Recommened Pre-Op Diet?

[Jenny A. 1]

Hi Everyone! I'm getting sleeved in a little less than 5 weeks, but I have one of those surgeons who doesn't ask his patients to go on a pre-op diet. However, I don't really like the thought of going from eating anything I want to being on a very restricted diet overnight, and would rather ease into it. I see a lot of people on here are on pre-op liquid diets, and was hoping that someone could share their recommendations for a pre-op diet. Any suggestions you have would be much appreciated. Thanks!!

[MissBliss 29]

I am on a very strict 2 week liquid diet. 4 Protein Shakes and 64 oz. clear Fluid. Not as awful as it sounds. I actually am in good spirits and not having any headaches! That's what mine is like! Good luck with your surgery!

[rubyspring 1]

My pre-op diet is very similar to MissBliss. I'm just finishing day 6 and have surgery on Aug.1. I have 3 shakes and can make them with Water, soy milk, almond milk or fat free milk. I can also have low sodium broth and could mix my powder with that though I haven't tried. sf Jello and sf Popsicles, too, And including everything mentioned so far, 64 ounces of fluids. I like the crystal lite. I can also have Decaf coffee/tea. I've been doing well on this, no hunger. Good luck on your journey.

marj

[Janese58 11]

@ Jenny ...so you just go in for surgery with only the night before not eating after midnight? Makes me wonder why Kaiser (and other insurance co) is so strict and makes a person diet for months beforehand? I have Kaiser but Im self paying anyway....in Mexico

[MeMeMEEE 206]

I'm sort of like MissBliss but am allowed non starchy veggies as well - 2 weeks and it starts Monday for me!

[Jenny A. 1]

Cool! Thanks everyone!! I think I'll give the Protein Shakes and liquids a shot. I want to get my stomach used to new eating habits and wean myself off of sugars/carbs before the surgery if possible. It sounds really difficult, but I know you can do it!!! And it's great that you're not hungry! Janese58, I also have Kaiser, but they won't even consider me as a candidate. I have a BMI of 45, but I don't have any other "co-morbid condition" (i.e. diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, etc.) so my doctor told me no flat out. Luckily, I've been saving for a while and had enough that I just said "screw that" and made an appointment with a non Kaiser bariatric surgeon the next day!

[Gaylebco 11]

I'm on a "medifast diet" for 2 weeks. the stuff is horrible tasting but lost 12 pounds in the first week! I seems to think the general idea is to get in high Protein and low carbs and low calories. I felt awful after 3-4 days and think it was my body trying to adjust to all of this ...people on adkins have expressed feeling not right after a few days. But i'm glad i did this now and don't have to go through carb withdrawl after surgery.

Good luck and you will do great!

[Janese58 11]

Cool! Thanks everyone!! I think I'll give the Protein Shakes and liquids a shot. I want to get my stomach used to new eating habits and wean myself off of sugars/carbs before the surgery if possible. It sounds really difficult, but I know you can do it!!! And it's great that you're not hungry! Janese58, I also have Kaiser, but they won't even consider me as a candidate. I have a BMI of 45, but I don't have any other "co-morbid condition" (i.e. diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, etc.) so my doctor told me no flat out. Luckily, I've been saving for a while and had enough that I just said "screw that" and made an appointment with a non Kaiser bariatric surgeon the next day!

How overweight does Kaiser want someone to be?

[Jenny A. 1]

@Janese58: I don't know, they didn't give me a weight, they just told me no...

Wow, it sounds like the diets are really varied! I've decided that 4 weeks before surgery I'll basically follow a super strict no carb/no sugar diet, and then do the Protein shakes/liquid diet starting 2 weeks prior to surgery. I want to make sure my liver is as flat as possible and that I'm doing everything I can on my part to lower my chances of complications. I went online today and bought 3 containers of the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury powder Protein since that seems to be rather popular.

It's only 4 weeks so I feel like even though it will be tough it's definitely doable Wish me luck!

[Gaylebco 11]

make sure you take in a few carbs a day, they are necessary for brain function ...just keep them low.

[PdxMan 4,292]

For two weeks I was on a Protein shake for Breakfast, Protein Shake for lunch and a "lean and green" dinner, which usually consisted of a salad (spinich, romain, tomatos, artichoke hearts, carrots) with chicken or tuna. I would then put a balsamic vinegar/oil dressing on it. It was usually a pretty good size salad, I have to say. I lost 10 pounds pre-op and my Dr. complemented me on how small and lean my liver looked. He had no problems working around it.

I picked up my Protein powder at The Vitamin Shop. Bought the huge bags as I knew I would be using them pos-op as well. Get a vanilla so you can mix other fruits and what-nots with it.

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

Were you allowed any Snacks, or was it just the two shakes and the lean and green dinner?

thanks!

For two weeks I was on a Protein shake for Breakfast, Protein Shake for lunch and a "lean and green" dinner, which usually consisted of a salad (spinich, romain, tomatos, artichoke hearts, carrots) with chicken or tuna. I would then put a balsamic vinegar/oil dressing on it. It was usually a pretty good size salad, I have to say. I lost 10 pounds pre-op and my Dr. complemented me on how small and lean my liver looked. He had no problems working around it.

I picked up my Protein Powder at The Vitamin Shop. Bought the huge bags as I knew I would be using them pos-op as well. Get a vanilla so you can mix other fruits and what-nots with it.

[PdxMan 4,292]

If I was hungry between, I was instructed to have another Protein shake. While I did get hungry in between, I forced myself not to have the additional shake, otherwise, I would have been sucking them down all day long!

... and I did cheat a couple times. My daughter's birthday was 3 days into the pre-op diet. I had ONE piece of pizza and a small piece of cake. Oh, and about 4 days before the surgery, my sister-in-law brought over a loaf of banana bread, which I adore. I had two pieces. But I did not beat myself up over it as I was diligent with my exercise going to the gym almost everyday. I got up to 1/2 an hour on the elliptical going at a pretty good clip with the resistance up pretty high, too. I think this is why I have had a pretty easy recovery. My Dr was amazed when I told him I took my wife out to dinner the night of the surgery and walked all over 3 casinos the next two days. My endurance was good and it paid off in my recovery.

Also, I did not eat anything the day before my surgery, just drank liquids. I did not want anything passing down there a couple hours after surgery, if you know what I mean, which it didn't. I sat across the table from my 125# wife as she scarfed an In-and-Out burger, fries and a shake, with me just drinking Water. Oye! But I knew my prize was coming the next day, so it was worth it.