What is the actual REAL purpose of this 5 day liquid diet?

[star0210]

Water, broth, sf jello, sf popsicles...that's it for 5 days.
Is the purpose just to be somewhat cleaned out? Couldn't that be accomplished by doing a bowel prep like you do for a colonoscopy?
It's not to lose weight....because if you have a BMI over 40 they make you do a pre-op diet before you get to the liquid diet part.

I'm just curious.

 

[southernlady]

Different surgeons have different pre-op "diets".
My surgeon says for those under a BMI of 50, it's 2 WEEKS of liquids. For those over a 50 BMI it's FOUR weeks. I got lucky, my BMI was sssssooo close to the bottom cutoff of 35, they only asked for me to go NPO after midnight before surgery and not lose ANYTHING. I ate everything I could and still lost 3 lbs. Made the office staff NUTS cause I didn't have to buy any of their "stuff".

My dh (different surgeon) only had to go on clear liquids the day before surgery and then NPO the night before surgery. And that was ALL.

 

[star0210]

That's all I had to do for my original Sleeve surgery...same as your DH.
The patient information packet said if your bmi is under 40 (mine is 36) you don't have to do the pre-op diet.
But they had emailed me the 5 day liquid diet. So I wrote back and said...ok I need clarification.
Your info packet said I don't have to do a pre-op diet, yet you emailed me this 5 day liquid diet.
Two different things they said. Everybody having the DS and RNY has to do the 5 day liquid diet regardless of whether you have to do the pre-op diet or not.

 

[Munchkin]

The theory they usually advance is the preop diet helps shrink the liver and make sure you are completely empty. This gives the surgeon more working room for LAP surgery.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

To give the fatty haters some jollies.

 

[chevtow]

I had a three week liquid diet - yuck it sucked. On the plus side I dropped 26 lbs

 

[Jo777]

I had a low-carb Atkins pre-op, which wasn't too much of a stretch from where I was already in the months before.. then the night before- whatever I wanted, including ONE, and only one margarita.. NPO after midnight. After a week eating low-carb and such, I really couldn't get much in to be honest, and it was all about the steak at that point anyway.

To me, it has no purpose, at ALL (liquids).. NPO 8 hours/12hrs.. maybe a bowel prep- maybe? Otherwise, a couple weeks ketogenic will "shrink" the liver enough, while eating all the bacon and chicken breasts & broccoli you want.. But that's my non-medical opinion.. I see no real gain to go into surgery in a deprived state.

 

[duh_Mom]

Another reason the docs order it is to decrease the 'fat' in the liver and make just a bit more space in there to maneuver. At least that is what my surgeon told me when I had my LB

 

[DSRIGGS]

Yep, it is all about making the liver as small and as malleable as possible to reduce the risk of damage during the procedure...that is what I was told. There is a lot going on in a tight space so it was a precaution that I was more than happy to comply with. Honestly after about a day and a half of the liquid diet it was no big deal at all for me...of course at the time I probably didn't think so..

 

[brooklyngirl]

I was on liquids, plus a "lean & green" dinner for 3.5 weeks before surgery, clear liquids & bowel prep the day before and NPO after midnight. It's crazy to me that there's no standard protocol.

 

[star0210]

It IS crazy that there's so much variation between surgeon's requirements.
I'm HUNGRY. I'd rather do a bowel prep day before surgery rather than starve for 5 days!
I can't even have protein shakes.

 

[more2adore]

Wasn't there an article posted here a while back that showed that the pre-op liquid diet actually didn't shrink the liver an appreciable amount and it's not actually recommended by whatever bariatric surgery association? Am I making that up?

 

[DSRIGGS]

It IS crazy that there's so much variation between surgeon's requirements.
I'm HUNGRY. I'd rather do a bowel prep day before surgery rather than starve for 5 days!
I can't even have protein shakes.

Not sure who your surgeon is, but the primary purpose of the 5 day diet isn't a bowel prep (not according to my surgeon). I know it isn't fun but I promise you that it gets better and you will not even remember it a few months from now.

