Hi, can anyone tell me why we are asked to eat only cottage cheese and yogurt for two weeks pre-op?? I am diabetic, is it safe to do this? If I do not eat at regular intervals i feel sick and dizzy... I cant imagine trying to sustain myself stictly on yogurt (I can not eat cottage cheese it makes me gag!!) :faint:

I start my pre-op diet on Monday (4/16), but I am going on the Optifast diet. I was not told to have yogurt and cottage cheese. In fact...I am only on liquids and Protein bars. I was told that I need to do this to decrease the size of my liver to assist with the surgery. It will make it easier for the doctor to move my liver over to the side to get to my stomach.

Tina

Hi Mumof2boys,

I was just wondering who your surgeon is because I was put on a two week liquid diet of Optifast also. For the same reasons. But....no Protein bars?

I don't get it?:cry

The yogurt and cottage cheese diet is very important to shrink your liver in order for the surgery to be more successful.

I too am diabetic. How do you control it? I use insulin, so I can take less while I am on this diet. (Starting Monday). If you use oral agents, you may need to speak with your doctor about reducing your dosage. Also, someone else told me that they were allowed egg substitute (because they also hated cottage cheese) - this has little or no fat as well. Did you know that you can buy "dry" cottage cheese? It has the consistency of dry cream cheese, no curds etc. Perhaps that is an option for you.

When is your surgery?

Susan

RVingdi,

My surgeon is Dr. Fred Brody at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC. I get two bars a day (woo-hoo). How did you like the Optifast diet? Someone I know that did it lost 20 pounds in the two weeks of the diet. I also heard that strawberry was the best...any thoughts?

Tina

Most understand the concept of a liver shrinking diet but that is ANY diet that is No/Low carb, low fat, high Protein. Just yogurt and cottage cheese for two weeks is setting someone up for failure.

I'm not so sure that the diet is setting someone up for failure, since many who have been on this pre-op have been very successful. I would encourage anyone who has been asked to do this and has concerns with their ability to follow through, speak with their doctors for alternatives.

Susan

My pre-op diet is strictly protien shakes and 64 oz of liquid (crystal light, broth, sugar free non-carbonated drinks). There is a side note that states if I get too hungry, I may have up to 2 cups daily of (raw or cooked but NO oils, sauces, butter, salad dressing or condiments of any kind):

Asparagus, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Celerey, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Green (red, yellow and orange) Sweet Peppers, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Onion, Radishes or Spinach.

I suspect I'm going to be really cranky for a few weeks.. :heh:

Well, talking about a low carb/high protein diet, there have been numerous studies that have been done which say that everything improves, including diabetes.

Well I'll let you know - because I start mine on Monday!

Susan

Thanks. I am really determined to give this my all.

I start mine on Monday too. Of course I'm worried, but I am not going to cheat. I trust my surgeon and what he tells me...if I have to do this to shrink my liver...then that's what I'll do. I look at it this way...it's two weeks out of my life...I think that I can make that sacrafice. It will totally be worth it in the end.

Tina

My surgeon told me that once he gets his camera inside, he can tell who has followed their pre-op diet and who has not - and that he's had to cancel operations on the spot due to persons that did not follow their pre-op diet and it would have been dangerous to proceed.

Can you imagine waking up to find out that, after all this time, effort and decision making, that you didn't get the band after all?? eek!

I start mine on Monday too. Of course I'm worried, but I am not going to cheat. I trust my surgeon and what he tells me...if I have to do this to shrink my liver...then that's what I'll do. I look at it this way...it's two weeks out of my life...I think that I can make that sacrafice. It will totally be worth it in the end.

Tina

I started the preop diet yesterday, 3 sachets of Dr McLeods per day made into a shake or Soup, which i presume is similar to Optifast. I am so desperate to not be fat anymore and for this to work, that I will do whatever I have to do. Only 12 more days to go and DH is doing all the cooking and washing up - so its not all bad.