Am I a Surgical Candidate for Weight Loss Surgery?

For obese patients, surgery may seem like an easy way to achieve weight loss. If your BMI is over 40, you are considered a candidate for the different weight loss surgical options 

What are some of the other criteria for obese people to qualify for weight loss surgery?

• People with high blood pressure
• Over the age of 16
• Suffering from Diabetes
• Arthritis sufferer
• Suffers from sleep apnea
• High Cholesterol
• Family history of heart disease
• Joint problems
• Varicose and spider vein problems

If the patient has a history of yo-yo dieting with failed attempts to lose weight, and has been in counseling to try and understand why food is so important for them, they are a good candidate. The patient should understand the risks of surgery to correct their weight problem. They should have a plan of a long- term commitment to diet and exercise and follow the orders of their physician during post-operative care.

Weight loss surgery or Bariatric surgery is not something to be entered into lightly. It is not a miracle cure, but rather a surgical tool to help those who are considered morbidly obese.

Patients whose quality of life suffers due to their weight problem are the ones that will be considered prime candidates for these invasive procedures. If the patient’s overall health is poor, he may be considered a poor surgical risk and be placed on a 30 day diet program, or other type of program geared to reduce the weight prior to the surgery.

All of this needs to be discussed with the surgeon as well as the family physician. Spouses, children and other family members of the morbidly obese patient should also be consulted and counseled. For the weight loss is quite a change for everyone involved.