Weight Loss Options

This is based mainly on your BMI. If your BMI is over 35, you are likely a candidate. Additionally, if your BMI is over 30 and you have at least one illness which is associated with excess weight, you also may qualify. Recent studies have demonstrated that patients with a BMI of 30 or above and at least one associated illness also benefit, although most insurances do not yet pay for this indication.

The answer will depend on your unique needs, goals, and response to surgery. On average, patients with a gastric band lose around 40% of their excess weight. Patients who have a gastric sleeve or gastric bypass can expect to lose between 50% – 70% of their excess weight. The most important predictor of successful weight loss is regular, lifelong follow-up with your surgeon after the procedure.

After surgery, you will be given post-surgery recommendations that can help you to maintain your size after the procedure has helped you to lose excess weight. If these recommendations are not followed, it is possible to regain the weight. Continuing to visit with your surgeon for long-term follow-up appointments is the most important thing you can do to avoid gaining the weight back.

Depending on your candidacy, you may qualify for a variety of procedures. In general, most people will do very well with a gastric sleeve. Patients with severe diabetes or GERD, or with a BMI over 50 may want to consider the gastric bypass. For more information on each type of surgery, please review the detailed information on the individual procedural pages on our website, or feel free to contact us with questions.

No. You are not required to lose weight prior to surgery, but most patients will find that they lose weight through diet and exercise as they progress through our pre-operative program.

Yes. Our skilled medical team will plan a pre-operative diet for you to follow to help you become comfortable with the basic nutrition plan you will need to maintain after your procedure. In most cases, this diet will begin about two-to-three weeks before your operation. In addition to easing you into a new lifestyle, this diet is designed to reduce fatty tissue in the abdomen and shrink the size of the liver to reduce the risk of surgical complications. While two-to-three weeks is standard, your insurance policy may dictate a longer physician-monitored program as part of the coverage requirement. This plan is designed more to be educational than a pre-operative technique, and we will discuss this situation if it applies to you.

We perform bariatric surgeries laparoscopically, which helps our patients to have a faster recovery and return to their daily routine sooner. Time spent in the hospital after your procedure will vary depending on the type of surgery and your individual situation. In most cases, however, a gastric banding procedure can be performed as a same-day surgery, gastric sleeve patients stay overnight, and gastric bypass patients stay for two nights. Most patients can return to work in about a week.

Everyone heals at a different rate, and we encourage you to take the time you need to fully recover. Many individuals return to normal activity, depending on their work-related responsibilities, in about one to two weeks. That said, you will not be able to strain or perform heavy lifting for four weeks, so if your daily routine is demanding or calls for strenuous movement, you may need to extend the healing period a bit longer. Dr. Parrish can help you determine when the appropriate time to return to your regular schedule will be.

If your BMI is over 30 and your main goal is weight loss and improved health, then bariatric surgery might be the right choice for you. However, if you are a normal weight and concerned about specific areas of fat that seem resistant to diet and exercise, liposuction may be a more appropriate choice. If you have excess skin on your stomach, or it appears “flabby,” a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is likely a better choice. Bariatric surgery is typically performed for individuals who suffer from severe obesity, whereas liposuction and abdominoplasty are considered cosmetic procedures for patients who are often in reasonably good health. If you are unsure which option is best for you, please feel free to contact us to schedule a consultation with Dr. James Parrish.

Yes. Weight loss surgery has been shown to be the most effective treatment for severe and morbid obesity. It is also the most effective treatment for the illnesses which accompany obesity, such as diabetes. Individual results depend on your procedure, age, physiology, level of activity, and, most importantly, how often you follow up after the procedure. After weight loss surgery, patients typically have a permanent excess weight loss of around 55%. Patients who strictly follow the post-operative recommendations will often lose more. In contrast, when severely or morbidly obese people successfully lose weight with diet and exercise alone, they generally only lose about 10% of their excess body weight, and only about 5% of these individuals are able to keep the weight off in the long-term.

You will have to change your eating habits after the surgery, but it is not a “diet” per se. Many people associate diets with feeling hungry and unsatisfied, but that is not how most bariatric surgery patients feel after their procedure. We will provide detailed suggestions on the best types of foods to eat that provide balanced nutrition. There will still be room for occasional treats and tasty foods of a wide variety. Similarly, exercise does not have to be painful and intense to be effective. Modest exercise, including walking and recreational activity, should be incorporated into your routine to help you maintain your health. There is no specific exercise regimen or program that must be followed, and we can help you think of some fun and appealing options that will get you excited to move.

Overweight individuals often have other illnesses or diseases, such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea. Depending on the type of procedure, those with type II diabetes can see improvement over 90% of the time, and over 80% of the time the disease can go away completely. With this, risks of related heart disease, blindness, and amputation are also reduced. Obese patients who are able to lose weight after bariatric surgery are also able to reduce health risks related to a variety of other serious conditions, including cancer, hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, stroke, migraines, cirrhosis of the liver, arthritis, infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome, gallbladder disease, phlebitis, gout, and depression.

It’s not unusual for patients to find that they need less medication or can cease taking certain medications entirely upon losing weight following bariatric surgery. Some examples include medications for high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, cholesterol, and diabetes. That said, you should speak with Dr. Parrish and your general practitioner before reducing or discontinuing any prescriptions.

Yes. Many women find that they are very fertile after weight loss surgery, more so than before the procedure. We recommend waiting about 12-18 months after having a bariatric procedure before electing to become pregnant. Women who conceive after this period can expect fewer pregnancy-related complications and healthier babies compared to women who have not had weight loss surgery.