I've heard of so many different variations.

My pre-surgery diet (which has officially began) is:

I can have three Protein shakes a day, less than 2g of sugar, 150 calories or less and at least 17g of protein.

If I have three shakes then I can have a Lean Cusine meal not to exceed 380 calories.

If I have four shakes a day, then my dinner meal can't exceed 250 calories.

My max calories a day is 870.

Unlike others I've heard, I am not restricted to only liquids.

My surgeon, in Montreal Canada, only puts you on a 1 day liquid diet, day before surgery. With all the reading I have done, this has surprised me. I am self-pay but that shouldn't matter.

My surgeon, in Montreal Canada, only puts you on a 1 day liquid diet, day before surgery. With all the reading I have done, this has surprised me. I am self-pay but that shouldn't matter.

Is Gagner your doc?

I had the same protocol - just Clear Liquids the day before. From what I have seen most of the long time DS docs don't need the extensive pre-op diets and usually just do the clear liquid and bowel prep thing the day before (gives you good practice for colonoscopies!)

mine is 2 weeks shakes lean protein non starchy veggies then 48 hours liquid diet

Hi Rick. Yes my surgeon is Gagner. How do you know of him? I see you have a different surgeon listed. I am from Calgary Alberta but am travelling to Montreal. Us rednecks here are so backwards that there is no place to go except Red Deer & Med Hat & they are through insurance, meaning long wait & a lot of hoops to jump. Ridiculous.

Two weeks liquid -- basically Protein shakes -- with the last few days clear liquids, and a taper off in number of shakes.

One day of full liquids (no milkshakes, no jamba juice), that's it. No bowel prep or anything like that. My surgeon said he just wanted your stomach empty.

I've heard of so many different variations.

My pre-surgery diet (which has officially began) is:

I can have three Protein shakes a day, less than 2g of sugar, 150 calories or less and at least 17g of protein.

If I have three shakes then I can have a Lean Cusine meal not to exceed 380 calories.

If I have four shakes a day, then my dinner meal can't exceed 250 calories.

My max calories a day is 870.

Unlike others I've heard, I am not restricted to only liquids.

Mine is very similar to yours.

Breakfast and lunch can be a Protein shake (200 calories or less) or a 'Meal Replacement,' which is a protein Soup, either the brand the doctors' office carries or any other brand 200 calories or less.

Dinner is a Lean Cuisine, Weight Watchers, etc. type meal of 400 calories. If the meal does not have enough calories, I am to eat something else to get to 400 calories, such as a side salad, green Beans, etc.

I can also have two Snacks, between breakfast and lunch and after dinner - either a protein shake, piece of fruit, or yogurt.

This is for 4-6 weeks pre-op.

Well I think your diets are very restrictive.

The purpose of High Protein / Low Carbs diet is to allow your Liver to shrink, giving the surgeon to work more comfortably in your operation, at the same time promote better healing of your wounds after your operation.

But still 2 weeks of shakes and clear fluids, this emotionally detrimental. Most of us doing the Sleeve are binge eater, and they love food. So causing emotional stress on top of the stress caused by the idea of the operations is not fun at all.

I had my operation on the 10th of August, and before that, I had 10 days of high protein and low carbs. The last day I asked if I increase my carbs as a good bye, and the doctor agreed, but not to give full throttle to my stomach. I even know some of my friend who went Berserk with food without any special diet and they are doing great now, with more that 30% of their weight reduced.

Well I think your diets are very restrictive.

Well, I'm not finding it restrictive at all.

The purpose of High Protein / Low Carbs diet is to allow your Liver to shrink, giving the surgeon to work more comfortably in your operation, at the same time promote better healing of your wounds after your operation.

But still 2 weeks of shakes and clear fluids, this emotionally detrimental. Most of us doing the Sleeve are binge eater, and they love food. So causing emotional stress on top of the stress caused by the idea of the operations is not fun at all.

I'm not a binge eater. I'm not feeling at all emotionally distressed by my diet. I actually find it enjoyably easy. It's also had such immediate positive benefit to me that I can't help but be happy with it. As I mentioned, I've been *by choice* having 2-3 PP drinks and 1 small protein meal a day for coming up on three months. As a result, I've put away my canes, I'm much less pain, and I have tons more energy.

I'm also not feeling stressed about the operation. I'm pretty psyched. :-) So, I get that *you* might find a liquid diet stressful, but for *me*, it's actually decreased my stress this summer.

To be more clear, this is how my life is going to be *after* surgery -- liquid diet, eventually moving to small Protein meals. If I can't stand it for two weeks before surgery, how am I going to find it magically less stressful afterwards? I mean, I know people mostly don't feel hunger the same way, but I see a lot of "head hunger" comments. This time, right now, this summer, has been my time to get used to not expecting to eat the same way. It's not just about shrinking my liver; it's about establishing a comfort level with the eating/drinking habits I will have after surgery. I don't find that stressful at all.

