Has anyone been told that they DO NOT have to do the pre-op diet? No one at my doctor's office has mentioned it to me and I just had a CT scan for other issues and it states that I have a normal size liver. Just wondering???

Has anyone been told that they DO NOT have to do the pre-op diet? No one at my doctor's office has mentioned it to me and I just had a CT scan for other issues and it states that I have a normal size liver. Just wondering???

Hi I also had my ultrasound and all the tests that showed my liver is of normal size. However, been on the pre-op liquid diet for a week. [emoji4] I was also wondering but was too scared to ask the doc.

You'd have to work pretty hard to not lose weight if you follow the pre-op diet.

57 minutes ago, Vsgneeded said:

Hi I also had my ultrasound and all the tests that showed my liver is of normal size. However, been on the pre-op liquid diet for a week. I was also wondering but was too scared to ask the doc.

I am just going to ask when the time comes. All he can say is you have to be on it!

6 hours ago, belinda401 said:

Has anyone been told that they DO NOT have to do the pre-op diet? No one at my doctor's office has mentioned it to me and I just had a CT scan for other issues and it states that I have a normal size liver. Just wondering???

The purpose of the pre-op diet is to shrink your liver. Lots of people only have to do clear liquids the day before.

Hi there, i have my op on 12 June and i have been told i dont need to do the pre-op diet either. I think it has to do with the size of your liver and your bmi (mine os 38)

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6 hours ago, Suelund said:

Hi there, i have my op on 12 June and i have been told i dont need to do the pre-op diet either. I think it has to do with the size of your liver and your bmi (mine os 38)

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Mine is 35 so maybe that will

be the case for me as well.

I think there were three levels of pre-op diet that my surgeon presented: one for those with BMIs between 35-40 which was just clear liquids 24 hours pre-surgery (so as to not risk slipping below a BMI of 35 as the pre-op diet will cause weight loss). Then for those between 40-50 BMI it was 2 protein shakes & 2 meals a day; the 50+ BMI is full liquid diet for two weeks pre-surgery. I'm on day 8 of the 2nd option, so I'm lucky I get to chew some food at least once a day.

I was told to do essentially Atkins (lean protein and steamed vegetables) but without any of the crap Atkins fillers (bars/shakes) . That starts today for just shy of 2 weeks, then 2 weeks of the Vitaleph diet. The nutritionist said I need to go from 295lbs to 280lbs by July 6th (current BMI of 44), and zero alcohol from now until then. I'm going to miss a relaxing after work beer with the fiance.

For Canadians mostly - On the Vitaleph website its about $360 total for the pre-op and post-op Vitaleph, with $35 shipping. It ended up being about $500.00 to get it to me in Calgary.... but I figured what's the point of a $10,000 surgery if I don't bother to take full advantage and make it all worth it, plus I might appreciate a chocolate shake to break up all the chicken broth lol

blah blah blah sorry for the long post

28 Days to go..I'm so happy I'm almost giddy like a child

Edited June 8, 20179 yr by DedicatedLady

I was BMI 38, and had to do one week of liquids pre op.

Hi, my surgeon told 4 of us that we didn't need to do a pre-op diet. He was just like don't gain any weight or our surgery will be pushed back. Our diet program is also very different. We are on clear liquids for 2 days and boom puree, feels a little fast but the Nutritionist said she doesn't want us on liquids too long because there's not that much nutrition.

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That's interesting, both my nutritionist and surgeon have talked about two weeks of an all liquid diet. I know several other patients of weight lose surgery and they all had the same liquid diet requirement. I have a meeting with my surgeon in a few weeks, I'm going to ask if that's because I'm in a certain BMI range or not.

My BMI when started was 48, my BMI seven months and nutrition classes later my BMI is down to 41, I am only required 7 days of liquid diet.

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Surgical diet programs and philosophies, pre- and post-op, vary all over the board. Ours was just clear liquids and bowel prep the day before (just like for a colonoscopy,) and then purees and soft proteins along with liquids from the hospital on out for the first month.

One surgeon I talk with occasionally, who works out of a different practice but has similar protocols, says that the last thing he wants his patients doing is fasting for weeks ahead of surgery - he wants them as strong and healthy as possible when on the table. Quite a different take from the usual liver shrinking thing we frequently hear, but no less valid. YMMV.

I find the different surgeon recommendations for pre-op diets interesting. I was prepared to have to do a liquid diet, but as far as I know I'm just supposed to maintain or lose weight before surgery and do all liquids the day before. It's recommended to start a low-carb diet before surgery but there's no time frame. I haven't scheduled yet but I'm probably going to start 14 days before. That being said, my surgeon has a kind of conservative post-op diet, I can't start full liquids until 15 days out.

I was mentally dreading the two week pre-op diet that my bro-in-law described as the worse part of the VSG process. I was astounded when the scheduling nurse said to just follow clear liquids 24 hrs prior. When I asked my surgeon at my 1 week follow up he said that there are more longitudinal studies showing that the protocol of two weeks to shrink the liver is unnecessary. I counted myself blessed as I chose this physician primarily due to insurance coverage.