Question:
Do most doctors require lap RNY patients to lose weight before surgery?
I am having surgery in two weeks and have actually gained about 5 pounds. I am worried because it looks like many doctors require the patients to lose weight. I have heard it is because it shrinks the liver and makes it safer to do the Lap. Does anyone know anything about this? If you didn't have to lose weight before doing a lap if you wouldn't mind telling me how much you weighed at the time of surgery. I am around 250. — Heather S. (posted on May 5, 2003)
May 5, 2003
No diet here. 313 pounds. My wife hadv surgery too her start BMI was just
over 60. 4 foot 10 293 pounds. Frankly I feel sorry for patients required
to loose X pounds before surgery and think they should find a surgeon
without the requirement. But thats just me,,. It does make the surgery
easier for surgeon and patient. BTW we were both LAP.
— bob-haller
May 5, 2003
I didn't have to lose before surgery. I weighed 242. :)
— Diana L.
May 5, 2003
My Dr. did not require me to lose any weight prior to my Lap Rny. However,
we did go on a 10 day Atkins type diet. Carbs had to be below 15g per day.
The object of this diet was to shrink the liver to ensure the Lap surgery
would be a success and not have to be converted to open due to a large
liver. As a result of that diet I lost 10lbs in that 10 days. Not a
requirement, just a bonus I guess. Maybe I didn't mind it because it
wasn't forced on us as a "diet" but as a safety issue. Hope this
helps some.
— Robin V.
May 5, 2003
I'm having Lap RNY on June 10th and have to start a liquid diet on May 28.
The reasons are for what you've already said. I'm 285 w/ a BMI of 51.
— toni S.
May 5, 2003
If your surgeon did not specify that you must lose weight before surgery I
wouldn't worry about it. Some surgeons do require a 10 percent or more
loss from their patients pre-op but they make that very clear during
consultations. Mine did not require any weight loss before surgery and I
was 249 and had lap RNY too. Many of us gain weight between the time we
receive our surgery dates and the actual surgery. Its called the
"last supper syndrome" where we think we will never have those
wonderful comfort foods again and try to cram it all in before surgery. If
I had only known that this was NOT the case, that you will be able to eat
most of your old favorites at some point post-op, i would not have gained
that last 10 pounds, the same 10 pounds I am currently struggling to get
off, the same 10 pounds keeping me from goal....
— Cindy R.
May 5, 2003
I wasn't required to lose. However, I had heard so much about the
"fatty liver syndrome" which could cause complications during a
LAP (thus possibly requiring a "revert to open rny"). The reason
is that they have to move the liver to get to your stomach, and if it's
fatty, there's a higher chance of complications when it's moved. Knowing
all that, I went on a low-fat, low-carb, high-protein diet for the 2 weeks
before surgery...drank lots of water, and exercised by walking almost every
day (which I had heard helps to shrink a fatty liver)...I wanted to
completely minimize the possibility of reverting from LAP to OPEN and hoped
to prevent any complications with my organs. As a bonus, I lost 8 pounds
before surgery. Good luck to you! ***Amy LAP RNY 04-09-03
— Amy A.
May 5, 2003
Heather- I weighed the exact same amount as you pre-op. I did not have to
lose weight before my LAP RNY either. And just like Cindy said- if you had
to, your doctor probably would've told you already, so I wouldn't worry
about it. ALl my doctor said was to not gain weight, so i didn't. Goodluck
to you!
— Lezlie Y.
May 5, 2003
My sister was scheduled this morning for an open RNY, preped, shots, IV,
the whole 9 yards, when our surgeon came in and told her he would not
perform surgery this morning. Her liver was too fatty and liver count way
off. She is currently 450lb and he gave her a few options; he could do a
band (not lap) to help her lose some weight quickly, then perform the RNY
(at 2 different times), risky cutting into her liver (not an option) or her
going on a stage 3 diet (liquid/protein) for 4-6 weeks to lose weight
quickly to reduce her enlarged liver. After many tears, she took the
challenge to try the diet for 4-6 weeks.
With an extremely high BMI many doc's will not do a lap, but you should
meet the specs nicely @ 250.
Best of luck! See you on the losing side!
— Margaret H.
May 5, 2003
Hi!
Does your DR. have the large instruments for lap surgery? Does your
surgeon operate on large patients? I know my surgeon has done many1000s of
lap operations on all sizes. I had to be on a low fat diet one week pre
op.
Look into other Surgeons. DR. Ren of NYC might be able to answer this
question. GOOD LUCK:)
~~Muffy~~~~
— leslie M.
May 6, 2003
Dr. Cerabona in NY City does not require weight loss pre-op. I weighed 280
at time of surgery; I'm down to 153 now (at goal for 5'8"). He was
great!
— Kathy J.
May 6, 2003
Well my doctor does require that you lose 10-20lbs before surgery because
it makes it much easier to operate. Your liver lays right on top of
everything the doc needs to get to and when you are loosing weight your
liver is the first place to gain and loose. So if you lose it will shrink
and make it easier to get to other things. It lowers your risks by losing.
I hope this makes sense. My doc is making it a rule that you must be
weighed at first visit and before getting surgery date because to many
people are gainin pigging out) on purpose and gaining 20-30lbs. Not good
— jnmcneil
May 6, 2003
You should check with your surgeon. I didn't know that my surgeon would
cancel for a weight gain over 5 lbs (even 6 lbs) and I heard it from
another patient in the waiting room. So check with your group. Every
doctor is different.
— susanje
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