Well I think your diets are very restrictive.

Well, I'm not finding it restrictive at all.

>The purpose of High Protein / Low Carbs diet is to allow your Liver to shrink, giving the surgeon to work more comfortably in your operation, at the same time promote better healing of your wounds after your operation.

But still 2 weeks of shakes and clear fluids, this emotionally detrimental. Most of us doing the Sleeve are binge eater, and they love food. So causing emotional stress on top of the stress caused by the idea of the operations is not fun at all.

I'm not a binge eater. I'm not feeling at all emotionally distressed by my diet. I actually find it enjoyably easy. It's also had such immediate positive benefit to me that I can't help but be happy with it. As I mentioned, I've been *by choice* having 2-3 PP drinks and 1 small protein meal a day for coming up on three months. As a result, I've put away my canes, I'm much less pain, and I have tons more energy.

I'm also not feeling stressed about the operation. I'm pretty psyched. :-) So, I get that *you* might find a liquid diet stressful, but for *me*, it's actually decreased my stress this summer.

Dear Trin,

That's why I said, Most of Us. If you look at the people on the Clear Fluid plus Shakes diet, you will see most of them complaining about when it will be over.

I'm a gourmet person, I like the food, and I think I'm not the only person. Although I was smiling and acting indifferent, I always felt my stomach grumbling when seeing my family eating ice cream or cakes or other food I'm not allowed, but at least I was able to eat other goods like meat and chicken BBQ. Up till now, although I'm extremely happy that I did the operation, and I'm loosing weight, but still I feel some weakness when seeing some items that I used to love.

So I expect a lot of people suffering the same as I did

@@Wassef -- I think I'm just concerned that you have posted in multiple places encouraging people to ignore their doctor's requested diets and instead eat steak, chicken or whatever else. You know what? I certainly do get to have those things, too. I had steak at one of the best places in Washington State just last week. :-) It was my last Protein meal before going full-liquid.

If you are really concerned about the emotional well-being of others, then I have to ask you, what purpose does it serve to tell people that they're *obviously* going to be miserable if they follow their doctor's directions? Why not support folks in what they're doing instead of making them feel that "of course" it's going to be "emotionally distressing?"

There's another thing at issue here, too. I've read and researched enough to know that there simply are folks who cannot do a "high protein/low carb" diet successfully, because they fudge on things. The great thing about a liquid diet with specific shakes or whatever is that it takes that out of the equation. After all, people who are fabulously and perfectly able control their eating habits are far less likely to be candidates for WLS, you know?

In the case of my doctor's choices, I've done enough research to know that the outcomes he gets are fantastic. He's got a colleague who doesn't require a presurgical diet. Guess what? That guy's outcomes are not as good. Given that, I'm absolutely fine doing this, and supporting folks who are having similar experiences.

Edited August 27, 201511 yr by Trinn

Dear Trin,

First of all, I've never encouraged anyone to disobey their doctor's orders as you claimed, I had my doubts and sharing my thoughts.

We are all educated people and we have brain to think and as you did, most of the people made research before taking their decision.

I'm in the medical field, and used to work in a bariatric center, you did your research I had my studies dear.

Every doctor has his own methodology in his work, and I was sharing my doctor's. So no need to be jumpy and accusative.

You have the full right to critic my comments, as we are all trying to support each other whatever way we can.

Edited August 27, 201511 yr by Wassef

Count yourselves lucky! mine is minimum 4 weeks, but i am doing it for 5!

2x shakes + 120g of lean meat + 2 cups of steamed non stretch veggies a day ........its killing me!

No idea why, I'm young, not insanely overweight and didn't seem to have liver problems.

I've been doing it nearly 2 weeks....i want a burger !! ...but no

Trinn, the thing with the sleeve is portion control. You don't have the portion control tool before you have your sleeve so it is easy to overeat. You however are saying you aren't having ANY problems following your pre-surgery diet. That means you aren't having any issues shrinking either your liver OR your stomach! Good for you if you can do it without the sleeve (watch your portions), but then that begs the question of why you are doing the sleeve in the 1st place or why are you are even heavy in the 1st place. If you aren't having any problems being on your pre-surgery diet with your stomach the size it is now, why bother getting the sleeve? Or is it because you wouldn't be able to keep this up for any long term? Just wanting clarification as I find this interesting. I have gone on Dr. Bernstien & Dr. Lefebre's. I lost but put it back on & more because the diets were so boring over time....Dr. Lefebre's was what I called the mix-mix, stir-stir diet. Only Protein in various forms & very little carb within the Protein Drink, or wafer, or pudding, etc..Dr. Bernstien's was an issue as you could only buy certain types of breads, etc., & even living in a city, these were difficult to buy as only specialty shops carried most. This also meant high prices for a loaf of bread (etc).