Hang in there.

FYI - Her is a link as to why the pre-surgery diets (take it for whatever it is - just a link so I can vouch for the validity)

http://obesitycoverage.com/the-big-gastric-sleeve-diet-guide/

THE BIG GASTRIC SLEEVE DIET GUIDE
In Gastric Sleeve, Weight Loss Surgeries by adminJuly 10, 2014

Gastric Sleeve (sleeve gastrectomy) surgery is quickly becoming the preferred surgery for weight loss.

Gastric sleeve surgery is quick, the results are impressive and the complication risk is low, less than 1% serious complication rate in the first 30 days after surgery (Safety and Effectiveness of Newer Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Procedure).

YOUR LIVER PRIOR TO SURGERY
Your stomach is located just to your left of your liver. To access your stomach for most bariatric procedures, your surgeon will use a liver retractor. This is a device that lifts the liver up and out of the way so your surgeon can safely operate on the stomach without the liver getting in the way.

You have Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

You probably don’t know it, but you have fatty liver disease. If you don’t and you’re morbidly obese, you’re lucky. Fatty liver disease is when fat cells accumulate in and around your liver cells. This causes the liver to function poorly.

It also increases the size of your liver. A larger liver makes gastric sleeve surgery much more difficult and increases the risk of complications.

I’ve witnessed a handful of cases where the surgeon decides that the liver is so large that they cannot perform surgery safely. The surgery either then becomes an open procedure (non-laparoscopic) or they close and cancel until the patient decides to follow their 2 week pre-op diet.

2 WEEK PRE-OP DIET
Why do you need to be on such a strict diet before gastric sleeve surgery? Since you are overweight, so is your liver. And, as mentioned above, a large liver increases your surgical risk.

However, your liver can very quickly shrink in size if a strict diet is followed. This makes your surgery safer, you healthier, and prepares you for your diet the first few weeks after surgery.

Typical 2 Week Pre-Op Diet

You should always follow your surgeon’s recommended diet 2 weeks prior to surgery. Most 2 week pre-op diets recommend:

• Increase your protein consumption
  • Eat lean meats
• Lower your carbohydrate consumption
  • Avoid breads, pasta, cereals, rice, etc.
• Eliminate Sugars
  • Eliminate candy, desserts, juices, sodas

The list below is a typical diet two weeks before gastric sleeve surgery.

• Breakfast
  • Protein Shake – get a high quality protein shake from GNC or other supplement store in your area.
  • Make sure there is no sugar in the protein shake.
• Lunch
  • Vegetables and Lean Meat
• Dinner
  • Vegetables and Lean Meat
• Snacks
  • You can have a healthy, low carbohydrate snack in-between meals.
  • Nuts, berries, vegetables, small salad with oil and vinegar, etc.
• Fluids
  • Stay hydrated. This will help curb your hunger.
  • You can typically drink anything sugar free and low in calories.

Remember, it’s very important to stick to your two week pre-op diet. This shrinks your liver, decreases your risk of complications and makes the surgery quicker and easier for your surgeon.

2 DAYS PRIOR TO SURGERY
Some surgeons will recommend you stop the following two days prior to surgery.

• Carbonated beverages
• Caffeine

Most surgeons will recommend you adhere to a strict clear liquid diet starting two days prior to your surgery. Clear liquids will include broth, sugar free Jell-O, sugar free popsicles, water and possibly one protein shake each day. Again, follow your surgeon’s instructions.

 

[DSRIGGS]

BTW, to the site admins. Not sure if posting links to other sites is acceptable here. If not I apologize and won't in the future...but please let me know if it is a violation of policy (I am not great at reading fine print, policy detail)

Thanks

 

[southernlady]

BTW, to the site admins. Not sure if posting links to other sites is acceptable here. If not I apologize and won't in the future...but please let me know if it is a violation of policy (I am not great at reading fine print, policy detail)

Thanks

It depends on the site involved. Links to other FORUMS are discouraged as we are all in the same boat and don't want to give our competition any exposure But others are fine.