My surgeon does not have his patients do a pre op 1-2 week liquid diet. Just the typical nothing to eat or drink for 24 hours before surgery. Im not going to lie, I was very happy to hear this. He told me enjoy all I can up until 11pm the night before surgery. I am getting banded on August 2, in 13 days and my sister (who is also in the started process of getting banded) is very worried for me that I will not be prepared for what to expect after surgery because I will have had no pre op diet. She is affraid I am going to fail because I don't have to do any kinds of liquid only before. Matter of fact, I was told I only needed to do clear liquids for 2-3 days then I could move onto thick liquids for a few days then softs. Let me tell you, I was loving my surgeon even more! haha! I am just worried I am going to be in one huge shock after surgery, and one REALLY big cranky girl!

My surgeon does not require the liquid diet either. I will have a low carbohydrate diet the week before surgery and that's it. Your liver grows in size as it try's to process carbohydrates. When you don't eat them it shrinks. He also wants me to move to more solid food quicker than a lot of surgeons. Post-op diet is for one week and then if I'm healing just fine he want's me to start incorporating solid foods. He is a center of excellence and I'm very confident with him.

I will be honest with you, I have seen nothing but struggles on these boards for people who don't have a pre-op liquid diet. At the very least, do yourself a favor and do it for a couple days so you can see what it is like, otherwise it can come as quite a shock.

that is exactly what I was affraid of. And yes, I am aware of my liver being enlarged, but it was something That was not of concern. I also am VERY confident in my surgeon and take what he says with confidence, but I do agree that It would be best for me to try a liquid diet for a couple days. Even just to find a protein that I like. I still have to meet with my nutritionist on friday, which is my very last appointment with all of this, and maybe then I will be told a whole different story.

I disagree that there is nothing but struggle for those who don't have to do a pre-op liquid diet. I did not have to do one, and I've done very well since my surgery.

The point of a pre-op diet is to reduce the size of your liver, to make surgery easier to perform. If your surgeon decides that's not necessary, then you don't need to go through that. Post-op, they'll ask you to follow their dietary recommendations, and work your way back onto solid food on their schedule.

The disconnect people here seem to have is they expect they'll have immediate restriction after surgery, and immediate, nonstop weight loss. When that doesn't happen, they freak out and get all stressed, they develop all sorts of negative attitudes, and they blame everything for not working as advertised. In truth, the first six weeks after surgery are primarily about healing, so your system can get used to the band being there, and so the placement stitches can heal up. After that, when fills start, is when you should be concerned about restricting your diet down a normal bandster level so weight loss can start Failure with the band is normally caused by people who don't know what to expect, and who make improper choices, and not usually because of a physical problem, or because they didn't have to suffer through a pre-op liquid diet.

The key to bandster success is following your doctor's orders, doing what you're told, eating right, exercising properly, and listening to your body's response to having the band in there. The key to bandster failure is second-guessing your doctor, not following orders, eating poorly, not exercising, and expecting the band to do all the work. Everyone has the best intentions with this, but the people who seem to have the most trouble are those who are least informed about what to do, and how to live with the band. It takes work, and it takes education. After that, the rest is in living daily with the band.

Good luck with your journey. I wish you great success!

Dave

I did not have to do any sort of liquid diet prior to surgery. Three months prior to surgery I had to add in one protein shake a day as a meal, 2 months prior I had to losely encorporate a second shake, and for the month prior to surgery I had to stick too the 2 shakes as meals. I was also told to start eliminating carbs as soon as I started the whole process. I can tell you I loosely followed the guidelines. I was banded 6 weeks ago and have not had a single problem sticking to the guidelines post surgery. I stuck to my 5 days of clear liquids, 2 weeks of protein shakes only, then 2 weeks of lowcarb mushy foods before being allowed to introduce solid foods. About a week into the protein shakes only I started to really miss chewing, but that was the only issue I had.

It may not be this easy for you but keep your head in the game and you shouldn't have any problems!

Dave I don't think I could have said it better myself. A LOT of people on here have A LOT of excuses for why it magically isn't working for them. Its because its not magic. Its work. The band is simply a tool. You have to put the work in.

My surgeon does not have his patients do a pre op 1-2 week liquid diet. Just the typical nothing to eat or drink for 24 hours before surgery. Im not going to lie, I was very happy to hear this. He told me enjoy all I can up until 11pm the night before surgery. I am getting banded on August 2, in 13 days and my sister (who is also in the started process of getting banded) is very worried for me that I will not be prepared for what to expect after surgery because I will have had no pre op diet. She is affraid I am going to fail because I don't have to do any kinds of liquid only before. Matter of fact, I was told I only needed to do clear liquids for 2-3 days then I could move onto thick liquids for a few days then softs. Let me tell you, I was loving my surgeon even more! haha! I am just worried I am going to be in one huge shock after surgery, and one REALLY big cranky girl!

imy doctor goes by your bbmi under 45 one week over 45 two weeks of liquid 4 shakes a day and 6 snakes and could have 3oz grill chicken to replace one shake urury stuff. i think you should do a liquid acoording to your bbmi my dod said your liver and stuff has to be clear and so yo wont be so think in your linning in stomach. i think you should do a liquid diet any way at least one week before god bless you and your sister take care. ps snack are like jello soft stuff no candy or fruit.

