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Pre-Op Diet Yay or Nay?



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I'm scheduled for my sleeve day after tomorrow (Thursday) and I've been trying to adhere to the pre-op diet. My surgeon's plan is a Protein Drink for Breakfast and lunch, and then 3-4 oz of lean Protein, 1 cup steamed non-starchy veg and a dish of salad, until the day before, and then it's just Clear Liquids. I'll admit that I've not been following the diet as outlined. We had a wedding to go to last weekend, and although I ate nothing all day (not even my protein drinks) I allowed myself to eat the wedding dinner as served (although I didn't go crazy, and also skipped the dessert). I went out to lunch with some friends a couple of times. I'm just curious if anyone else cheated on their pre-op diet, and if there were any repercussions. I read a couple of posts on here from a few years ago, and it seems some surgeons don't require a pre-op diet at all. I'm not sure how much good it'll do now, but I plan on clear liquids from now until surgery. I just hope that it doesn't cause any problems, or even a postponement of my surgery.

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My Surgeon sets a goal for you to lose on your pre-op diet and you must make it or it will postpone your surgery. He said 95% of the clients make it bc they stick to it totally. It makes me nervous so I'm only putting in my mouth what is scheduled for preop!! Good luck!!

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The day of my surgery I was honest with my surgeon and told him I had cheated on my pre op liquid diet. he did not mimic a word. So I am concern as to why some doctors requires it and some don't. I had other complications and could not proceed with the surgery. I'm back on the table again October 29th.

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If you don't follow the diet, your liver may not shrink enough.

I followed a 1 week pre op diet and was still closed up and told my liver was still too large.

The next surgeon I went to said he doesn't understand why the other doc couldn't do the surgery, but either way, the diet is to shrink your liver.

The new surgeon I went to had me do a 3 week pre-op diet and I kept to it like a champ! There was no way I was waking up again without the surgery being done

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I have gone to Texas Roadhouse for supper once, had a 6 ounce steak and broccoli. Still lost a pound the next day.

I've got this week still on diet and I will stick to it like glue!

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@Betts69. The point is every surgeon has his/her own rules and requirements. For whatever their reasons. I put myself under my surgeon's care, therefore, there was NO way I was NOT going to follow pre/post op instructions. I had a two week pre op diet. I suffered through it. Had to kick a caffeine and sugar addiction. Best.

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The need for the preop diet is crucial. It reduces the the size of you liver and makes it less fatty. The liver has to be life out of the way to get to the stomach. The smaller liver makes this easier and reduces the risk/chance of complications of the sleeve gasterectomy. Like the chances of knicking another organ or bowel. It is extremely important for a successful surgery.

I don't want to scare anyone, but those are the medical facts.

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I wonder why some doctors require a 5, 7, 14 or more pre-op diet??

I got a call from the hospital where my surgery is taking place, and I just have to do a liquid diet the day before.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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