I am I the only Failure

[mamalovell 0]

I started the program to get the lap band in Feb. and was able to lose my insurance requirement weight of 5% of my weight. I had lost 17lbs to get a surgery date this was in May. I got a surgery date of June 30th and was not put on any kind of pre op diet and was told by the surgeons office the weight lose requirment was for insurance reasons only. I have had 3 friends that have went through the same process and all gained back their weight before surgery. (they did have the by-pass surgery) so when I went to the hospital for surgery and got weighed I had gained back 8lbs. My surgeon came in and to my surprise canceled my surgery due to the weight gain then had me meet with another Dr in her office who told me I have to go on a 4 week liquid diet and lose 30lbs not just the 8 I gained. Has this happened to anyone else? Not only do I feel like a failure but if I could do liquid diets for such long periods I wouldn't need surgery. Please help I feel like giving up. I cried the whole way home telling my husband I am to fat to have the surgery.

[Lillyanne_M 0]

Awww, I'm sorry. Please, please don't give up. The liquid phase is so hard, but it will be worth it. I'd give you a big hug if I could. You can do it!!

[mickeymammoth 0]

I really think your surgeon failed you. If he didn't want you gaining any weight before the surgery, he should have stressed that to you. Also, why is he now having you lose more weight than you had before? To have you get to the hospital and then cancel it, I mean really! I know this is a business, and they kind of churn people through the system, but there's no excuse for letting that happen to you.

I'd go back on a diet, but also maybe look for another surgeon in the meantime.

[SueAZ 3]

I to would talk to the doctor and tell him that no one said anything about what was required before surgery. This seems so unfair since you had lost weight. The doctor should explain why NOW 30 pounds to lose. I would check with insurance and ask for another surgeon. Lots of extra work but maybe better for you.

[Lunabeane 2]

If you have insurance approval then I would contact another surgeon and see if he/she can help you. That was a very poor way of handling the situation and you deserve better. My Dr. didn't require any weightloss prior to surgery for me but does if he has a patient that has a fatty liver. I'm sorry that you were made to feel that way. The liquid diet is difficult but I know that you can do it!

[TexGal 0]

Do not give up on this. I know this is very frustrating. When I first started this process I was told that my insurance would cover it if I did a 6-month supervised diet. So I did that and everything else they wanted me to do. When I went for my pre-surgery visit with the surgeon his office staff let me know that my insurance had an exclusion on it. I got mad and said that everything I had been doing for the past 6 months was all for nothing. I sat right there in his office and bawled my eyes out. I then decided to self-pay. What frustrates me is that I could have had my surgery 6 months ago if they had not wasted my time with their screw-up.

I just wanted you to see that alot of us go through almost hell sometimes for this. It seriously took me 2 years of trying to get insurance to pay for it and NOTHING. So like I said I self-payed and am almost 2 weeks out of surgery and have not regreted doing this for one second, no matter what all I had gone through for this.

It's hard sometimes to bite our tounges and just let it go, but it is your health at stake. I promise you that you will not regret your decision. Good luck to you with whatever you choose.

[Snapdragon 0]

Don't give up. This isn't your fault. Your surgeon should have had you on a pre-op diet. I would contact your insurance company and see if you can go to another doctor. In the meantime though, start the liquid diet.

I know it's hard and yes, if you could do liquid diets you might not need lapband surgery, but four weeks of liquid diet will get you to the place where you can have the lapband surgery. Once you have the lapband it will be easier to keep off the weight you lost on the liquid diet.

You can do this!! There are plenty of great liquid diet recipes out there. Four weeks may seem an eternity, but it's four weeks in the rest of your life!

Start the four week diet now, start contacting your insurance company and see what happens. You can do this!!

And remember to drink plenty of Water and exercise. Walk walk walk. That will help you drop the pounds as well.

Hang in there and keep the faith! Don't let this get you down - you will succeed!!!

[It's_Christine 0]

That surgeon has an attitude issue. To cancel you the day of surgery without warning is just plain wrong. I would strongly suggest you find a new in network surgeon and proceed from there. It will be worth it!

[Lana24 10]

Mammalovell,

Don't give up, sometimes even doctors reallly don't understand this weight is not simply a problem of glutony but a serious problem with the hardwiring of some of our brains...forgive him for being absent minded and for that moment just realize he was careless. Continue your journey knowing that you are your only and best advocate. You can do it, no matter which path you choose. Best of luck

Lana

[BellaPerdente 0]

I have never heard of anyone not being on a pre-op diet. Some surgeons have different "diets" to follow, but the main reason for this is to shrink the liver to prepare for surgery. I am on my pre-op diet and my Dr. only requires me to follow the Atkins plan for 10 days. No or very low carbs, no processed foods, etc. I only have to follow the liquid diet one day before surgery. I have been to three different surgeons and all required some sort of pre-op diet. I would look into a new surgeon.

[mickeymammoth 0]

I have never heard of anyone not being on a pre-op diet.

My surgeon doesn't require a pre-op diet; only 1 day on liquids beforehand. I don't know if it differs depending on your BMI, but every surgeon is different in this requirement. OTH, I don't know what he'd do if I gained a lot of weight in the month before the surgery; he wants us to move towards a 5-6 meal a day, increased Protein diet before the surgery, so there is an implied "watch what you eat" suggestion, although nothing about quantities. However, I told him I had been dieting at our 1st appointment, and he said to stop dieting (but follow these rules). Go figure.

[rcruz 0]

That to me was just plain wrong over 8lbs!!!! I am sorry I would look for another surgeon.

My surgeon only required I not eat anything after midnight!!! I was so floored after reading so many have to go on weeks of pre-op diets. I even went on liquids the day before becasue I couldn't understand why eveyone had else had a diet and I didn't it scared me into doing it because everyone else did just to be sure!!!! And I came out just great!

Oh he did ask that I lose a "few" lbs before the surgery but since I was self pay the surgery was scheduled quickly and did not give me enough to lose those "few" lbs but I was able to proceed!!!

Good luck in finding a new surgeon if that is your plan!

[mamalovell 0]

Thank you all for your encouragement. I did call my insurance company and told them I wanted to switch surgeons and was told by them that my surgeon is the only one approved by them to do the surgery in this state.(Oregon) I am so disappointed. I have started the liquid diet but 4 weeks of it almost seems like punishment. Thanks again

[SueAZ 3]

I am so sorry you are going through this. Probably the only thing I would do, is ask for written instructions as to what they expect you to do prior to surgery so NOT to have a repeat. If a certain weight loss is required. How much? This way there should be no unexpected surprises. We are at their mercy even though we are the ones that pay them.

[SeattleSweetie 5]

I have one suggestion, having gone through something a little like what you're doing (my liver was too big once I actually got into surgery and it had to be stopped and postponed) -

Reschedule your surgery NOW so that you have a definite date in 4 weeks. Don't wait till the 4th week when the diet is over and then ask about scheduling, it could take a while depending on how busy your doc is.

Getting your date ahead of time will also give you something to look forward to so you don't have that feeling that things are never going to get better. Having your date can be a real help to keeping you motivated.