What if you didn't do so well on your preop diet?

danaclark2 · April 16, 2006

Ok--I've not eaten perfectly on my preop diet. I was supposed to be on a 30 day liquid--just couldn't do it.

I have, in the last few weeks, lost about 8 lbs, though. Do you think an 8 lbs. weight loss will be enough to shrink my liver?

I'm starting to worry that my surgeon will not be able to perform the surgery due to my little weight loss.

danaclark2 · April 16, 2006

Oh--and my surgery is set for this Tuesday at 8:00am.

amourette · April 17, 2006

A 30 day liquid diet...........are you JOKING!!! That seem ridiculous! I am finishing my last day of a 14 day diet and that was hard enough, I wouldn't survive either. I had my weigh-in last week and she had to consult the doctor as she said I hadn't lost enough weight but I got the go-ahead. (then I found out she had the wrong figures and I had lost 4kg). I reckon if you have done a week then it should be ok, I mean, look at all the people who don't have to do anything................hehe boy have I really hated them this week!!!!

My surgery is tomorrow!!!

danaclark2 · April 17, 2006

Good Luck, Amourette!!!

How many pounds is 4kg?

amourette · April 17, 2006

Thanks Dana, I just worked it out it is 8.8 pounds..........but I went thru' hell to lose it,also I am single and don't have a family around me that needs feeding all the time, I think that helps. Are you sure the doctor didn't say 30 hours on the diet hehehe!! It just sounds too long! What liquids did he permit?

danaclark2 · April 17, 2006

Well--he requires an all liquid diet plus one small meal (like Lean Cuisine) for 30 days. Liquids include 1-2 Protein drinks, sugar-free/fat-free liquids, sugar-free Jello and pudding,etc.

I didn't do that well on the liquid part--but I did eat less, and I have lost about 8 lbs. or so. Hope that is enough!

Let us know on the "April Bandits" how your surgery went--I'll do the same.

Yoda · April 17, 2006

Best of luck to you both...I'm sure it will be fine.

BTW, I agree...30 lbs is ludicrous; there must have been a mistake. I'm into day 10 of my 14 day pre-op diet and I have lost 13 lbs. Following it was REALLY hard, however, I did follow it with the odd slide here and there (ie. a tbsp of pizza one time and 2 noodles with sauce another time, oh yeah, and a finger lick of nutella). Nobdody is perfect.

I think we'll be okay!!!

I'm sure it will go well; I'll be thinking of you both.

DonnaB · April 17, 2006

Hi Dana, I think the length of time you have to be on the liquid diet is determined by your BMI. Mine was 40 and my doctor said I didn't need to do a liquid diet at all. I've had laparoscopic surgery before and I knew that I'd have an easier recovery if I did a liquid diet so I did it for 5 days pre-op and lost about 8 pounds. But I was very strict in those 5 days.

I recovered from surgery very quickly and with very little gas pain which I attribute to the liquid diet.

My suggestion is that you be very strict with yourself over the next 36 hours, if only so you'll have an easier time with recovery. I also suggest that you discuss your diet very frankly with your doctor before you are prep'd for surgery. If he's at all nervous about going forward, you want him to stop the surgery before you have been opened up. You don't want to undergo anesthesia and surgery only to wake up without a band. It's not likely that he'll cancel the surgery - you've lost 8 pounds - but better safe than sorry.

Having said all that, if you read through threads on this board about pre op liquid diets, you'll see that LOTS of people didn't have to do it at all. You'll also see lots of different versions and durations of a liquid diet.

It'll be OK.

dishdiva · April 17, 2006

I did terrible on the pre-op diet and mine was only two weeks... when I talked to the dr. about it before the surgery and asked about the liver, he said "we'll just work around it..."

So you'll be fine, I'm sure. Good luck Tuesday!