Ok,

Whether you have a liquid diet or not is your physician's call, period.

Savebygod... 6 snakes a day? I would've found a different surgeon! lol.

Never once was I questioning my Drs orders, matter of fact was trilled with his orders. Simply was just asking if I was asking for a rude awaking once I do start my liquid diet post op. I am well educated and getting more and more prepaired each day. I have NO problems following Dr. orders seeing how I do it everyday. thank you so much everyone for ALL your input it all helps so much.

Honestly, I think you'll do great without a pre-op diet. My doctor (another Center of Excellence) doesn't use them, except in rare instances.

I can't see how a liquid diet before surgery in any way readies you for life after surgery. Before my surgery, I was stressed. Worried about all the changes coming in my life and eating every last supper I could think of. Fortunately, I didn't need to deal with a liquid diet to boot. After my surgery, I woke up without any hunger at all. In fact, my appetite didn't return until I was ready to move to mushies. I think it's the effect of the anesthesia, I've had it happen with other surgeries, as well. Due to the fact that I wasn't starving myself (and my high BMI!), I lost weight rapidly in the first 2 weeks. It was really good to feel successful right away.

My point is, you'll be fine. Life after surgery is different than life before. You still need to follow your doctors orders, but it's sooo much easier after the surgery. All that anxiety and fear is gone, and you're ready to move ahead.

Cindy

My surgeon told me that the low carb diet won't actually shrink your liver within a week or two... It needs much more time to actually shrink the liver. But he said when the liver isn't processing carbs, it makes the liver very soft and moveable which is what they need for surgery. He says he's had patients that didn't go on the low carb diet before surgery and their liver was the consistency of cat food.... Eww!

I didn't have a liquid pre-op diet and I'm doing just fine. Post surgery, you're not going to feel hungry for a while, so the liquid diet isn't too hard. As your hunger returns it gets harder, yes, but I don't see how a liquid diet pre-op could affect that at all.

I will tell you what I knew before surgery, but I wish someone had jammed it down my throat: for me, banded life is a diet with an extra little warning system. I'd say my loss is 90% me, 10% the help of the band. The key to success it owning the fact that YOU are in control of what you eat, and how much, and the band likely won't be helping you until you've had 3 or more fills. The harder you work to eat correctly and exercise, the better you'll do with the band.

I respectfully disagree I was banded July 13, I did not have a pre-op diet and I've lost 20.5 lbs since my surgery WITHOUT losing 1 Lb before my surgery (that's 20 lbs in 7 days!)

@banded it CAN be done, since my surgery, I haven't had ANY food, only Water, crystal lite, and chicken broth

good luck to u!!

I will be honest with you, I have seen nothing but struggles on these boards for people who don't have a pre-op liquid diet. At the very least, do yourself a favor and do it for a couple days so you can see what it is like, otherwise it can come as quite a shock.

OHHHH DAVE I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE RHIS POST!!!!!

I hate to see people type "I was losiing weight so fast and now I'm THREE WEEKS post op and have slowed down, or gained some weight"

Come on people, OF COURSE you're going to gain a few Lbs going from all liquids to mushies or what have u. The first 6 weeks should be about HEALING! Allow your body to do so.

I disagree that there is nothing but struggle for those who don't have to do a pre-op liquid diet. I did not have to do one, and I've done very well since my surgery.

The point of a pre-op diet is to reduce the size of your liver, to make surgery easier to perform. If your surgeon decides that's not necessary, then you don't need to go through that. Post-op, they'll ask you to follow their dietary recommendations, and work your way back onto solid food on their schedule.

The disconnect people here seem to have is they expect they'll have immediate restriction after surgery, and immediate, nonstop weight loss. When that doesn't happen, they freak out and get all stressed, they develop all sorts of negative attitudes, and they blame everything for not working as advertised. In truth, the first six weeks after surgery are primarily about healing, so your system can get used to the band being there, and so the placement stitches can heal up. After that, when fills start, is when you should be concerned about restricting your diet down a normal bandster level so weight loss can start Failure with the band is normally caused by people who don't know what to expect, and who make improper choices, and not usually because of a physical problem, or because they didn't have to suffer through a pre-op liquid diet.

The key to bandster success is following your doctor's orders, doing what you're told, eating right, exercising properly, and listening to your body's response to having the band in there. The key to bandster failure is second-guessing your doctor, not following orders, eating poorly, not exercising, and expecting the band to do all the work. Everyone has the best intentions with this, but the people who seem to have the most trouble are those who are least informed about what to do, and how to live with the band. It takes work, and it takes education. After that, the rest is in living daily with the band.

Good luck with your journey. I wish you great success!

Dave