I keep reading threads mentioning pre-op diet. What is involved and where can I find more information?

Thanks.

CajunDisney

Every doctor requires a different pre-op diet. My doctor only required a 2 day pre-op diet that consisted of clear liquids only (apple juice, broth, Jello). You will find that other doctors require a much more rigorous pre-op diet that lasts several weeks, and consists of protein shakes. The purpose of that diet being to shrink the liver, and make surgery less risky. You will have to call your surgeon, and find out what their particular pre-op requirement is.

It is an evil thing that just must be done (at least for some of us)!

It is an evil thing that just must be done (at least for some of us)!

Too funny!

Thanks, citygirl, for the information. I thought I was missing something on here.

I was on a 2-day diet of clear, sugar-free liquids. Broths, sugar-free popsicles, sugar-free Jello, etc. No fruit juices, nothing with "no added sugar," etc.

This is far from scientific & detail accurate, but you'll get the idea.

Part of what the liver does is function as sort of a pantry to store various things our body needs. Cans of glycogen (a sugar form), boxes of Vitamins, barrels of Iron, etc. When we don't have those things in our system -- say we haven't eaten anything yet -- but our body is hungry for them, the liver opens up the pantry, takes some of its reserves, and pushes them out into the body.

By controlling our diet to ensure some things are missing, the liver is forced to deplete its stores, which causes it to shrink in size (my analogy would be a sponge that has been wrung out).

The liver is pretty much in the way of where our surgeons need to do their work. So... the smaller the liver, the easier time surgeons have of positioning the band, and the lower the chances of organ damage.

Plus it's a good jump start to weightloss.

I started my pre op diet today. My surgery is Feb 20th.

My diet consits of

Carbs: not more than 30 grams per day

Protien: minimum of 70 grams per day

Fat: Not more than 10 grams per day

The day before surgery only sugar free clear liquids

It depends on your doctor, usually also depends on your BMI. My doctor didn't require one for lower BMI patients. They all vary.