Question:
Has anyone used DIET PILLS to lose those few lbs before surgery?

My doctor has said I need to loose 20 lbs before surgery. He said we can use any diet. I am trying to quit smoking also so that is kind of hard to do both. I was thinking of taking some diet pills in the meantime just to lose those lbs. or to keep from gaining more. Please help. Jamie    — jnmcneil (posted on April 9, 2003)

April 9, 2003
Hi Jamie! I know alot of people will probably tell you not to use diet pills but I used them and lost 100lbs in the 5 months before I had surgery. I had my surgery on 01/28/03 and have lost an additional 55 lbs. Good luck!
   — jerzeygirl71

April 9, 2003
Try to lose the 20 lbs by cutting down on carbs, walking more, or any other natural way. The least amount of medicine you have in your body the better before surgery. I just don't feel diet pills are the way to go, that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it! (Smile) Good luck!
   — Starrlina

April 9, 2003
I would say no to the diet pills also. But, if this is the way you decide to go, make sure your doctor is completely aware so there won't be any medications interacting with eachother during or after your surgery. IMHO, I would follow the Atkins diet since you will pretty much have to follow this plan anyway and it will give you practice.
   — Yolanda J.

April 9, 2003
NO you should not use diet pills. You are already hypertensive and the only pills that are over the counter raise your heart rate to help you lose weight. I am sure that your surgeon would rather you get close to the 20 pound lose than to die before you even get the surgery. I took diet fuel(which has ephedra in it) and the whole time I was on it my blood pressure which is usually in the high normal range anyway always high. I also got terrible migraines the whole time I was taking it. I would think that since you only have the 20 pounds to lose that maybe a liquid diet like the one you might be on after the surgery would do more good than anything. It will get you used to getting all your liquid in so that is one less thing to be concerned about after surgery. My surgeon puts all his patients on a liquid diet before surgery and he told us we could lose up to 30 pounds in one month. So far I have not done total liquids but I have only eaten protein and protein shakes and I have lost 10 pounds in 10 days. I am not as hungery as I was on this diet as I was previously becuase I can have 6-9 protein drinks a day if I want I have only been able to get 2 in. If you would like more information on the diet and liquids he has us on just email me and I will send you the whole list. GOod Luck but please don't use diet pills even if it is for a short amount of time, you never know what those things do to your body.
   — S C.

April 10, 2003
I have hypertension and there's absolutely NO WAY anyone could get me to take a diet pill or herbal supplements(except maybe Xenical, and probably not even that), especially those over-the-counter ones! Those things are bad even for healthy people, but for someone with hypertension there's no telling what can happen. Also, would you be willing to risk your wls surgery being delayed because of some adverse health affect the diet pills might cause??
   — Leni M.