Pre-op liquid diet

[Bmo094 20]

I am on day seven of the two week liquid diet and it is hell. I am starving a getting crabby with people. To be honest I have cheated a couple times and I really don't care. I am loosing weight and I don't think having a couple pieces of cheese one day and a piece of pizza the next is a big deal. Has anyone else had this problem with the diet?

[findingnish 39]

I had a few fries half cheese burger and 2 cucumbers I'm on day 2 of 14...I'm hungry and I think two weeks is a bit extreme my nutritionist said if its appears I been eating I would be waken up from anesthesia and sent hone and have to reapproved for surgery by insurance

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[Sophie74656 1,572]

Just makes sure you don't have anything solid before the actual surgery

[findingnish 39]

Right I'm going to stick to it as much as possible

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[JamieLogical 8,727]

The thing about the pre-op diet is that the lack of carbs puts your body into a state called ketosis, where you are burning fat for energy, because you no longer have glycogen stores to pull from. The process of transitioning into ketosis is a pretty miserable one. It is the source of the headaches, fatigue, and crabbiness. If you cheat with CARBS once your body is in ketosis, then it kicks your body back out and you have to start the whole process over again, which means prolonging the headaches, fatigue, and crabbiness. So if you do feel you absolutely need to cheat on your pre-op diet (which I 100% advise against) then at least make sure you are doing so with high protein/low carb foods. Otherwise you are going to just make the whole things worse for yourself in the long run.

[Bmo094 20]

I think two weeks is also extreme. I was never told they wouldn't do the surgery they just said a two week liquid diet. I get confused when some people's Doctor only has them do three days, some a week, and others two weeks. It really does suck. I just keep thinking of the good that will come from all of this when it is over.

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[Christinamo7 4,042]

if your two week diet is to shrink your liver so they can get it out of the way then it is not extreme. you want them to be able to *easily* get to your inside bits that they need to get to.

I was "lucky"? in that I did not have to do a two week liquid diet. why? I was sick all last year and my most recent cat scan showed that while I still had fatty liver (looking forward to seeing if that has changed in July!) my liver was already small enough to safely do surgery, so I just had to do liquids the afternoon before and Water only the day of surgery. but I had been quite sick all year, so in my mind maybe you're the lucky one having to do the 2 weeks.

all I can do is echo Jamie - if you do cheat please do so with something other than carbs, and try not to cheat. it's in your own best interests.

and hey, for me the liquid diet I was on after surgery was the roughest patch - only liquids and hormones going crazy, but if you can make it through that a whole new world is ready to open at your feet.

[JamieLogical 8,727]

Glycogen is stored in the liver. Most obese people have a fatty liver. The liver sits on top of the stomach and has to be moved out of the way in order to access your stomach. A fatty liver full of glycogen makes that harder to do. So the idea of the pre-op diet is to deplete your liver of glycogen, making it more manageable to move out of the way. Many people don't have to do a pre-op diet, because either their surgeon suspects they don't have a fatty liver or he/she is confident about working around a fatty liver. EVERYONE has some form of 1-2 days liquid diet because your stomach needs to be completely empty for the surgery to be preformed safely. That is unrelated to the liver-shrinking pre-op diet.

It's also worth noting that, while many people do lose some weight on the pre-op diet, weight loss is not the goal. Some surgeons will use weight loss during that period as an indicator as to whether the patient actually stuck to the pre-op diet, but it is a side effect of the diet, not the purpose of the diet.

[Proud2BMe 1,016]

As stated here, the purpose of the pre-op diet is to shrink your liver. Almost all obese people have fatty liver disease. The pre-op diet shrinks your liver because the liver stores a form of sugar called glycogen. There is enough of this sugar stored in your liver for your body to live off of for about 3 days. After the glycogen is exhausted you enter a state called ketosis, when your body begins burning Proteins and fats for fuel. Because glycogen needs a large amount of Water, the loss of it results in weight loss and your liver shrinks. During the beginning of ketosis you will experience temporary side effects such as irritability, headache, and feelings of faint. However, your body will adapt to this in about 2-3 days, assuming you do not consume anymore carbs. If you continue to consume carbs you will never get pass that stage. If you ride it out then you will notice you will return back to normal.

[addouk 17]

Can i please ask for some advice, I am an insulin dependant diabetic and the pre op diet they have me on includes some carbs...a weetabix for Breakfast, 2 crisp breads at lunch and 3 tablespoons of rice at dinner...along side that I am having a small amount of lean meat, salad, and some vegetables. My surgery is next Tuesday.. Will this still shrink my liver enough? I am following what the hospital gave me. Many thanks X

(I am still experiencing the had aches, irritability, feeling lethargic, and have had a hypo)

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[JamieLogical 8,727]

@@addouk That does sound like a lot of carbs for a pre-op diet, but you should definitely itely stick to what your surgeon requires. I am sure they have the plan they do for a reason.

[addouk 17]

Thanks Jamie, I thought it was a lot. I wonder if I should reduce the carbs a bit. I thought it might be to prevent hypos..which I have had anyway

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[JamieLogical 8,727]

Thanks Jamie, I thought it was a lot. I wonder if I should reduce the carbs a bit. I thought it might be to prevent hypos..which I have had anyway

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There wouldn't be any need to reduce carbs if you are doing exactly what your surgeon has instructed. I would trust in his/her expertise and also trust that he/she has given this same diet to dozens (if not hundreds) of patients in the past and got satisfactory results. If this diet didn't work for past patients, he/she wouldn't still be recommending it, right?

Surgeons have all different plans both pre and post-op and while, ultimately, you have to figure out what works for you long-term, I think it's best to stick strictly to your doctor's plan pre-op and for the first several months post-op. That way if anything comes up, they know exactly what the potential issues might be and how to handle them.

[GinaCampbell 434]

I am scheduled for sleeve surgery on the 31st and am now trying to diet strictly before my two week diet starts on the 17th. I am struggling so much now, that I am considering cancelling the surgery!

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[addouk 17]

Gina, please stick with it, you have come this far! I don't know about you but my journey to this point has been 2.5 years. I have been in the same head space of you, and today was a particularly bad day..lots of tears and similar feelings and thoughts.. But then tonight something clicked! I know I am kind of blessed to have uncontrollable diabetes right now as my surgeon has allowed me to have some foods (am certainly not as brave or strong as those who are doing the milk diet), but it's kicked my booty doing this. I am 5 days out from surgery now and like I said, something clicked. Am sure everyone else will join me in extending nothing but support and understanding to you x

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