Question:
Lowfat Diet

I'm having my surgery in 9 days. Last week I got a call from my Doctors office asking me if I wanted to take a cancelled surgery spot. And I jumped at it!!! My Doctor suggests that his patients be on a Low Gat, 1000 calories a day diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery. Well, since I found out less than 2 weeks before I'm having a very hard time sticking to this diet he wants us to be on. Can anyone help me and let me know if their doctors ask the same? And if they do, how do you it after years of binging and eating? This is so hard on me, and I don't want to ruin my surgery.    — Pam P. (posted on January 18, 2003)

January 18, 2003
I was not required to be on any pre-op diet, but I did lose 13 pounds between my initial consult and the surgery (about a 3-month period). This was just by starting some sensible eating, cutting out junk food and cutting down on portions - and avoiding the "last supper syndrome"...JR
   — John Rushton

January 18, 2003
Pre-op if forced to stick to a 1000 calorie diet, I'd eat lots of salads using lettuce as a filler. Also make plates full of steamed veggies, your favorite kinds-they are filling yet low in calories and fat. Same for a big baked potato-put veggie chili on top of it, again its filling and low calorie and fat. Its only 2 weeks-even less, you can do it! and don't think that you won't be able to eat your favorites again after surgery. You will..eventually!
   — Cindy R.

January 18, 2003
There is a reason for this. Most MO people have a thick layer of fat covering their liver. It obstructs the surgeons view during surgery and makes it more difficult. Especially if you are having lap. This is one of the causes of lap surgery being switched to open. A couple of weeks on a low fat and calorie diet reduces the fat layer on the liver really fast so they can see better.
   — Linda A.

January 18, 2003
Sorry I can't help you with the low fat diet, however I do have a suggestion. Quit sugar and use Splenda. I did that a month before surgery. And in my case I Last Suppered myself to death and still lost around 13 pounds! The only thing different I did was to "quit sugar". Now PLEASE STICK TO THAT LOW FAT DIET your doc wants you to do! But use Splenda (or another sweetner if you prefer). For some reason when I quit all the sugar I was eating, I dropped pounds fast that month. Let's say you stick to your diet, AND quit sugar, prehaps you will have a good weight loss for those two weeks. Then you will be in much better shape for your surgery. Best of luck to you!
   — Danmark

January 19, 2003
Depends on the doctor. My doctor does not require us to do anything special before surgery, and I've seen several other posts that are similiar. But, check with the office to see what the nurses have to say.
   — CrystalBroj