Am I a Candidate?
While weight loss surgery can improve patients’ overall health and extend their lifespan, bariatric surgeries are very serious procedures that should not be taken lightly. In order to be considered for weight loss surgery, certain conditions must be met. All of the following must apply to a patient before he or she is considered a potential candidate for weight loss surgery:
BMI of 35 or Higher
You must be considered morbidly obese, meaning that you have a BMI (body mass index) of 35 or higher. Use the tool to the right to calculate your BMI. To be considered morbidly obese, men must be more than 100 pounds overweight, while morbidly obese women must be more than 80 pounds overweight. However, any patient who is more than 80 pounds overweight and has serious obesity-related health issues or life-threatening problems will be considered for weight loss surgery.
Calculate Your BMI
- Underweight less than 18.5
- Normal 18.5 – 24.9
- Overweight 25 – 29.9
- Obese 30 – 34.9
- Obese II 35 – 39.9
- Morbid Obesity 40 and above
Obesity-Related Health Problems
Potential patients should have serious obesity-related health problems such as type 2 diabetes, or life-threatening problems like severe sleep apnea.
Other Weight Loss Options Have Been Exhausted
The weight loss surgery is a “last-ditch effort”. In most cases, bariatric surgery will only be considered for those patients who have completely exhausted other weight loss options. For this reason, obese children and obese teens are rarely candidates for weight loss surgery.
Your Commitment
Before recommending weight loss surgery, we require that each patient make a commitment to improving and maintaining his or her health by fully participating in the aftercare program. We consider strict adherence to a diet and a tailored exercise plan absolutely essential to the overall success of the procedure. That’s why we are devoted to assisting you throughout your entire experience and beyond.
Education
We provide ongoing education so you know exactly what steps lay ahead. It begins with an in-depth review of the potential risks and benefits of the procedure. If you decide to move forward, you will need an Internal Medicine Evaluation, as well as a Psychiatric Evaluation and Nutritional Consult to gather information necessary for the procedure and recovery. Once the surgery is complete, our surgeon will advise you on your follow up care. The patient is required to schedule post-op appointments and obtain post-op labs at one week, one month, six months, and one year post-op, and annually thereafter.
Diet
It is important to remember that the quality and quantity of your diet will change. Your stomachs’ smaller size will limit your food intake, so what you eat is critical. Detailed nutrition guidelines for weight loss surgery put an emphasis on high-quality protein and should be followed precisely. Failure to follow your diet guidelines can reduce your overall outcomes and can cause weight regain.
Exercise
Incorporating some form of exercise into your daily life will drastically improve and can even speed up the weight loss process following gastric bypass surgery. For instance, walking, cycling, aerobics or swimming can help you feel and look great even before the surgery.
Informational Seminars
We provide free pre-operative informational lectures with insights to keep you motivated and help you achieve your weight loss goals and maintain good health after the surgery.