Are you Prepared for Weight-Loss Surgery?

September 6, 2022 Joshua Ramirez

Weight loss surgery is one of the most effective ways that change the functioning of your digestive system. It is one such procedure that can help you in managing healthy body weight and its related health issues. There are various procedures but all of them focus on restricting your food intake to assist in weight loss. The surgery to lose weight is just a part of the medical weight loss program. The whole treatment plan includes mental health care, nutrition guidelines, and exercise. In short, medical weight loss is a long-term plan which requires commitment and conviction.

One of the most common and preferred procedures for weight loss is Sleeve Gastrectomy. This procedure involves the reconstruction of the stomach in a tube-like sleeve by removing a major part of it. If weight loss surgery is an option you wish to consider then this article will be helpful for you. Weight loss surgery Beverly Hills will help you decide if it is an option for you or not.

Table of Contents

What do the Medical Guidelines Say?

Weight loss surgery is no doubt helpful in shedding off the extra body weight and managing long-term weight loss. However, not everyone is eligible for the procedure. There are certain medical guidelines that you need to qualify for in order to be eligible. The general guideline is based on the BMI of the individual. Following are the eligibility criteria:

The BMI of the individual must be 40 or more.
BMI of 35 or more with one or more obesity-related health conditions
Attempted supervised weight loss for at least 6 months

Adolescents who fulfill the following requirements are also eligible for weight loss surgery:

The BMI is equal to or more than 40 and with one or more obesity-related health conditions
The BMI is equal to or more than 35 and with one or more severe obesity related health conditions

Instead of the above criteria for adolescents, a surgeon may also refer to growth charts to determine eligibility. The surgeon will recommend a suitable procedure if the BMI of the adolescent is more than the standard BMI range. Despite low BMI, there are situations where an adult or adolescent might suffer from severe issues related to obesity. In such a case, the surgeon may recommend surgery.

How To Know if you are All Set for the Surgery?

Once you are sure of your decision to opt for weight loss surgery, you will have to meet with a team of healthcare professionals. The team will include:

Primary health care provider
Surgeon
Dietitian
Anesthesiologist
A nurse specialized in weight loss
Psychologist
Other specialists if you have any medical condition

They will let you know what you need to do before the surgery and what to expect from the surgery. The experts will help you in deciding if the surgery is an option for you or not. Any concerns regarding your behavioral, psychological, or medical will be identified and addressed. Once you are ready for the surgery, you will have to go through a proper evaluation.

What to Expect From the Team of Health Professionals?

A well-experienced team of weight loss professionals will ensure that you make a well-informed decision. It is essential for you to consider the risks and benefits associated with the procedure. You must adapt yourself to the lifestyle changes that you need to follow post-surgery to achieve your weight loss goals. To ensure that you are mentally ready, the team of health care professionals will discuss with you the following things:

Your Enthusiasm

How enthusiastic are you to embrace the changes in your lifestyle? How to set your weight loss goals? Educating yourself about healthy nutrition is a must. The team will monitor to determine if you are able to inculcate the changes or not.

Your Weight-loss History

They will inquire about your past experience with weight loss diets and exercise. Did it help you lose weight or not? This will determine the pattern of how your body loses or gains weight. It will help them in tailoring a specialized program that will effectively help you in losing weight.

Your Eating Habits

Eating disorders are also one of the major contributors to obesity. Irregular eating patterns include eating at midnight, binge eating, eating between meals, etc. Whereas, your mental health condition may trigger eating disorders.

Your Mental Health Condition

Your mental health condition also plays a major role in your weight gain. Those suffering from mental conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, etc often interfere with your weight management. Therefore, treatment for mood disorders is important otherwise, you might find it difficult to adhere to your new lifestyle.

Alcohol/Substance Abuse

Smoking, Drinking or substance abuse often makes it difficult to lose weight. Therefore if you are indulged in any of these then it needs to be treated. Otherwise, you might be prohibited from bariatric surgery.

How much weight you will successfully lose post-surgery depends on your ability to change your eating habits and exercise. Also being in a good mental condition will be helpful in managing healthy body weight. The above pointers will help the team to evaluate you and determine if you are prepared for the surgery or not.