People suffering from obesity often struggle to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. For those who have tried various diets and exercise plans to no avail, bariatric surgery has been one of the safest and most effective options to manage their obesity and other obesity-related health problems.
But choosing to undergo bariatric surgery is not a decision to be taken lightly. There are many steps involved even in just securing an appointment, as it comes with risks and specific lifestyle changes that you have to consider.
In this post, we will walk you through the bariatric surgery process from the initial seminar to post-surgery recovery to help you clear things out before you make a life-changing decision.
What is Bariatric Surgery?
Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, is one of the latest metabolic procedures that help patients lose excess weight and improve weight-related health issues. Some of the bariatric surgery procedures endorsed by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery are roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, sleeve gastrectomy, adjustable gastric banding, and duodenal switch.
These bariatric procedures all aim to reduce the capacity of your stomach to limit the food you can eat in a given time, which can promote significant weight loss. It should be noted that bariatric surgery is often recommended to those who have failed to lose weight with other non-surgical methods or to those who are suffering from obesity-related conditions.
But weight loss surgery doesn’t end with just having the procedure. It involves different programs like specific dietary requirements and regular consultations to ensure that you’re on track with your weight loss to prevent weight regain, nutritional deficiencies, or any surgical complications.
The Bariatric Surgery Process
If you are considering weight loss surgery to help manage your weight, you might be wondering what kinds of preparation you need to do before the actual surgery takes place.
At Beltline Health, our goal is to provide you with all the information you need to determine if weight loss surgery is right for you. With multiple surgical weight-loss options, our team is dedicated to helping you decide which procedure best fits your needs to achieve a healthy and sustainable weight and lifestyle.
Free Weight Loss Seminar
The first step to securing a bariatric surgery appointment with a doctor is attending a free 20-minute weight loss seminar. This step is an essential part of the bariatric surgery process because this is where our team explains the qualifications for surgery, the weight loss surgery process in detail, different bariatric surgeries available, and a brief intro to the lifestyle changes you would need to adopt if you decide to undergo the procedure.
This free online seminar allows you to learn more about our weight loss program and bariatric surgery options. Sign up here.
Initial Appointment
During your initial appointment, which takes place on average six months to a year before the surgery is scheduled, you will be evaluated to determine whether you are qualified to undergo a weight loss surgery.
Once confirmed, our team of bariatric experts will perform a series of medical tests to review all your relevant medical data, as well as any existing physical, psychological, and medical conditions that will affect your recovery after the surgery. You will also undergo an extensive nutritional assessment that includes eating habits and dietary restrictions.
This is also where you will have the chance to discuss your options with one of our bariatric surgeons to give you an idea of each surgical procedure’s risks, possible complications, and challenges.
Pre-Surgery Preparations
In a span of three to six months, you will undergo a series of monthly visits with our team to work with some dietary and behavioral changes and medical tests required to prepare you for the weight loss surgery such as blood tests. This also includes a psychological evaluation to ensure that you are ready for your bariatric surgery and the long-term physical and psychological changes you may encounter after surgery.
Our team at Beltline Health will provide you with the resources such as nutritional counseling, psychological evaluation, exercise physiologists, and support groups to help you stay on top of your weight loss journey. This is also where we work with you to fulfill both your surgery and insurance requirements and ensure that you have completed all the necessary paperwork.
Towards the end of your pre-surgery preparations, you will meet your bariatric surgeon to review the weight loss procedure appropriate for your current body mass index and health status. Here, you can discuss some expectations about bariatric surgery, specific instructions on how to prepare for your surgery, as well as post-surgery follow-up care. There are also certain restrictions on what foods you can eat or drink and medications you can take before your procedure.
Day of Bariatric Surgery
Most bariatric surgeries are performed laparoscopically under general anesthesia. At Beltline Health, we specialize in minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery using advanced robot-assisted surgical tools designed to lower the chances of infection, promote faster healing, reduce pain and discomfort, leave fewer scars while still achieving your weight loss goals.
Depending on the type of procedure you and your surgeon have chosen, your weight loss surgery will take around one to three hours. Most patients stay in the hospital for one to two days, depending on their recovery, but we will help you through your first days of recovery so you can get up and walk as soon as possible.
After Bariatric Surgery
Following any type of bariatric surgery procedure, you will need to follow a strict post-surgery diet plan (from liquid to stabilization) that your doctor and dietician prescribed. You should expect your calorie consumption to drastically reduce to a quarter of what you used to eat.
Within 10 to 14 days after your bariatric surgery, we expect you back at Beltline Health for your first post-surgery check-up to look for possible complications. While there are potential risks and side effects that may occur, your pre-surgery preparations should have prepared you enough to have a smoother recovery process.
Recovery and Long-Term Care
Depending on recovery, it is recommended that patients should avoid abdominal, lifting, and high-intensity exercises within four to eight weeks after your bariatric surgery. Our team will arrange long-term care, support, and resources to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
To monitor your recovery and weight loss progress, you will have to attend follow-up visits around eight weeks, three, six, and twelve months after surgery. After that, we recommend scheduling one appointment every year to ensure that you’re sticking with the required healthy eating and lifestyle changes to have success in losing weight, preventing weight regain, avoiding nutritional deficiencies, and developing late surgical complications.
To enhance your health and prevent nutritional deficiencies, you will be required to take bariatric supplements like multivitamins, iron, and calcium citrate to support your weight loss journey. Our team at Beltline Health will provide you with personalized support to address your health concerns and dietary needs before and after your bariatric surgery.
Even if the procedure works well, it’s still possible to not achieve your expected weight loss or experience weight regain. If you’re noticing any of these or other side effects after your bariatric surgery, it’s best to consult with your surgeon immediately so we can evaluate your case and determine the factors that might have affected your case.
Bariatric surgery is an effective option for patients who suffer from severe obesity. It involves many steps and long-term lifestyle adjustments that you have to maintain to reap the weight loss benefits. Therefore, it’s essential to work with a team of health care providers that can provide compassionate and professional support, from pre-surgery education sessions to one-on-one surgical consultations, to gain your lost confidence and lose excess weight successfully.
Sign up for our free bariatric patient education seminar to learn more about how our multidisciplinary bariatric surgery program helps individuals suffering from moderate or severe obesity.
To know more about bariatric surgery, check our article on the different types of weight loss procedures we offer. For questions and concerns, visit our website to message us or call us at (470) 419-4380.
