I lost about 10 pounds, but my belly is 1 inch larger. Could this be Water retentionfrom too much sodium in the broth? Broth is the only non-shake thing I'm allowed to have on the pre-op diet (besides vegetables), so I'm having plenty. I would say 4 cups a day (It's also a welcome break from sweet drinks!)

Is water retention bad for the surgery? If I stop drinking broth, might I lose the water in time for surgery? Does this affect my liver?

It's my understanding that the weightloss is more important than the waistline for the purposes of the preop diet. Could you be retaining fluids? Absolutely. A large intake of sodium could contribute towards that. I think as long you are following your doc's directions (sweet drinks?? You mean artificially sweetened, right?) and are losing weight ( - 10 lbs...great job) you'll be fine! Good luck!

try low-sodium broth. that might help with the water retention

Just do what your doctor says. Seriously, different measuring tapes, how tight you HOLD the tape, WHO holds the tape, WHERE you place the tape....all impact the measurement. Unless you're a professional seamstress who has measured thousands of stomachs, the odds are that inch is just a variance based on something besides your size.

Please don't obsess over it and trust your physician. I understand the desire to measure yourself but don't do it too often. Post op I'm warning you you'll be up due to fluids etc...you'll fret again! Maybe you should make a pact with yourself to wait until Feb 1 to measure again! :grouphug:

Thanks. I think I'm really just panicking because my surgery is next week. Eek!

Sorry I can't help....I'm in a pinch too....Need some wisdom and no finger pointing please. I am worried....I have had one stressful week....after weeks of daily docs and testing they uncovered Hypertension and pre diabetes. This immediately made me want to quit the 5 or so cigarettes I was having daily. This in turn upped my hunger and this today is Thanksgiving!!...I cooked for the family! My docs said I could eat but keep it low fat. Ha. ..does pumkin pie count as a veggie? Mashed potatoes with gravey? Oh boy I messed up. I know I have to call tomorrow I have 4 days to "shrink" my liver. Wonder if my body is up for some speed shrinking! wish me luck. Can't find anyone who said they cheated on Pre op. like this..here

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Ok, I asked my doc, and was told that the liver shrinkage isn't as important as just losing some extra weight before the surgery..Less chance of complications...My diet will consist of 1000 calories a day. A shake for breakfast, a v-8 or tomato juice or low cal high c juice, another shake, frozen lowfat/lowcal/lowcarb meal,or I can have 3oz meat all the vegs I want and 1 carb,then a shake or popcorn or cheese or nuts..And all the sugar free fluid I can/want to drink..I can still have caffeine too.Just not for 1 week after surgery...Starting to get nervous myself!

Thank you K this is good sound advice. I will certainly try to lower my intake as you to under 1000 a day.

Each person and each doc are different. Apparently FOR ME it was important that I reduce my liver because losing 15 pounds didn't mean my doc could do the surgery. I think the "take home" here is to do what your doc says, for whatever reason he says to do it! LOL I got in trouble when I started thinking "others cheated and it didn't matter"...so do what your doc says and you'll be fine. And if you really blow it, tell him. Better to delay a week than have 2 surgeries.

Hello all,

My first visit to the site. I will be banded Dec. 10th. Sounds like my Dr. is more strict on his pre-op diet. I get three protien shakes a day and all the Water I can handle. There is no food involved at all. I won't taste solid food till like week 5 or 6 post-op. even then is just sampling of food. He wants when I do eat that it is protien. No more sugar. I have been doing three scrambled eggs and 2 protien shakes a day for 4 weeks I have lost 30lbs. I still get cravings but very little hunger pains.

Thanks for listening

The preopt diet is to make the liver less fatty and easier for the doctor to move aside and easier to get out of the way once its shrunk, so its not knicked.

They will make incisions to put air into your stomach and blow it up, so it doesnt matter how big around you are. Thats what causes the gas pains after surgery. The gas will keep things off the area where the doctor has to work.

Hello all,

My first visit to the site. I will be banded Dec. 10th. Sounds like my Dr. is more strict on his pre-op diet. I get three protien shakes a day and all the Water I can handle. There is no food involved at all. I won't taste solid food till like week 5 or 6 post-op. even then is just sampling of food. He wants when I do eat that it is protien. No more sugar. I have been doing three scrambled eggs and 2 protien shakes a day for 4 weeks I have lost 30lbs. I still get cravings but very little hunger pains.

Thanks for listening

I'm also from washington state. who is your doctor? my pre-op diet is also strict but not as bad as yours. I'm also allowed as much low-sodium broth as I want but thats about it.