Weight gain before surgery?!? - ThinnerTimes

JennaM · 10-27-2004, 08:44 AM

Help, My hubby is insisting that at the educational seminar, he heard them say that they will scrub your surgery if you gain weight between your consult and your surgery. Has anyone ever heard of that happening? My consult was in Aug. and I quit smoking since then, but I also put on at least 10 lbs. (somehow I interpreted those nicotine fits into food cravings, ) Now I'm stressed. Does anyone know anything about this, is it true and what is the limit you can gain before they will scrub you. I'm starting today to try and drop it.

thanks

Barbarajo · 10-27-2004, 09:02 AM

I did hear hear them say that at the educational seminar. That if you gained weight it showed them that you weren't really serious about lossing weight.

BUT, I am sure if you tell them that you quit smoking and that's why you gained weight I am sure they will be delighted. Quiting smoking more than proves you are serious about a healthier life style. I am sure they will do the surgery any way. Don't stress you are dong all the right things.....

Christina · 10-27-2004, 09:07 AM

Weight gain is never a good thing before surgery. Do what you can to exercise and get into the best shape possible before you go in, it will make your recovery easier trust me. However, I do know they have refused to do surgery on some people until they lost weight. I know also people who have gained and still had surgery?? I know they don't really stress over 5 lbs or so because like Kelly says .. that could be a bowel movement. So don't stress and try and get some exercise and get a few of those pounds off. He could delay the surgery otherwise.. don't stress though.. just do what you have to do and you'll be fine. I stayed at the same exact weight so I didn't have that problem. However, Kelly did want me to lose 50 lbs between the consult and the pre-op.. or said I could do that.. just not to gain a pound.. Either way you'll be fine.. Good luck to you. Let us know when you have a date!

watergirl · 10-27-2004, 09:17 AM

I SO stressed over this. Because, let's face it, if I knew how to lose weight and not gain it, I wouldn't be needing this surgery. I gained 5 pounds (only because I had the flu the week before - I was actually 7 pounds up before that) and it was never mentioned during my pre-op appointment with Kelly and Dr. C. I agree with Barbarjo, explain that you quit smoking to have this surgery. That alone is a huge accomplishment. I'm so proud of you for doing that!

Excersise and really watching what your eating pre-op is really important right now, try your best to make good choices. Try to take deep breaths and relax Girl. You'll be fine.

JennaM · 10-27-2004, 09:22 AM

Thanks everyone. I'm going to the gym

skinnymonkey · 10-27-2004, 09:25 AM

I also gained a bit of weight (about 10 pounds) between my initial consult (at the end of April) and my surgery (October 4). I was so stressed about this that I had NIGHTMARES that they were going to weigh me the morning of surgery and tell me that since I had gained, it'd be cancelled. Luckily, this didn't happen, and they didn't seem to mind.

bridgetgirl · 10-27-2004, 09:33 AM

I gained 10 pounds also, I got the stink eye from Kelly, but that was about it, my new years resolution was to try my best to lose 20 pounds to get ready for the surgery... I got the call in Jan. to schedule surgery... needless to say I hadnt even begun on trying to lose weight... just try your best, if you can lose it's better during surgery, it means less fatty organs... just do what you can at this point to not gain anymore at least.... good luck honey!

HapBird · 10-28-2004, 07:53 PM

Like they say in the "miraculous weight loss" ads on TV - results not typical. Well, I'm not typical, I guess...

I managed to lose 30 pounds between my initial consult and my surgery. HOW? ----- Well - first I'd have to admit that going on Prozac helped me immensely with my food cravings. But at least as importantly, maybe more, I came to the realization during the waiting period that if I succumbed to my desire to pig out as much as possible while I still could, I'd wind up gaining so much weight they'd cancel my surgery, and I'd have to start over again. Also, the knowledge that in a few months, I'd have a tiny stomach pouch that would make it impossible for me to pig out, put me in a different frame of mind about my eating than I had EVER had before. This was no diet - I was prepping myself for eating in a radically different way after surgery. I didn't want to bridge the gulf between uncontrolled eating one week to tiny sips of liquids only a few days later... the thought of the immense contrast in that made me want to start learning to eat less - and not mind it - way before the surgery.

I was pretty successful with this, and it really paid off, because they originally planned to do open surgery on me (my liver was enlarged, common amongst us large folk), but with the 30 pound loss, was able to have lap surgery instead.

One trick that really helped me was to sit down and think about the foods that triggered my eating binges - and I avoided them like the plague, without limiting myself too severely on other things. I cut out most snacking, and enjoyed three good, tasty meals a day. I got some exercise, but didn't obsess about it.

Ok, ok, I'm a man, and "men lose so easily....." blah, blah, blah. Yeah. Partly true, but if it was such a miracle, I'd never have gotten morbidly obese in the first place.

And BTW, I hit my first "plateau" at three weeks out from surgery.... So I'm NOT losing all that fast right now, but I don't really care - I feel so great that I know I'm on the right track.

Barbarajo · 10-28-2004, 10:17 PM

Phil,

I totally agree with you. I went to the nutrition class last night and today I have a new found desire to loss weight now.

I have already lost 5 pounds since my educational meeting a couple of weeks ago. But I still plan to loss more.

I am in search of a treadmill machine, so that I can start lossing more weight and getting some excerise as well. Does any know of a cheap treadmill out there. What is the best place to buy one. I used to work out on treadmill a lot or go to the gymn before I was diagnosed with Rhemetoid arthritis. In the last year and 1/2 I have hardly done any real excersize. I have just been trying to work out my pain levels. But I know I need to keep moving.

Today I had a good day on my new lifestyle. I ate all the right food and all the right portions. We shall see what tomorrow brings.

I lead worship at my church for a Celebrate Recovery meeting every Friday nights and I lead a small group for Women that have eating and codepentant issues. It is kind of stressful to stand on stage and sing all by myself for a 1/2 and hour and then lead a group I seem to run out of time to eat right. But I know that I must find out now how to handle this stress and make the right choices.

Phil thank you for you input on this matter. I am totally 100% in agreement with you on this one.

Christina · 10-29-2004, 07:51 AM

Barbarajo,

Just a little word of advice with exercising and RA.. swimming is the best possible exercise you can do for yourself. It gets your joints and muscles moving and really makes you feel good afterwards. It is a great form of exercise if you have access to a pool you may want to try that. I used to go to the pool at the 24 hour fitness.. of course I went between 1AM - 3AM when nobody was there..

Just a thought.. hope it helps.. that was what my Rheumatologist and my Primary Doctor always recommended and it did help.