How much weight did your dr want you to lose before surgery. My bmi is 51, I'm 5'11 and 360 pounds. I have not had my consultation yet but I intend to have surgery at the end of the year or beginning of next year. I am setting a personal weight loss goal of 40 pounds. What are the reasons/benefits of losing weight before surgery? Obviously you will be closer to your goal, but was wondering medical benefits.

This varies by doctor and patient, but generally the pre surgery diet is to reduce fat around the liver, so the surgeon can see to operate easier. I lost about 21 pounds before surgery, and was not required to do a pre-op diet. A pound lost is a pound gone. That would be enough incentive for me. I wanted to be thin!

My surgeon said the same thing. Most of us whom are obese have fatty livers. The diet helps to shrink the liver to make the surgery safer, easier to see. I'm sure there are other reasons as well, but that is what my surgeon told me.

my bmi was in the low 60's and my surgeon did not say to lose anything but i was on liquids for 2 1/2 weeks (to help my liver be gorgeous)..that is what kept me from cheating on my pre op diet, being afraid he wouldnt operate if my liver wasnt small enough

Thanks for the replies!

I am on my preop diet currently. My insurance requires a 3 month medically monitored diet and my surgeon requires me to loose 10% of my access weight which for me is 19 pounds. Good luck on your journey!

At my first appointment I was at 332 and was asked to lose 10 percent body weight. Do to other medical issues I had to delay my surgery for 7 month and ended up losing 50 pounds. I highly recommend watching real surgeries on YouTube. Because of the tools they use there is no blood so it's not gross at all. I really think it brings home to you why the doctor needs the liver to be flexible. The first surgery I watched I wondered what on earth they flipped right out of the way using this spatula type tool. That's right it would be the liver. I didn't know the liver could move like that!

good to know.. have my first appt with the surgeon next week to see what he says. Met with the Dr who is doing my 3 month supervised weight loss on Monday. she didn't give a specific amount to lose. just to follow a 1000 calorie diet. and she gave me some meal plans.