pre diet liver shrink

why do some doctors requre this liver diet shrink and some don't? If it is suppose to help you during surgery then why don't all doctors require it?

Anything you can do to get in shape before surgery is a big help.  Losing weight will cause some fat loss around the liver. Since the doc has to lift up and work around the liver, the less fat the better in terms of success and safety.  Having said that, the reality is that most obese people have a very hard time dieting even for such a worthy cause, so the actual weight loss, and fatty liver decrease, is probably negligible.  So doctors probably would like it, but may not expect it to happen. They may have learned from experience that the stress to their patients of trying to diet isn't worth it in terms of surgical outcomes.

Good question!!! I'm on my two week hell liquid diet. Monday is surgery day!!!!

well the good thing is that surgery is almost here! It looks like your surgery is the day before mine, so i wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery 

Dang two weeks my doctor only requires 2 days for hs patients. I dont know if I could do two weeks

One reason to shrink the liver is to be able to maneuver the laparoscopic tools around it during surgery.  Some surgeons view us as week-willed and expect us to prove something to them.  My DS was done open, so no pre-op diet was necessary at all.

In Ontario, the pre-op liquid diet is mandatory! It's generally 1 week per 100 lbs. For instance, if you are in the 200+ range, you'd fast for 2 weeks, etc. I have lost 25 lbs during my fast, so it really is worth it and not a waste as suggested previously. The purpose of the liquid diet is to throw your body into ketosis so you shrink your fat cells, making it easier for your surgeon to maneuver his instruments. A fatty liver makes it extremely difficult to move out of the way so the surgeon can access your stomach. This can result in him nicking your liver or other organs by mistake. No fun. In my opinion all doctors should require the pre-op liquid diet. If a patient cannot make it a few weeks on liquids, they aren't likely to be successful post-op. Just my two cents.

I have to do a 4 week liquid diet. I had a liver biopsy and was told have a very fatty liver. So my surgeon said to reduce the risk of him nicking it during surgery I had to do the mandatory optifast 800. Also, most of my fat is in the belly area which causes risks. I am 5' 255 lbs. even though it's hard I am glad to be doing it!!

Best of luck to you Roxann!

Good Luck I dont know if I could do it, but Im in the cheering section for you.