The Beginning of your Weight Loss Journey

Obesity is running rampant in our society, so much so that the majority of our population is overweight or obese. Many of these people want to make a change in their lives, they want to live better and healthier but find it increasingly difficult and time consuming to change their lifestyle to lose weight. Likewise, many people who are considered obese will turn to popular weight loss procedures in a frantic attempt to lose the extra weight, soon surprised when the extra weight returns a few years later.

Your Bariatric Surgery | Our Guidance

We are a free weight loss surgery advocacy organization with the sole purpose of guiding you through your entire weight loss journey and beyond. Losing weight, especially more than 30 pounds, may be incredibly difficult alone but with our guiding and expertise, you’ll never be alone on your weight loss journey.

Our Weight Loss Counselors and Patient Coordinators can help you eat healthier, plan easy and effective exercise routines, inform you of and qualify you for helpful weight loss procedures, guide you step by step through surgery and post-weight loss surgery and help you keep the weight off for years and years to come. Best of all, you don’t pay us a thing for our service.

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Bariatric Surgery Overview

People who are seriously overweight and haven’t been able to lose excess pounds through traditional diet and exercise plans may elect to have bariatric surgery. This type of procedure alters your digestive system, specifically by reducing the size of your stomach, which allows you to feel fuller faster and makes you want to eat less.

What are the benefits to Bariatric Surgery

There are a number of benefits to bariatric surgery, such as long-term significant weight loss, improvement of physical factors that lead to heart disease, improvement or even recovery from diabetes, greater self-esteem, and added longevity. Of course, bariatric patients must follow new diet regimens and be willing to make other physical and mental changes in their lifestyle. In short, it’s a lifetime commitment to better health. Statistics show that a majority of Americans are overweight, and more than 30% of American adults are obese. In fact, body mass index (BMI) rates of a rising number of Americans have climbed higher than 40.

Is Bariatric Surgery right for you?

While weight loss surgery isn’t right for everyone, those who are interested in having this life-changing, and potentially life-saving surgery must meet criteria set by the National Institutes of Health. According to NIH guidelines, candidates must have a BMI of at least 40, along with other serious physical conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular problems.

What are the most common types of Bariatric Surgery?

At present, a number of different types of bariatric surgery are available in the U.S. The three most commonly seen procedures are gastric bypass surgery, LAP-BAND® surgery and the gastric sleeve procedure. They each have their own distinct advantages and disadvantages, and patients need to carefully discuss the benefits of the various surgeries to find the one that is best suited to their individual case.

How do get approved for Bariatric Surgery?

In order to be approved for weight loss surgery, you must first consult with a surgeon to discuss your situation and determine if you are an eligible candidate. If you can demonstrate that you have tried unsuccessfully to lose weight in the past and that your current weight is negatively affecting your health, your surgeon may agree that bariatric surgery is right for you.

Bariatric Surgery Consultation

During your surgical consult, you will be given comprehensive information on the procedure you are having, including what to expect, physically and mentally, following the surgery. It’s a good idea to list the questions and concerns you have about the surgery, which your surgeon can answer for you. Keep in mind that asking questions can help you feel more comfortable about the procedure and can clarify what sort of lifestyle changes you will need to make in order to achieve your weight loss goals. Some of the most common questions are: • How is bariatric surgery performed? • What should I do to get ready for this operation? • Which type of bariatric surgery is best suited to my circumstances? • How long will it take to recover from this operation? • What will I be able to eat following my surgery? • What sort of health improvements can I expect after bariatric surgery? • How much weight can I expect to lose? • Are there other factors about bariatric surgery that I should know about

How is Bariatric Surgery performed?

Every type of bariatric surgery involves a different approach, but there are some similarities. Bariatric surgery is performed under general anesthesia and usually takes about 1-4 hours. Some procedures are done laparascopically, and others use one or more incisions.

How Much weight can I lose with Bariatric Surgery

No matter which procedure you choose, a number of major health benefits will be the result. On average, most patients who undergo bariatric surgery lose one-third of their body weight. For a morbidly obese individual, this figure can be life saving.

Bariatric Surgery can help with related health issues

Based on the outcome of thousands of bariatric surgeries, along with data gained from research and studies, it has been shown that these procedures are able to reverse type 2 diabetes, prevent certain types of cancer, improve blood pressure and cholesterol, and cure sleep problems such as apnea. More than 100,000 people die of obesity-related cancers every year. People who fall into this high-risk category can have their potential for developing cancer reduced by 50% if they have bariatric surgery. And about 80% of patients with type 2 diabetes go into complete remission following surgery.

Long-term effects of Bariatric Surgery

It’s essential that patients are fully aware of the major lifestyle changes that will be required of them following bariatric surgery. One of the biggest changes that patients encounter is the amount of food they feel like eating, which in some cases may be just a few ounces.

Recovery time of Bariatric Surgery

Recovery time for weight loss surgery varies between patients, but the average period is about six weeks. At that point, most patients are able to return to their normal activities.

Post Bariatric Surgery Diet

Of course you should expect to have a very different diet after surgery. Initially, you will be put on a clear diet, which includes items such as broth, sugar-free gelatin, and diluted fruit juice. Once your gastrointestinal tract has recovered from the procedure, which usually takes about 2-3 days, you can advance to a bland diet of blended or pureed foods, such as cream soup, protein drinks, skim milk, and more. This should continue for about two weeks.You won’t feel like overeating following surgery, because of the newly diminished size of your stomach. To be sure you get the proper nutrition during this period, and probably for the rest of your life, you may need to take a multivitamin. As you progress, you will be advised to stick to a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. Also, alcohol should be consumed in moderation. Following a carefully controlled diet after surgery increases the likelihood that you will lose a greater amount of weight and adapt to a much healthier lifestyle.

Cost of Bariatric Surgery

The cost of bariatric procedures varies from type to type, but a general range is $18,000-$35,000. This amount usually includes the surgeon’s fee, the cost of the hospital stay, and fees for anesthesia, X-rays, and pre-op lab tests. Following your surgery, there will be other costs for diet and exercise plans, nutritional supplements, and possibly plastic surgery needed to remove excess skin as well as behavior modification therapy.

Bariatric Surgery Health Insurance Coverage

At present, some health insurers are covering a portion or all of the costs of bariatric surgery, but approval depends on a doctor’s recommendation that the procedure is medically necessary, which will involve documentation of your physician-supervised attempts to lose weight through traditional means. You also must be a good candidate based on the National Institutes of Health guidelines. Getting insurance coverage for the surgery is more likely if your doctor can verify that you have diabetes or heart disease, which both are affected by excess weight. If you request insurance coverage and are denied, you can appeal the insurer’s decision, but you must do it immediately. Various post-op costs, such as fees for psychologists or dieticians, exercise programs, and vitamin supplements may not be covered or may only receive minimal reimbursement.