Introduction
You’ve heard that surgery to lose weight could be a good option for you. You may have previously discussed the benefits and drawbacks of surgery with a doctor who has verified that you fulfil the body mass index (BMI) standards. Even if you haven’t yet seen a doctor, you could still be interested in learning more about the bariatric surgery procedure. So what can we learn from this?
You’ll need to take some time to prepare before you can choose a date for your treatment.
Simply said, weight-loss surgery has the potential to change lives. However, in order to get a favourable result, patients must contribute in some way. Before having bariatric surgery, you must complete a number of steps that require your full attention. This is an overview of the procedure I go over with my patients.
Acquire dietary knowledge.
Maintaining a healthy diet is essential to the success of weight loss surgery. A consultation with a qualified dietician provides you with the knowledge of what dietary adjustments you will need to make before and following your procedure. These include measuring daily food intake, eating fewer portions, digesting food thoroughly, and drinking enough water.
To ensure that your nutritional needs are satisfied, you might also need to take vitamins and supplements. If your blood sugar is currently poorly controlled, you will collaborate with an endocrinologist or primary care physician to improve it in time for your procedure.
You will begin your post-operative diet with liquids and gradually work your way up to very soft meals. You can gradually begin reintroducing ordinary foods after some time. This shift is essential to the healing and adjustment of your stomach and digestive system.
Make an exercise and weight loss plan a priority.
You’ll identify your weight reduction objectives and plan of action with your care team. Having a written strategy increases your chances of success. Having a clear plan before surgery will allow you to practice these actions so that after your treatment they become second nature.
Frequent exercise will be a crucial part of your approach, along with dietary adjustments. Since exercise is crucial to a successful surgical outcome, I highly advise my patients to start exercising well in advance of their procedure and to continue doing so for at least 30 minutes a day until they have fully recovered.
Don’t be afraid to try walking or introductory routines on YouTube or free fitness apps if you’ve never worked out before. Exercise can even be achieved by increasing your daily incidental activity, such as parking farthest from the entrance or using the stairs.
Have your mental health evaluated.
Patients who get bariatric surgery must alter their lifestyles significantly in order to lose weight and keep it off. After surgery, losing weight may cause changes in your relationships, emotions, and social life. Determining whether you’re psychologically prepared to make these changes and implement the dietary and behavioural adjustments required to maintain your health is one of your care team’s responsibilities.
You’ll talk to a psychologist about your past experiences with mental health, including eating disorders, despair, and how you overcame previous weight loss efforts. You will also discuss social variables like housing and work that may affect your ability to reduce weight.
Obtain medical approval.
Any kind of surgery, including weight loss surgery, might be hazardous if the patient is overweight. Your care team will evaluate your heart and lung function before approval for bariatric surgery to ensure your body is robust enough to tolerate the procedure’s pressures. Additionally, blood testing will be performed to assess your nutritional and metabolic status.
Depending on the nature of the procedure and your current state of health, further testing could also be required. For example, an endoscopy could be necessary for some individuals who have gastrointestinal complaints. Additionally, your surgeon could suggest bone density tests, radiology exams, or sleep apnea testing.
Take up other constructive habits.
You may assist your weight reduction objectives by incorporating additional healthy living behaviours at any time. In fact, your post-surgery transition will go more smoothly if you can do as much as possible in advance. I advise patients to:
- Concentrate on enhancing their sleeping patterns.
- Discover methods for stress management.
- Determine your support networks, such as friends and family.
- Develop coping skills to control emotional eating and eating in public places.
Smokers need to give up well in advance of their procedure. After surgery, patients must also abstain from smoking in order to prevent major surgical and health consequences.
Verify your insurance coverage.
Bariatric surgery is fully or partially covered by many insurance policies. Documentation supporting your candidacy, such as your BMI and any weight-related medical issues (e.g., diabetes, high blood pressure) that qualify you for the surgery, may be needed. Certain patients may additionally require documentation of their failed past attempts at weight loss.
Prepare for anaesthetic before the operation
Surgery for weight reduction is carried out under general anaesthesia. It’s important to consider some risk factors related to obesity in advance of anaesthetic administration since they may impact the treatment. For example, if you have obstructive sleep apnea, the anesthesiologist may need to think about airway management procedures because the condition might make it more difficult to inject a breathing tube.
Do your homework
By speaking with me and other members of their care team, my patients get a great deal of knowledge regarding weight reduction surgery and life following. It is more probable that you will enter surgery with realistic expectations if you can obtain as much information as possible in advance. Who knows? You may even widen your network of support and make new acquaintances.
Trust your support group.
At Slimthetics, we take great pride in working with a robust, multidisciplinary team to assist our patients in achieving the greatest outcomes possible. You will get guidance from your surgeon, many doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, nutritionists, psychologists, and other coordinators during the whole process, from getting ready for surgery to healing and readjusting to life thereafter. They will work together to provide you with the individualized treatment you require to get to and maintain a healthier weight.
Get additional information about the path to bariatric surgery.
Register for a free seminar about bariatric surgery led by a board-certified Slimthetics bariatric surgeon. You may learn about bariatric surgery methods and the necessary lifestyle modifications for success by attending these virtual lectures.
FAQs
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When is it possible to have weight-loss surgery?
Answer: If you fit any of the following descriptions, you may be a candidate for surgical weight loss: You exceed your optimal body weight by more than 100 pounds. Your BMI (body mass index) is more than 40.
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What life-changing effects can weight loss surgery have?
Answer: Bariatric surgery, often known as weight loss surgery, is widely acknowledged by doctors as the most successful treatment for long-term weight loss. It has several physical advantages, including the ability to reverse diabetes and improve blood pressure, cholesterol, acid reflux, sleep apnea, and many other conditions.
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How much weight may be lost with weight reduction surgery?
Answer: After a year and a half from your gastric sleeve surgery, you should expect your weight reduction to stabilize. Generally speaking, you should be able to shed 80% or more of your extra weight within 18 months.
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Why go for surgical weight loss?
Answer: Your digestive system’s structure and functionality are altered by weight-loss surgery. You might be able to manage obesity-related medical issues and decrease weight after this operation. These ailments include heart disease and stroke risk factors, diabetes, and obstructive sleep apnea.
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What makes weight reduction surgery successful?
Answer: Changes in appetite, satiety (the sensation of being full), and metabolism result from this (how the body burns calories). These operations alter several of the hormonal signals that lead to weight gain or the incapacity to shed weight, making weight loss simpler.
Conclusion
Speak with your medical team to see if bariatric surgery is a suitable fit for you if you’ve been thinking about it. After you make a choice, they will put you in touch with a team of weight management specialists, such as a dietician, and mental health, and exercise physiology experts, to help you through this significant life transition.
