Question:
WILL THEY CANCEL MY SURGERY?

I have been on the Atkins diet to shrink my liver for surgery. It is working REALLY WELL for me, just like it has in the past--losing has never been the problem for me, it's the keeping it off. I'm scared that if I stay on this until my surgery, they'll think I don't need surgery. Anyone ever been in this position?    — sm S. (posted on January 22, 2003)

January 22, 2003
My surgeon required at least a 10% weight loss and I worried what would happen if my BMI fell below 40 as a result. I was assured that the weight submitted to the insurance company would be my pre-10% weight loss weight. I'm assuming that this Atkins diet was at the request of the surgeon and that your previous top weight was documented. Anything you lose now will make you that much healthier going through surgery, will reduce the chance of complications, and will give you a good head start on your post-op weight loss. Keep up the good work!
   — Michele C.

January 22, 2003
Ask your surgeon. It's not always just about insurance. My surgeon will not do the surgery on anyone who is not a candidate even if you WERE a candidate and then for some reason become ineligible (lose too much, gain too much). I was just at 40 BMI and was so paranoid about not gaining weight that I almost fell below 40 by losing a few pounds. Luckily I was still at 39.5 and had some significant comords. Ask your surgeon how s/he will respond to a significant weight loss.
   — susanje