, 201016 yr by crzytchr

My surgeon only makes it a requirement for ppl with a BMI of 40 or higher - greatly increases the success and reduces risks in surgery due to an enlarged fatty liver.

My doc generally requires them but i didnt have to do one.

It was purely luck, when I asked my GP for a referral to a lapband surgeon, he sent me off for a battery of tests, many of which the surgeon would have had to send me for - it shortened my entire pre op phase actually. One of those tests was a liver ultrasound - which is not a standard test the surgeon would send you for normally, here in Australia - and it showed that my liver was not enlarged at all and only a little bit fatty - certainly not enough to hinder surgery in any way.

So that being the case, and my BMI being 36, the surgeon told me not to put myself through the torture, that he wasnt going to have any trouble doing surgery on me anyhow.

Makes you think it might be kinder to send everyone off for a liver ultrasound, instead of making everyone do the preop diet, lol.

Every doc is different...My surgeon only had me do liquids two days pre surgery. That was bad enough! I really feel for you all that have to do 2 weeks! :wink2:

I'm scheduled for surgery on March 24th. My surgeon didn't require me to do a pre-surgery liquid diet, but did suggest I go all liquids the week prior because it can make the operation safer. He said it's my decision but I'm leaning towards at least trying.

I did it for 9 days , because the surgeon had a early opening and he didn`t feel it would be a problem for me not to do the full 14 days ......It was tough but I got through it o.k and even lost a few kilo`s to kick start my journey......

I had to do Atkins for 2 weeks. It works just as well as the liquid diets to shrink the liver.

I am on the 4th day of my 2 week pre-op liquid diet. I have to tell you...I am in horrible shape right now. I have NEVER experienced hunger like this before! I figured with a BMI of 38 I may not have to do one....but no such luck.

My doctor requires all of his patients to have "at least" 2 weeks of a liquid diet. I guess that I can count my lucky stars that I only have to do this for 14 days, and not the 4 weeks that another lady in my support group is going through!

Happy Mom, are you getting enough protein with your shakes? I find that I am not very hungry which really is surprising. But I have 1 cup of soy milk with my protein shake which adds more protein. Also I have creamed soups in between the three shakes. If I get lightheaded I drink 1 cup of Gatorade.

I did the diet and lost 13 lbs and my surgery was 30 mins beside the recovery room...it does make it easier on the patient.

Can you put your shake in the blender with ice to make it thicker? just a thought