I’m on my preop diet. It’s 5 protein shakes a day, water, and broth if I want it. Mine thankfully is only a week long. It’s a lot harder than I thought it would be. So I’m just curious to see if anyone knows why we wouldn’t be able to eat like a 700 calorie diet (that’s how many calories I would consume after drinking 5 protein shakes) that was strictly like lean proteins and non starchy veg, no sugar. What is the difference? I am sure there’s a reason it must be liquids only with no solids. I get having to be on liquids only for the 1-3 days prior to surgery. But why protein shakes only vs just eating a very low calorie high protein low carb no sugar diet one or two full weeks before surgery?

Just depends on your surgeon. Some people can have low-fat, high protein meals.

I am on shakes also they are to shrink your liver making it easier before your surgery.

30 minutes ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

Just depends on your surgeon. Some people can have low-fat, high Protein meals.

And some people have no pre op diet

That's a great question for which I have no answer - low carbohydrates and some caloric restriction is what's needed for the "shrink the liver" thing that some docs seem to need. I'm beginning to think that the whole liquid only pre-op diet is one of those "that's the way we've always done it" things. Some say that it is supposed to be helpful in getting you used to all the liquids post-op, but I never found that to be a problem as you don't feel like anything else at first - it's pretty self policing unless the program specifies post op liquids for a lot longer than is necessary. No pre-op diet here, and I never had any problem adapting to the post-op world, and neither did my wife when she went through this.

It's all a big YMMV thing, but a word to those lurkers/researchers who are just getting started in considering WLS - ask questions well ahead of time when looking at different programs and consider one which is more "patient friendly" in this respect.

Watching a bariatric surgery being done on Youtube gave me serious respect for the liver shrinking diet.

The surgeon is working SO CLOSE to your spleen when he/she does a bariatric surgery.

Spleens are terrifying. They bleed if you breath on them wrong...and they bleed dangerously.

Giving my doc plenty of space to work around an organ that resembles a hemorrhage hand grenade with a loose pin....is extremely purdent in my mind.

Reducing a fatty liver is also good for anesthetic metabolism and general recovery.

Also...doing the liquid diet gives you a psychological clue what you're in for. If anyone is gonna find not eating intolerable and have cold feet...better they reach this conclusion before surgery...than after surgery.

Thanks for the responses everyone! I’m too chicken to not follow my surgeon’s instructions. I was just thinking about it today as I was about to eat my broth. I’m three days in to my liquid diet and I’m actually glad he requires that I do it. Because at first I was like woah this is freaking hard! So I’m glad I didn’t have such a shock right after surgery. And I actually feel 100% better today than I did the first two days. I guess you just start to get used to it.

The pre-surg diet sucks. Was much worse than the surgery for me. Post surg diet sucks, too...but at least there's a light at the end of the tunnel!

After surgery, it's very unlikely you'll be hungry. Your biggest issue will be trying to eat and drink the diet. Many times you'll have to choose between water and protein (choose water).

I take that back. Most people by the end of the liquid post op diet hate and detest protein shakes, and you will be eager for the puree stage!

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Experiences vary! I was STARVING after surgery. Could eat my own leg off kinda starving...it was awful. Hunger didn't let up until I was eating 1000 calories per day....at around 3 weeks post op. After I hit 1200 per day, no more hunger:)

Ghrelin be damned, some folks still get very hungry when they're eating starvation levels of calories. I know this sucks. I hope each of you is lucky and don't draw the hungry card.

Im on day 2 of two week preop diet. My diet consists of 1200 cal/day. 7 premier protein shakes, 2-8oz serving of broth, 2 sugar free jello cups, 1 sugar free ice pop.

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And after my presurgical consult Tuesday morning at 11:15 am EDT I will be able to tell you Ohio State University' s policies for me. My Life After Bariatric Surgery booklet, all 56 large pages says 2-4 weeks, then qualifies it by saying Subject to BMI , general physical condition and Surgeon's Discretion. So We Shall See What We Shall See, but at any rate I will do what they say for I want my RnY bypass with a ferocity few can credit!?????