Using Alli to shrink the liver.......

[detroitgirl 0]

Hello all,

I am now scheduled for surgery for Nov 14th! My birthday!

I havent met with the nutritionist yet, or even been given a pre op or post op diet but with this forum I have a general idea of what's to come.

I keep reading about "shrinking the liver" before surgery (sounds like a bad disco song :tongue_smilie:....) and I was wondering if any of you folks had tried using the weight loss pill Alli to help in aiding the shrinking of the liver?

I'm hyper paranoid about anything going wrong or impeding the surgery so I want to make sure I am doing everything possible for the surgery to go as planned :tt1:.

[HAZARD79 0]

Congtats on your date; but i would ask your dr before taking the pills.< /p>

[CMTurner 0]

Here is what I was given by my Nutritionist and Surgeon regarding the liver shrink diet.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

CMTurner I can't read that! I clicked on it and still can't read it! WAH! LOL

Anyway, Detroitgirl, my best advice would be to just do exactly what your surgeon tells you! Don't tinker with what works for him and his patients!

[Gus'sGirl 0]

Hi, Alli takes out fat from your diet. To shrink your liver you really need to cut sugar from your diet.

[CMTurner 0]

RM sorry. I can email it to any one who wants it.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

RM sorry. I can email it to any one who wants it.

me me me! would you mind? my email is:

jeffthurston55@gmail.com

Thanks! My surgeon didn't give me any info on shrinking the liver; just the diet. I find the idea fascinating! I appreciate it!

[Yvonne72 0]

Don't take those pills... do you realize that if you cheat even the slightest little bit you will poop your pants? Every time you fart- you will have grease leakage from your butt!

I'm not even CLOSE to kidding! I tried them when they first came out and I ate a burger b/c there was nothing else for me to have while at a party.

I felt it coming on like the rolling from the thunder and bam! Grease EVERYWHERE!!!

Just ask your doctor for a proper diet- forget those pills...

ALSO- I lost 20lbs on them really quick- but gained back 30 in what felt like a week!

[MissBS 3]

I'm no expert, but I would say stop taking them. Not sure they are doing what you think they are for your liver. You can check with your surgeon, but I can't imagine him/her saying it is ok to keep taking them. There are things you can do that will help you shrink your liver AND get you more ready for your surgery, but I just don't think diet pills are a good idea. (JUST losing weight does not automatically shrink your liver) I was VERY worried about having a fatty liver and them not being able to give me my band, but I followed my doctor's pre-op diet instructions and everything was fine when he got in there. Take good care of yourself and try not to worry too much (do as I say, not as I did :tongue_smilie: Good luck to you. Keep us posted on how things go. Becky

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Hi Becky! :tongue_smilie:

Detroitgirl: Regardless of diet pills and the debate and so on, (and I still think you should ask your doc) I don't know if they'd work anyway. I did not ever take Alli but I did really research it. If I remember correctly, it keeps your body from absorbing fat in your diet, but it doesn't speed up or cause break down and processing of any fat you already have stored. You need to burn up the glycogen in your liver (easy energy the body uses everywhere) and THEN your liver also has FAT in it and you need to pull that out of there, too, to shrink it. So no, you don't need to cut "sugar" to shrink your liver. You need a high Protein, low carb, low fat diet. It causes your liver to use up the stored quick energy and then breakdown the fat it has there. (we store fat all over, including our organs) that type of diet causes the liver (as my doc puts it, think of it as the body's pantry...quick easy "fuel" storage) to burn what it has close at hand FIRST. Other diets don't work exactly that way.

I'm no liver specialist (thank goodness) but since Alli blocks the fat in your diet, not what's already been eaten, it may keep your liver from getting more fatty/thicker etc, but it won't touch what's already there.

I figured there had to be a good reason it wouldn't work or the doc's would prescribe it for just this use. Good try! I wish it did that! But I don't think it will.

