Is Weight Loss Surgery Right for Me?

As you have read, weight loss surgery is a decision that requires research (like you are doing here), a risk/benefit comparison, an evaluation by an experienced bariatric surgeon and soul searching on your part to make sure you are committed to long term changes.  These changes can drastically improve your health, your ability to live your life to the fullest and potentially extend your lifespan.  This may seem overwhelming but the important thing for you to know is that you are not alone.

There is a delay with regards to documented statistics, but here are the clear trends:

• About 15 million adults in the U.S. have morbid obesity which is associated with more than 30 other diseases and conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, hypertension, asthma, cancer, joint problems and infertility.  The direct and indirect costs to the health care system associated with obesity are about $117 billion annually.⁵
• In the United States, the number of people who qualify for weight loss surgery is increasing as the incidence of obesity and morbid obesity is on the rise.
• In the United States, the number of weight loss procedures performed each year continues to rise with an estimated 177,600 procedures performed in 2006 (an increase from about 16,000 in the early 1990’s).⁵ In 2008 the number of weight loss procedures was up to 220,000 and remained there in 2009.  Numbers for subsequent years have not been published as of this publication.

⁵http://asmbs.org/benefits-of-bariatric-surgery/

Telling you that you are not alone and sharing these sobering statistics doesn’t solve the problem for you or the general population.  There has to be a need (and clearly there is a need), there has to be a want (which usually results from the pain endured as a result of being obese or morbidly obese) a viable solution (in this case, surgical weight loss with an experienced bariatric surgeon who is passionate not just about surgery but your long term success).  Sounds like a recipe for success but there is an ingredient that is missing.  You can have a need and a want and a viable solution but if you don’t have the commitment and motivation to follow through and create lasting change for yourself, you may never experience the optimal success you deserve.

If you decide that you have the want, the need and the commitment, you are a great candidate for weight loss surgery.  Now you just need to explore the rest of the questions in this book and get started on your path to success.

View our free Weight Loss Surgery webinar now and then click to schedule your conversation with Cat Williamson, our Surgical Coordinator.