Weight-loss surgery is an attractive idea for many: Simply go under the surgeon’s knife and all your extra pounds are gone. In reality, of course, surgery is never that simple. Here are the factors to consider before opting for weight loss surgery.
1. How overweight are you? If you are at less than 80 pounds overweight (for women) or 100 pounds overweight (for men), then you should probably think about other ways to lose weight. Those at or above those weight limits have Body Mass Indexes (BMIs) above 40, which adds additional health risks, such as diabetes, heart problems or sleep apnea.
2. What other options have you tried? Have you sincerely tried other sensible diet and exercise programs? Did they work at all? Or did you just give up after you didn’t achieve the body of a supermodel in the first week?
3. Why do you want to lose weight? Do you think your life will be perfect once you fit into a size 2? Or do you realize that you will be same person, just wearing smaller-sized clothing? If you have severe health problems, the surgery can help to alleviate them. (However, be aware that your doctor may say those problems add too much risk to the surgery.)
4. Are you committed to making the lifestyle changes you will need to make after the surgery? Surgery is no magic bullet. You will still need to make significant lifestyle changes to keep the pounds off and to lose additional weight. You will have to eat smaller portions of healthier food and get more active. These are life-long changes: You can never go back to your old habits.
5. Are you aware of the potential risks? All surgery carries some risk. In this case, post-surgical complications include, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea and gallstones. In addition, your body has to relearn how to absorb nutrients, causing some people to become anemic or develop other problems. Some people must have further surgeries to correct infections and hernias.
6. Do you have the time for surgery? Depending on the procedure, plan on a recovery period of about one to three months, during which your body will be healing and you will be learning new eating and exercise habits. If this is a particularly stressful time in your life, you may want to postpone surgery a while.
6. What does the surgery cost? Depending on the type of procedure and other factors, weight-loss surgery can cost between $18,000 and $35,000. At least part of those costs may be covered by medical insurance if your doctor can convince the insurance company that the procedure is medically necessary. Those estimates do not count post-surgical costs such as visits to a dietician or for an exercise program. These and other post-surgical costs are generally not covered by insurance. Many providers do have payment plans, but be aware of the expense first.
Weight-loss surgery can be helpful, but it is vital that you know the risks. Get all your facts together before making such a crucial decision.
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