[CMTurner 0]

Ok all. I went ahead and typed up my copy of the Liver Shrink Diet I received from the nutritionist and surgeon so it was readable.

Liver Shrink Diet

Remember: Vegetables ar unlimited on this diet. (except potatoes, corn, Beans, and peas.

Breakfast

Protein shake or Protein Bar

(You may use any shake as long as it has 220 or less calories and 10g or less fat/serving)

Mid Morning Snack

1 small piece of fruit (if you have Diabetes add 4 oz low-fat yogurt)

lunch

Protein Bar (220 calories of less and 10g or less of fat) or Shake

Mid Afternoon Snack

1 small piece of fruit (add 4 oz low-fat yogurt if you have Diabetes)

dinner

3 oz meat (lean) - The size of a deck of cards

steamed vegetables or salad with Fat-free Salad Dressing

6 unsalted crackers or 2 slices low calorie bread or 1 small baked potato

1/2 c fruit or 1 small piece of fruit

Evening Snack

1 small piece of fruit (add 4 oz low-fat yogurt if you are Diabetic)

(You may have non-caloric beverages on this diet) NO ALCOHOL!!!!!!!!

Examples: Decaf. Tea, Crystal Light, sugar-free Kool-Aid, Water

Follow This 1 Day Prior To Surgery:

Clear liquids only including Jello, broth, juice, and any beverages listed above. Jello can be congealed, but do not put fruit in it it. (NO RED JELLO)

& NOTHING TO EAT PAST MIDNIGHT (of course).

This is just what my surgeon and nutritionist gave me. Of course everyone's seems different but I just thought I would give you something to go on.

That 2nd page I tried attaching was for post op diet regarding the timing and food stages. I will try and type it up later and add it.

Hope this helps.

[CMTurner 0]

I went ahead and posted the Liver Shrink Diet and the info I received regarding post op diet including timing and phases of food and some nutritional guidelines that went along with them under my blog thingy so feel free to look at that and use (or not) that information. Good luck all. 11 days til surgery. Whoohooo.

[nrmanning 0]

Thanks for the information.

[daniela 0]

Normally following a tight regime of a controlled diet and regular exercises are the measures prescribed for weight loss. Most of the people find it difficult to follow these measures over an extended period.

It is claimed that with Alli you can escape these grating restrictions and can follow near-normal routines; slowly but steadily you can manage to lose weight and lead a healthier life. Alli is a FDA approved OTC weight loss product. Alli is not a dietary supplement; it is claimed to help you lose weight gradually; by working as a fat binder or fat blocker.

Excessive intake of calories causes increase of weight; and fats contribute far more calories in food-intake as compared to Proteins and carbohydrates. Fat in our diet is the main culprit in weight gain. When taken in the prescribed manner, the active ingredient of Alli attach themselves to some of the natural enzymes in the digestive system; this prevents these enzymes from breaking down over 25% of the fat you eat. This undigested fat cannot be absorbed by the body and it passes through the body in the natural way. This excess fat is prevented from contributing to weight gain.

Alli only works on enzymes that would normally help in digestion of fat. So carbohydrates and Proteins are not affected and these nutrients are absorbed by the body in the normal manner. Alli works only in your digestive system; it does not act on your heart or brain. You would not feel unsettling effects such as sleeplessness, racing heart or jitters which are commonly experienced with other weight loss drugs or supplements.

When you use Alli to lose weight, you may have to observe certain drastic dietary restrictions, depending on your existing diet. Manufacturers of Alli advise you to consume reduced-calorie meals of 15gms or less of fats on an average. For some this may be a rather severe restriction, but that is the price to pay for being able to have the option of slow but steady weight loss leading to a better life.

You may suffer certain side effects such as loose motion, frequent bowel movements, gas, etc. if you do not observe the restriction of 15 gms of fat. Obviously if you are able to adjust to the dietary limitations and put up with the side effects – “treatment effects” as the makers of Alli call them – Alli should be able to work for you.