Liver shrinking diet?

I have been reading more and more about surgery and I see several people refer to a liver shrinking diet. Can anyone explain what this is and why? I have a lot of excess weight to lose and I know that some surgeon requires you to lose weight before surgery and some don't.

tyia

The stomach is behind the liver. The surgeon has to move the liver out of the way in order to operate on the stomach. If the liver is too big to move safely, the operation will have to be cancelled. This is the reason for the pre-op, or "liver shrinking" diet. Typically you're only on this diet for a week or two before surgery. The pre-op diet usually drastically reduces the amount of carbs (especially sugar) that you eat. This causes the liver to release some of the fluid that it normally holds (I'm not sure exactly why or how this happens), which in turn makes your liver smaller, like a sponge that's been wrung out.

Usually when people are required to lose weight before surgery, that's a requirement by the insurance company, rather than the surgeon. Some insurance companies require this, some don't. However, the surgeon might require you to lose weight if he or she thinks the surgery would be dangerous at the patient's current size. Whether required by the insurance company or the surgeon, this type of diet isn't as restrictive as the pre-op diet; it's a "normal" weight loss diet.

I also read that the liver is one of the first places to start losing weight and if a surgeon is performing the surgery laparoscopically, it's like moving a mattress with chopsticks to get to your stomach. I have seen others post that their surgeon only required a few days and others a few weeks prior to their scheduled surgery. As the individual mentioned above depends on the insurance company and the provider. All in all, if you are losing weight, I'd say it works. I am going to do what I can when it's my turn to make it easier on my surgeon when they are in there!

my surgeon had me on a 2wk diet that consisted of cucumbers, califlower, celery, green peppers, pickles and alittle bit of low fat cottage cheese and low-fat turkey and sugar free popsicles, sugar free drink mix. i thought i was going to starve to death but i made it just fine.

I know it seems like there is so little food they allow you on the preop diet I know it is going to be a struggle for me for sure. If I get approved I will have to stay busy and get through it I want this chance at a healthier life.

Heather,

You can do this.. as posted above it is medically necessary for your safety.

IF any surgeon did not require some effort to make procedure safer...I would RUN, not walk away. That said every surgeons procedures and length of time vary...for many reasons. Follow the one of your surgeon. EXACTLY. This is one way the surgeon can gauge your commitment.

This is a lifelong, life extending, life changing surgery. Even if you are one of the ones who has many complications...it WILL change your life. You must be willing to get on the program and work it to your own benefit.

There will be difficult days. My Mom had the invasive surgery many years ago. She had so much belly fat/intestinal/liver bloating she was on 400 calories a day- in a high protein, low volume pudding until she lost 55 lbs.It took her 6 mo. due to her destroyed metabolism.She could have unsweetened tea and ice water in addition to unlimited plain string beans. She wanted it bad! I am so thankful i did not have to do that.!

You can begin the process with liver detox. Read up on it...there are many ways to do it. It will make it easier for the liver to clear the fat you are trying to loose....a boated liver can NOT be as efficient as a cleaned one. The easiest for me,. Milk thistle, which is often prescribed by endocrine-liver specialists, (is OTC)who do prescribe it. Have one friend who had life extended by 2 years - fatty liver was DX, found in failure stage, via this supplement.His specialist confirmed to him and wife at his last visit as he entered his final weeks of total liver failure.

thank you for the idea of looking up a liver detox I will do that and get a head start on what I need to do to reduce my liver prior to surgery. I will be sure to follow my surgeon's directions as well. I am sorry about your friend such a shame but to have his life extended by two years was a blessing in some way I am sure.

My surgeon requires a 10 day Liver Shrinking diet for the above mentioned reasons. I will be allowed shakes, sugar free popsicles/jello, clear liquids, and 1/2 cup of non-starchy vegetables a day. My sister-in-law only had to do one day of liquids before. So it really all does depend on your surgeon.

Anyone who has done a liver shrinking diet...I am trying to learn all I can to make the right decisions since I am pre-surgery and haven't selected a surgeon yet. Can you do the RTD protein shakes to help with shrinking your liver, and has anyone done just shakes for two weeks? If so, was it hard to stick with?

I met with my surgeon yesterday for the first time and asked a ton of questions this being one. His approach is that you will have protein shakes for one meal and then regular foods for the remaining meals but the foods will be high in protein and low carb. I did ask about just doing protein shakes and he said the majority of the ones out are not sufficient enough to replace all foods and he does not suggest trying that. He said back a few years ago there was a replacement shake called Optifast that was specifically formulated to replace your meals but most surgeons do not use those any longer due to the cost and compliance of the patients.