3 Signs You May Be a Candidate for Bariatric Surgery

If your weight has begun to have serious implications on your overall health, it may be time to seek solutions. It can be incredibly difficult to go about your daily life when your muscles simply do not have the strength to carry the weight you have acquired. If you are looking for some more information as to whether or not bariatric surgery is a viable option for you, you’ve come to the right place. Keep in mind, the idea here is not to seek a stereotypically skinny body. It is to take back the health that you truly deserve. 

Hey Google, When Should I Seek Bariatric Surgery Near Me?

1. Your BMI falls somewhere between 35 and 40 (or higher)
   
   Your Body Mass Index is a measurement of body fat based on your height and your weight. You may become unable to achieve a healthy BMI for any extended period of time, even after several attempts at lifestyle change and rigorous dieting. This could be a sign that there are too many other factors weighing down your health for you to truly catch up. Once your body gets to a certain level of overwhelm, it can be increasingly difficult to reduce your BMI on your own, and you might benefit greatly from medical attention. 

2. You have developed severely negative health effects as a result of your weight 
   
   Unfortunately, obesity is associated with an unsettling amount of comorbidities. They range from insulin resistance and diabetes to certain types of cancer. You may suffer from sleep apnea, arthritis, glucose intolerance, or gallbladder disease. If this is the case, or several of these issues are present, your chances of being a candidate for bariatric surgery are much higher. When these issues make themselves present, it becomes significantly more difficult to lose the weight, increasing the likelihood that you need a little help.

3. You are more than 100 lbs over your ideal body weight
   
   If you have reached this point, it can take significant amounts of time and effort to lose even 50 pounds. This can put unnecessary strain on your bones, your muscles and ligaments, and especially your heart. Your heart has to make enough blood to fill your body, and it can be overworked too easily if the body has become morbidly obese.
   
   Doctors recommend losing large amounts of weight slowly if you go for natural methods, so you can expect to carry this weight through your workouts for up to 2 years. If you work incredibly hard and there are no preexisting conditions stopping you from shedding it, you may be able to reach this naturally, it will just be more difficult. 

Are There Bariatric Surgery Risks?

The simple answer? Yes. You should only consider this surgery as an option if you don’t have any other options left. It’s important to thoroughly understand what to eat before and after bariatric surgery to avoid some of these risks, and you should spend a large amount of time discussing the decision with your doctors. If you can lose the weight naturally, this is obviously the more recommended option, but if you’ve tried and tried and you’re still suffering, it’s time for some new solutions. 

The road ahead is definitely a complicated one, but you can potentially achieve a much greater state of health in much less time if you qualify for bariatric surgery. At BASS Bariatric Surgery Center, we’ve been performing these procedures since 2002. Our patients have lost more weight than the national average, and our complication rate is significantly lower. Call (925) 281-3711 if you think it’s time to chat with a professional. 

We’re here for you.