I am going through approval for lap band but really wish I could find another way. I have been reading the forum, and it seems consistent that there is a 2-week pre-op liquid diet and a 3-week post-op liquid diet. So five weeks. I thought that all liquid diets were dangerous for that length of time, but clearly not. I will ask my doctor, of course, but am thinking that maybe I could try a 5-week doctor-prescribed liquid diet and see how much I lost. How much weight do people on average lose during these five weeks when the surgery is involved? What do you-all advise? I can stick to such a diet, I have the motivation, especially if it would mean I would avoid the surgery. I need to lose 75 lbs, and my doctor has approved me, and my HMO says they will, so I believe I can get the surgery. But I don't want it unless I have to! I have tried other diets, exercise, everything and I'm pretty desperate. Do you-all think my idea would work?

You will lose quite a bit of weight during your pre op and post op diet. How much varies from person to person.

But the point of the liquids is actually not weight loss.

The pre op diet is in order to shrink the size of your liver which makes the surgery easier an safer to perform.

The post op diet is because your stomach needs time to heal from the surgery and adjust to the band.

As such it is essential to stick strictly to the diet your doctor gives you.

You will lose quite a bit of weight during your pre op and post op diet. How much varies from person to person.

But the point of the liquids is actually not weight loss.

The pre op diet is in order to shrink the size of your liver which makes the surgery easier an safer to perform.

The post op diet is because your stomach needs time to heal from the surgery and adjust to the band.

As such it is essential to stick strictly to the diet your doctor gives you.

I appreciate your clear post, but it doesn't really answer my question. My question is, since the result - not the point, but certainly the result - of the pre/post-op diet is quite a good size weight loss, can I use the diet itself without the surgery to lose weight? Answers to my question would include comments on safety, comments on the post-liquid-diet diet, comments on how to avoid regaining the weight, etc. Obviously I stick strictly to the diet my doctor gives me. But my question has to do with possibly avoiding the surgery altogether by using this part of the diet by itself. Anyone who knows about the ins and outs of this, maybe from a doctor's words, maybe by trying it themselves, would be able to help. So thanks for the info, Mariasha, and maybe you can comment on what I've just written as well.

I appreciate your clear post, but it doesn't really answer my question. My question is, since the result - not the point, but certainly the result - of the pre/post-op diet is quite a good size weight loss, can I use the diet itself without the surgery to lose weight? Answers to my question would include comments on safety, comments on the post-liquid-diet diet, comments on how to avoid regaining the weight, etc. Obviously I stick strictly to the diet my doctor gives me. But my question has to do with possibly avoiding the surgery altogether by using this part of the diet by itself. Anyone who knows about the ins and outs of this, maybe from a doctor's words, maybe by trying it themselves, would be able to help. So thanks for the info, Mariasha, and maybe you can comment on what I've just written as well.

There are a couple of options like that. Optifast and Medifast come to mind.

Both are VLCD's - Very Low Calorie Diet's.

While you will definately lose weight while on the diet, the problem is when you finish the liquids and go back to regular foods.

Many people here on the forums have lost large amounts of weight in the past. The problem is that we always end up putting it all back on - and then some!

The band helps us not only to lose the weight, but to effectively keep it off.