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My surgeon gives you a choice of either a 2 week pre-op diet that consists of specific meals with a dinner of 3 oz. of protein and veggies, plus fruit and protein drinks during the day; or the second choice is a 9 day liquid diet. With either choice, your last day is all liquids. I told my nut that I prefer the 9 day liquid diet. It is a requirement across the board for every patient from my understanding. I think it just all depends on the surgeon and the medical center.

I had a PFT and had some slight constriction on the release but the nurse said that was probably from being a previous smoker but was not a problem regarding surgery. I also has an ultrasound, an EKG, blood work, urinalysis and a chest X-Ray. I have to go in on the 4th to have a nuclear stress test and echo-cardio gram which I am a little nervous about but hope I pass alright. They also requested a previous chest X-Ray I had in Nov. to compare with the one they took ....also makes me nervous although the nurse told me not worry (easy for her to say). I need to go to a behavioral management class on the 8th too. I was told once I cleared the stress test and echo cardiogram, they will send my paperwork to the surgeon. Have all my fingers crossed at this point!

Congrats on that huge accomplishment! I have been smoke-free for over 1 1/2 years and it will get easier and so worth the struggle to get WLS. I was actually in the middle of quitting smoking when my husband became so ill he was in ICU for 3 weeks and they didn't think he would make it. God must have been with us through this crisis! I think I was so focus on him ( didn't leave the hospital) that I didn't have time to think about anything else. You be very proud of yourself!

I haven't had to personally deal with this, as I quit smoking 1 1/2 years ago, but I do know that my medical center requires WLS candidates be smoke-free for 8 weeks and they do require urine testing to make you have remained smoke-free prior to surgery. I had my physch evaluation a couple of weeks ago and was asked about smoking. The surgeon stated at the info seminar that the reason this is required is because of the dangers during and after surgery and stated they had a patient that ended up in ICU for 6 weeks after surgery because of smoking. The patient had cheated on the urine test by using someone else's urine sample. That is all the specifics that I know.

I am going to be having gastric bypass for my GERD and am in the process right now. Since you said you will be losing your insurance in July, I would call your insurance company ASAP regarding their requirements for WLS. Some insurance require a 6 month doctor supervised diet prior to the surgery. I am new to this forum but am learning a lot from reading the posts from all the vets on here.

I have also decided not to tell anyone, because I already know I would never hear the end of it. My husband is the only person that knows about my decision and is my best support. When I went to the WLS informational session, there was a young woman who had VSG surgery and spoke about this issues. What she said to everyone that asked about her weight loss was "I have been blessed" and left it at that.

Yes, a RNY is short for Rou-en-Y gastric bypass (same as bypass).