Pre-Op Diet, NOT

I belong to a WLS forum on another site and again and again I see people doing their "last supper" a day or two before their surgery (one person went out for beer and hot wings and "stuffed themselves" two days before surgery). Are some surgeons really that lax with their pre-op diets?  Are they not even attempting laparoscopic?  I wonder if that last binge is worth having open surgery and if the patients even know the risks? I came here to ask because...I come here for all my WLS quandaries.

Hi Blush, Right now my stomach is growling and wanting to eat something.  I have NOT cheated and I don't want to cheat.  Sometimes, I wish I had a doctor that did not require the pre-op diet.  However,the purpose of the diet is to shrink the liver because it has to be moved around during the surgery and could bleed.  This then could lead to open RNY!  I personally DO NOT want to take the chance and not follow the diet.  I would advice you to do what you doctor asks you to do.  Now, I will admit before my diet began, I went and ate at my favorite restaurants...one last time.  I don't understand why some doctors recommend and some don't.  If anyone says the pre-op diet is easy...they are NOT telling the truth!!!!  I am sure there are others on the forum that know more about this than I do. I am sure they will chim in as well.  I'm now 5 days from surgery.

I know three people that their Doc's only required a 48 hr diet and the from facility to facility the pre diet differs.  I can say with my pro-op diet I didn't get hungry?  They had me on 6 Carnation Shakes a day and I never went into a real hunger mode.  But I too did the last supper thing with family and close friends, the week before.  Some say no you shouldn't do the last supper, but I'm glad I did. It allowed for a nice social setting and allowed others to be part of my experience.  C'ya Bob

I did mine (last supper) this past weekend though I don't have my surgery date (it should be in July)...I just am shocked some doctors don't give their patients the benefit of knowing the risks of not shrinking the old liver.

I plan on behaving...anything I can do to make it possible to not be opened up. You are so close now...just a few more days!

I think every Dr is different. I had to do the 8 day pre-op liquid diet. But before those 8 days, I did do the "last supper" thing. Well probably the last 3 weeks before surgery of "last suppers". hahaha. But I didn't cheat on my 8 days of liquids. Some surgeons only require two days of liquids before surgery and I even know someone who only had one day before surgery but had to do the nasty clean out routine (which I would take 8 days over the clean out any day). So, I think it all depends on the hospital and surgeon but I don't think that they would have you only do 2 days if they didn't think it was healthy. Don't ask me how they shrink the liver in 2 days- which is the purpose of the diet - but I guess it must work or they wouldn't do it.  I think it is just a personal decision on the "last supper" thing. I did it and don't have any regrets. Of course, you think long and hard about it when you get down to those last 10 pounds you want to lose to goal and you think to youself, what if I wouldn't have done those last suppers - would I be at goal? And why did I think I could never have this food again because eventually, you can have just about any food in moderation but at the time, you don't think about that. But overall, I have no regrets of doing mine.

I plan on doing whatever Dr. Spaw tells me to do!  He's going to do his part so I gotta do mine.

Very wise - stick with that attitude and you will do great!

I also have Dr. Spaw! I don't have my surgery date yet but in a week I'll get to discuss with him about the pre-op diet. I have heard from others in that office that he does require that full 2 week diet. I think it's a small price to pay to ensure a safer surgery. And the "last supper" is fine in my opinion as long as it's before your required liquid diet. I agree with you. I plan on struggling through the whole 2 weeks.  Leslie

Hello Blush,  I have done the 2 week pre-op diet, this last week is all liquid. My surgery is open. I figure my surgeon knows alot more about it than I do, so I'm following his orders. My surgery is this Monday. Later,  Susan