Is Bariatric Surgery Right for You?

Some medial professionals consider bariatric surgery to be ‘life saving.’ Bariatric surgery, like all surgery carries risks. One should not consider it to be cosmetic surgery as the surgery’s intention is to lengthen the recipient’s life by reducing their obesity related complications.

A good surgeon will follow strict guidelines to ascertain whether their patient is an appropriate candidate for bariatric surgery. They usually reach this decision by considering whether the patient will be at a certain risk by NOT having the surgery and does this outweigh the risk of potential complications if they DO have the surgery.

Surgeons generally consider the following when assessing a patient as a candidate for bariatric surgery:

• they are 100 pounds or more over their ideal body weight
• their Body Mass Index (BMI) is 40 or more and they are or have experienced obesity related health conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
• There is proof of their failures to maintain a healthy weight by using conventional weight control programmes and diets that are medically supervised.
• There is a high risk of health conditions that are related to their obesity.

Before deciding whether going ahead with bariatric surgery, you should ask yourself whether you are ready to make the lifelong commitment to improving your health. You should ask yourself: have you researched all the aspects of bariatric surgery and what the procedures consist of?

• Are you convinced that you can’t lose weight any other way? Have you tried all other options? – have these failed?
• Will you be able to eat small, healthy meals and chew everything thoroughly and slowly?
• Will you be able to manage how surgery will change your life?
• Are you aware and do you understand the risk of complications?
• Will you attend regular doctors appointments for the rest of your life?

Weight loss surgery is a major type of surgery. Your decision should only be made after careful consideration, evaluation and consultations with experienced surgeons specialising in bariatric patients. You should discuss the following with your surgeon:

• Weight loss surgery is not and should not be considered cosmetic surgery.
• Your health risks that you currently face should be weighed against those related to the surgery.
• The surgery does not remove fat like liposuction does.
• Bariatric surgery is not supposed to be reversible.
• Complications can arise resulting in further surgery.
• Weight loss surgery should be considered only if other options such as weight loss programmes (supervised by a health professional) have failed.
• Weigh loss surgery will change your relationship with food. Your life will be dramatically changed physically, emotionally, financially.

Patient who have undergone the surgery usually enjoy a better, longer quality of life with improved:

• overall health
• self image
• self esteem

Look Forward To

After surgery, most patients enjoy a longer, better quality of life with improved:

• Mobility
• Overall health (e.g., fewer symptoms of diabetes and reduced need for medication)
• Self-image
• Self-esteem

What is Bariatric surgery?

Many people today are under the impression that weight loss surgery is a quick fix for losing weight. Unfortunately for those people who are Bariatric (morbidly obese), this type of weight loss surgery can carry its own risks

There are some in the medical profession who would consider Bariatric surgery to be a life saving operation and indeed in many cases they would be right. Unfortunately due to the very nature of their obesity problem, the surgery itself carries its own risks with some Bariatric patients ultimately dying on the operating table.

Bariatric surgery does not come under the same umbrella as cosmetic surgery as the whole point of this surgery is not to particularly enhance a person’s looks, but to ultimately improve their lifespan.

Very careful considerations need to be given to anyone who is considering Bariatric surgery. Surgeons often have a very difficult choice to make as the complications which arise from not only the surgery but also the anesthesia can put their patient at risk. Usually the surgeon has to weigh up the decisions he makes by deciding whether the patient is more likely to die with or without the surgery.

Specific guidelines have to be followed when deciding whether someone is a good candidate for Bariatric surgery and these include considerations such as whether they have

• medical problems associated with their obesity,
• a body mass index of over 40
• They can prove they have failed on medically supervised conservative diets

They are at risk of developing further severe health problems

Anyone who is considering Bariatric surgery needs to ask themselves some serious questions, and if possible attend some type of counseling course to ensure they don’t have any unrealistic expectations of what they will be like after their surgery.

As stated it should be remembered that Bariatric surgery is not cosmetic surgery, and people should realize that there is still a long way to go after they have had their procedure. Bariatric surgery does not make you a nicer person and it doesn’t make people like you more. Many people cling onto ideas such as this and are devastated when they realize their surgery is not going to ultimately change the person that they are.

Many Bariatric people are carrying emotional baggage with them and their obesity is part of this baggage. Indeed for some though they may not realize it, it is their excuse to hide away from the world and not have to face up to specific problem areas of their life. Having the surgery can sometimes be a rude awakening and often backfires on them with the ultimate consequences of them deliberately sabotaging their weight loss.

For others Bariatric surgery is the option that finally helps them to conquer their obesity problem and is often the jumpstart they need to enhance their lives and their health. This includes a longer lifespan, a better self image and improved self esteem.

Bariatric Surgery

‘Bariatric Surgery’ is a term that comes from the Greek words, ‘Weight’ and ‘treatment.’ Bariatric surgery mainly consists of major gastrointestinal operations that seal off the majority of the stomach so that the amount of food a person can eat is reduces or the small intestine is rearranged to reduce the calories that a person’s body can absorb.

There are a number of types of bariatric surgery available although they are commonly known as the term ‘bariatric surgery.’

It should be noted that bariatric surgery is not a magic solution to lose weight. It is not an easy option for those who suffer obesity as it is a drastic step. It carries the typical pain and risks associated with major gastrointestinal surgical procedure.

Any bariatric surgery involves new eating habits. It compels the person to change radically what they eat and the frequency they eat. Following the performance of bariatric surgery, a patient who overeats can become very ill. The patient also faces a life long risk of nutritional deficiencies.

Any bariatric surgery usually leads to major weight loss. Some patients who have bariatric gastrointestinal surgery can lose more that 100 pounds in weight. Many reach a normal weight for their height and some remain overweight although not as overweight as before.

Many bariatric surgeons perform on patients who are in their 60’s and due to our growing obese society, some are even operating on teenagers. Due to the fact that bariatric surgery is the last option to losing weight, it should only be considered when all other conventional weight loss techniques have failed. Patients must have severe obesity related health problems to be considered for the surgery. A patient should be morbidly obese to qualify for bariatric surgery. This generally means being 100 pounds overweight in a man and 80 pounds overweight in a woman. Both should have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40.

However, bariatric surgery may be the appropriate option if a patient is overweight by 80 pounds and has a serious condition related to that weight such as Type II diabetes or cardio pulmonary complications that are life threatening. Severe sleep apnoea and obesity related heart disease is also an illness in this category.

Some patients, especially those who are suffering from very severe obesity may have to be hospitalised before they undergo bariatric surgery to ensure that the risks of surgery are kept to a minimum. Bariatric’s surgery’s success and a patient’s ability to solve their obesity problems all depends on the patient’s motivation. The more motivation a patient has to lose weight and manage the post operative requirements such as diet modification, behavioural therapy, the more successful the bariatric surgery is likely to be in solving a patient’s obesity problems. These factors are often taken into consideration when a patient is being assessed for bariatric surgery.