Taking the steps to undergo a bariatric procedure can be a stressful and nerve-wracking time, but with the right preparation, it needn’t be. Ensuring you are prepared and fully aware of everything you need to know before your bariatric procedure can help reduce stress, minimise risks and help you to shed the weight and keep it off in the long run, too! We’ve put together our top five things to know in the months, weeks and days before your bariatric procedure.
1. What’s Available for Me?
There are many different bariatric procedures available and each one is different depending on your weight. It is primarily all down to where your BMI falls. Those who are 25kg overweight can be considered for a bariatric procedure, however in some cases, for example for people who are significantly overweight or have a disease like diabetes and are not able to keep this under control, the criteria for bariatric procedures are lowered. To find out what bariatric procedure is suited to you, our online BMI checker can help you.
2. Find the Right Surgeon
Ensuring you research and take the time to find the right surgeon for you is extremely important when deciding to go for a bariatric procedure. Not everyone who is overweight needs to undergo bariatric surgery, and there are procedures available that don’t involve going under the knife. At The Bariatric Group, our surgeons are committed to the highest standards of treatment practice, which includes collecting and publishing data on our treatment outcomes, as well as measuring the impact on patients.
3. Weight Loss Varies
Whatever procedure you decide is right for you, it’s important you understand that the amount of weight lost varies hugely with each patient. Don’t go into a surgery having not done any research and with a goal weight loss in mind- though most patients can expect to lose between 60-80% of their excess body weight, this can take anywhere between 18-24 months after surgery, if not longer! The most important thing is to stick to a healthy diet and watch the weight fall off at a slow, steady and healthy speed.
4. Strict Diets
If you’re thinking of undergoing a bariatric procedure, it’s important to understand you will need to partake in a strict diet both before and after the procedure has taken place. Often, these diets can last for around 1-2 months. It’s important to follow your diet prior to your procedure in order to reduce the size of your liver, and therefore help to reduce the risk of complications associated with your surgery. Your diet after the procedure will help to allow your body to heal and digest food again.
5. Recovery Time
Depending on the bariatric procedure you opt for, you are most likely looking at going through a serious type of surgery. Recovery time highly depends on the procedure as well as if a laparoscopic approach is taken, as this has a much faster recovery time as well as a lower risk of complications. More often than not, you’ll only need a few days to initially recover, and may or may not spend this in hospital. However, it can take several weeks or even months for you to resume back to normal routines and activities, and it’s important you don’t push yourself to do so and listen to your body.
If you’d like to find out more information about bariatric procedures and what one is right for you, contact a member of our fantastic team by visiting our contact page or by giving us a call on 0808 1280 022.
-
Disclaimer: Please note that weight loss surgery results and benefits are unique to each individual and in such The Bariatric Group cannot guarantee specific weight loss goals as results for each surgery can vary. If you have any questions or would like to know more about weight loss surgery please contact our expert team.
