skim milk diet

I would like to know more about the skim milk diet. How much milk do we have to drink, how often and is that IT? Thanks!!!

Hi Tracy, I've never heard of the skim milk diet. Can you tell me more? Joy

All I know is for 2 to 6 weeks prior to surgery you can only have skim milk. I need to know more about it too. I'm sure I could call the surgeons office but that would be too easy

Hi Tracy, it is Cheryl from pre-op group. The skim milk diet in case you don't already have an answer is for 4-6 weeks pre-op you only drink skim milk 3-5 times a day, as much as you can drink in that time. It helps to lose weight and shrink your liver which helps the surgeons during surgery as well as keep you from having "the last meal" for 4 weeks prior to surgery. It also helps you shed weight.

If that is accurate....I have to say I would never agree to that! I don't think it is realistic to ask that of anyone who's appetite is not altered yet by surgery. Knowing I was going to get surgery wouldn't have made me able to adhere to that - even though I wanted the surgery with all of my being. I reject the accusation that if a person isn't able to do XYZ before surgery that they are not committed to lifestyle change and aren't demonstrating that they can adhere to what will be required after surgery. It's just not right to be expected to live on milk for six weeks. Maybe I am misunderstanding?!? I also don't think it sounds very healthy - even in the name of shrinking a liver. I don't think it is any insurance against "the last meal" either - at least any more than just saying "don't have any last meal". Looking back on my own journey (especially my emotional journey) I felt there was actually a place for the last supper. If I had known what my post-op life was like I would have known I wouldnt need those "lasts", but as a pre-op one can't know how it's going to feel, only that it is scary to let go of what one knows. Of course drinking only milk helps to shed weight - so does cabbage soup diets and fasting! And I though Dr. Patterson's tuna and cottage cheese diet was bad! Patty

Hmmmmm...I don't remember accusing anyone of not being commited to a lifestlye change or demonstrating that they can adhere to what will be required after surgery, I guess I will have to re-read my post....Nope, no accusations there! I would rather do that diet than the tuna and cottage cheese diet as I can't stand either one of those things. You are followed by your surgeon while on the diet and it can be manipulated if needed. Of course it is not a long term diet but for the short run it has been very effective for both of these surgeons and their patients. Neither this diet or any other diet that restricts all other foods is healthy for the long term. The surgery time is down and the liver weighs less which makes the surgery easier for the surgeon and better for the patient.

I think the idea is totally GOOFY. Any diet that is low fat/low calorie will shrink the liver some. Sensible eating and nutrition makes the most sense. I am unimpressed with what a doctor who MAY have taken a nutrition class (but probably never did) says. This doesn't sound very healthy for the short term, either. Fat is a necessary part of a person's diet. Starvation dieting (which is what this is) isn't healthy no matter who says it is. Read my profile. Just because a doctor says it, doesn't make it medical fact. Two foods are better than one, but variety that includes good nutrition trumps either. tee 20 years post op

I could continue to debate this issue but I choose not to. Tracy simply asked what the skim milk diet was and now she has her answer.

I am willing to admit it if I have it wrong. Cite ANY peer reviewed medical journal that says this is a desireable pre-op diet and I am totally willing to take my lumps. Our local medical school (OHSU) does not ask for anything like this from a patient pre-op. And, just a note, I don't feel obligated to limit remarks to only the questions asked if there is a sound reason to look at the topic from a broader perspective. tee 20 years post op

I'm sorry Cheryl - I didn't mean for it to sound like that accusation about lack of committment was coming from you. No need to re-read your response. You were just passing along info which is what was requested! My reaction is directed more at the two years I spent trying to get this surgery. I was asked to jump through many hoops by Kaiser (and did them all) but I felt that if I did question something I was made to feel like I wasn't willing to do what was necessary to go forward with surgery. Surgeons vary widely on what they believe leads to a most successful operation and long term result. Some surgeons dismiss the shrinking the liver theory. Dr. Moiel at Kaiser is a strong believer that if you don't demonstrate lifestyle changes including weight loss and doing an excercise program prior to surgery, that is an indicator that you will be less likely to be succesful post-op regarding adherence. One of the leaders of this surgery (I forget his name) doesn't require losing any weight before surgery - Dr. Patterson will not proceed with your surgery if you don't lose weight. One has to go with the surgeon that they trust and have a good relationship with. Whatever that surgeon requires pre-op will be what one has to do. What I do encourage is that people feel allowed to question things. When you are in the position of needing and wanting this surgery, it sometimes makes people feel less confident about questioning something they don't feel is right for them. I know as a pre-op I couldn't have done the tuna/cottage cheese diet OR the skim milk diet. I am grateful I was able to proceed. Doing everything one can to be the healthiest one can be on surgery day is the very best. Patty