Am I a Candidate?
Understanding bariatric surgery and whether it’s right for you.
Our team uses guidelines set by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to determine if you are a candidate for bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is usually recommended for people who:
- Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or greater
- Have a BMI of 35 or greater with one or more obesity-related health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or sleep apnea
Other qualifying factors may include:
- History of documented dietary weight loss attempts
- Lifelong commitment to dietary, exercise and medical guidelines, and follow-up care
- Psychological evaluation
Bariatric (weight loss) surgery is not an immediate fix. It's a positive, ongoing process of change and is meant to help you lose excess body weight, improve or resolve other life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and sleep apnea, and maintain a new, healthy body weight.
Our bariatric team will provide you with ongoing support and determine:
- If weight loss surgery is the right treatment for you
- Which type of procedure is best for you
- If you are mentally and emotionally prepared to make long-term lifestyle changes
- That you have, or will have, the necessary support system
We will also perform a thorough assessment of your health, which may include the following:
- An application that describes your health and weight loss history
- Nutritional evaluation
- Psychological evaluation
- Medical exam
- Routine tests
- Calculation of your BMI
- Examination of any obesity-related health conditions you may have (i.e., diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, etc.)
Health benefits of bariatric surgery
Bariatric (weight loss) surgery has many benefits that can lead to a healthier, higher quality of life. Combined with effective treatment and a commitment to long-term lifestyle changes, bariatric surgery can offer a better chance for a longer life. A clinical study shows that gastric bypass surgery improves a patient’s life expectancy by 89 percent, and a review of more than 22,000 bariatric surgery patients showed improvement in or complete resolution of other conditions, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea.
If you find yourself struggling with weight loss or one or more obesity-related health conditions, bariatric surgery could be right for you. To learn more about bariatric (weight loss) surgery, call 585.922-5465 to register for one of our free informational seminars.