What do you think?

[Karen22]

I'm just wondering if any of you think that if you do the pre op diet longer you will have a shorter recovery? After reading some of the post (some of which has made me nervous) I'm thinking that the diet may produce a better out come or dose the diet really not matter? I plan on starting mine tomorrow so I just thought since it's on my mind I would ask. Thank you everyone for your comments on this site I have really learned a lot. XO

[Large_1]

I'm on a 30 day liquid diet, I think I will do well after surgery seeing I have lost 47lbs in the past 4 weeks. After the first week you don't even know your not eating like before.

[Karen22]

Wow your already doing awesome Your surgery is the day after mine I willkeep you in my prayers.

[Ann2]

During the 9 weeks prior to the official shrink-your-liver pre-op diet, I did a 9-week diet of my own (1200-1500 calories) and tracked everything on My Fitness Pal. I also tried to practice some new behaviors I knew I'd need post-op. All that helped me by:

* reminding me I do have some personal discipline (made me feel a lot better about myself),
* teaching me how little protein I was eating "normally" and helping me get my daily protein up to 80 grams,
* chewing longer, waiting between bites, just slowing down at mealtime,
* drinking more water,
* exercising more than I was initially (which was very little),
* realizing what the eating life down the road when I'm at maintenance will probably be like (it wasn't bad at all).

I don't think I'd have wanted to do a really long liver-shrink pre-op diet. But what I did sure gave me some hope that I could be successful loooong-term.

Best wishes to you, no matter how you decide to approach this.

[llburbach]

I did three days preop diet. I don't think I struggled with pain so much as the mental aspect of such a drastic change. I am adjusting much better now but the initial three weeks was tough for me. Now I am 10 weeks post op today, I feel great and have absolutely no regrets.

I could not have lost the weight I wanted to without this fantastic tool!! You will do awesome and the fact you and others came in here to prepare is great news!! I wish I would have been part of the forum to mentally prepare myself. The awesome news is I found my way here and the support has been outstanding!!

I wish you the very best and you will not regret your decision.

Hugs,
Laura

[bikrchk]

I was on a full liquid diet only for the 5 days prior to surgery. I was in the hospital only overnight. They repaired a hiatial hernia while they were in there. I never took narcotics, (they tend to make things worse for me) and was back at work the next week. I WAS a lower BMI patient to begin with at 36 the day of surgery and other than high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, but not true diabetic yet, I was in reasonably good shape pre-op. So I don't know whether it was just me or it's a crapshoot or a combination of all of that, but I had a really good outcome!

[LORAW]

I did a three-week balanced diet, with no caffeine or carbonation, prior to my 10-day liquid diet. I think it helped me get my mind and body in the right place.

[sraebaer]

All doctors require different pre-surgery diets. Not being a doctor I don't know why. I had 5 days of liquids. After that I expected the surgeon to at least compliment me on my wonderful, smaller liver, but he didn't.

[Mamagogo3]

LOL sraebaer, I had the same thought when he came by for rounds the day after surgery!!