How To Know If Weight Loss Surgery Is Right For You
Weight loss often takes time and can be quite challenging, especially if you don’t seem to achieve your desired results, although you’ve tried various means, from special diets to workouts. You may be considering surgery in such cases. However, it’s best to be well informed before taking the next step. Weight loss or bariatric surgery comes in many types, including gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric band, and duodenal switch. Studies show that approximately 80% of patients will consider this procedure a success as they’ll achieve long-term weight loss. Despite this encouraging statistic, you must first know if surgery is right for you before signing up, as it comes with many commitments you might not be ready for. So, how do you know if weight loss surgery is right for you? The following signs can help.
- You’re morbidly obese
A recent health survey revealed that 37.9% are overweight, but weight loss surgery is only an option for people who are morbidly obese. That is a case where your obesity may indicate an underlying disease. You’re considered morbidly obese if your weight is over 80 to 100 pounds above your ideal body weight. This severe form of obesity poses serious and life-threatening health risks, including type-2 diabetes and chronic heart issues. Before recommending weight loss surgery, a doctor will examine your body mass index (BMI) to determine if you fall within this severe category. But if you’re struggling with excess weight threatening your life in any way, you may need surgery even if you’re not morbidly obese.
- You’ve had too many unsuccessful weight loss attempts
If you’ve tried various diet options, lifestyle changes, and exercise regimens without seeing sustained weight loss, you can consider weight loss surgery. That may be particularly helpful if you’re dealing with stubborn and unhealthy excess weight in specific parts of your body. This way, you can opt for a procedure targeting or eliminating fat from those areas. For example, you can consider an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) procedure to remove stubborn excess fat and skin from your abdominal region. Other procedures are available for different body parts, making it easier to maintain a healthy weight. But of course, you still need to eat healthy and stay active, which leads to the next point.
- You’re ready to commit to the necessary lifestyle changes
While weight loss surgery has an encouraging success rate, you can always regain your lost weight if you’re not ready to commit to the necessary lifestyle changes. Regardless of what type of procedure, it will not offer a permanent fix without a strong commitment level on your part. You must demonstrate a willingness to adopt healthier eating habits, exercise often or stay active, and follow your doctor’s instructions closely.
Also, bariatric surgery can change hunger hormones in your body, reducing them by up to 70%. While this can help your weight loss journey, you must be ready for significant lifestyle changes. How successful your surgery will be will depend on what you do after the surgery, including your dedication to the necessary changes. Going for surgery will not be worth your time and money if you’re only going to gain back your weight after some months.
- You’re fully aware of the risks involved
Like any form of surgery, a weight loss procedure has many risks. You need to know all of them and ensure you’re ready for any potential mishap. The most common risks include excessive bleeding, infection, and acid reflux. In some cases, such risks can have fatal consequences. So, visiting a doctor is highly advisable before you make any concrete decision. Your doctor will go into detail with you regarding everything you can expect and how to handle each potential risk.
- You’re emotionally and psychologically ready
It would help if you were emotionally and psychologically healthy enough to undergo a weight loss procedure and handle what’s expected of you. A candidate for weight loss surgery is expected to undergo a thorough psychological evaluation to determine how ready they are for the procedure. Such an evaluation also assesses your emotional readiness to cope with the changes that come with life after weight loss surgery. That is particularly important if you struggle with self-image issues, depression or you’re used to emotional eating as a way of coping with your weight. A psychological evaluation also enables you to get treatment for any mental health issue before the surgery to improve your postoperative outcome after the operation.
- You’re realistic about your expectations
Of course, you expect to shed a significant amount of unhealthy excess weight, but weight loss surgery does not guarantee complete transformation. Aside from doing your part regarding diet and fitness, you can also expect a lot of challenges along the way. Moreover, the extent of weight loss varies from person to person, so don’t expect to instantly look like someone else who has already had the surgery. Remember that you’re only supposed to use this surgery as a tool to aid your weight loss – it’s not the solution by itself.
