Hi All,

I am having my band placed on 4-13-06 and my physician has me on a full liquid diet for 2 weeks PRIOR to surgery. I would like to know if any one else has had to do this? What was your doctor's rationale for this? I liken this torture to when I quit smoking!!!! :phanvan

Thanks, Kathy

I didn't have to do all liquid, but had to do high protein low carb.

They want us to do some form of diet(be it high protein or "liquid torture") to help reduce the size of the liver, so that they have more room to place the band.

I had to do the liquid diet, around 800 calories. Not only does it help shrink the liver, but it curbs the "last supper syndrome".

You can do this! Keep yourself busy, drink lots of water, bleach your teeth, and stay out of the kitchen.

I had to do full liquids for one week before surgery. I'm not going to blow smoke and tell you it's fun, but when it's over you'll have a nice weight loss under your belt! And, like mommy2xp said, you won't have the last supper syndrome to worry about. I know that's cold comfort right now, but you'll be thankful later when you don't have an extra 5 or 10 lbs to lose.

Take it a day at a time - you can do it! :eek:

I have to do liquids only 2 days prior. I could not imagine 2 weeks. Good luck to you.

Oh Yes!! I have to do the two week prior to surgery liquid diet also:eek: . I am hoping I can get through it and get some extra pounds off too! My surgery is in May. So I am with ya. Let me know how it goes for you:hungry: !

Best Wishes,

Dawn

Yes, Kathy, my wife was required to do two weeks of liquids so that her liver would shrink. This makes it a bit easier to move it out of the way during your surgery.

Me too! Two weeks of protein shakes and protein bars. No more than 40 grams of carbs / day. No solids, no REAL foods. Everything sweet, blech!

I thought I was going to die in the first week with a headache that wouldn't stop. It got easier, in the last week I had some mild joint pain.

BUT... I had a gorgeous liver and NO gas pains.

Me too! Dr said to shrink liver, because an obese person has a fatty liver and fatty livers are larger and harder and when you put the liver retractor against a harder liver it could tear. He told me that if the liver wasn't easy to move he would not do the surgery. His word were "I'm no cowboy, I won't do this if there is danger of spliting the liver".

I took him at his word and did it for 3 weeks instead of 2. I cheated a couple of times, but only with Protein, like a grilled boneless skinless chicken breast and once with light laughing cow cheese.

My liver was in good shape and I had lost 17 lbs.

Oh, I forgot to mention. I didn't have the horrible gas pain in the shoulder that most people talk about either. My dh had warned me about the pain too because he had had laproscopic gall bladder surgery a couple of years before. I was very fortunate on that.

But how can just a few weeks of diet change our liver so drastically? I mean it must take years to get it fatty, I don't see how loosing a few lbs in a week or 2 is going to change that.

However, the diet should help with last supper syndrome, and to make the transition to band approved foods easier. Also, it sounds like an added bonus is less problems with gas.....my doc didn't tell me to do any diet, but a week before my surgery date, I have to see a nutritionist, maybe she will tell me to do a liquid diet the week before....

I still don't understand the liver thing. :eek:

Kat,

Dr. Ortiz' office told me that even a 5% weight loss can shrink the liver enough so it's not in the way during surgery.

He has his patients go on low carb/high Protein shakes and we can have 2 salads a day (only greens) 1 week prior.

I am having surgery May 5th, but started this week on a modified liquid diet so I can lose enough before surgery for less complications after.

It's really supposed to help, but each doctor has different requirements before surgery.

I did. And I'll admit that I failed miserably. I stuck with it pretty well during the day because I was teaching and had no choice. BUT at night! A whole 'nother story! lol

It was hell! I wanted to eat. I was hungry. Even in Mexico, I ate. I ate right up until the 24 hours before my surgery. I am a bad role model.

I had to do it for 1 week. It's no fun for the first couple of days. I mean to tell you, I actually dreamed of foods like mashed potatoes and spaghetti. How's that for a carb-addicted fiend? After about 3 days or so, I got used to it and it didn't feel like the torture it started out to be. Hang in there, it too shall pass.

When the surgery is done, you really won't mind the liquids as much and you'll be an old pro. Personally, immediatly after surgery, I had enough post op swelling that just a few sips was enough to make me feel stuffed. I constantly had a feeling of bloated fullness.

Although my doctor didn't tell me why, I later found out the pre-op liquid diet was to help reduce the fattiness of the liver. It actually shrinks it a bit. By eliminating the intake of all the high fat, processed foods from your diet for a period of time prior to the surgery, you liver depletes itself of it's fat stores and it shrinks. When he's in there, laparascopically, he doesn't want the liver in the way of his view OR any potential to nic/cut the liver accidentally during the procedure.

It also helps kind of kick start your weight loss by decreasing the bulk in your intestines. Think about it-liquid in=liquid out. Most docs don't do a bowel prep anymore, so it helps with that as well as any potential constipation problems post-op.

Good luck. Hang in there, it gets better.

Well I totally blew it yesterday which would have been day #3. Had chips and hot sauce, lasagna, and hamburger and fries.. Thanks to all the replies I am determined to go back on it full force today and continue!! Im sick of sweet and creamy stuff so Im going to try my hand at V8 juice and chicken broth. Does anyone else have any suggestions for non sweet and non creamy thing??? Oh.. and whats the deal with the horrible taste in my mouth?????

Starving in Texas,

Kathy

I had 1 week of low-fat liquids pre-op. Was hard, but not too hard. I drank 2 or 3 Slim Fasts plus broths every day. Also, I drank a lot of buttermilk to get away from sweet tastes. Lost 10 lbs that have stayed off & jump started the other 15 or so since then. Plus an easy & fast surgery & recovery, no gas pains at all. And a lovely liver too. I was also amazed that just 1 week could shrink a liver, but Dr Jay assured me it can make a big diference. Good luck & hang in there!