I hear of everyone talking about their pre-op diets. I know my mom was on one for like 4 weeks before her surgery but I was just told not to go crazy the week before and to not eat from midnight the night before. Is this normal!?

RUN!!! If a doctor says you have no pre-op diet, then they are going to pump your body full of gas to get between your liver to place the band and you're going to be miserable afterwards. The preop shrinks the liver so there is less gas needed during surgery. A friend of mine had no preop, they pumped her full of gas and she was in pain for 2 weeks until it finally went away. My surgical gas was gone after day 2 since there wasn't as much needed as my friend. Two weeks of dieting or two weeks of SURGICAL gas pain?

Find a different surgeon.

Different Doctors have different methods. Mine told me the week before surgery I could have one shake per day along with a small meal and rest being liquid. I had already lost 38lbs during the 6 month supervised diet required by insurance so he figured that was good enough. As stated the purpose is to shrink your liver for a easier and safer surgery.

My doctor put me on a l400 cal. diet for 2 weeks prior to my surgery..doesn't seem like much of a diet compared to what I read others are doing. I wonder if it is because I am a weight watcher?

Edited January 7, 201412 yr by memebear

I had a preop diet and they still pumped gas in me. There were a couple of days it hurt really bad and it was bothersome for a week or two. I don't know if the preop diet really does that much for you but prepare you to change your diet and get you away from fat, fast, sugary, carby food.

My preop diet consisted of liquids only the day before. It was fine. Each doctor is different....if you like your surgeon and are comfortable, go for it!

I think a week before my surgery I'm just going to start low carbing since I plan to do so once I have the actual band. I'm just going to cut out the garbage and the bread and sugar and detox my body from that so its not that bad of a shock after surgery. See I enjoyed low carbing when I did it but I couldn't stick with it because I was always so effing hungry! With the band... I can do it and not be hungry all of the time.

I also didn't have a supervised diet either. My insurance only required one meeting with a nutritionist since I work for the hospital where I'm having the surgery and the insurance is through them

this is my plan of attack! I've always been most successful with a low carb diet, and hope the lap-band will restrict the binging that comes a few months later!

I think a week before my surgery I'm just going to start low carbing since I plan to do so once I have the actual band. I'm just going to cut out the garbage and the bread and sugar and detox my body from that so its not that bad of a shock after surgery. See I enjoyed low carbing when I did it but I couldn't stick with it because I was always so effing hungry! With the band... I can do it and not be hungry all of the time.

ugh, that's awesome!!! i'm on month 11 out for 12! its seemed like forever and has also gone seemed fast in certain aspects! i'm wrapping up doctors appts (psych eval, general doctor, h pylori test) now, cant wait get approved and get my date!

I also didn't have a supervised diet either. My insurance only required one meeting with a nutritionist since I work for the hospital where I'm having the surgery and the insurance is through them

I would have gone crazy if I had to go through all of that. I remember my step mom had to jump through hoops for hers but that was years ago. I had 1 nutrition eval, met with surgeon, 1 psych eval, and a letter of medical necessity from PCP. Total time 3 months and even that is killing me!

I had no pre-op diet except clear liquids the day before. Mine was a band-sleeve revision (all in one procedure) and I had no issues with gas.

I would have gone crazy if I had to go through all of that. I remember my step mom had to jump through hoops for hers but that was years ago. I had 1 nutrition eval, met with surgeon, 1 psych eval, and a letter of medical necessity from PCP. Total time 3 months and even that is killing me!

I've had pretty much the same experience as you as far as surgery requirements go but my surgeon requires a 2 week liquid diet like most people are saying. It's to help shrink your liver for surgery. It helps the surgery go smoother, supposedly. But since all surgeons don't require it, who knows how seriously necessary it is right? I'd say to be on the safe side, do what your surgeon says. Don't over do it on food the weeks leading up to your surgery. Plus, if you start a healthier diet now, you will be more used to it for post-op. Good luck with everything

Really the diet is to use up the glycogen stores in the liver and make the liver lighter to reduce risk of liver tearing from some poor nurse whose having to stand on one side of you and hold the liver out of the way while the surgeon is on the other side of you doing your band. Liver lacerations are not uncommon.

I had no pre-op diet and I did fine! Trust your doctor to know whats best.

I have the band, I did the liquid diet for two weeks my sister had the sleeve (with another doctor) and she was NOT required to do it. I suggested and advised her to do it and she did NOT (she's older and thinks I'm stupid) LoL. She had no complications. I would suggest and advise you to do it anyway, it won't HURT you

Low carb diets are, for the most part, high in FAT. If you were not getting adequate amounts of fats, that might have been a reason why you were "hungry" a lot. I was NEVER hungry when I was low-carbing on Atkins.