Went to see my surgeon Friday and he told me I had to lose another 25 to 30 lbs. before they try another RNY on me. The first one was scotched because my liver was too large and heavy. I am interested in a liver shrinking diet that you've used and the doctor has commented that your liver actually shrunk. There are a lot of them on the Internet...but those of you who have done it can probably help me best.   Thanks.

For your liver to actually shrink, it'll take more time than you're willing to spend.

When people on here talk about their pre-op "liver shrinking" diets, what they're actually talking about is doing a liquid or high protein diet to shrink the fat around the liver, not the liver itself - and I'd bet dollars to donuts that the surgeon is talking about the fat around your liver, too.

The best thing to do is go on at least a two weeks liquid diet (some surgeons require longer periods of time, some shorter periods of time and there are even some that don't require it at all).

All pre-op liquid diets are different. For me, it was two weeks of Carnation Instant Breakfast mixed with skim milk or water - three drinks a day plus a fourth if I was hungry and I was also allowed water and sugar free drinks like Crystal Light, sugar free Kool-Aid, etc.

During that two week period, I went from 365 to 341 and got rid of a huge amount of fat around my liver.

Good luck to you.

Just read your post....did your surgeon take a biopsy to determine the cause of your liver enargement? When I had RNY almost 4yrs ago my surgeon routinely does this to all his patients and I discovered I had a condition called NASH Non Alcoholic Steato Hepatitis, and was referred to see a liver specialist post surgery - it's a 'fatty liver' caused by metabolic over production of fat cells in the liver and not treated totally infiltrates and destroys it.  Fortunately weight loss is the cure...I'm soooo glad I had the surgery cos without it I would've most definately been unaware until liver failure kicked in and then it's too late. My Hepatologist said without doubt I was a very lucky person and no further treatment was required! Just a thought maybe you should be seeing a Hepatologist for management.  Good luck - Jan

 He did not take a biopsy but he said my liver looked healthy and he didn't think it was necessary to visit a liver specialist or be too concerned about NASH. I will keep this in mind however.

My doctor also asked me to lose weight before my surgery, and he had a specific "liver shrinking" diet - but the other posts are more correct the goal is to reduce the fat surrounding your liver an make the surgery easier.  Here is the specific from my surgeons diet:

		STARCH	FAT	PROTEIN	FRUIT	VEGETABLE	MILK
Breakfast		1	1	1	1		1
Snack							1
Lunch		1	1	2		1
Snack							1
Dinner		1	1	3	1	1
Snack							1
DAILY TOT		3	3	6	2	2	4

I had already lost 55 lbs when I went on this diet and lost another 8lbs in the 2 weeks before surgery.  Use the diebetic assoc descriptions of the food groups and serving sizes but limit yourself to non fat milk, reduced fat cheese, or soy milk if you are lactose intolerant.  I figured this is about 1200  calories a day.
Good luck!

My group requires everyone to be on 4 weeks of Optifast, 5 shakes with one small food meal, no starches.  It works.

Hi,
I am currently on this "liver shrinking diet" I am supposed to drink 4 Optifast 800 shakes and 2 Optifast nutrition bars daily.  I have currently been able to eat 1 to 1 1/2 bars and 3 shakes a day.  I got on the scale today (Sat) and I am down 3.4 lbs since Wed.  Only 8 more days of this then 48hrs of clear liquids only.  I hope this helps.  Oh BTW I am 5' 7" and 270 lbs with a bmi of 42.5

Here is the diet my dr put me on for 14 days before surgery:
skim or soy milk
low fat cream soups
any furit juice without pulp
any vegetable juice
sugar free pudding
dannon lite and fit yogurt
no sugar added fudgsicle
world wide protein supplement drink found at trader joes and fresh and easy
all of the above equal to 70 grams of protein and 1000 calories

In any amount
water, crystal light, diet snapple, tea, coffee, prefer decaf, sugar free jello, sugar free popsicle, low sodium broth or vegetable broth.
The popsicles and fudgsicles quench that desire for chewing. 
most lose 10-20 lbs

Hi
I'm in Canada and we are all required to complete an Optifast diet prior to surgery.  You need to be on it for 1 week for every 100 lbs...so 200 is 2 weeks; 300 is 3 weeks...etc..

I get 4 shakes a day (They remind me of slimfast) they are high in protein and low fat and no carbs.  They come in Chocolate which are okay and vanilla which I add any flavour of crystal light to.  Adding the tangerine/grapefruit makes it taste like a creamcicle. 

Besides that we can have a cup of broth (i ususally have 2) and 2 cups a day of veggies (those only being lettuce; cucumber; celery; broccoli and green pepper).  Drink lots of water; crystal light; tea (no milk); etc...

That is what works up here.  Good luck!!!!

Why would you do "another" RNY when the first one didn't work? Why not a revision to the DS? Or just get the DS in the first place?

Okay, liver shrinking diet. ANY severely calorie restricting diet will "shrink" your liver. Pick any method you think you can do and go for it. Heavy calorie restriction means first your body burns up glycogen reserves, then fat in liver. They ALL work if they are drastic enough.

I would consider this a gift from heaven to prevent me from getting RNY and a chance to get the DS.