Gastric bypass remains the most common type of weight loss surgery in the United States, according to the Mayo Clinic website. Also known as a roux-en-Y procedure, gastric bypass surgery reduces the size of your stomach pouch and bypasses most of the stomach, allowing food to pass directly into the small intestine. This limits the amount of food you can absorb at one time. Some surgeons prescribe liquid diets for several weeks before the surgery as well as after surgery. After surgery, your surgeon slowly adds solid foods to your diet to allow your stomach time to heal.
Pre-Surgery
Some surgeons require patients to follow a liquid diet before the gastric bypass surgery. The timing varies according to the surgeon's preference; some require a high-protein, liquid diet for several days to several weeks before surgery, not only to help the patients lose weight before surgery but also to make the post-surgery transition easier, Bariatric Choice reports. Other centers, such as Cedars-Sinai require a clear liquid diet for 48 hours before the surgery, to ensure an empty bowel for the procedure. Instructions may vary, but following your surgeon's instructions precisely is important.
Post-Surgery Clear Liquids
After surgery, you can have only clear liquids for an amount of time prescribed by your surgeon. You may have to wait a day or two after surgery to start drinking clear liquids. Your diet consists of just clear liquids for as long as a few days or as short as a few hours, depending on your surgeon preferences and your response to the liquids. If you experience nausea, vomiting or other problems, you may stay on clear liquids for until you tolerate them well. Clear liquids include fluids you can see through, such as water, non-carbonated diet drinks, jello, broth or unsweetened juices.
Full Liquids
After a day or two, if you tolerate clear liquids, your diet may include full liquids, or liquids that you can't see through but that contain no food particles. Full liquids include creamed soups, protein drinks, milk or pudding. You may stay on full liquids for a few days up to or one two weeks, depending on surgeon's preference and your progress.
Pureed Foods
Pureed foods can include meats, cereals, fruits, vegetables and anything else that can be made smooth in a blender. Avoid crunchy cereals, crunchy peanut butter, bread, chocolate milk and anything else on your surgeons' non-approved list. Some surgeons also allow strained baby foods. The pureed food stages lasts up to 12 weeks after bypass surgery.
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