Surgery tomorrow....can I eat tonight?

This may be a dumb question, but I am a bit confused.....I am having surgery tomorrow and my Dr. requires a 3 day bowel prep only liquids. Well the information sheet say's Nothing to eat or drink from midnight the night before. So are they considering the bowel prep of liquids only, eating and drinking? because there isn't any eating taking place...or does that mean that you can eat a meal (solid) as long as it is before midnight????? And if you eat a meal before midnight are you going to be in trouble? Thanks!! Trisha

Hello Trisha, My surgeon required 48 hours of clear liquids. They said it was to reduce the size of your liver. The surgeon can see more around a small flat liver then a large one still digesting food. After surgery they kept me on clear liquids for another 48 hours and pureed foods for a month. Hope this info helps, Cynthia

My surgeon said nothing but clear fluids the day before. Then I had to take a laxitive the afternoon before, and nothing by mouth after midnight. He said that the emptier the intestine is while performing the surgery, the easier it is and less chance of complications. Good Luck!

Same with me. Liquids only the day before surgery. Nothing by mouth after midnight, not even water. I started the liquid diet a day earlier to cut back on how much the laxitive had to work on.

Trisha, No, no, no... no eating. I had to do FULL liquids 2 days before, and CLEAR liquids the day before surgery. Was supposed to do my bowel prep at 6:00 p.m. the night before, but daughter had a choir concert, so did it at 8:30 p.m. And... I couldn't have anything, including water, after 10:00 p.m. the night before. Hope this helps. Nancy