Question:
are we required to lose 10% of body weight before surgery ?
have you been told you have to lose weight before having wls surgery done ? if so how much? 10% 15%????? — Robin S. (posted on August 5, 1999)
August 5, 1999
My surgeon did not require me to lose weight before surgery. I've known
several over 450 lbs. who also were not required to lose any.
— vitalady
August 5, 1999
You need to loose 10 lbs before surgery.
— sue ann A.
August 5, 1999
I had my RNY in 1995 and was not told to loose weight before surgery.
Best of luck to you.
— Peggy W.
August 5, 1999
Hi--I am about 4 weeks postop (open RNY), weighed 334# to start, and was
told NOT to lose weight, simply to maintain before the surgery. Hope this
helps.
— charlene M.
August 5, 1999
HUH!? Thats a new one!! Especially if you're borderline only just over 100
lbs overweight. Who's requiring this!???
— Sherrie G.
August 6, 1999
That sounds very wrong to me. I am scheduled for a rny on 8/19 and they
never said anything about losing weight preop, in fact, they said no to let
myself get rundown.
— Stephanie S.
August 6, 1999
My doctor requires all his patients to lose approx 10% of their
existing body weight.
The reasons being 1) to minimize the length of the incision 2) to
reduce the size of the
liver. Obese people tend to have fatty liver. By losing weight and
reducing the size of
those organs in the way of the stomach facilitates the procedure for
the surgeon.
Therefore making it safer for the patient as well. My doctor also
requires his patients
to use a breathing device to strenthen the lungs to avoid pneumonia
etc.. Additionally,
the process of losing weight also allows the surgeon to see how
patients can adhere to
dieting. Yes, we have all dieted before, this is a small price to pay
to better prepare
your body for this major surgical procedure. My Dr has 19 yrs
experience in doing the
RNY open bypass. He knows what he is doing. With all the preparation,
his patients
are only required to stay in the hospital for one day. He is an
excellent surgeon that
even comes to hospital to walk his patients following the surgery. So
to all of those
who said that the request to lose weight is nonsense... think again..
how long did you
stay in the hospital? How experienced or dedicated was your surgeon.
— cris W.
August 8, 1999
I think doctors preparing their patients is great! More docs
should do it. "stupid" & "ridiculous" hmmmm do
you have a
medical degree? Oh! I didn't think so.
— [Anonymous]
August 8, 1999
Just a few comments on a For Your Information (F.Y.I.) note to Chris
Williams response to this post. Most doctors do not want the patient to
lose any weight prior to surgery because, you must be at least 100 lbs over
weight to be eligible for the surgery. Plus, from the insurance company
stand point, if the patient starts losing weight prior to the surgery, they
can come back and say ... Hmmmmm he/she can lose weight on their own,
DENY!!! He/she doesn't NEED the surgery they only WANT the surgery. That's
why Chris, that many of us are wondering what the doctor is thinking, or
perhaps if there are extenuating circumstances surrounding the requirement
to lose weight pre-op! At first glance Chris it IS stupid and ridiculous
for the doctor to be asking a patient to lose 10% of their weight pre-op,
that means I'd have had to lose 52 lbs pre-op ... and I couldn't lose 10
lbs on my own prior to this surgery. If a person loses 10% of their weight
and are no longer over 100lbs over weight, then they are no longer Morbidly
obese, and therefore, no longer eligible for the surgery.
— Sherrie G.
August 9, 1999
I hate to say it but i agree with cris.
at first glance I do not feel it was stupid. there are a lot
of people whom are answering this. and i find the are "barely
over the 100# limit and it sound as if by the words from thier
own mouths that. they possitly are in the "want" to have
surgery group. after looking at the stats on must they are in the
250-275# range.
it would seem that those on the border line 80-90# are trying
to get those last 10-20# just so they qualify for the WLS.
Which sound very bad. Also, a petty reason to have surgery.
My surgeon, explained to me"look at this person" "they are
even trying up
to the last day to lose weight" and have failed." so this
makes this surgery even more justified.
I understand this can back fire also but, if you are on the borderline
95#-101# maybe you should
give it one more try, and use this "positive' reenforcement.
WLS should be looked at as a last alternative not a a first, place
aternative. which many
have voiced in answer to this question.
Also, it seems "well if this doctor wont help, then I will just go
to another one that does not care.
also makes you wonder about the insurace companys, hold back
approvals, be cause some doctors do the surgery, just to get paid.
and put on a good poker face, with the patients. and gee
se you later for the tummy tuck that the insurance wont approve .
and will come out of your own $ pocket.
Robin, good luck in what ever you decide
— [Anonymous]
August 9, 1999
This is a response to the recent post by "anonymous" about those
of us who are borderline -- with 100 or just over 100 pounds to lose. Your
post suggests that we have no business seeking wls. I guess our sleep
apnea, arthritis, gastric reflux disease is not as important as that of
others. Sorry, I just don't buy it. We have the right to health, too.
