Weight Loss Before Surgery -- This seems kind of extreme

[cielle 0]

I had a weight check visit with the nut this morning and all was well. I've lost a total of 20.5 pounds since I started seeing her in April. After I left the office, one of the staff called because they needed to set up a final weigh for the Friday before my surgery. I was under the impression that I had to lose approx 30 pounds total. First they told me that using today's weight as a starting point, I would need to lose an additional 37 pounds -- my surgery is in 38 days. I told them that was impossible and that the nut had told me that amount of weight I had to lose would be based on my initial weigh in. I was then told that I would need to lose an additional 22 pounds. While that is a definitely a more reasonable number, I'm pretty upset.

Weight loss wasn't stressed very much in the beginning by my nut, so I've been somewhat casual about it. It was more about establishing healthy patterns -- mindful eating, exercise, taking Vitamins, finding a Protein Shake I could tolerate, etc. Then when I actually got a date in September, I joined Weight Watchers to try to lose the required amount. I haven't gotten weighed this week (and I was so upset today that my eating was out of control), but as of last Saturday, I was only down 8 pounds from starting Weight Watchers.

I know my surgeon will cancel my surgery if I don't lose weight and now I'm really stressed. I'm taking vacation time for the surgery and by the time I know for sure (the Friday before my Monday surgery), it will be too late to cancel my vacation and roll it over. I will not have enough vacation time to move this into next year and I know that I will have a hard time maintaining whatever loss I do have for a long period of time, even if I can figure out a way to push this into next year.

I just want to cry and scream and eat. If I could lose that much weight that quickly, I might not be pursuing surgery. I'm just so frustrated and I don't know what to do at this point. I feel like I've gone through so much to get here and I can't imagine having to do it all again.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Did you express your concirns about losing and vacation to them while in the office? I would email or call and just let them know if you didn't. This would stress me out for sure! Don't give up... your so close... dig in and do what you can... hopefully they are just putting on the mega pressure for your own good...although its hard to imagin it now!

[Mike 0]

that sucks but stay strong and don't gove up.

[educationrulz 18]

I think you need to have a serious talk with your surgeon about this - not the NUT or the nurse or the insurance contact. The surgeon will ultimately give the go ahead on this. You need to know sooner rather than later how much chance there is that your surgery will be cancelled. If it looks like he'll cancel on you if you don't lose the rest of the weight, maybe you'll have time to find another surgeon with more realistic pre-op expectations.

[stromgardgirl 0]

I completely understand your frustration. I went to my second to last dietician meeting this past week, and it was the first time she mentioned that I needed to keep a steady weight or lose weight. I admit I have gained 8 lbs and to this minute I'm still at a loss how. I have been more active then I have been. Anyways she said that as it stands she is unsure if I would get approved for my surgery. That was completely devastating to me. I'm hoping all goes well and I do get approved. I guess I will be starving myself until my next appointment.

[Eureka-C 20]

For some of these so called professionals, I just want to ask them, "what the he$# is wrong with you? Don't you think we have tried and failed enough? It is a slap in the face." I don't have a problem with the liquid diet pre-op or changing habits, but a pound a day until surgery? Some people don't even do that after surgery. I hope you can find some sane answers from the surgeon, if not maybe you should find another one.

[cielle 0]

Did you express your concirns about losing and vacation to them while in the office? I would email or call and just let them know if you didn't. This would stress me out for sure! Don't give up... your so close... dig in and do what you can... hopefully they are just putting on the mega pressure for your own good...although its hard to imagin it now!

I haven't yet. I was so stunned on the phone when she told me that I wasn't thinking clearly. My husband left a message with them on Friday and I have an appointment with the surgeon on the 26th.

I'm stepping it up with the Protein shakes, going to try to do them for Breakfast and lunch. Somehow, despite my pity party on Thursday, I was down another 3.5 lbs at weight watchers (from Saturday, not since Thursday). And I haven't been exercising, but I'm cleared to go back in the pool tomorrow. Thanks for the encouragement!

[cielle 0]

that sucks but stay strong and don't gove up.

Thanks!

[cielle 0]

I think you need to have a serious talk with your surgeon about this - not the NUT or the nurse or the insurance contact. The surgeon will ultimately give the go ahead on this. You need to know sooner rather than later how much chance there is that your surgery will be cancelled. If it looks like he'll cancel on you if you don't lose the rest of the weight, maybe you'll have time to find another surgeon with more realistic pre-op expectations.

My husband and I are scheduled to meet with the surgeon a week from Tuesday. I should have some idea at that point as to what kind of progress I'm making. It's just so frustrating and it's so hard to not fall back on food when I'm upset.

[cielle 0]

I completely understand your frustration. I went to my second to last dietician meeting this past week, and it was the first time she mentioned that I needed to keep a steady weight or lose weight. I admit I have gained 8 lbs and to this minute I'm still at a loss how. I have been more active then I have been. Anyways she said that as it stands she is unsure if I would get approved for my surgery. That was completely devastating to me. I'm hoping all goes well and I do get approved. I guess I will be starving myself until my next appointment.

I'm so sorry that you're going through something similar. If you're more active than you've been, it's possible that you're gaining muscle mass. My nut has a fancy-schmancy scale that shows the composition of your body in addition to your weight. If yours does too, you might look to see how that has changed. Are you doing any Protein shakes now? Fingers crossed that it all goes well for you.

[cielle 0]

For some of these so called professionals, I just want to ask them, "what the he$# is wrong with you? Don't you think we have tried and failed enough? It is a slap in the face." I don't have a problem with the liquid diet pre-op or changing habits, but a pound a day until surgery? Some people don't even do that after surgery. I hope you can find some sane answers from the surgeon, if not maybe you should find another one.

My thoughts exactly. If I could lose a pound a day.....