Obesity is a condition where a person has accumulated so much body fat that it might have a negative effect on their health. About one-third of US population suffer from obesity. If a person’s body weight is at least 20% higher than it should be, he or she is considered obese. If your Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9 you are considered overweight. If your BMI is 30 or over you are considered obese. 

BMI (Body mass index) is a measure of body fat based on your weight in relation to your height. If a person’s BMI is out of the healthy BMI range, their health risks may increase significantly. To calculate your BMI, you can simply use our BMI calculator:

Research supports the benefits of weight loss surgery for those with a BMI between 35 and 39.9 with obesity related health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and other obesity related conditions. You could be a candidate for surgical weight loss if you meet any of the following criteria:

• You are more than 100 lbs. over your ideal body weight.
• You have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 40.
• You have a BMI of over 35 and are experiencing severe negative health effects, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, related to being severely overweight.
• You are unable to achieve a healthy body weight for a sustained period of time, even through medically-supervised dieting.

Four common types of weight-loss surgery are:

• Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
• Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.
• Sleeve gastrectomy.
• Duodenal switch with biliopancreatic diversion.

As the old saying goes, one size doesn’t fit all. Same true about weight loss surgery. After meeting with our surgeons, reviewing your information and examining you, Our team will help you to tailor the procedure that best fits you.

You will be able to eat regular food following the transitional period after surgery. The biggest difference will simply be the portion size. After eating a few ounces or less, you will feel full. You will need to avoid foods high in sugars and limit fats in your diet. You can otherwise eat a wide variety of foods but some foods such as dry meats, pasta, rice, breads, asparagus or other stringy fruits and vegetables may be difficult.

The skin that holds all of your fat tissue before the surgery tends not to shrink down as the fat goes away. Most patients are left with areas of excess skin, especially the abdomen, upper arms, upper thighs, and breasts. Exercise is very important for the patient’s overall success, but it is not effective in shrinking skin. However, excess skin draped over muscle is more aesthetically pleasing than skin that is draped over little muscle tissue. Many patients choose to undergo plastic surgery to remove excess skin. It is recommended to wait 12-18 months after bariatric surgery before pursuing plastic surgery. Also, it is important for a patient to be close to their goal weight and that their weight has stabilized. This allows the best results after plastic surgery. Unfortunately, most post-bariatric surgery procedures are not covered by insurance and you may consider starting to save money for these procedures.

Insurance coverage varies for weight loss surgery procedures. It is crucial that you call your insurance provider to determine if your policy covers surgical weight loss. As an integral part of our team, our director of operations and patient liaison can answer questions and give you guidance when working with your insurance company to acquire approval.

On average, our patients leave the hospital 1-2 days after gastric sleeve surgery. Sometimes the procedures are done as outpatient or 23 hour stay. Return to work varies between 1-3 weeks, depending on the type of work. No heavy lifting (more than 10 lbs.) is allowed within 4-6 weeks after surgery.