Question:
Dr. is wanting me to do the liver shrinking diet. Can anyone tell me what this is?

Want to know if it is straight liquids or just all protein. My Dr. says it is important to shrink the liver.Thanks for your answers.Lori Y.    — lyoung2005 (posted on March 24, 2006)

March 24, 2006
I was on a straight liquid diet for 2 weeks before my surgery. Boy was that hard too! Yes, it did shrink my liver for the Dr to maneuver better during suurgery.
   — [Deactivated Member]

March 24, 2006
i was on a 2 week strictly liquid diet also before my surgery. all it does is shrink your liver in order for the doctor to get around easier during your surgery. your liver is directly in the way because of where it sits and it's just easier for the doctor.
   — jjett_16

March 24, 2006
My doctor has me on a 3 days of no surgar clear liquids only prior to surgery and 5 days after surgery.
   — dabby

March 24, 2006
Liver Shrink Diet ...also called a protein sparing diet. Breakfast: 2.0 oz. of cooked lean meat or 1 egg/eggbeater 4 oz. veggies 8 oz. noncalorie beverages Mid Morning Snack: 8 oz noncalorie beverage 4 oz. veggies Lunch: 3-4 oz. cooked lean meat 4 oz. veggies 8 oz. non-calorie beverage mid afternoon snack: (same as mid morning allotment) Dinner: (same allotment as Lunch) Evening Snack: Same as all other snacks 4oz. cooked veggies= 1/2 C cooked or raw veggies 3oz protein= size of a deck cards/bar of soap Take a multivitamin with minerals daily, 1000mg of calcium daily (split 2xday) Drink at lest 64 oz fluids daily (calorie free...crystal lite, water, tea, coffee, broth, seltzer, club soda, artificial sweeteners are OK Meats: (NO SKIN, packed in h2o not oil)very lean burger, chicken, beef steak, turkey, egg whites, eggs, egg beaters, veal lean, lamb lean, pork lean, liver, fish (haddock, perch, cod, flounder, crab, halibut, tuna, shrimp are all low in fat) Veggies:sprouts, asparagus, bambooshoots, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cukes, peppers, lettuces, mushrooms, pickles, radishes, spinach, summersquash/zucchini, tomatoes, green/wax beans, collard/other greens, tomato juice FREE FOODS: sugar free hard candy, sugar free jello, sugar free ice pops, sugar free jellies and syrups, butter buds/mollymcbutter, horseradish, soy sauce, kitchen bouquet, vinegar, lemon juice, nonstick pam, bullion/broth, all herbs/spices, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, unsweetened pickles This diet is a 600-800 cal/day diet consisting of lean meats and veggies, with little carbs, it maximizes fat breakdown without losing lean muscle mass, fat is used as energy and the small amount of protein saves the lean tissue in the body :spares it". Diet is VERY limited and you may only have 1-2 bowel movements a week. EAT ALL Allowed veggies for bulk! Only to be used for short periods of time (1 mo or so)....You will be in ketosis on this diet so drink plenty of fluids to flush wastes out! You may notice sweet fruity breath, this is normal, it is the body's way of blowing of some ketones.... Good luck ! This was taken directly from my handout from the clinical nutritionist!
   — Flo

March 24, 2006
My surgeon has me on a 4 week skim milk only diet. For 10 minutes you can drink as much skim milk as you want or can tolerate 3-5 times a day.
   — classite

March 24, 2006
The liver processes fats and alcohol. The liver must be retracted during surgery which can be difficult in laparoscopic procedures if it is thick (or fatty). As a result, by greatly restricting fats prior to surgery (about 2 weeks seems to be the norm), your liver wil shrink and become more supple-- and, therefore, easier to be moved out the way during surgery. Many surgeons give very regimented pre-operative diets because many of us prior to surgery needed very strict, bright line rules to follow given our years of rationalizing poor food choices (c'mon, how many of us used to eat ice cream because it was a good source of calcium). But, the bottom line is that you can shrink your liver without losing weight-- you can gain weight by eating nothing by carbohydrates, but consume no fats (NOT THAT THIS APPROACH IS A GOOD ONE). But, just remember, that some surgeons also incorporate a pre-opeartive weight loss requirement into the liver shrinking regimine, so be certain to follow your surgeon's own protocol.
   — SteveColarossi

March 25, 2006
I was told to eat a SF non fat yogurth with every meal 2 weeks before surgery to shrink my liver. Best of lucks!!!! Pilar
   — iaheel

March 26, 2006
hello. yep the liver shrinking diet. i had to do it protein only for 5 days pre op 36 hours clear liquid untill 5pm pre op eve. this the dr. said was to shrink the liver so they could manuver all the tools around a little easier. good luck
   — heather G.

April 7, 2007
My Dr. put me on it for 2 weeks. It consisted of protein shake for breakfast and lunch then 4 oz of lean meat and 1 cup of raw vegetables for dinner.
   — tlthoma3

April 10, 2007
As I write this I am on my 6th day of the "Liver Shrinking Diet" so I think for the 1st time in my life I know what HUNGER is. For breakfast I have a protien shake, dry wheat toast and 1/4 cup cottage cheese. For lunch another protien shake, 1 oz low fat cheese and 1/2 fresh fruit. Dinner is a low fat/low calorie frozen dinner (Weight Watchers-South Beach- Healthy Choice-Lean Cusine...or the like) After all day let me tell you the TV type dinner is out of this world!!! All this and at least 64 oz water. It works because I lost 7 pounds in 7 days. Good Luck to ME and YOU.
   — KIKILIA722

October 10, 2008
I have to wonder if you are basically on a starvation diet to shrink your liver and the liver shrinks via the bodys lack of food to process then what keeps the other organs from shrinking. Why would I want my heart, kidneys, etc... to shrink and suffer as well? I would think a healthy heart when going into a surgery is the most important thing. -Jaime
   — Jaime Breckenridge

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