Nutrition
Before surgery
For three weeks before your surgery you will need to go on the
Optifast programme.
Optifast is a total food replacement that:
• is scientifically formulated and nutritionally complete
• contains sufficient quantities of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins
and minerals to meet your body’s daily needs
• involves three sachets a day, which we will supply to you.
There are also Optifast soups, bars and desserts, but you will need
to buy these if you wish to use them.
Why do you need to go onto Optifast?
When you are overweight you store fat in your liver, which makes
the liver large and firm. For the surgeon to be able to perform your
surgery, the liver needs to be moved aside. Optifast helps to shrink
and soften the liver, which lessens the time of the operation and
lowers post operation risks.
Losing weight before surgery will also lower the anaesthesia risks.
What if I get hungry?
In the first few days on Optifast you will get hungry, but this should
ease as your body adjusts. The low calorie Optifast programme
forces your body to break down your stored fat. When this
happens, ketones are produced, which will reduce your appetite. If
you eat other foods that are not recommended, the production of
ketones will be interrupted, and your food cravings will increase.
If your hunger is unmanageable, you can increase you intake of
clear broth (soup), small portions of diet jelly (within reason), or
black tea / diet drinks.
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