Losing too much weight before surgery

[Crystal-clear 1]

Hello all.

I started the process for bariatric surgery in February 2022. I weighed 310 lbs at 5'6, BMI 50. I completed my 6 months of supervised weight loss in August. I received approval for my surgery in September from my insurance company. I am STILL waiting for my surgery to be scheduled. My pre op testing was just completed last week. After the testing they said to allow 2 weeks for it to be processed and then another 4 weeks for them to call with the surgery date. Then I will 2 weeks of pre op diet. So likely it is another 8 weeks until my surgery will happen.

My problem is I have been on Ozempic since May and steadily losing. My current weight is 245 which puts me right at the BMI cut off of 40. In 8 weeks I will likely be around 230 which will definitly be below.

I guess my question is... my insurance requires a BMI greater then 40 for bariatric surgery, If I show up for surgery with a BMI lower than that will they cancel my surgery?

I hate stop all the progress I've made this past year. I'm in a good weight loss groove. But I really never expected it to take 5-6 months AFTER my 6 months of supervised weight loss and insurance approval to actually get in for the procedure.

[liveaboard15 1,292]

wont matter by then... Once they approve the surgery you are good to go. They wont stop the surgery just because you weigh a certain amount before. I didnt even get weighed on my surgery date lol

[qtdoll 534]

Yes, once they approve it you're good! I got down to 200lbs the day of surgery & only got praise for my surgeon & gave me a comment on how good my liver looked. You have nothing to worry about 😊

[catwoman7 10,846]

it depends on the insurance - but most of the time they seem to go by your original weight. And the others are right - I would think once they approve it, it's a done deal.

[ChubRub 1,696]

Like others have said, you will be good to go! I was just at 40 when I was approved, and the nurse told me that I was okay to lose weight b/c insurance goes by your starting weight, and that's the only weight that's submitted. I was under 40 by the time I had surgery (although I didn't lose as much as you have...congratulations!!!)

[Crystal-clear 1]

Thank you all for the replies. That's a huge relief!

[AnneAngry 1]

I am new to all of this. I met with my bariatric surgeon last Monday and I have just begun my 6 month program. I was wondering about losing weight prior to surgery and then being "too skinny" for surgery.

But I am curious....isn't losing 65 pounds on Ozempic prior to surgery a great thing? I have 100 pounds to lose. I would love to be prescribed Ozempic, lose 65lbs and skip surgery altogether.

I'm not criticizing, just asking.....wouldn't Ozempic be preferred? Comments are very welcome.

[Crystal-clear 1]

Oh it was 100% a great thing! But my insurance will only pay for Ozempic if you are a diabetic. I am not. My A1C was excellent. Long story short I only got the insurance approval for the med x 1 year through some creativity and then I wouldn't have been able to get the med any more. And we all know that horrible statistic about long term maintance of massive weight loss.

I also have a long and sordid history with yo yo dieting. This is my 5th (5TH!) time loosing more than 125 lbs in the past 20 years. I would lose it and maintain that loss for 3 or 4 years through white knuckle will power and eating less than 1200 calories a day. Then slowly hunger would win and I'd start eating 1400 or 1500 cals a day and the weight would pile back on. Start the process anew in a year.

So this surgery was necessary for me for maintaining, not so much losing. I've come to grips with my maintaince calories being 1200. I just need the removal of a large part of my stomach to make that a possibility for the rest of my life without fighting hunger day after day after day. I just drew the metabolism short straw in life.

But if you can get your hands on the GLP meds. They are AMAZING. I lost 85 lbs total in 7 months. My surgeon had me stop the Ozempic 2 weeks before my surgery date. I had surgery in 1/4. In the 6 weeks since surgery I've lost 15 pounds.

So far... my weight loss was trending faster with the use of Ozempic AND was eating almost double the amount of calories. Go figure!

I don't regret the surgery though. I think this will be the tool that helps me keep the weight off for life this time.

[AnneAngry 1]

Congratulations on your 6 week weight loss. I hope things are healing l and that you are doing well since surgery.

The dietician attempted to prescribe Wegovy a few years ago, but my insurance would not cover it. I see the new dietician in a few weeks and I will have her run the Wegovy through and see if it covers it now. If not, I will try and see if they can creatively put the Ozempic through. I don't have diabetes either, I am pre-diabetic. My co-morbidities include elevate cholesterol, obesity and maybe sleep apnea. Scheduled to see sleep study doctor next month also. Fingers crossed that I can at least try one of these before I have to make a decision on surgery.