Weight Loss

[dannaf 6]

My doctor has not said That I needed to loss a certain amount of weight befor surgery why are some of you being asked to loss weight. Did I miss something should I contact my doctors office?

[CloserToFine 172]

There are several reasons why surgeons ask patients to lose weight before WLS. First -- and let's be honest about this -- it's usually to comply with insurer's requirements. Per insurance requirements, somewhere between three and six months is frequently the amount of time that patients are required to be on a monitored weight loss program.

Second, losing weight beforehand shrinks the liver and makes surgery safer. Third, losing weight beforehand shows your willingness to comply with the WLS program and "prepares" you (to a certain extent) for your life post-surgery.

I can't imagine why your doctor hasn't said anything about a pre-op weight loss program. Are you self-pay or insurance pay? Are you a low BMI patient? By all means, contact the doctor's office and get the scoop. Good luck!

[kathy2208 40]

Yeah my insurance requires a 6 month diet for the same reasons

[dannaf 6]

Yes I have been on a high-protein low-carb program for six months however there is not a specific amount of weight that I need to lose

[dannaf 6]

And yes my insurance is covering the procedure I have a few conditions that warrant the surgery

[Daisee68 2,493]

My doctor nor insurance ever told me I had to lose a specific amount of weight. It was just all about the learning process and building new habits

[ssflbelle 829]

I too am on a 6 month supervised diet as well as a load of testing and a mental evaluation per my insurance and I was not told a certain amount of weight to lose either. So if I am even approved my surgery will not be until 2016.

The Dr told me (just last week - the second visit) to get off of Nurisystem (which I have been on for over a year.) He is trying to get me to eat only 3 meals a day high protein/low carb and no snacking which is what he said I will have to follow a month or so after the surgery.

I am finding it difficult not to eat between meals as I am use to a snack between lunch and dinner and another one later at night. They are Protein Snacks I am eating but he doesn't even want me eating those kinds of snack. He does want to see a food diary and he does look at that to see what I am eating, I lost 10 pounds the first month and he was happy.

[kathy2208 40]

I have the same problem the snacking is what will give me difficulty

[byebyedarkpassenger 203]

My insurance doesn't require a preop diet. The surgeon told me not to to gain ANY weight otherwise insurance might deny.

[kathy2208 40]

Wow yeah mines told me the same

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

There are several reasons why surgeons ask patients to lose weight before WLS. First -- and let's be honest about this -- it's usually to comply with insurer's requirements. Per insurance requirements, somewhere between three and six months is frequently the amount of time that patients are required to be on a monitored weight loss program.

Second, losing weight beforehand shrinks the liver and makes surgery safer. Third, losing weight beforehand shows your willingness to comply with the WLS program and "prepares" you (to a certain extent) for your life post-surgery.

I can't imagine why your doctor hasn't said anything about a pre-op weight loss program. Are you self-pay or insurance pay? Are you a low BMI patient? By all means, contact the doctor's office and get the scoop. Good luck!

This is true, but not every program requires a pre-op diet. Mine did not.

Also depending on your BMI or any other factors your insurance company may only require a monitored effort to lose weight. I didn't have any comorbidities, but I had a high BMI and other health issues.

My doctor has not said That I needed to loss a certain amount of weight befor surgery why are some of you being asked to loss weight. Did I miss something should I contact my doctors office?

Nope, not every program requires a pre-op diet. Mine did not.

[kathy2208 40]

@@CloserToFine

I'm required to do a 6 month pre-op diet. Do you know if they start you off with a specific diet or shakes during the first 6 months?

[CloserToFine 172]

@@CloserToFine

I'm required to do a 6 month pre-op diet. Do you know if they start you off with a specific diet or shakes during the first 6 months?

@@kathy2208 -- it seems like every patient is different. During my pre-op diet, which was for a period of 3 months, I was told to stick to 1500 calories a day and to chart everything I ate. The nutritionist would check my food logs at every visit. Some people on this forum are told to use a specific diet plan (Atkins seems to be fairly common) or buy specific products, but I wasn't.

The differences show up even in the pre-op liquid diet phase, a week or so before surgery. I had a 10-day liquid diet where I had to meet certain Protein goals. I couldn't eat anything solid at all -- not even lettuce! But many other people on this forum were allowed to eat lean solid Proteins and others had a specific brand of shake they were supposed to use. It really all depends on what your surgeon wants.

Good luck to you!

[kathy2208 40]

Thank you so much for the information at least now I have a understanding to what to expect good luck to you too????????????????

[Jessica Ellison-Correa 66]

im on a 6 month medical diet pre-op and i dont have a specific amount to lose but the nut says if i dont lose 2-5 ponds a month or gain any weight two months in a row i am out of the program