Question:
I recently went to the dietician and she put me on this really strict diet of little

to no carbs. I understand the fact that the more I prepare myself before the surgery, the more likely I am to succeed, bt do not even have a date yet. I still have the stomach the size of a football and want to eat still. Can any one relate. I feel that the dietician is testing me and I have been testing myself all my life. Can I have a break before I turn my whole life over to the mercy of this life changing procedure? Help...    — Kristal F. (posted on August 4, 2003)

August 4, 2003
When I hear about the push for hardcore deiting, I tend to believe they are testing you. You know... see if the person reacts to Ketosis focused diet. If you went into ketosis you might lose significant weight. If you do.... maybe... the insurer will yank the surgery since you are capable of losing a few pounds when put on a strict diet. However it extremely difficult to do all protien all the time... its extremely hard on your kidneys.. it's extremely hard if you have tastebuds. After a couple weeks of ketosis, when your mouth taste like a sewage pipe, you won't want to eat anymore meat/cheese. Any ways just my thoughts on the hardcore pre-diets. <p> Take Care, Be Well, Be Happy!
   — John T.

August 4, 2003
I have not had the surgery yet but I have read many post and a lot of doctors want their patient's to loose as much weight as possible before the surgery because in can shrink the size of the liver. Just think - the more you loose now, the closer you will be to goal when you have surgery and from what I have read it will teach you to eat like you will need to after the surgery. Having this surgery should not be a ticket to eat whatever you want until that time knowing that you will loose it when you have surgery. I currently am on Atkins (3 weeks now) and have lost 9-1/2 pounds. I have much more energy not eating carbs.
   — classite

August 4, 2003
I hear you! I recently went to the dietician and she did the same thing to me. I have to lose 40 lbs before surgery and I do not have a date for surgery either. I am waiting on a response from the insurance. It can be discouraging. But keep your courage up the day will come when we will be on the other side!
   — Helen M.

August 4, 2003
I don't care for little "tests" from doctor's offices, either, so I feel for you there. (My doc didn't require pre-op weight loss, but I did a bit of that on my own 'cause I was so psyched I would finally have a way to keep the weight off, with surgery). But one line in your question caught my eye -- "Can I have a break before I turn my whole life over" to the surgery. I don't know how long you've been fighting obesity, but I know that when I was gaining (or not losing) for all those years, I wasn't giving myself a break at all, I was destroying my health. The more you gain, or fail to lose, before surgery, the more you have to lose later -- unfortunately, there's no "free lunch" with this thing. To give yourself the best chance of a good recovery post-op, and to get on the road to making permanent lifestyle changes to get you out of the obesity trap, I urge you step back and think about how to give yourself a "break" without using food to do it. I'm still struggling with that one at 14 months post-op, and probably always will. ;-)
   — Suzy C.