Question:
Will they so surgery if I have not lost weight?

Has anyone had wls without losing any weight before hand? I have been on the pre-op diet and only lost about 5 pounds, my date is 9/16/2009 and my next doc. appt. is on the 15th...will they not do the surgery if I have not lost a lot of weight?    — latoyachaplin (posted on September 13, 2009)

September 13, 2009
I guess it would depend on the surgeon. My surgeon would not do the surgery without the required 15 pound weight loss. My date was actually moved up because someone scheduled the day before me did not make their weight. A good friend who had RNY by a different surgeon, was not required to lose any weight prior to surgery. Call your surgeon's office and find out their policy.
   — Peggie

September 13, 2009
Every surgeon is very different. My surgeon did not give me a target amount, he just told me to start exercising and to lose as much as I could pre-op in order to shrink the liver and loosen everything up. I lost 22 pounds in the 7 weeks from that instruction until surgery and he was very please with the result stating the surgery went easily because I had "got everything out of the way". Just ask your surgeon what their wishs are. Kevin
   — hapkidodoc

September 13, 2009
My insurance (Blue Cross PPO of Illionis) would not approve me for the surgery without the weight loss and six-month supervised weight loss program. I think had I been a cash paying patient my surgeon would have performed my surgery with me at my starting weight of 289 pounds. I think each surgeon/insurance company is different and you have to go through whatever "hoops" are required. Just my two cents worth!
   — rkurquhart

September 14, 2009
I agree with poster #1 contact you doctors office. My doctor did not require a certain amount of weight loss and I gained weight until the pre op diet and on that I lost 12 lbs but he would have done my surgery even if I had not lost that. Keep you fluids up on the pre op diet and I'm sure you'll lose some weight this week. I hope you have great success.
   — Lisa von Wallmenich

September 14, 2009
my surgeon (clinic) will not. If you don't show you are serious about changing your eating habits, they will not take the chance that you will fail. One patient (years ago) came home from hosptial and ate gorged herself on hotdogs. Of course, she had complications and died. If you follow the rules...chew 20 times, wait 5 mins between bites, meals no longer than 30 mins, no drinking with or after meals,only 3 meals a day, etc...you will lose weight before hand. I didn't think I could/would, but I did. Best of luck to you! hugs, Kim
   — gpcmist

September 14, 2009
I was a self-pay and my surgeon wanted me to go on a diet to help shrink my liver pre-surgery. No one ever required me to lose weight before surgery but maybe that was becausae I was not going through insurance. I went on a liquid and 1 high protein/low fat meal a day for about 10 days before my surgery date and lost 12 pounds. He seemed happy with that. Maybe he just wants to ensure you have embraced the need to increase your protein intake and adjust to a new eating habit before your surgery? Good Luck.
   — Cynthia W.

September 14, 2009
I am on Healthlink HMO and without losing 5% of my weight my insurance would not pay. They do want you to shrink your liver like the other poster mentioned. I lost 23 pounds on the program they made me do combined with 1 week of pre op diet. By the way, my surgery (RYN) is tomorrow morning :)
   — golf1007

September 14, 2009
The Bariatric group I had my Lap-Band surgery with recently held a conference and had a question/answer period. A question similar to yours came up, and here is the surgeon's answer: 1)Weight loss or gain affects the size of the liver. If you loose weight immediately prior to surgery, it will decrease the size of you liver. On the other hand if you have too much abdominal fat, gain weight prior to surgery, or even go on an eating spree, you can have an enlarged liver. 2) Having a smaller liver allows the surgeons to perform the weight loss surgery (any type). If the liver is too large, they cannot reach your stomach to complete the surgery. In fact, he said that a few times, they began the surgery, then had to cancel it because they were unable to reach the stomach. 3) The smaller liver allows the procedure to be performed safer as well. I hope that helps. Hang in there...you CAN loose the weight, and the effort will definitely be worth it. KimM
   — KimM

Click Here to Return