— [Deactivated Member]
August 9, 1999
Annonymous ... The requirement to have weight loss surgery is that you've
tried everything else, and it has not worked, and that you are Morbidly
Obese. This means 100 lbs. more than the statistics tables show for age
and height weight ranges. If a person is "borderline" they need
to stay as close to that mark as possible if they're tryiing to convince an
insurance company they need to have this surgery. Therefore, it would not
be good for a person to suddenly start losing weight prior to surgery. I
was in the insurance field for 13 years, I know and understand how
insurance companies work, and what they use to deny coverage in "grey
area" situations. People who have severe health problems and who are
borderline cases, NEED this surgery to help them. But if their doctor told
them they must lose 10% of their weight in order for him to do the surgery,
the person could easily be denied coverage based on the fact that if they
could lose weight on their own. Then they can lose weight and don't need
to have the surgery. For many many people weight loss surgery is their
only hope of being able to get to a normal weight and lead a normal life.
It would be sad if some surgeon required a person to lose weight which
caused them to be ineligible for the surgery and get denial of coverage.
— Sherrie G.
August 24, 1999
— Elizabeth M.
September 15, 1999
My doctor has not requested me to loose this "10 percent" for my
surgery; I am pre-opt currently. I have read some of the responses on this
subject and I feel like everyone needs to make their own decisions and not
think that because one doctor is telling their patients to do this, then
this is the rule for everyone. I have met many people that had WLS and
every doctor has done different tests and proedures depending on the
individual. Therefore for one person to tell another what they are doing
is wrong... well; if your are happy with what you are doing then don't
listen to them. Off this initial subject... I am a little discouraged that
someone who is also Obese would try to degrade or put down someone else
that has chosen to have this surgery... SHAME ON YOU!! I am proud of
myself... but I am not happy with my body, I cannot do the things I want to
do because my weight gets in the way. I will always be my own person and I
definitly don't want to look like someone else... I just would really like
to be able to do simple things in life that I can't do. There are so many
things that are taken for granted by "thin normal" people that I
wish and hope that I can do... so whomever you are saying these Judgemental
things... just go back to your happy little place and let "us"
people be... this as you can see is what we have chosen!!! DEAL WITH IT :-)
— Jamie T.
December 10, 1999
It's funny. I am new to this Bariatric surgery aspect. I am a 35 year old
woman
who weighs 323lbs right now. I have been fighting this weight my entire
life. I
have even lost 50lbs before, just to gain it back plus more. I do not find
it un-
reasonable for me to have to lose 10lbs before my surgery. Yes, it will be
hard as
heck to do, but I am solid on my decision to have this surgery. And for
you chicken
hearted anonymus people, that feel that we who have choosen this surgery
are conforming to
today's society, you are right!!!! Just as you feel you must wear clothes
before
you go outside, or face being stared at and made fun of. So, in that sense
you are
right!!! But, I am not doing this for anyone else but me. I am tired of
living
life in this manor. Every moment of my life I wonder how much more time I
have
before I drop dead. I can't even get up from my chair without experiencing
pain.
I am still able to do alot of things, but I wonder how much longer I will
be able to.
Yes,(before anyone asks) I have tried dieting. I have tried vertually
every diet
out there, and I have failed at them all. Those of you (I am referring to
our
anonomas friends) that feel we are taking the short way out, that's all
fine and
dandy for you. You go on ahead and ride the diet horse, and take your time
getting
to your desired weight. I am going to take the car (Bariatric surgery),
and get
there before you. And to those of you that have already arived, I say
kodos. I will
be there soon.
— Becki S.
February 9, 2000
In reference to a posting of 8/24/99 by Anonymous whose comment
was: "Bariatric surgery should be reserved for those in
imminent danger of dying." I would like to say that we are all in
imminent danger of dying everday.
A auto accident, a gang crossfire, a terrorist act in a public school.
However, most people
do not actively seek out those situations in which to become part of. It
is not any different with
being morbidly (meaning death)obese. Who in their correct senses would
embrace such a condition?
I currently weight 260lbs. I am 5'4. I am 42 years old. I had never been
obese or even overweight in my life until a seriously traumatic event
occurred in my life.
At which point, in direct response to that event, I began to punish myself
for not being able to forsee or avert the crime. I ate until my jaws ached
and my stomach was taught like a stretched rubber band. Still, I forced
food.
How ugly? Ugly is an understatement. What you do or do not realize is
irrelevant to my own life. It is what I realize -- am able to reflect upon
and gain wisdom from
that is important in my life. I chose my body. I chose to LIVE. I do not
chose to be a victim. I chose to
be able to water ski again, to ride horse again, to row my fastest across
the lake again. These things I CHOSE. I chose my life.
Caving in to social norms isn't even in the equation for me. I could
careless what society thinks or does anymore. I do care --
pasionately -- what I think and feel.
Karen Wade in Denver
— karen W.
August 14, 2000
The Dr. I am seeing does require Pts to follow a preop diet and if wt.
isn't lost on this (1000-1200) cal per day, surgery is cancelled. I may be
naive but I assumed it was to make sure that a low cal diet following
surgery would work.I think most of us agree that we can loose wt on that it
is the keeping it off we are unable to do. 900cal works good for me.
— [Anonymous]
Click Here to Return