Question:
Anybody denied surgery because they gained weight between pre-op visits?

I am afraid my surgeon will be upset because I have gained 15 pounds. Any thoughts? Thanks.    — cbuchanan (posted on June 24, 2003)


June 24, 2003
My surgeon pre-op told me my surgery would be cancelled if i gained weight. I didn't gain but I didn't lose either. Just maintained. I have heard others on the site here say their surgery was cancelled at the last minute because they had gained weight. Good luck. If you don't have a date yet you may still have time to get control of your weight gain. But on the other hand, some surgeons don't seem to care.
   — Delores S.

June 24, 2003
My surgeon said he would cancel the surgery if I didn't lose weight between office visits. He said I had to prove I could follow the postop diet. You may want to try Atkins and reschedule your appointment if your Dr. said anything similar.
   — Candace F.

June 24, 2003
Hi, Cindy, I was 313 at my first consult with the surgeon on 9/19/02. I didn't need to have any further visits with him or my PCP since I had already seen him. On the morning of surgery (1/27/03), I was 325 (ack!!). I did NOT have my surgery cancelled. It really depends on your surgeon. You can always call and ask him. Hope this helps!
   — Joyce C.

June 24, 2003
I am pre-op and have 42 days until surgery, my surgeon told me to lose weight, but did not tell me how much to lose. I have lost 7 lbs, but it is so hard. I have alittle over a month, and I hope to lose about 3 more lbs, I am so scared that I will not have lost enough, and that my surgery will be cancelled. You did not say when your surgery date is. Do you still have some time, I changed my diet to a protein shake in the morning with one piece of meat, and a low to no carb lunch, like crab salad, or ham and cheese without bread and some yogart. for a afternoon snack a apple with peanut butter on it, or a protein shake, or some sunflower seeds and a yogart. Dinner is all protein, a 3 oz steak and veggies, or shrimp and veggies, something like that. Hope this helps
   — cindy

June 24, 2003
I gained a little over 20# before my surgery. I just pigged out while waiting for surgery date after being approved. They never said a word to me. I think this is very common as they know that's the last of pigging out:o)Good luck!
   — Sandy M.

June 24, 2003
My Dr. had me visit with a exercise specialist... the reason to get moving before the surgery was explained to me the stronger you are before the surgery the speedier the recovery. That is insentive for me, so I am moving, but also finding that grazing is hard to resist while waiting for an aproval!!!! Good luck to all of us on building stregnth for a speedy recovery!!!!!
   — colette73

June 24, 2003
You might want to check with your surgeons office regarding that.When I went for my consult my surgeon stated and made you SIGN an agreement that if there was a 5 lb weight gain between the consult ansd the surgery date that the surgery would be CANCELLED!! Lisa F
   — Lisa F.

June 24, 2003
The doctor I am going to tells us up front that if we are asked to lose X number of pounds before surgery and don't lose it that our surgery will be cancelled. They are very serious about it. Do the best you can to lose the weight you have gained before surgery. Each surgeon is different on what they expect a patient to do regarding weight prior to surgery. Wishing you the best.
   — [Deactivated Member]

June 24, 2003
yep, i havce heard of people being denied surgery because they gained weight between the visits, the dr told them to loose x amount of pounds, it is a show of good faith on the patients part, "to show the willingness to comit to a life style change" and when they gained the dr said "nope you will not succeed after wls if you can not control yourself now" how sad, but that is the fact of it in some cases.
   — janetc00

June 24, 2003
My surgeon asks us not to go on an eating binge before surgey as he wants us to limit fat intake (to shrink the size of the liver which makes the laparoscopic procedure easier). However, he has explained that if we could stick to diets and lose pounds on command that we wouldn't be in the position of needing weight loss surgery. I probably gained a few pounds between my first consultation and my surgery date, but have been very successful since surgery (225 pounds in 8 mos). I've always thought that surgeons who would cancel surgery b/c of a weight gain might not be as sensitive to their patients' needs as I would have required-- but, each of us is different and finds unique advantages in the doctors we choose.
   — SteveColarossi

June 25, 2003
I'm pre-op but was warned to stay within 5 pounds (over) of my weight at my consult, or my surgery will be canceled. I'm over by about 6-1/2 right now, so I need to get a few pounds off by Sept 2. This is the toughest few pounds I've ever tried to lose.
   — Carlita

June 25, 2003
I was fortunate in that I LOST around 11 pounds the month before wls. This was because the dietician told me about Splenda and I quit sugar because of it. I ate like a horse that month too! You know, I last suppered myself to death... the only difference was I QUIT SUGAR. Perhaps you can try this. I might work for you too, short term.
   — Danmark

June 25, 2003
My surgeon told me that it was not recommened to gain weight prior to surgery but that it was normal and that most patient's do gain up to 20 pounds. I myself put on about 20 pounds and it wasn't an issue at all.
   — Jennifer M.




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