When did you start to lose? - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

Iwant2Bthin · 05-25-2008, 10:06 AM

Hi!

I am new here and was told that I need to lose 5lbs and will be doing the liquid diet two weeks prior to surgery! My question is ~ when did you start losing? Did you just set a date and go from there or did you start right away? I still have appointments to schedule and paperwork to complete before it gets submitted to my insurance company. So, it my be a little while before I get a date for surgery. Just curious to know what others did!

Thanks!

porkchop · 05-25-2008, 11:42 AM

Hi Kerry,

I'm new here too. I was monitored by my PCP for 6 mo.prior to WLS. I only lost 6 lbs. then when I met with my WLS surgeon she told me she wanted me to lose 1 to 2 lbs. a week till my surgery date. I got my approval real fast and on day of surgery had lost 6 lbs. more. So I lost a total of 12 lbs. before surgery. I was on liquids for 3 days before surgery. So I guess what I am saying is it depends on your surgeon and what they say is necessary for you.

MiladyB · 05-25-2008, 12:10 PM

For me I didn't have to go thru a 6 month medical weight loss program. But from the time of my very first visit consultation with my surgeon he didn't want to see a weight gain. I had to go on a 2 week pre-op diet and during that time he wanted to see some kind of weight loss. He didn't say how much but I had to lose. I ended up losing 15 pounds pre-op on the 2 week diet.

pummychal · 05-25-2008, 01:57 PM

I didn't have to go on a pre-op diet. My surgeon wanted me to lose 10 lbs but it wasn't a deal breaker. I ended up losing 3 lbs but that was only due to the liquid diet the day before surgery. I was just told that if I gained weight the surgery would be cancelled.

Phoenixfire · 05-25-2008, 06:41 PM

My surgeon did not have a liquid diet program before the surgery. This was years ago. BUT he told me to use one simple tool before surgery (it was a few months' wait I think).

I stopped eating as soon as I was full.

It worked. I lost 40 lbs. It was also THE KEY INGREDIENT, I believe, to my success in using my pouch to keep all the weight off. I started to recognize when I was full before I even had the surgery. So post-op was very easy. Except of course the fact that the full feeling came much sooner! But I recognized it.

I firmly believe this one single tool is one of the biggest things any WLS patient can and should do pre-op. It's more than volume intake, it's about working on the ISSUES related to overeating and eating when you're not hungry. And those are keys to long term to success: addressing and working through all of the reasons for eating more than what you need.

princesse · 05-26-2008, 01:29 AM

At my hospital here in Denmark, we are required to lose 8-10% of our body weight. Two reasons really. Health risks & benefits before & during the surgery and MOST IMPORTANTLY: To show that one can modify & change eating habits.
Nov. 2006 was my intial consultation. I had from then til Feb 1, 2007 to lose 29-36 lbs. I opted NOT to use the liquid diet. I knew that modifying my eating habits was the only way to be successful in the long run. So I buckled down, cleared out my sugar junk & went to work. I was happy to see that on the day of my surgery, I had managed to lose 40lbs. I cut out 90% of carbs (kept any brown rice, pasta & breads I felt I needed), ate tons of meat, fish eggs, milk products, veggies & yoghurt based smooties made with protein powder, frozen fruit, past. egg whites & sweetener.
Hope this helps a little...
Nancy