Moral delima (being honest with the doctor)

I'm in a moral delima...  The doctor said last Tuesday, drop 10 bs and he would schedule the surgery date (sometime in July/August).   Stayed on my diet, lost about 6-7 lbs. then somehow over the weekend gained them back.  This morning depending on my shift of weight I'm hovering at 324-325 which would technically only give me a 5lbs. loss since last week.    Now my way of thinking is call the doctor all happy and energetic and say I lost the 10 so I can go ahead and get scheduled.  It's not like my surgery will be this week...   Plus I still have another 10 to go before the surgery. Ok, I know that isn't the 'most' honest thing to do.  Just wondering if that might not pave the way for me to 'cut corners' down the road...   Maybe this question really stems from my fat cells taking over my brain, knowing that they have been winning the battles, but are getting ready to lose the WAR.  Other wise, in a normal state of mind I would probably not have a problem with "fattening the truth - a little". Mike Ray

Hey Mike, been there, know how you feel.  Had the same issue with smoking last October.  He asked me if I smoked and I thought about it as I had only stopped a couple of weeks prior to that.  I finally wound up telling him yes, that I had stopped a couple of weeks ago.  I wound up having to wait 3 months to prove i could quit smoking and then have my blood checked to prove it.  In some ways I wish I had said no since it forced me to wait another 3 months but I realize it's for my benefit and it's not fair to the surgeon if I had not been completely honest. I'd like to say the choice was easy and everything is sunshine and roses now, but the truth is, I still crave cigarettes.  I guess the real question you have to answer is would you have peace of mind if you told him you lost the 10 lbs.   Good luck with  your decision. Bobby

Thanks for the response.   I'm sure I will wait, just had a  wavering moment this morning. Mike

Your doctor didn't expect you necessarily to lose 10 lb in 1 week; if you called me one week later, I'd personally be suspicious.  5 lb in one week is a very respectable loss (I've only broke >8 lb/wk once, on the week of my surgery).  For my comfort, I'd wait the extra 5-10 days and call him when I had done it. I certainly understand where you're coming from.  Between a change in insurance, late lab reports, delayed appointments, etc., it took me over three years to get this surgery (after I had done a supervised diet, which I had to redo and redo).  Towards the end, I became very impatient, taking every additional unnecessary day almost as a personal insult.  Then suddenly insurance approval came through and my doctor had a light schedule, and I was scrambling to get ready to take off work on 14 days notice (and I had to turn down an earlier opening).  My point is, waiting 5-10 days to call the doc will probably have very little (if any) affect on your surgery date. Compared to what you've been through, this isn't a big obstacle.

I'm sure you are right.  Just needed a little support this morning I guess.  Thanks Mike

I guess it depends on how often you look at yourself in the mirror. Do you want the doctor to be that honest with you? Just some perspective provokers. It will happen if you keep after it.  rmember if he expected you to have great success, you wouldmn't need the surgery.  But the effort and self honesty/integrity is an important aspect pre and post op for this whole process to be succesful.

Mirrow Mirrow on the wall, who (Needs) to be honest with themselves most of all...  Thanks Joe, Your 'provokers'  provoked me.  Your absolutely right, honesty with myself takes a higher road. wow, I feel like another boiled egg...  thanks Mike

Mike we all know that "honesty is the best policy" does not always hold true...there are times when not telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth can only do more harm than good.  However, when it comes to your health - there is (or at least there should not be) no such thing as a moral dillema as far as the information you divulge to your doctor or surgeon.  If you trust this person enough to cut into your body and rearrange your insides, then you can absolutely trust him/her with whatever information you need to provide them. For nearly all of us, being extremely overweight is such a burden that when we see a light at the end of the tunnel we want to get to it as quickly as possible - we don't want to be overweight another day - even the slightest delay can be agonizing. Mike - there are no shortcuts in being successful with WLS.  To get the most out of the surgery and reap the benefits of it for a lifetime, it takes a great deal of hardwork, commitment and dedication.  You not only want to lose your weight in the short-term, but you want to establish lifelong habits (proper nutrition, exercise, etc) to keep that weight off FOREVER.  This begins pre-op and does not end....it never ends.   Trust your surgeon - be honest with him/her, do what they tell you to do.  It starts NOW - before you ever roll into surgery.  Take it from me and many others here in the Locker Room, it's well worth the wait! Having WLS and living this new life the right way has been harder than any diet I've ever been on - and I've been on alot of diets!!  In spite of the changes and the hard work - I would not change a thing.  I bet you find out the same thing! Good Luck! Cards Fan "STEP OFF THE SIDELINES AND GET IN THE GAME!"

Thanks for the honest support and enlightenment. Mike

Hello my Houston Brother....(i'n in Jersey Village) I'm not as calm as Cards Fan.....damn he was eloquient....but if you start cheating now...how fast will you be to cheat after the surgery? do the right thing right the first time..... If you need to scream and cuss...gimme a call Russ