- You are at least 100 pounds overweight.
- Your BMI (body mass index) is 40 or greater.
- You have co-morbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, or sleep apnea.
- You have tried, unsuccessfully for five years or longer, to lose weight utilizing other diets and other methods.
- You are willing and motivated to follow the prescribed diet and exercise regimen.
Certain patients, although they meet the weight guidelines, may not be suitable candidates for successful weight loss surgery. These patients include:
- Patients suffering from uncontrolled, severe psychiatric illnesses.
- Anyone addicted to drugs or alcohol.
- Medical conditions that make surgery unadvisable.
- Cancer patients who are not in remission.
- Most patients over 65, although this is not an automatic disqualification.
- Patients whose expectations are unrealistic. If you and your spouse are having problems and you think this surgery will make them love you more, this is probably not for you. Or if you think you can have this surgery without changing your attitude towards food and restricting your food intake, this surgery is not for you.
- Women who plan to become pregnant within one year.
Before surgery, extensive medical and psychological testing should be conducted to determine if a patient meets the guidelines and is a good candidate for successful weight loss surgery. Pre-op testing should include:
- Laboratory testing
- Upper GI.
- EKG
- Psychiatric interview and testing
If you think Lap-Band surgery may be the right choice for your weight problems, consult a weight loss surgery specialist in your area , and learn everything you can about this procedure before you make your decision. Before I made my final decision to have the Lap-Band, I spent several months reading the postings of a large group of Lap-Band patients on an email list called DFW Bandsters. Although this list is for patients in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, where I live, a great deal of insight about what to expect before, during, and after Lap-Band is available here.
Source:
Bariatric Surgery for Severe Obesity. Weight-control Information Network. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/gastric.htm. Accessed 08/24/09.
