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I Want My Surgery Yesterday!
So, you have researched weight loss surgery on the internet for the last 3 years. You have talked with your family physician about supporting your decision for weight loss surgery. Your family is behind you, you have chosen your surgeon, and you are ready to get on with the rest of your life, right? Wrong!
Like many patients before you, and many who will come after you, you have made the decision to have weight loss surgery after years of contemplation and research. Now that your mind is made up, you are ready to have surgery this instant. What you may not understand is that the pre-surgery process isn’t a quick process. Programs are set up intentionally to give you time to comprehend the major life changes you are about to undergo. Hopefully, after reading this, you will understand how your weight loss surgery process should unfold.
As we all know, many patients do not have an insurance benefit for bariatric surgery. But, for those of you who do, your insurance company typically has a set of criteria that has to be met in order for you to receive your benefit. Call your insurance company and find out what this is before you see your surgeon. Oftentimes, insurances require documentation of past weight loss attempts in the last five years. Bringing this documentation outlined for your surgeon (not just your entire five year medical chart) will aide in speeding up the preauthorization process for your surgery. If your policy requires a referral from your family physician, check with both your family physician as well as your insurance to make sure this is in place before your consultation.
Mental health plays a substantial role in the outcome of your weight loss experience. Asking you to participate in preoperative support group sessions prior to surgery allows you to share your concerns, voice your fears, and talk with other preoperative patients who are embarking on the same journey. Taking time out and reassessing your life and the major changes you will have to make doesn’t happen overnight. Even the most educated patient needs ample time to prepare them self mentally for surgery.
Dietary restrictions and vitamin supplementation are going to be a permanent part of your life after surgery. With so many protein supplement and vitamin choices on the market, taking time to thoroughly discuss your nutritional information and new eating mechanism with your dietitian is crucial for the success of your surgery. Reading the educational literature provided by your dietitian and gaining complete understanding of your new dietary restrictions will be imperative to your success. Complete adherence to your new bariatric eating habits will help you best achieve your weight loss goal. Discuss this information with your family. Discuss this with your surgeon. Take a trip to the local health store to scope out your planned choices for after surgery. Taking these extra steps will help you be better prepared when faced with the first several months after surgery.
Now after all that preparation, you have one final piece to your weight loss puzzle that needs to be put in place. You need to have an evaluation by a physical therapist or exercise specialist who can get to know your body and its needs before AND after surgery. Getting your body active before your surgery will help build strength and endurance for after surgery. Once the weight starts coming off, your body will be trying to figure out what to do now that it isn’t packing around the extra weight. Working with your therapist to develop a unique exercise plan designed specifically for you will help ensure that your body will be burning fat, not muscle, in the months to come. This doesn’t mean you have to join a gym or a health club. Doing at-home exercises or a neighborhood walking program may be the right fit for your needs. Making an effort to get your exercise program in place before surgery will drastically affect your post surgical weight loss.
Your surgeon and his/her team realize that you want to make a change in your health and more importantly a change in your life. They have done extensive research and development to ensure that you have the best possible outcome from your weight loss surgery. Taking an extra couple of months to reevaluate a decision that will affect your entire life isn’t something that is a roadblock to your surgery. It’s simply a bridge to your new lifestyle. So, take a deep breath and give yourself some time to prepare.