I've been reading everyone's posts about their pre op process. It really surprises me how different doctors are in regard to how you prepare. My doctor wanted me to lose 15 lbs, which I've done basically by cutting back and replacing meals with Protein drinks. I haven't had to follow a liquid diet like others.

Are there any advantages to doing the liquid diet pre op? I will follow a liquid diet for the first 2 weeks post op, then 2 weeks of soft foods. Just curious if anyone has heard of any advantages either way. Thanks.

I think most people who are talking about being on a liquid diet are talking about the 2ish weeks before surgery, not long term before surgery. I have to lose a little more than 15 pounds before they will submit to insurance for approval, then I will have a 1 week liquid diet (to help shrink liver) immediately before surgery.

I think a lot of docs use the liquid diet to help make sure patients are actually going low carb and high Protein while still getting the nutrition that they need. I am just a little taller than you, but was about the same weight pre-op. I had 12 days of liquid diet before surgery. I did cheat a little and had a few bites of healthier foods. I don't recommend that, but I am being honest and I didn't cheat a lot. I might have had 200 calories over the 12 days that were from not Protein shakes.

If your doc does not require a liquid diet, thats fine. Just make sure to stay away from the fat and sugar. They are processed and stored in the liver. The less in your body, the less in your liver, the easier the surgery.

Good luck

I didn't have a pre-op diet. My Dr said I could do it, for myself, if I wanted to, but he only required me to cut back my calorie intake a few days before surgery. He said most Dr's put you on a pre-op diet so that you don't go into dispare after surgery, being that you have to do liquids for 2 weeks. Some say they do it to shrink your liver before surgery, but the amount it shrinks in 2 weeks is not significant enough to make a difference. I put myself on a liquid diet for three days before surgery, it helped me get accustomed to the liquid phase. And I lost 9 lbs!

I just had my 3 hour nutrition class today and I will be required to complete an extremely strict 2 week pre-op diet. Broth, protein shakes (with water only), sugar free jello and popsicles only, for two weeks! They explained it's required for two reasons. To shrink the fat around the liver to make surgery safer, and to put the patient into ketosis which will kick start weight loss post-op.