? Pre surgery weight loss

I can't remember if I have asked this but I have heard a number of people say they had to loss 10% of their weight to have the surgery... Is that just for certain insurance companies or do some Drs require it?

The reason my surgeon has his patients lose weight before surgery is it's much easier to do the RNY with a less fatty liver.   The liver has to be moved out of the way to work on the stomach.  The liver is much larger without having lost the weight.  The one thing I didn't want was complications because I didn't do what he asked so I worked hard at it.

I did so well ( lost 30 lbs) he delayed surgery so the OR could repair their camera.  He wanted a photo of a liver the way it's supposed to look before surgery.  When I was rolled from recovery to my room my DH presented me with a photo of my liver.  I laughed so hard.  That's something most people don't have!
---jan---

Jan, Gotta tell ya girl!!! You are looking fabulous!! I was reading some of your profileand I can't get over how little solid food you are eating still this far out!!! Oh, and what is Amaratto water??

HUGS
JOY

Hi Joy!

Thanks!  I was eating everything until month 2 and poof, everything solid came up.  I'm JUST startig to eat solids again.  Eggs didn't stay town today, too soon.  Bacon went down easy.  Go figure. lol

Amaretto water is DaVinci sugar free syrup in Amaretto flavor.  It's my new favorite. YUM

Keep up the good work, you're doing great! 

Hugs,
---jan---

Thanks! I appreciate the info!

Melissa, Most Dr's require are pre-op diet and the reason is to reduce the fat on your liver in order to make it easier to work under. That, and I really believe it helps the mind set in a better direction as far as portion size and fat consumption, not to mention calorie,:-) I don't know who you Dr. is,mine is Dr. Coates in Modesto. HIs diet is strict but not as bad as some I have read about...it takes about 3 days to adjust to it but after that is isn't too bad to live with cause for everyday you are on it ,it means you are one day closer to your surgery!!

HUGS
JOY

I will probably use Dr. Coates too. I have requested info from his office and saw that they want you to eat 3 meals of 4 oz meat and veggies. I can do that. But when should you start that? In Nashville they had said 3 weeks before surgery. I am seeing a nutrionist on Thursday to set up my Dr supervised diet. I am pretty excited. I just want to start preparing for what is ahead.

I've never heard of an insurance company requiring it.

Some docs do though. However, for most patients, just losing 10 lb. is enough to make the liver less slippery and easier for the surgeon to work with. That's also why a lot of docs have a pre-op high protein, low fat diet requirement. They are trying to get you to burn off glycogen from your liver quickly and that kind of diet is the fastest way to do it.

My surgeon only requires weight loss for certain patients; for everyone else, it's recommended, but not required. They would rather get you in and get you the surgery so you aren't living with co-morbidities any longer than you have to.

My first surgeon was one of those who not only required 10% of body weight but would cancel people who were .5 lb short. I thought that was ridiculous and I have seen no studies to support that sort of attitude. That isn't why I didn't use her, but it didn't help.

Ok that answers why I was asking. I have a person I know who said she was told to lose 10% and got really close and they denied her. She is really struggling and starting to lose hope. I knew that they require a pre op diet but was curious because I was never told when I was trying to get surgery in Nashville to lose other than the 3 week pre op. I have been trying to watch what i eat more and have lost some I am sure. I haven't been able to follow my weight because my Drs don't have a scale that will weigh me. I wish I could follow it though. Thanks for the help!