No weight loss before surgery?

I called my Dr. office has mentioned weight loss before my surgery and they told me not to worry yet everyone here seems to be on some program before and I am beginning to worry.

Hi Lauri. Yes it's true that many people had to go through a weight loss regimen before their surgery, but I did not. Just the clear liquids the day before surgery. Still, if I were you I would try very hard not to add additional weight prior to surgery. It will only be that much more that you have to lose. Good Luck!

Hi Lauri, My Dr. doesn't require weight loss prior to surgery either, although they do encourage it through behavior modification. Best of luck to you!

My doctor doesn't suggest weight loss, but does require a liquid diet the week before surgery because with less fat, etc. in the system, it makes it easier and less problematic to move the liver out of the way. I learned this from the dietician, who was wonderful.

Got to love my Dr, rofl! I have to do the 2 week pre-op diet. I am really loving it though I am strange but I do like it. I am down 23 pounds since January and am having my surgery on Tuesday the 24th Some of the 23 pounds is from the pre-op diet...I got weighed in on the 17th and had lost 7 in a week. I am almost at the end here and am hoping I can drop at least 7 more before the 24th! I would just eat right...start walking now a little.

Hi Lauri... I would also suggest checking with your insurance carrier. Alot of insurance companies now require six months DOCUMENTED weight loss before they will approve you. My surgeon required at 10% weight loss before you even got in to see him. the more wieght you lose before surgery the better it is for you. Hugs... Lori

Different doctors and insurance companies have different requirements. My surgeon doesn't require weight loss, but does want people to at least maintain their current weight at the time they start the process and not gain. In addition, he has them do a liquid diet for 3 days pre-op to shrink the liver so there is less risk. One of the insurance companies he deals with, however, does require a 5% of extra weight loss for preapproval, so therefore for those patients, he has to meet that goal before he can schedule their surgery. As others have said, it's not going to hurt to lose weight before surgery, and may get you used to some of the dietary changes you'll need to make postop, but most of us have had issues losing weight before having surgery, so we all know it's no picnic.. Best of luck with your journey - if your doctors office has your preauth and also has you scheduled, then relax ...Nick

My insurance required 5% wgt loss...which made no sense to me...if I was able to lose it, I would have. Well, I did lose it, or they wouldn't have approved me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kind of contradictory, eh?