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If you DIDN'T do Liquid Pre-Op what DID you do?



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Hi Gang. I'm trying to decide between two surgeons. Each have pros and cons. One requires me to do 1 week pre-op liquid. The other said no need. I'm trying to decide whether this is a pro or a con. If you DIDN'T do a liquid diet can you describe your pre-op diet for me? Really appreciate it!

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Don't know current weight, but I consider any loss of weight before the surgery a bonus, a pre-op liquid diet may boost that. If you do have a particular enlarged liver it wouldn't hurt to attempt to shrink but I am not sure if a one week liquid diet would do all that much, a lot require a two week liquid diet.

Another way to look at the liquid diet is an opportunity to start getting into post op mode.....practicing as it were.

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I didn't have a pre-op diet. I ate normally up until the day before.

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I didn’t have a liquid pre-op diet due to following an extremely healthful and nutritious plant-based whole foods diet (meaning fresh veg, fruit, nuts, seeds, Beans, tofu, tempeh, and no processed foods or animal foods whatsoever) for a number of years prior to surgery. In the 6 months prior to surgery, I cut back to 900-1000 kcal/day (under the care of the clinic dietician) and lost 52lbs before surgery. If I hadn’t been eating this healthfully, I would have opted for the liquid diet since it offers a number of benefits: 1) decreased liver size, 2) weight loss, 3) improved blood sugar, 4) a clean stomach and intestinal tract decreases chances of surgical complications, 5) physical and psychological adaptation: if you are eating processed foods, unhealthy carbs, sweets, sodas, junk food, etc. then you are feeding an addiction, but your brain will stop craving these foodstuffs within several days of eliminating them from your diet so that you can focus entirely on meeting your post-surgical Water and Protein needs instead of on struggling with withdrawal 6) after surgery you will continue the liquid diet for 2-6 weeks (depending on your program), and being adjusted to the liquid diet before surgery will teach you how to eat after surgery, and 7) ca. 25%-30% of bariatric patients regain some or all of the weight, and getting the earliest possible start on self-control around food and eating is a strength in terms of the mental awareness required to make a commitment to a permanent lifestyle change and lifelong weight maintenance.

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Dietician had me on Keto for a couple of weeks before surgery. My surgeon puts all his patients on a pre-surgery diet to reduce fat around the liver & give him a clearer line of sight during surgery. He put my friend, with a much higher starting BMI than me, on a Protein Shake diet pre surgery. Maybe too lose a little more pre surgery???

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All I had to do was fast on the day of surgery, no pre op diet. I've had excellent results and reached my surgeons goal weight within 6 months.

My opinion is this - I needed the surgery to stick to the post op liquid diet. Which post surgery was a breeze. Pre surgery, I would have struggled and probably failed. There is a reason I needed 80% of my stomach removed to lose weight.

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All I had to do was fast on the day of surgery, no pre op diet. I've had excellent results and reached my surgeons goal weight within 6 months.

My opinion is this - I needed the surgery to stick to the post op liquid diet. Which post surgery was a breeze. Pre surgery, I would have struggled and probably failed. There is a reason I needed 80% of my stomach removed to lose weight.

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All I had to do was fast on the day of surgery, no pre op diet. I've had excellent results and reached my surgeons goal weight within 6 months.

My opinion is this - I needed the surgery to stick to the post op liquid diet. Which post surgery was a breeze. Pre surgery, I would have struggled and probably failed. There is a reason I needed 80% of my stomach removed to lose weight.

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All I had to do was fast on the day of surgery, no pre op diet. I've had excellent results and reached my surgeons goal weight within 6 months.

My opinion is this - I needed the surgery to stick to the post op liquid diet. Which post surgery was a breeze. Pre surgery, I would have struggled and probably failed. There is a reason I needed 80% of my stomach removed to lose weight.

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Wow, not sure why that posted four times!

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Mine was a combo. 3 Protein Shakes plus a lean cuisine for dinner. I lost 12lbs doing this, which was a nice jump start! Also got me trying the various Protein shakes so I could figure out which were my favorites!

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My surgeon had me lose weight before he would book the surgery. He also said he may have me do a liquid diet and he'd let me know at my pre-op appointment. Since I lost above and beyond what he wanted, he did not make me do the liquid diet. He just cautioned me that if I gained the surgery could be cancelled.

The way I lost pre-surgery was to start eating mostly the way I would after - Protein first, then veggies. No sweets or alcohol. It was 5 months from first appointment to surgery (I was "at" goal weight at 3 months and just had to get on the schedule and keep the weigth off).

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My doctor prefers a liquid diet 1 week before surgery, but he said I didn't have to really be super strict since I'm at a lower BMI and don't drink much, and no hard liquor, no sugar. I myself decided to do a liquid diet 48 hours before the surgery. Went fine.

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My BMI pre-surgery was 35. I did low carb for 2 weeks, then 2 days of full liquids. I lost 4 lbs.

My surgery was self-pay in Mexico.

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I was required to do a clear liquid diet 2 days before surgery. I think longer would have prepared me better for the diet afterwards. I had sugar free Jello and broth.

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    • LeighaTR

      Four days post surgery. I am sipping as fast as I can and getting NO WHERE near the goal of 60 - 80 grams of protein or the 64 oz of liquids. I just feel FULL. I don't know if it can still be the gas build up (I would think by now that would be gone) but it is a struggle to drink. And so far I have not had the nausea or spasms and don't want to wander into that territory by pushing too hard with liquids. I about passed out today as it was my most "strenuous" day. Went from second story to basement for shower and I was sure I was going to pass out. Looking back on my last few days I have had a total of less than 1000 calories. Am I just not getting enough nourishment in me? Once again a friday where I can't get ahold of the doc until Monday rolls back around so I am hoping maybe someone here has some experience on how to keep energy going. I do have fibromyalgia too and that may be where some added fatigue comes into play. How did you all fair with the goals the week after surgery?
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    • Doughgurl

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      · 3 replies
      1. Phil Penn

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      3. Doughgurl

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    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

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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!

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