Pre-op Weight Loss

[tcodrington 8]

I'm scheduled to have the sleeve done 4/24. The process went really quickly and I'm grateful for that, but is it strange that I wasn't required to lose any weight before surgery? I keep reading how so many people had to lose weight prior to surgery.

[teacupnosaucer 445]

In our program we were only expected to not gain... just so long as we made the lifestyle changes that was all that was expected of us.

[tcodrington 8]

In our program we were only expected to not gain... just so long as we made the lifestyle changes that was all that was expected of us.

Yeah, that's pretty much what they've told me.

[biginjapan 647]

I agree - my nutritionist told me that the pre-op was to shrink the liver and get used to eating the right foods, and not to worry about weight loss. I did lose 23 pounds in 3 weeks though!

[JaelVSG 7]

Most of those requirements are insurance company requirements.

[VSG4Mag 106]

14 hours ago, JaelVSG said:

Most of those requirements are insurance company requirements.

Yes. Some insurances require 6 months of weigh ins. Some doctors require weight loss depending on how high the starting weight is.

Mine did not. And my pre-op diet was only required for 1 week. I did 2 hoping I would get in the week earlier, but alas I wasn't able to be bumped up. It's ok though. My system was totally ready when it came time for my VSG.

[jessgnc 167]

My place also required us to maintain, if not lose.

Not everyone is able to lose pre-op. In my situation, my body is broken. All of the things they taught in nutrition class, I was already doing. I haven't drank soda in years, I keep very low carb, I have a 1200 day streak on myfitnesspal proving that I measure my portions and log my food, I work out regularly, I am mindful of the ingredients in my food, etc. Hell, I've now been substituting one meal a day with a Protein Shake just to ease into a liquid diet. None of that has made a difference for me.

I'm having surgery done because my body won't lose weight on its own. Honestly, while I wish it would work pre-op, not seeing ANY change on the scale despite being in the best health I've been in ever helps me know I'm making the right choice.

[tcodrington 8]

My place also required us to maintain, if not lose.

Not everyone is able to lose pre-op. In my situation, my body is broken. All of the things they taught in nutrition class, I was already doing. I haven't drank soda in years, I keep very low carb, I have a 1200 day streak on myfitnesspal proving that I measure my portions and log my food, I work out regularly, I am mindful of the ingredients in my food, etc. Hell, I've now been substituting one meal a day with a Protein  shake just to ease into a liquid diet. None of that has made a difference for me.
I'm having surgery done because my body won't lose weight on its own. Honestly, while I wish it would work pre-op, not seeing ANY change on the scale despite being in the best health I've been in ever helps me know I'm making the right choice.

Yeah, I get that. I've been the most strict I've ever been--including exercise-- and I still weighed in at the exact same at my pre-op appointment today as I did at my initial appt in January.

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

On 4/8/2017 at 10:14 PM, teacupnosaucer said:

In our program we were only expected to not gain... just so long as we made the lifestyle changes that was all that was expected of us.

That was me until the point of reaching Dr. Gill where he candidly says he doesn't feel comfortable operating on people who haven't lost at least 10% of their excess body weight, and that's primarily toward liver shrinking and the direct association with weight loss preoperatively. Of course it was my last appointment where he said this, when all of my health issues connected to obesity have all vastly improved along with fibroscans 2 months into the preop diet that show significant liver improvement.

Edited April 13, 2017 by PatientEleventyBillion