Weight loss prior to surgery

[emc28 1]

Hi everyone!!! Just wondering if any of u had to lose weight prior to your surgery? I haven't met with my surgeon yet but I'm anxious about that. It's not easy to lose the weight.

Thanks in advance!

[citygirl1962 50]

Have you checked your insurance requirements? Some require a medically supervised diet for 3 or 6 months. They certainly want you NOT to gain.

[goblue9280 481]

My insurance and surgeon did not require a diet... of course my insurance also had a $5000 bariatric deductible, so that helps weed out those that aren't serious.

My surgeon did require me to do a 2-week preop liquid diet where most all of my calories came from 4-5 Protein shakes per day. I lost around 20lbs in those 2-weeks... well technically mine was an 11-day diet due to being on travel the first couple days.

[emc28 1]

My insurance company doesn't require any weight loss management prior to surgery. I meet with him in January to go over everything.thanks again!!

[WLSResources/ClothingExch 3,444]

It may be that your surgeon will prefer you to lose some weight before surgery. The idea is to reduce fat on the liver, thereby making it more flexible for maneuvering and mucking about during laparascopic. My surgeon told me that she didn't care. At first I thought, "Oh, good, I'll stay as I am and begin to lose after surgery." Then I realized that, if I were truly serious about losing weight, I'd begin right away for a head start. I managed to lose 11 lbs in the three weeks before surgery and was glad for it.

Please be aware that, even after surgery, it takes commitment and work to lose weight and then maintain the weight loss. Surgery is a magical solution to neither. For your overall well-being and long-term success, it's imperative that you understand this and have realistic expectations of surgery. I say this because you didn't touch on any of this in your note, but implied that you think surgery is the answer to everything. I hope that isn't the case for your sake.

Edited December 10, 2015 by WLSResources/ClothingExch

[Niki15 198]

On the 2 week liquid diet I lost 23 pounds ... since surgery 8/4/15 I have lost another 67 pounds

[emc28 1]

@WLSResourses/clothingexch

I don't believe surgery is the answer to it all. For my sake I understand this is a life long commitment. Just asking a question and just venting a bit. No need to be rude.

Thank you everyone else for your comments

[jennaggie 43]

I'm self pay. Surgeon is requiring me to lose 40 lbs before we schedule the surgery. I've lost 35 lbs, 5 more to go!

[Pedro Valle-Inclan 275]

Hi yeah sure I thought everyone had to but guess it varies. I had to lose 15 lbs, reduce size of fatty liver, drop my A1C all before he'd operate on me. Well I did all those things that had me nervous, so now surgery all set for this Feb 10th; very excited, strangely not very nervous or scared but there's time to get that way.

Just thinking for the first time that it might be odd getting some attention for the first time from the opposite sex, and the idea of clothes, etc... oh boy! hang in there

[Sajijoma 1,324]

Your insurance will probably dictate what and how much you have to lose. My insurance (Aetna) required that I have no net weight gain for my 90 day program. I did better than that. My NUT helped guide me through and I put a nice dent in my weight pre op. I went from 429 down to 386 on surgery day and it didn't feel like I was dieting. It was more of a ok, this month I want you to leave 10% food on your plate and eat Protein first and legs aim for 10 mins of exercise 3 days a week. Then the next month we worked on it and went to leave 20% and exercise for 20 mins 5x a week and so on. It really helped. For me, I can usually lose 5-10lbs dieting before it stalls out, so to lose as much as I did and not even have a liquid pre op diet is amazing! I'm now 1 month out and have lost over 70lbs since that first appt in late June. It's been wonderful!