Your doctor may prescribe a clear liquid diet before or after a surgical procedure. Most of the time, your doctor allows you to take your medications and dietary supplements up to a few days before a procedure, but in some cases you may need to discontinue multivitamins up to a week in advance. Take your bottle of multivitamins to your doctor visit so she can see exactly which nutrients it provides and in what amounts. You may be able to continue taking your multivitamins while on a clear liquid diet, but probably won't be able to have anything by mouth the day of your procedure.
Purpose of Liquid Diet
The purpose of a clear liquid diet is to clear your gut of all residue. It is an important step before surgery to rid your body of obstructions in your digestive tract, such as fecal waste. Additionally, it reduces your risk of nausea and complications after surgery. Clear liquid diets are critical if you are having any sort of surgical procedure on your digestive tract, such as gastric bypass or a colonoscopy.
Clear Liquid Diet Basics
While following a clear liquid diet, you should only consume things you can see through at room temperature. For example, frozen ice pops are a part of this diet because they are clear when they melt. You can also have broth, fruit juice, clear sodas, such as ginger ale, coffee, tea and water. These foods provide enough calories to support basic functions for a short period, but have only minimal nutrients. Because this diet is limited in calories, macronutrients, vitamins and minerals, you should follow it for just a few days or under the direct supervision of your health care provider.
Things to Avoid
Avoid any foods that leave residue in your digestive tract while following a clear liquid diet. Do not have juice with pulp, frozen pops with fruit pieces and soup with bits of meat or noodles. Additionally, your physician may request you avoid any liquids with red food coloring, since they may leave a reddish-colored residue in your digestive tract, which can be mistaken for blood.
Other Considerations
Multivitamins come in a variety of forms, such as chewable tablets, liquid drops, gummy chews and easy-to-swallow pills. Your doctor may want you to avoid swallowing multivitamin pills while following a clear liquid diet before a medical procedure, but you may be allowed to take a liquid multivitamin. If you are concerned about your nutrient intake while following a clear liquid diet, talk with your physician about different types of multivitamin supplements.
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