“It’s funny to run into people I haven’t seen for a while, and they don’t recognize me! And it’s pretty amazing that I no longer require treatment for diabetes, high cholesterol, or sleep apnea.” – Valerie
If you have a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 40, or are more than 100 pounds overweight, you could be a candidate for bariatric surgery. If you have a BMI ≥35 but<40 and at least two obesity-related co-morbidities — such as type II diabetes (T2DM), hypertension, sleep apnea, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, severe osteoarthritis, cholesterol and lipid abnormalities, or heart disease – you may also qualify for weight loss surgery.
Other Standards for Qualification Include:
- An inability to achieve a healthy weight loss sustained for a period of time with prior systematic, supervised weight loss efforts documented with monthly visit within past 2 years
- A stable psychological and emotional profile
- An understanding that bariatric surgery is a tool and willingness to make difficult lifestyle changes and adhere to dietary restrictions and guidelines
- Acceptable physical performance status to undergo the surgical procedure