Considerations Of Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

Habits: For your health, it is much better if you do not abuse drugs or alcohol. You should have
quit smoking, or never have smoked.
Maintenance: Bariatric surgery is best for those who have been consistently obese over the last
3 to 5 years. Also, you must have been at least trying to lose weight for 2 yearsthis shows your
commitment to your weight loss, that will be required even after surgery.
Your Age: In the majority of cases, bariatric doctors will only perform bariatric weight loss surgery
on people between the ages of 18 and 65.

Which Doctor to Choose?
Experience: You want to find a doctor with plenty of experience. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery discovered that bariatric surgeons with experience significantly reduced the rate of bariatric surgery complications.
Post-Operative Care: Make sure that the bariatric doctors you work with also have many other
resources they can connect you with, such as nutritionists, fitness and diet guides, follow-up
appointments, and support groups.
Referrals: Hearing referrals from other customers is obviously a good indicator that the bariatric
team is doing a good job at satisfying its customers.

The Effects of the Surgery

Expected Weight Loss: If you have the gastric bypass surgery, in which the bariatric doctors
staple across the top of your stomach, you could probably expect to lose anywhere from a half a
pound to a pound a day for your first month after surgery. After the first month, it will most likely
slow down to between 1-2 pounds a week. If you have a Lap Band surgery of any type, you will
lose about 1-2 pounds a week from the beginning and continue losing as long as you maintain a
healthy diet and exercise plan.
Recovery: The type of surgery that requires the most recovery time is the single incision gastric
bypass. The hospital stay usually ranges between 5-7 days. Another type is a laparoscopic
bariatric surgery. This is done through several small incisions in the abdomen. The hospital stay
for this surgery is typically between 3-4 days, the recovery time is shorter and the scar is less
noticeable. The last common type of bariatric surgery is the insertion of a Lap Band. This is a
silicon band placed around the top of the stomach to create a new stomach pouch. For this
surgery, patients can sometimes go home the same day the get the surgery, and resume normal activities shortly thereafter. There is also a much lower complication rate from people who receive the Lap Band surgery compared to the other surgeries, though the weight loss is slower.

No matter which you decide to go with, bariatric weight loss surgery is guaranteed to change your life. It can improve your self-esteem, and most importantly, your health.