Hi, hope your all doing well.:001_smile:..My doc started on liquid diet(optifast) on Wednesday. Is ten days long enough to make a difference in my liver? Is there a way to make sure it is small enough for surgery?

Hi, hope your all doing well.:001_smile:..My doc started on liquid diet(optifast) on Wednesday. Is ten days long enough to make a difference in my liver? Is there a way to make sure it is small enough for surgery?

As long as you follow the doctor's orders (the dreaded pre op) diet, you should be fine! Don't worry about it, you will be good to go! Good luck!

Some surgeons do one week and some do two. It all depends on the MD's preference. There is no way to see or know your liver is shrinking. The goal is to keep carbs under 30 grams a day.

i dont know why he put me on opti fast. i am supposed to have 3 shakes and 2 bars a day. each shake has 20g of carbs and the bars are only a little less, plus a lot of sugar. i think he just uses it because he sells them.

Any weight loss will shrink the liver. Low carb is better, but even losing 10 lb. will help. Plus lots of surgeons only require it for their SMO patients.

I guess the liquid diet really is doctor preference. I had my pre-op appointment with my surgeon today. When I asked him about the 2-week liquid diet, he said no you don't have to do it. He did request that I do a liquid fast 48 hours prior to the surgery, but no special type of liquid diet.

Good luck with the liquid diet and your surgery. I wish you a speedy recovery. See ya on the other side of "Skinnyville". :lol0:

Edited July 14, 200917 yr by hotchocolate

If you completely follow the preop plan, 10 days should be sufficient to shrink the liver enough. Theres no way to tell until the surgeon actually gets in there to do the surgery.

Good luck

My doctor has me on the following pre-op diet that I started yesterday.

Protein shake for Breakfast

small snack before lunch

Protein Shake for Lunch

Small snack before dinner - piece of fruit or cottage cheese

For dinner a piece of chicken or other protein source along with a salad with low fat dressing. In place of a salad I can have a green vegetable.

This will last for two weeks.

Every doc is different, but mine only requires 2 days of liquid diet pre-op. My BIL had to do a week (his surgery is this Monday). He has a different surgeon.

My date is July 29--YEAH!!! And I was told to cut all carbs. He told me not to do any Protein shakes because most of them are high in carbs and the one's that are not....are very nasty.

Everything has carbs!!! I will be a salmon, turkey, chicken breast and lots of veggies until my date.

I am sooooooooooooo excited, it's been a 4 year wait for me, I've changed procedures and here recently changed surgeons.

If there is anyone in the DC area, please hit me. I need some support. Thanks!!

I have my fingers and toes crossed for you. Your excitement is contagious and I am sure everyone is excited for you. Keep us posted