Am I a Candidate for Bariatric Surgery?
Jun 23, 2023
If you've struggled repeatedly to lose weight 鈥 only to regain it 鈥 and you're heavier than you've ever been, you may be wondering: Is bariatric surgery an option for me?
鈥淏ariatric surgery can be life-changing,鈥 says Dr. Ryland Stucke, general and bariatric surgeon, 鈥渂ut it doesn鈥檛 provide all the same benefits or replace a healthy diet, regular exercise and enough sleep. If you鈥檝e tried everything but still struggle to lose weight, weight-loss surgery may be the best option for you.鈥
Criteria for surgery
You may be a bariatric surgery candidate if you鈥檙e an adult who meets one or more of these criteria:
- You have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or more.
- You have a BMI of 30鈥 34 along with one or more serious, obesity-related health problems 鈥 such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease or sleep apnea.
Before you meet with a bariatric surgeon, you鈥檒l need to schedule an appointment with your primary care provider to discuss:
- Lab work
- Tobacco use
- Sleep studies
- Cardiology
- Preventive screenings based on your age
You鈥檒l also need to contact your insurance provider to find out what 鈥 and how much 鈥 is covered on your plan. If weight-loss surgery is covered, be sure to ask about any requirements they may have 鈥 like a supervised diet or specific weight loss amount.
A lifelong commitment
Having surgery to lose weight is a serious decision. And even if you're severely obese, it's only appropriate if you haven't been able to trim down with diet, exercise or weight-loss medicine.
Equally important, you must be willing to commit to healthy habits the rest of your life.
This surgery can help you shed a significant amount of weight 鈥 and even improve or reverse health problems like diabetes. But as beneficial as it is, it's not a magic bullet. To keep pounds from reappearing, you must maintain a healthy diet and get regular exercise.
Bariatric surgery in Portland
Get started with a free assessment to find out if you may be a candidate for surgery
Sources: American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery; National Institutes of Health
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