You’re tired of being unhealthy. You’ve tried every diet under the sun, without long-term success. You’ve been researching weight-loss surgery for months and stalking online discussion boards, but you’re scared it may not work. You’re ready for a major life change, and you don’t want to look back.
If that sounds like you, you may be ready to take control of your health again with weight loss surgery. The good news is you shouldn’t be scared about surgery not working: according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery studies find that most bariatric surgery patients maintain successful weight loss long-term and many reduce or even stop medication use for diabetes and blood pressure.
Dr. Ryan Moon, Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery at the St. Elizabeth Physicians Weight Management Center says, “Whether or not to have weight loss surgery is a very personal decision. You have to be able to answer – “is this right for me?” Once you realize there is no magic pill or quick-fix solution and you are ready to commit to changing your life – weight loss surgery is a powerful tool.”
Are you a Candidate for Weight Loss Surgery?
A good place to begin your discussion about weight loss surgery is with your primary care provider. To be considered for weight loss surgery you must:
- Have been unsuccessful in repeated attempts to lose weight with diet and exercise.
- Have a body mass index, or BMI, of 40 or greater.
- Have a BMI of 35 or over and other health problems such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnea.
What are the Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery?
Dr. Moon explains that surgery can often change your weight “set-point.” A set-point is the weight your body thinks it should maintain. Obesity is very complex; it isn’t just about how many calories you consume. Weight loss surgery can reset your weight metabolically. In addition to weight loss, weight loss surgery has shown to improve or resolve many obesity-related conditions, including:
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Sleep apnea
- Fertility
- Back and joint pain
- Blood pressure
- Mobility
Most importantly, most patients experience an improvement in their quality of life. Dr. Moon says, “Most patients don’t realize how sick they had become. Their diseases start to accumulate over time so they don’t realize the impact they have on their daily life. After surgery, patients talk about playing with their grandchildren or keeping up with kids on the playground.”
Making the Final Decision on Surgery
Dr. Moon advises anyone thinking about surgery to research the physician and weight loss program before committing, “You want to make sure that your support doesn’t end at surgery. Surgery is one small piece of a successful surgical weight loss program – it takes a village.”
At St. Elizabeth Physicians Weight Management Center, each weight loss surgery patient receives over 17 hours of classes and training before the surgery. The team also provides extensive follow-up after surgery. Once you have surgery, you are always considered a patient of the Weight Management Center.
If you want to learn more about weight loss surgery and the options available at St. Elizabeth Physicians you can attend a live seminar or watch our online seminar. Once you have attended a seminar you can schedule your first appointment at St. Elizabeth Physicians Weight Management Center by calling (859) 212-4625.
