Question:
Does Dr. Giselle Hamad require her patients to lose weight before surgery?

I'm going to see Dr Giselle Hamad on April 23rd, 2003. I'm presently on a Diet which is causing me to yo yo. I lost 3 pounds just to gain back 1.5 pounds. I've been on this diet for two mos and all I can lose is a lousy 0.5 pound? I've dieted so much (since high school) that I no longer have a metabolism. I even work out at the Y. I got totally rid of regular sodas and sugars and use only Splenda and diet sodas , etc. I'd just die if she had a weight loss requirement. At least my diet history shows that I AM sticking to the diet provided by me but it's just NOT working. Question also is, Will the weight loss surgery help me, with my metabolism so slow? Please respond. [email protected]. I'd love to hear from any and all of you. Terri    — tinky471 (posted on April 1, 2003)

April 1, 2003
Depending on your weight she will tell you that it won't hurt to still try and loose weight. However if you gain weight before your surgery she will post pone your surgery. So you would want to be careful of the last supper phase. You don't want to gain weight. Hope this helps. You also don't want to loose so much weight that you fall below the guidlines of having your surgery.
   — Chris9672

April 1, 2003
Hi, Terri! I saw Dr. Hamad on February 4. She didn't really say anything about not gaining weight, OR losing either, but I have talked to others who have been to her, and they have all said DO NOT GAIN prior to surgery as she will cancel you. I've been trying to do a balancing act since then, as I probably won't be having surgery until late July or August. My pre-op tests are complete, but not all the results are in yet. So my advice would be to watch your diet, and try to at least stay where you're at now.<p>As for your dieting efforts, have you tried Atkins? That was the last, most successful diet I have been on, and I would say I also have a VERY slow metabolism. I lost about 18 pounds in less than a month on that one, eating very little carbs. When I started to add carbs back in, that's when the weight loss really slowed.<p>Good luck to you. Dr. Hamad is wonderful, as is her staff. Very thorough, very professional.
   — Carlita

April 1, 2003
She didn't tell me I had to lose any, but she said it would be to my benefit to do so. It would make performing the surgery easier for her and recovery easier for me. But, she did tell me that if I gained any weight prior to surgery that she would cancel so I needed to be aware of that. I did end up losing between my consult and pre-op appt. because I was scared to death of gaining with the way she told me. Let me tell you, she was soo happy and praised me to no end when I came in and had lost. Makes you feel great, but I have heard she will read you the riot act if you disobey her "rules". Even though she is a tough cookie, I am soo glad to have chosen her, she is an excellent surgeon. Her aftercare is superb and her staff is there whenever you need them, 24/7.
   — Dee ,.