Lost enough weight pre-op to cancel?

[Cober1 9]

I am scheduled for surgery next Wednesday but am now having second thoughts. I needed to lose about 60lbs and applied for surgery after finding out I am pre-diabetic. I got sick a few weeks ago and lost about 7lbs along with my appetite. I don't know what happened, I'm just suddenly not as hungry and can only tolerate very small portions without feeling sick. I started the pre-op diet and now I am losing about 1lb every 2 days. By the date of my surgery I will be down 15-20lbs from where I started and then only need to lose 40lbs to get to my ideal weight. I am thinking about cancelling my surgery. It seems crazy to have surgery for 40lbs but I'm also worried I'm just getting cold feet and if I don't do the surgery I'll find my appetite comes back and suddenly I'm back where I started. My deductible resets Sept. 1 so putting off the surgery and taking a wait and see approach won't work. Has anyone else experienced this or have any advice for me?

[VSGnewguy 164]

I would say let your own history be your guide. What is your track record for losing weight and being able to keep it off? The surgery is permanent so you definitely want to be sure about your decision.

[summerset 5,265]

It's very hard to give advice on this. I usually would say "wait and see" but that's obviously not an option.

I'd second the opinion of VSGnewguy. How good are you at maintaining weight? How old are you? How high is your BMI? How is your overall health condition?

[JT2002TJ 170]

7 hours ago, Cober1 said:

I am scheduled for surgery next Wednesday but am now having second thoughts. I needed to lose about 60lbs and applied for surgery after finding out I am pre-diabetic. I got sick a few weeks ago and lost about 7lbs along with my appetite. I don't know what happened, I'm just suddenly not as hungry and can only tolerate very small portions without feeling sick. I started the pre-op diet and now I am losing about 1lb every 2 days. By the date of my surgery I will be down 15-20lbs from where I started and then only need to lose 40lbs to get to my ideal weight. I am thinking about cancelling my surgery. It seems crazy to have surgery for 40lbs but I'm also worried I'm just getting cold feet and if I don't do the surgery I'll find my appetite comes back and suddenly I'm back where I started. My deductible resets Sept. 1 so putting off the surgery and taking a wait and see approach won't work. Has anyone else experienced this or have any advice for me?

What is your deductible, and how long does your insurance WLS pre-approval last for?

If it lasts for 2 years (mine once approved will be valid for 2 years), you can wait a full year (ending of 2018) as see where you stand. Yes it will cost you more (because you probably hit your deductible with all your prerequisites), but you will have piece of mind. Maybe you will hit your deductible before the end of next year (but either way, you would be spending the full amount for your deductible).

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

It is hard to know. I would ask - when was the last time you were at a normal weight for any length of time? The surgery resets your set point and makes keeping weight off more manageable especially as we get older. I could never maintain the weight losses and I really need the restriction on Portion Control. Losing weight by being sick is not an indicator of anything but being sick. Good luck on your decision.

[Cober1 9]

Thank you for your insight on this. I am 41, 5'8" 215 lbs and my BMI is 32 (it was 35 when I qualified). I was able to qualify because my doctor started me on metformin last year when my A1C was 5.5 to try and delay the onset of type II diabetes. I only lost 2lbs while I was sick but continued to lose weight after that because I'm just not hungry, which I don't understand. My biggest problem with eating is that I never used to feel full. I could eat and eat and there was no sensation of fullness. Now I can eat maybe a cup of food and feel like I'm going to be sick. My pre-op diet is 5 Optifast shakes a day or roughly 800 calories. I was dreading it and not sure I could hack it but I'm having trouble getting in all 5 shakes. This is just really weird and not anything I've ever experienced...

I became overweight about 10 years ago after my first baby. Since then I've bounced back and forth with the same 20-30 lbs. I'd gain it back when pregnant lose it again afterwards but after my youngest 2 years ago, I never managed to get back below 225-230 until now. My family doctor thinks if I get below 200lbs my blood sugar issues will resolve so that's my primary goal. Being around 150-160lbs is more of an appearance goal.

My total out of pocket right now is $4500 and my approval is good for 6 months. If I wait until then, it will be around $11,500.

Here are my primary concerns:

1) spending $4500 on myself when I could spend it on something to benefit my whole family

2) I'm scared of what life is like post surgery. I've heard so many horror stories - can't eat vegetables, can't eat chicken, no energy, Hair loss, terrible indigestion & heartburn. My family is very active so the no energy is a big one for me and I hate fish so if that's my primary Protein source post-op I'm in trouble.

However, I am scared not to have tge surgery because I've never lost more than 30lbs before so 60lbs is a big deal. And what if I find myself back in the same situation where my stomach goes numb and I'm over eating again? Why can't the magic 8-ball be real and tell me what to do?

Is there anyone post-op who can tell me how it's been for you? Do you still feel normal? Are you miserable with the changes? Would you do it again?

