Liver-shrinkage diet

Hey everyone! I finally got my surgery date last Friday! I'm having my RNY done on 3-14-17 and I just started my liver shrinkage diet yesterday. The diet I'm on is incredibly strict (mostly liquids for 2 weeks!) and I know it differs from surgeon to surgeon, but I'm wondering if you'd like to share what your liver-shrinkage diet consisted of - if you can remember!

Just curious because I feel like the pre-surgery diet I'm on is a little extreme-- high protein (60 grams), low carb, 1000 calories max... basically, I have protein shakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I can have unlimited SF jello, SF popsicles, water, low-sodium chicken broth, and I get up to 3 approved snack options, which are 1/2 cup of SF & FF pudding/ applesauce/ cottage cheese, all soft things.

What was your liver-shrinkage diet like? Does anybody have any tips or tricks to get me through the next couple weeks?

That is more generous that the centre I went through.  We could only have the shakes (I think 900 cals a day) one cup of broth.  No applesauce or cottage cheese etc.

Oh man! That's brutal. Well that changes my perspective on things a whole bunch-- I feel lucky to have the approved snack options now. Thank you for letting me know that!

My diet was same as far as calories and protein go, but not so strict as to what I could eat.  Had to be low carb, low or no sugar.  Keep your eye on the prize.  You REALLY need to shrink your liver before surgery for your safety.  Many people comment that they "cheat" and have "last meals" during this time.  Try really hard not to do that.  Your surgeon wants you on this diet for your safety, and to make the surgery easier for them.  A big liver will get in the way - because it lays over the stomach that they are trying to access it.  I still had a big liver even with three weeks of pre-op diet, and they had to make the incision on the left side bigger to get all the tools in and move my liver out of the way, and then my left side was very uncomfortable for weeks after the surgery.

I drank a lot of water to keep full.  I occupied myself with organizing my refrigerator, pantry, and freezer.  I stocked up on post-op food (not too much because you may not like what you like now).  I knit like a fiend.  I was on OH several times a day reading the menu threads.  I was on YouTube watching the post-rny videos people posted, looking for the potential pitfalls so I could avoid them.

Good luck!  Amazing ride!

Thank you so much for sharing! I'm not really up to cheating on the diet, because I understand why they need the liver shrunk before surgery and I don't want to have any complications post-op, so I'm not worried about cheating. It just seemed a little strict to be doing a liquid diet for two weeks, but it seems to be pretty universal and that makes it a lot easier for me to go through this, knowing it's not just me!

I'm in Ontario, Canada and do not have a surgery date yet, but we are given our pre-surgery instructions during the nutrition classes. 
I can tell you that we are put on a product called Optifast to shrink the liver. You take it for 1 week/100 lbs of weight. I am just over 200lbs so I will be on it for 2 weeks. The instructions are:

1 optifast shake for breakfast, lunch, dinner and one as a snack.

Plus:

•  6-8 cups a day of calorie free liquids:
• water
• black coffee or tea with artificial sweetener
• green, herbal or white tea
• chicken, beef or vegetable broth. Read the label to make sure they have less than 10 calories in a serving
• calorie free beverages such as sugar-free drink crystals, diet iced tea, diet pop
• no sugar added Jell-O®
• sugar-free Popsicles®. 

Yup! I was on it for 3 weeks. I was envious of other diets, but to be honest, it got pretty easy after a week or so!

Sounds pretty similar to what I'm on! Thank you for sharing-- I was feeling like the diet was a little too strict just because of the program I'm going through, but it seems to be universal for programs around the nation & world, which gives me some relief!!

Mine was protein shakes only, no milk in them either, only water. So nothing bu****er and protein shakes and sugar free popsicles for two weeks.

I went from 245 to 217 though so it worked very well.

Hope that helps you feel better :)

Ceci

Makes me feel SO much better! I feel like the "approved snacks" that I get are like a major treat, haha! Thank you for sharing!!!