Are You Ready for Bariatric Surgery

Before undergoing weight loss surgery, it’s important that you understand how the procedure works, what the risks and benefits are, and what you’ll be required to do to make sure it’s successful. It also helps to know what to expect from your insurance company and what you’ll need to provide them with before they’ll cover your procedure. That’s why we want to help you get ready for bariatric surgery with our Bariatric Surgery guide

Education to Get Ready for Bariatric Surgery

As with any surgical procedure, weight loss surgery does come with inherent risks. Your level of risk will depend partly on your health going into surgery, where you choose to have the surgery performed, and your adherence to post-surgery instructions. While most of the complications associated with weight loss surgery are minor, it’s important that you understand and accept them. Your doctor can help you determine whether or not the benefits outweigh the risks in your unique situation.

Lifestyle Requirements

Bariatric surgery usually results in significant weight loss and subsequent improvement of any obesity-related illnesses; however, the amount of weight you lose will depend on your willingness to commit to a lifelong, healthy diet and exercise plan. Before you make the decision to have weight loss surgery, make sure you’re willing to make and stick with these changes.

Get Ready for Bariatric Surgery by assessing these changes:

  • Diet: After weight loss surgery, it’s important to eat lower-calorie, nutritious foods. Because the size of your stomach will be restricted, you’ll need to eat smaller portions several times a day. This restriction also means that you’ll need to refrain from drinking beverages while eating and wait at least 30 minutes after a meal to drink; otherwise, you could fill up on liquid and miss out on the nutrients your body needs. It’s also very important to chew food slowly and thoroughly to make sure that it digests properly and to make sure to get enough protein in order to help build muscle mass.
  • Exercise: Exercise is important not only for overall health, but it also helps counteract the muscle loss that can come as a result of rapid weight loss. It can also help improve your metabolism.

Insurance

Before they’ll cover a bariatric procedure, most insurance companies require letters from your primary care physician and your weight loss surgeon stating that the surgery is a medical necessity for you. Other companies might also require you to undergo a nutritional consultation and a psychological evaluation, while others may require you to participate in a doctor-supervised weight loss program for a period of time before they’ll agree to cover the procedure. Make sure you understand what your insurance company requires to grant coverage, and keep in mind that many patients whose procedures are initially declined by their insurance company have been able to get coverage following an appeal.

From the Palmyra Surgical Blog

  • Understanding the Glycemic Index
    Understanding the Glycemic Index
    Carbohydrates are one of the six essential nutrients. Despite common talk about avoiding carbohydrates for weight loss, our bodies require them to thrive. Carbohydrates contain sugar. When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks down that sugar and absorbs it into the cells with the help of a hormone called insulin, where it is then converted to fuel and used for energy.
  • Reasons to Consider Weight Loss Surgery
    Getting weight loss surgery is a choice that can have a major influence on your health and quality of life for years to come. The conversation surrounding weight loss surgery may come up at the advice of a doctor, after seeing a friend who was successful in their weight loss efforts or maybe after a series of frustrating weight loss attempts.
  • Managing Special Occasions after Weight Loss Surgery
    Every time you turn the corner there is another fast food restaurant or bakery loaded with its own temptations, and you do what you can to stand strong and stick to your post-bariatric diet plan.
  • Shop Smart to Lose Weight
    Healthy Shopping Strategies for a Healthy Household
    When one person in a household gets weight loss surgery, it is actually common for other members of that household to lose weight too. This is called a “halo effect.”
  • Making Healthy Food Substitutions after Weight Loss Surgery
    Approximately six weeks following weight loss surgery you’ll start making the gradual transition back to a whole-foods diet. This is an exciting period for many people. After weeks of gaining sustenance through liquids and soft foods, being able to enjoy a regular meal is something to look forward to.