Who Should Consider Bariatric Surgery

Who Should Consider Bariatric Surgery

This past week, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, and The Obesity Society published new guidelines about bariatric surgery in the latest issues of Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, Endocrine Practice, and Obesity, the official peer-reviewed journals of each of the societies.

While those guidelines are intended, of course, for American audiences, they are significant in several ways.

Three important findings stand out:
. the reclassification of sleeve gastrectomy as a proven surgical option, rather than an investigational one;. surgical eligibility be expanded to include patients with mild to moderate obesity and diabetes or metabolic syndrome; . a team approach to perioperative care “is mandatory with special attention to nutritional and metabolic issues.”
It’s worth underlining that you do not need to weigh 500 pounds in order to be considered a candidate for bariatric surgery. If your health is affected by your weight, then it’s time to talk with your doctor about your options, and one of them may well be bariatric surgery.

Who should consider bariatric surgery? Chances are that if you’re reading this article, then you’re already thinking that it may be for you. The only way to find out for certain is to arrange a consultation. Talk with your GP. Then talk with us.

The other interesting American “finding” is something that we’ve known for a long time: that aftercare is essential for the success of any weight-loss surgery or procedure. You need to understand that bariatric surgery isn’t the same as pushing a button and having your weight problem disappear forever. You will need to change your lifestyle to accommodate your new healthy body, and to keep that new healthy body, and the only way to do that is follow the nutritional and exercise programme that your aftercare team will put together for you.

Who should consider bariatric surgery? Someone who is confident of, and committed to, making the necessary changes in her or his life.
If that’s you, then it’s time to start exploring your options today!