[vsgdon 32]

This is a question only you can and should and should answer. I am kind of in the same boat. I am 5 foot 11 and a big framed guy. The least I have weighed in my adult life was at my wedding, 249. I have weighed as much as 294, and as less as the 260 range the past 10 years. I just can not get to the 210 range I want to be at. My knees are junk. 1 already reconstructed. Back bothers me all the time. I have an 8 and 3 year old. I am down to 255 right now and every is telling me there is no need to have wls...... But I know 2 things...... I cant get to where I want to be with just diet and exercise. To get to my wedding weight..... I was miserable. By the time I came home from my honeymoon, I was up 20 lbs like nothing over 2 weeks. The other is even if I could get down, staying there would be impossible. This surgery isnt the solution to my issues, but a tool to help. I have had second thoughts and second guess myself but my weight now..... been here before and I just get stuck. Surgery is going to be that 2nd gear I need.

[Cober1 9]

I know you are right vsgdon. I was very certain about getting the surgery when I started the process last month. I think I'm just getting cold feet because it's so close now.

There is nothing in my history that would support the idea I can lose the weight by myself and keep it off. That's why I initially started looking into surgery. I really have tried everything and with my already being somewhat insulin resistant, it has become twice as hard to lose any weight. I already work out several times a week, cook at home and make reasonably healthy food choices. I just eat too much because I feel like I'm always hungry. That's where I'm counting on the surgery to help.

Thanks for your advice, I really appreciate you taking the time to post.

[vsgdon 32]

We are in the same boat....

The definition of insanity is repeating things over and over expecting different results........ I have struggled with this for 25 years of my 38 years of life. It is hard for people to understand resorting to wls..... even friends and family that are also over weight or obese. I have 2 friends that had it done some years back. Both of their lives changed dramatically and it has been close to 10 years for the both of them. In the same breath, I have other people I know who had wls and did gain it all back. It is not a fux, it is a tool. The whole idea of it being a tool is important to me to burn in my head.....

[rachel_babe 15]

Trust me you will gain back your appetite and a lot of weight is Water weight. You won't continue to lose that fast.

[JustJulie 28]

I am scheduled for surgery next Wednesday but am now having second thoughts. I needed to lose about 60lbs and applied for surgery after finding out I am pre-diabetic. I got sick a few weeks ago and lost about 7lbs along with my appetite. I don't know what happened, I'm just suddenly not as hungry and can only tolerate very small portions without feeling sick. I started the pre-op diet and now I am losing about 1lb every 2 days. By the date of my surgery I will be down 15-20lbs from where I started and then only need to lose 40lbs to get to my ideal weight. I am thinking about cancelling my surgery. It seems crazy to have surgery for 40lbs but I'm also worried I'm just getting cold feet and if I don't do the surgery I'll find my appetite comes back and suddenly I'm back where I started. My deductible resets Sept. 1 so putting off the surgery and taking a wait and see approach won't work. Has anyone else experienced this or have any advice for me?

You only needed to lose 60 pounds? No way in hell Would I have this surgery for that amount of weight. I thought you had to be at least 100 or more overweight to even qualify for it. I would cancel.

[Cober1 9]

I guess not, my insurance approved me. I know 60lbs doesn't sound like a lot comparatively but I'm on the verge of Type II diabetes and my cholesterol is 2x what it should be so it's impacting my health significantly. I know people who need to lose twice as much who don't have health problems like I do so I think this is a good choice to make for my health.

[VSGnewguy 164]

2 hours ago, JustJulie said:

You only needed to lose 60 pounds? No way in hell Would I have this surgery for that amount of weight. I thought you had to be at least 100 or more overweight to even qualify for it. I would cancel.

I have to disagree. I have under 100 lbs to lose but have had a heart attack so that, with my BMI of 36, qualifies me. I thought about VSG before the heart attack and didn't do it. I wish I could rewind the clock.

[jess9395 5,449]

All my life I've been a pro at losing weight. I've lost 50-100 lbs time and time again. For me, my sleeve wasn't weight LOSS surgery, it was weight MAINTENANCE surgery.

But your story is your story not mine. Just something to think about.

That said, doesn't Metformin often cause weight loss?

[Cober1 9]

I've been on it for 10 years and it hasn't helped with weight loss. It's delayed the onset of diabetes though so at least there's that. I wish I were a pro at weight loss. I've never lost more than 20-30lbs. I've always been very active and was never overweight until I got pregnant the first time. I've been gaining and losing the same weight since then.

My A1C has been steadily going up even though I'm following the diabetic nutrition plan so my doctor asked if I had considered weight loss surgery. I'm still having trouble getting my brain around it. One minute I feel like it's the right thing to do and the next I second guess myself and think I'm crazy for even considering it. I wish I felt certain either way. I've already paid for my endoscopy Tuesday so I don't know if I can even cancel and get my money back at this point. Surgery is scheduled for Wednesday so I'm hoping for some great revelation by then