So, I know I have over 3 weeks until my initial visit and to schedule surgery since I am still saving the last few hundred, but I decided to call my surgeon's office today and ask about his pre-op diet. From reading the boards, I assumed it was going to be a 1-2 week liquid diet. But no, he only requires a one day liquid diet. Seems a little unusual. Are there any benefits of dieting a week pre-op rather than 1 day, other than it gets you used to liquids? I might go ahead and get on the liquid diet a few days before instead. Any advice?

My surgeon only requires one day as well but if u start early u can make it easier on yourself... low fat and low carb will reduce the size of the liver...I've been on one meal a day for almost three weeks.

Totally dependent on the surgeon. My surgeon requires a 2 day post-op diet. I've known others to be required a 6 week diet. 1 - 3 days is generally sufficient for the initial shrinkage but as always - do what your surgeon requires.

I was on pre op diet for 2 weeks and had to buy this drink called Optifast . It was a requirement to shrink the liver. But hearing all of these post im wondering did i really have to spend almost 200.00 on drinks?????? reallly annoying!!! did other people have to buy it ???????

So, I know I have over 3 weeks until my initial visit and to schedule surgery since I am still saving the last few hundred, but I decided to call my surgeon's office today and ask about his pre-op diet. From reading the boards, I assumed it was going to be a 1-2 week liquid diet. But no, he only requires a one day liquid diet. Seems a little unusual. Are there any benefits of dieting a week pre-op rather than 1 day, other than it gets you used to liquids? I might go ahead and get on the liquid diet a few days before instead. Any advice?

My surgeon puts you on a diet of regular foods for as long as you are seeing him before your surgery but it's not a liquid diet by any means, it's regular meals adding up to approximately 1200 calories a day. We never have to do a liquid diet. Just no food or drink from 6pm the night before surgery. I've lost 35lbs on his diet since 5/17 without any struggle or hunger.

My surgeon said it depended on your BMI; over 40 he recommended a pre-op diet to shrink the liver, but as I was 35+ I didn't have to do it.

I was on pre op diet for 2 weeks and had to buy this drink called Optifast . It was a requirement to shrink the liver. But hearing all of these post im wondering did i really have to spend almost 200.00 on drinks?????? reallly annoying!!! did other people have to buy it ???????

I had the optifast diet too. I don't remember exactly now but I think I did it for one week.

My surgeon didn't require any liquid diet at all. We had a pre-op diet that started when I went to my initial consultation because they wanted us to lose as much weight pre-op as we could. It was just a high-protein, low-carb diet with portion control. They told us to eat light the day before surgery. Like... not to go eat a giant steak or anything. I had chicken salad and some scrambled eggs throughout the day, but I was so nervous I didn't really eat much more than that anyway.

The pre-op diets are just to shrink your liver and make the surgery easier for the surgeons. I lost 22 pounds pre-op on the low-carb diet because I wanted my surgery to go as smoothly as possible. and it paid off!!

Wow, thanks guys- I feel a lot better now! I guess it just seemed like everyone else on here was talking about their 2 week pre-op diets so I was just surprised. Now I'm super excited again

I think it boils down to this. Some doc want to prep you both mentally and physically for the post op strain of not being able to eat much, Some docs just go by the absolute physician requirements for the surgery to take place.

You are so lucky I have to do 3 days, and I'm not looking forward to it at all.

So, I know I have over 3 weeks until my initial visit and to schedule surgery since I am still saving the last few hundred, but I decided to call my surgeon's office today and ask about his pre-op diet. From reading the boards, I assumed it was going to be a 1-2 week liquid diet. But no, he only requires a one day liquid diet. Seems a little unusual. Are there any benefits of dieting a week pre-op rather than 1 day, other than it gets you used to liquids? I might go ahead and get on the liquid diet a few days before instead. Any advice?