Pre-op diet - how much am I supposed to lose????

Hi Marichen and thank you - I've sent you a PM :)

Half your luck blackckook, I am on 10 weeks of opti. I'm loosing about 2kg a week but no exercise and adding some protein.

My surgeon didn't require me to do opti at all. He said the liver barely shrinks enough to make a difference in such a short amount of time and not to put pressure on myself. I only had to go on liquids for the day before the surgery to ensure there was no food in my stomach at the time of surgery.

Some people may have to lose weight before the surgery as being very overweight is riskier

Hi Mariechen my doctor said he would like me to lose 8-10kgs on the 2 week Optifast program. I stuck religiously to the program and in the 2 weeks I have lost 5.6kgs. I thought I would have done better but I have been sick with a rotten cold and been unable to exercise.
His comment was good for me and better for him to do the surgery.
I am being sleeved tomorrow.

As far as the weeks after the surgery you should have been through this with the dietitian. Basically 2 weeks on fluids including protein replacement drinks, thin soup, low joule cordial, and then the next 2 weeks puree/mashie foods and then hopefully by week 5 should be able to add back solid foods. This will all depend on your body and how quickly the stomach heals. You should be guided by your doctor and dietitian.

Good luck and look forward to seeing you on our August monthly sleevers thread.

Liz xx

My Surgeon just told me to do Opti for 3wks, so that's what I have been doing, the occasional cheat (bit of a sausage or chop) here and there but generally sticking too it well (dinner time is the worst) but down around 9kg so far so all good, still have another 5 days to go.

As far as I'm aware it's required to shrink the liver thus allowing better access to the stomach.

Here's a video of the op if you are interested in seeing what's involved.

https://youtu.be/jcYH5lWa9Rk

Cheers
Scott

My doc told me that as long as you lose a kilo he knows the liver will have smaller.....having said that its really important to stick hard and fast to the rules of the diet.

As for post op diet.

It is usually for most of us, clear liquids for a couple of days while in hospital and home for 2 weeks on liquids only... then puree ( as in baby food puree consistency) for 2 weeks then mash ( as in what you can mash with a fork) for two weeks then on to normal food

Mash is lead into slowly so you start with sloppy mash and move through to a firm mash by the end of the two weeks.

Of cours this can vary from doc to doc and even from belly to belly as sometimes you get to the end of liquids and move on to puree and the tummy might not be quite ready so you would do another few days of liquids till you were a little more healed.

Hi Mariechen, I guess the idea of doing a pre-op is just to reduce the complications due to enlarged liver (or fatty liver). A pre-op diet is just helping you to shrink the liver size so that your surgeon will have higher chance to visualise the anatomy he/she has to work on properly. Of course, if you are able to lose some weight pre-op, in other words, you are going to reach your goal sooner!!!

Do you want to join the August Sleevers 2012 on the forum as you are having the sleeve done next week???

All the best with your pre-op diet, although I don't need to go for the pre-op diet, I understand how hard it can be.

Good on you!!!

Thanks Katie - I think I understand now how it works and what to do!!!

You really look fantastic and the photo is really cool - you fit in one leg of your old pants, unbelievable!!!!!

Can you also provide some feedback of what will happen after the surgery, only drinking for 4 weeks???

I am a bit confused...:(

Mariechen

Hi Mariechen

My understanding is that by and large, whilst some doctors may set you a weight loss goal during the optifast phase, its main purpose is to shrink your liver, as Emma has noted. That makes surgery safer and easier as they need to lift/move your liver as part of the process. I know there have been plenty of people who haven't lost very much in the optifast phase but have been told after surgery that their liver was small and not too fatty, so the optifast had done the job - so if your doctor hasn't told you an amount he expects you to lose I wouldn't worry too much about the scales, just know that all your hard work is making the surgery safer!

All the best

Katie.

Hi Emma,

Many thanks for your quick response!!!! I appreciate your best wishes!!

Have you been sleeved yet???

How do you feel???

I am so excited and am hoping that all goes well

Hi Mariechen,
I asked this question yesterday with my surgeon, his reply is everyone is different.
However, I know that the preop diet is importnat even if hard to stick by as my doc said it is to shrink the liver which helps to reduce the 'risk' associated with the sleeve. The opti burns the fat stores from your liver ie shrinking it. to do this your body needs to be in Ketosis.
anyhow that is how I understand it, I know the optidiet is hard, try to stick it out it is only a week!

Good luck for next week,
Cheers Emma

Hi All,

I am new to this forum (surgery next week) and am reading your postings during work (keeps me sane :)).

I am on the pre-op diet and am not sure how much I will need to loose til next weeks surgery???

I am only 1.5 kilos down - cheated a bit with bread and portion size :(

Can anybody give me some feedback how much I will need to lose so that the doctor is happy???

Also, what am I supposed to do the frist 4 weeks after the surgery??? Continuing with the protein shakes???

Please HELP!!!!

Oh, and BTW, this forum is great, it provided information in the frist place, otherwise I would not have found out about sleeve surgery etc., so thanks to all members and their postings :)

Mariechen