Am I a Good Candidate For Bariatric Surgery?

Am I a Good Candidate For Bariatric Surgery?

If you have battled with your weight for most of your life and no diet nor form of exercise has help fight the battle of the bulge you may be a viable candidate for Bariatric surgery if you have a body mass index in excess of 40.

For obese people, daily life can be a real challenge from just getting up out of bed and doing things healthier weight people take for granted. There is a mentality in today's society that thinks that obese people bring their troubles on them selves and can control it is they would just watch what they eat and exercise. However, there are those cases that no amount of exercise or diet works. They may lose a little but gain it back just as quickly. Emotions come into play with a lowered self-esteem and more often then not depression which weights on the issues of obesity that much more. This is not to say binge eating and inappropriate diets do not play a role in obesity, however it is not the only factor.

Bariatric surgery can help a certain population of obese people regain a healthy body weight however there are a few things required of a candidate before a surgeon will agree to perform the surgery. A good candidate has to have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more. What this means is if you are 5'6" and weigh more then 248 pounds you could be a good candidate for bariatric surgery. However, if you have a body mass index of 35 with health related issues due to your excessive weight you could also be a good candidate for bariatric surgery. Some common health related issues that come with obesity are sleep apnea, severe arthritis, and adult onset diabetes 2. A doctor can calculate your BMI or there are many sites online that can give you a close idea of your body mass index.

Another good indicator of being a good candidate for bariatric surgery is you can prove that you have tried dieting and exercising and have achieved little to no success from either. Many times a doctor will require you to be followed by a dietitian to ensure that you are eating proper and still not showing any weight loss or put you on their own weight loss plan and have you document your progress. Generally, when a dietitian is used they will report to the doctor if they feel an honest effort was made with no large weight loss. Bariatric surgery should always be used as a last resort and not as a method of dieting. There are too many risks involved and it postoperative requires a lot of dedication from the patient.

Another indicator that you may be a good candidate for bariatric surgery is if you can prove you are ready to commit to some pretty hefty and permanent life style changes. With out changing your lifestyle and dietary habits will only result in regaining the weight and risks other serious complications. The surgeon has to know you are on board 100% plus with your dedication to follow through with strongly required postoperative care.

Bariatric surgery can help you top lose up to 60% of your excess body weight but as with any surgery there are risks. Bariatric surgery comes with some pretty hefty risks up to death, so know your risks and know for sure that you will be able to handle the lifestyle changes. It is highly recommended that you join a pre-operative bariatric surgery group prior to making any commitments.