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Did everyone have a Pre-op diet?



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Hi guys!

So, I am new here. I'm waiting for my 1st consult visit, and getting all my letters and evaluations in order.

Anyhow, I was wondering... did everyone have a Pre-op diet before getting the gastric sleeve? If so, what types of thing did you have to do?

Thanks in advance

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I'm on my pre-op diet now...not everyone has to do it, it depends on your doctor. Pre-op diets vary from Doctor to doctor. Mine is a 14 day liquid diet, while others may be 3-4 shakes per day and one low carb meal. A friend of mine was sleeved last year and didn't have a pre-op diet at all.

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It seems to be about 50/50 in terms of who has a pre-op diet and who doesn't. Also, the pre-op diets for different surgeons vary widely. Some people just doe high protein/low carb. Some people have to do liquids only. Some people have to do it for 2+ weeks. Some only for a few days. It's all just completely dependent on your surgeon's program.

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I am Belgian and had my operation in my home country, I asked the surgeon if I had to do a pre-op diet and he told me it has no use to do so except maybe already getting used to eat smaller quantities. The operation went well and everything is fine now!

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Is it supposed to prep your body/stomach for after surgery? Like smoother recovery?

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The purpose is to shrink your liver, as they assume it's likely enlarged and fatty if you are morbidly obese. The goal is to shrink the liver so that it decreases the risk of cracking or otherwise damaging it when they move it out of the way using the retractor.

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When you are laying on your back, your liver rests on top of your stomach. The pre-op diet is meant to deplete your liver's glycogen stores, which reduces it's physical size, making it easier to prop up out of the way during the operation. If your liver is too large, it can be difficult for the surgeon to access your stomach and there is a greater risk of knicking or damaging the liver by accident.

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Two weeks of pre-op diet. Two Meal Replacement shakes, plus a little fruit, unlimited veggies and one modest balanced meal daily - about 1200 calories daily for men. Oh yeah, and taper off caffeine.

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Two weeks of pre-op diet. Two Meal Replacement shakes, plus a little fruit, unlimited veggies and one modest balanced meal daily - about 1200 calories daily for men. Oh yeah, and taper off caffeine.

This is what mine will be like, except I have a 1,000 calorie limit.

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I was eating high Protein low carb 6 months before surgery but no liquid diet. I ate up until midnight the night before surgery with no liver issues. Just like everyone said, every surgeon is different! Mentally prepare yourself either way.

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My Dr only had me do a 24 hour liquid diet the day before, but I started replacing 2 meals a day with Protein Shakes, a week before surgery to prepare myself a little bit for post op liquid meals!

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My surgeon doesn't require a pre-op diet, which makes me slightly nervous since so many others do it. I'm wondering if I should do one anyway?

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I had 2 weeks of a pre op diet.

Two meals a day replaced with a Protein Drink. One meal a day consisting of 3oz of lean Protein, 1 cup of non starchy vegetables & a small green salad with a tiny amount of a low fat Salad Dressing.< /p>

It honestly wasn't so bad. When you consider that you will be making a large change in the way you eat after surgery, it's kind of a stepping stone for your post op diet.

Plus if there's anything I can do to make my surgery safer

(less risk of liver damage) I would do it.

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My surgeon has me on 2 shakes per day and 4 oz. of meat with 2-3 tsp. Of non starchy vegetables. I had to beg for the 3rd teaspoon ????. Yes I am hungry!

Edited by rubia72

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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💪
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