Weight loss surgery requirements

You are not alone in your struggle with obesity. Approximately 58 million suffer from the adverse health effects, the emotional turmoil and the social stigma associated with weighing 100 or more pounds over ideal body weight.

If you’ve struggled with obesity, you know that it affects a whole lot more than just your scale. Severe obesity may increase your risk of:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Sleep apnea
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Depression
• Infertility
• High blood pressure
• Certain forms of cancer

But losing the weight is often easier said than done. Fad diets. Magic pills. If you struggle with obesity, you’ve seen it all. Everything except results. Weight loss surgery can help you reach and maintain your goal weight, alleviate other health problems, and ultimately—change your life forever.

An important determining factor for weight loss surgery is your body mass index (BMI). It is a numerical expression of the ratio of our weight to your height. This number will determine if you are overweight and, if so, by how much. Your weight loss team will use your BMI and other factors to determine if you are a candidate for weight loss surgery and which option would best suit you.

You might be a candidate if:

• Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is 40 or higher
• Your BMI is over 35 and you have one or more obesity related conditions, or
• You are 100 lbs over your ideal weight

Certain physical and emotional conditions can cause an elevated level of risk of complications. Every patient will undergo a series of physical tests to determine if they are a candidate for surgery. In addition, your team will examine your medical history to see if any past procedures or issues will elevate your risk.

The following tools may be helpful in helping you determine whether or not surgical weight loss is right for you.