Pre-Op Diet Nightmare!

[Waylon 0]

Hi all!

I've been lurking these forums for several months in anticipation of my surgery which I am/was excited about it. I started my pre-op liquid diet last week and it has been a complete nightmare.

My doctor's pre-op diet consists of drinking 6 cups of Carnation Instant Breakfasts mixed in 1% milk per day. I have never really liked milk, but I dutifully followed the diet. Turnouts out I'm lactose intolerant. After two days of severe stomach cramps, gas, diarrhea, etc, I switched to 100% lactose free milk and soy milk but it didn't help. By the end of my third day, I felt so weak that I could barely get out of bed to run to the bathroom. (I lost 12 lbs in three days).

To make matters worse, the day before my pre-op diet started I came down with a formidable cold which turned into a fullblown sinus infection by my third day. My PCP put me on antibiotics.

After playing phone tag with my surgeon's office, I finally got to talk to them and was informed I should switch to a 1200 calorie diet. I've been following this last 3 days, have continued to lose weight, and have finally started feeling better. Luckily, according to the nurse I talked to, being on an antibiotic shouldn't affect the surgery, but I'm still nervous.

Will not being on an all-liquid diet hurt my ability to recover/lose weight after surgery? Or worse could it cause the postponement of the surgery?

Has this happened to anyone else? I'm worried what will happen when I go all liquids post-op.

The good news is I've lost 16 pounds in the first week of my pre-op diet. Only one week to go!

Pre-Pre-Op Diet Weight: 351

Current Weight: 335

Surgery Date: June 2

[KayVee 0]

Even though all doctors subscribe to a different set of pre-op rules, i've noticed a WIDE variety of liquid diets on here. Mine will consist of the usual broths and also includes yogurt, applesauce, grits, popsicles, pudding and even mashed potatoes! No real mention of Protein Shakes, but I can add stuff to my milk intake to make it taste better, ie, Carnation instant Breakfast mixes. The supposed goal of the pre-op is to shrink the liver, to make access to the stomach easier and less risky. Post op goals are to not irritate the new stomach and to promote healing. I think it sounds like you are doing fine if you are losing and by keeping things as liquid-like as possible, I'd say you are on the right track. Good Luck.

[FangDoc 1]

Keep in mind, that until a few years ago they weren't doing a pre-op diet at all! That's a recent development that apparently reduces risk of injury to the liver and gives better post-op results. However, a few people in my monthly WLS support group who had surgery 5-6 years ago were talking about how they went to the Chinese buffet or the donut shop or wherever the day before their surgery as a last hurrah! While I certainly wouldn't recommend that, it does suggest that for most people, a slight variation in the pre-op diet isn't going to be the end of the world.

The way the bariatric nurse explained it to me is that it's a crash diet. She said that this is why going on the grapefruit diet a week before Prom doesn't work, because it's mostly Water weight, but it's great for shrinking the liver. Basically, you have glycogen stored in your liver as a quick energy source for the body. The body would rather break down glycogen for energy than fat, and each glycogen molecule is attached to four molecules of Water. So if you're carrying 1 lb. of glycogen, it's attached to roughly 4 lb. of water. Go a few days on a low-calorie, low-carb diet, and that 5 lb. comes right off and the liver shrinks because it's not carrying that 5 lb. any more. But because it's not fat loss, the scale is basically lying to you. You've lost 5 lb., but it's 5 lb. of glycogen and water, not fat, and it will come back as soon as you start eating normal calories and carb content.

I apologize that went on so long, but it's so nice to get to use those biochem and physiology classes for something!

Good luck!

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

Many, if not most, of us were not on a full liquid diet pre-op. I was on 2 shakes and 2 lean meals and I recovered incredibly quickly.

Post-op all liquid is not just Protein shakes. As KayVee lists, those are on the post-op diet, plus other items as well. You need to drink liquids to stay hydrated but you can get your nutrition value through other things than shakes. A Protein powder could be added to the liquids you can handle, for example

[Waylon 0]

Thanks all. The one thing I keep reminding myself is that I am following my doctor's instructions (i.e. they told me to switch to the 1200 calories low-fat/carb diet). I'm trying to reintroduce lactose-free milk and soy milk into my diet. We'll see how it goes!

[elcee 3,343]

Fang , that was a great, easy to understand explanation.

[Minxz 0]

My surgeon didn't put me on a liquid diet before hand at all you should be fine!

[nomebug 0]

Fang,

Where did you learn that? It make since we are mostly Water anyways and I just started this preop diet 3shakes day drink lots more water to try to curve hunger and one meal and little snakes when needed. The thing is I have been peeing like crazy. i going to weigh my self tomorrow see what it says. I do preop blood work and stuff friday but surgery isn't until the 8th. I am hidding this from co-workers and even a few friends. I work in health care and don't want them examining me. I hate feeling hungery I slowing get down the shakes to keep things take time to digest. Iwonder why the high protien and low carb?

[KOLaficionado 0]

This diet just makes me mad. I understand you go off carbs for a bit and your liver uses up it's energy store and shrinks a bit making the surgery safer and easier. THAT SAID what is up with all of the pre op diets with all the milk and yogurt, applesause and fruit? ??? My own doc said eat all the Soup you want! ANY kind except la Madeline. Also yogurt and low fat cottage cheese! What the heck kind of good is that going to do shriniking my liver?? I just don't see the point! Sorry for the rave but it's frustrating being on a diet that doesn't seem to be doing any good!

[FailureIsntAnOption 0]

Folks, I'm telling ya, you need to focus on eating Protein first then fruits and veggies. This is true even on the pre-op diet.

Banded 4/17/09

37 pounds lost

11 pounds lost on 10-day pre-op diet