Bariatric Surgery Alone Won’t Be Enough to Stop Weight Regain
Most people think that once they have weight loss surgery, their battle with obesity is won. This cannot be farther from the truth. While bariatric surgery can be invaluable in helping people struggling with obesity lose a lot of that weight, the struggle does not end at the operating table nor stop weight regain.
Ultimately, whether or not the weight loss journey will be successful long-term will depend on the lifestyle of the patient after their surgery.
According to the Surgical Weight Loss director at Penn State Medical Center; a leading weight loss hospital in the United States, eating smaller food portions and maintaining a regular exercise schedule must be part of your lifestyle after the procedure in order for you not to have a weight regain.
”It’s also important to keep a detailed food journal. It’s unbelievably helpful at getting people back on track because it forces them to be accountable,” Said Dr. Ann Rogers in a press release.
She also stressed the importance of patients keeping regular appointments with their bariatric surgeon after the surgery saying, “There’s a lot of evidence that people who see their doctor regularly after surgery do better.”
Some severely obese people won’t choose bariatric surgery to treat their obesity because of fear of complications. On the safety of bariatric surgery, Dr. Rogers said that although some obese patients don’t opt for bariatric surgery because of fear of possible of complications, more often than not, obese people are at a higher risk of dying from obesity related complications by choosing to live with untreated obesity.
Most doctors usually recommend different dieting plans and regular physical exercise for their obese patients to help them lose weight. In many cases however, these obese people have already been struggling to lose weight for many years using the recommended traditional weight loss methods without success.
Sometimes, they lose a little of the excess weight but they just can’t seem to be able to avoid regaining weight.
In such cases, obese patients are advised to consider weight loss surgery.
Bariatric surgery is however not an option for any obese patient who may wish to have surgery. There are standards and regulations that determine who qualifies for the procedure. In Lebanon, only patients with a body mass index (BMI) that is above 35 and obese patients who have developed one or more serious conditions related to obesity qualify to have bariatric surgery.
Some obese patients may not require surgery while others may not be considered candidates for weight loss surgery for various reasons. These may include people with uncontrolled mental illnesses and patients whose weight gain is caused by an untreatable disorders.
If you are considering having bariatric surgery to treat your obesity in Lebanon, book an appointment with Advanced BMI. Dr. Nagi, our chief bariatric surgeon together with our bariatric team will help you determine if you qualify as a candidate for this procedure.
If you qualify, we will explain all the options you have in detail so that you can choose what type of weight loss surgery will suit your needs. But we also emphasize that while weight loss will help you lose a significant amount of your excess weight; keeping this weight from coming back will depend on the lifestyle changes you choose to make after surgery.
Weight loss surgery is not a ‘quick fix’. It will just be the start of your weight loss journey. You will need to adopt a new fitness routine and eating plan. You will also need to follow up with your doctor for a long time after your surgery.
If you don’t qualify for the surgery, we will advise you on the best method and help you figure out a plan to help you lose weight and sustain the weight loss.
For more information, contact us at Advanced BMI, Lebanon.
