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Preparing for Weight Loss Surgery

People who consider weight loss surgery are often at the end of their ropes. Traditional methods of diet and exercise have had no effect, and this procedure is a last resort. But it’s a big leap to go from thinking about weight loss surgery to getting on the operating table.

People need to be aware, in great detail, of the risks and benefits of weight loss surgery. After all, any operation carries some risk, and can cause a great deal of anxiety. So prepare carefully if you are considering weight loss surgery. You should be physically and mentally ready. Most of all, you should be committed to changing your lifestyle and keeping the weight off to ensure a healthier life.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• Have you truly tried to lose weight through diet and exercise?
• Will your insurance cover weight loss surgery?
• Are you prepared for the psychological exam many surgeons require?
• Have you looked into support groups to help you adjust after weight loss surgery?

Don’t rush into weight loss surgery. Typically, two years pass from the time a person first thinks about having weight loss surgery to the time they make the commitment to have it done, according to James Kolenich, MD, a bariatric surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Horizon. Talk to family and friends, talk to the surgeon and people at the hospital. Approach this major decision thoughtfully.

First Steps Toward Weight Loss Surgery

More than 60 million obese people are living in the U.S., according to the American Obesity Association (AOA), and about 9 million are severely obese. Weight loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery, can be successful when diet and exercise have failed, and a person's health is on the line. Overweight is the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., after smoking, according to the AOA.

First, it is suggested people contact their insurance company to learn if they are covered for the surgery. Then they should contact their primary care doctors to get documentation of their struggle with obesity. Many insurance companies want to know that a primary care doctor has tried to help the patient lose weight with psychological counseling, diet, and an exercise plan for at least five years.

While there are other options, such as personally financing weight loss surgery, they are costly: The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases states that a typical weight loss operation can run from $15,000 and higher.

With such a hefty price tag on weight loss surgery, it pays to ensure that your doctor documents your battle with obesity early on, to open up options down the road.

When you've crossed all your t's and dotted all your i's in the insurance category, it is time to find a first-rate surgeon and hospital.

Finding a Bariatric Surgeon for Your Weight Loss Surgery

When you're looking for a surgeon, ask the following questions:

• Is he or she board-certified by the American Board of Surgery?
• Is the surgeon a member of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons?
• How many of the surgeon’s patients have died from weight loss surgery? The average death rate is less than 1%.
• How often do his/her patients have complications? What side effects are most common?
• What is the surgeon’s success rate?

Clearly, the surgeon you find should be well experienced in the area of weight loss surgery. Research shows that the more experienced the surgeon, the lower the risk of death during or after the surgery. Ideally, you should look for a surgeon who has performed at least 100 weight loss surgeries.

Go beyond researching mere numbers and statistics; you will also need a support system. Look for a center or hospital that offers educational seminars to people considering weight loss surgery, so you can learn more about the actual procedure, the benefits, and the risks. Also look for support groups that you can turn to before and after your operation.

Next, start preparing yourself physically and mentally; this is crucial to successful weight loss surgery.

Preparing for Weight Loss Surgery

It’s important to understand that weight loss surgery is not a cure for obesity. And while bariatric surgery is a powerful tool in the fight against obesity, it’s not a quick fix. Weight loss surgery is part of a long process, and requires a lifelong commitment to follow up with doctors, a regular exercise program, and healthy eating.

When you understand and accept that, it’s time to start meeting with doctors -- a lot of them.

You probably will meet with a number of doctors to assess your health before weight loss surgery, including a heart doctor, a lung doctor, and other specialists. Your doctors may ask you to lose some weight before surgery to show your commitment to change, and to improve your health. Some surgeons ask people to try to lose 15 to 30 pounds before surgery.

Your doctors may also require you to quit smoking before surgery – both for your long-term health and to lessen the likelihood of problems from your operation. Smokers face a higher risk of complications, such as pneumonia, from surgery.

You may also meet with a nutritionist to learn the elements of healthy eating, and how your eating habits need to change before and after the surgery. Often, people who get into the proper nutritional mindset before surgery -- eating smaller portions, eating slowly, paying closer attention to the nutritional makeup of meals -- adapt better to life after surgery.

Understanding the Risks of Weight Loss Surgery

Understanding the possible outcomes of weight loss surgery, including the risks, is an important part of preparing for the operation.

All surgeries carry some risk of infection or blood clots. And obese people are at higher risk for complications, particularly if they have early signs of diabetes or heart disease. A 2004 government report estimates that 0.19% of people die from weight loss surgery. The death rate is higher in older patients, and in people with high blood pressure. Yet weight loss surgery may cut in half the risk of heart disease in extremely obese people. And studies show that formerly obese people who had weight loss surgery live longer than obese people who don’t have bariatric surgery. So, while the surgery has its risks, it saves lives.

For maximum protection, doctors recommend patients have a thorough pre-operative workup that can identify potential problems before surgery. Using an experienced and qualified surgeon is also critical.

Often patients find the required psychological evaluation helps prepare them mentally for the surgery and the risks. It helps some people become more conscious of what they are thinking and feeling, and prepares them to think of food in a different way.

Expectations After Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery -- like any surgical procedure, may require an extensive recovery period. Recovery time varies with the person, but usually takes at least one full week, and often up to three or four weeks.

New techniques have helped lessen recovery time. Today, the weight loss surgery can be performed minimally invasively via small incisions. In a few centers around the country, weight loss surgery is even done on an outpatient basis.

Most obese people lose about a pound a day for the first month or so after weight loss surgery. Then they may lose between 50% and 75% of their excess body weight within a full year after surgery. But even then, the process is not over. People who have weight loss surgery are at risk for medical problems due to nutritional deficiencies such as anemia, osteoporosis, and metabolic bone disease. They need to follow a careful healthy diet, exercise, and have regular checkups with doctors who can monitor their nutritional health.

Quick Questions to Ask Yourself About Weight Loss Surgery

Ask yourself these questions, from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, if you are considering weight loss surgery. If you answer yes to many or all of them, start by calling your primary care doctor and insurance company.

Are you:

• Unlikely to lose weight or keep weight off long term with nonsurgical measures?
• Well informed about the surgical procedure and the effects of treatment?
• Determined to lose weight and improve your health?
• Aware of how your life may change after the operation (adjustments to the side effects of the operation include the need to chew food well and inability to eat large meals)?
• Aware of the potential for serious complications, dietary restrictions, and occasional failures?
• Committed to lifelong medical follow-up and vitamin/mineral supplementation?

From: WebMD.com