:help: I have a ?
I am not sure I understand your question. Are you are asking what is the difference between WLS and a liquid diet?
I am not an expert. But as I understand, there are two basic ways WLS works-- one is through retriction of what the stomach can hold and the other is through malabsorbtion of food and nutrients in the intestines. There is a lap band procedure that utilizes the restrictive method. In this surgery a band is placed around the stomach to "create" a small pouch. One loses weight because they can not eat very much at one time. There are also two types of surgery currently being done that use both restrictive and malabsorbtion. These are the RNY and DS. While the mechanics of these surgeries differ, they are similar in that each are based on creating a smaller stomach (or pouch in the case of the RNY) and a portion of the intestine is bypassed so that food and nutrients are not absorbed by the body.
A liquid diet is where one simply eats or drinks liquids only. Liquid diets can vary in the types of liquids one may consume.
Shannon,
I'm sorry but I dont really understand your question. But I'm gonna try to answer anyway...
Many doctors require patients to have a liquid diet before surgery to reduce the size of the liver prior to WLS, then many doctors also require liquids initially after surgery as you are healing and getting used to your new stomach and it's small size. On this board we tend to refer to both as Liquid Diet.
There are also liquid diets out there for pure weightloss unrelated to surgery (Optifast, Slimfast, etc) but your PCP would be the best choice for advice on that as an alternative.
Amy
P.S. Did you look into Vocational Rehab yet? Keep in mind, this isn't an easy process and may take you several months of research, speaking with many, many people and require clearance from doctors before you can even proceed to get approved. Dont throw in the towel just yet.
If I can throw in my two cents, I would say that NO, a liquid diet would not help you like WLS. Surgery is surgery and it's a huge commitment and it's a physical change and it's permanent and it's not really reversible, so once it's done, you're done for life.
A liquid diet is just a diet like any other diet that restricts the type or amount of food. If you go off the diet, you'll gain weight back and I don't think that a liquid diet teaches you how to eat properly for the rest of your life.
Jan
My mother did a liquid diet years ago...she gained it all back, just like most of the people who have done it. In fact I believe Oprah did a liquid diet years and years ago, it didn't work. WLS will change how and what you eat physically, you can't usually eat sugar anymore, or tolerate high fat foods and you only can eat 3-5oz at a time. WLS forces you to change...I couldn't personally change my eating without it. On any diet you get sick of doing it, cuz it is pure will power to change, then you gain back the weight usually. I had no will power 
Tracey
-106
Tracey
-106 
Hey Shannon,
You didn't go to Lake Wales High did you? I went to school with a Shannon Brown....
Anyway, trust everyone here in saying a liquid diet to lose weight is a REALLY bad idea. First it usually starves the body of important nutrients. Secondly, since your body is starving it will compensate and shut down, which can lead to a host of problems by itself. And lastly, it is a proven fact that for the long term they JUST DON'T WORK.
Bobby
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