Bariatric Surgery Center: FAQs

Body Mass Index (BMI) uses your height and weight to assess your health. If your BMI is 40 or more, you are considered to be morbidly obese, which may make you a candidate for bariatric surgery. If you have a BMI of 30 to 39 accompanied by serious, obesity-related health problems, you also may be a candidate for surgery.

After surgery, eating high-fat, high-sugar foods or eating too much may cause uncomfortable reactions, such as vomiting or dumping syndrome. These reactions make it much easier to avoid junk food.

Many people say their tastes change after surgery, and they no longer want unhealthy foods. You may notice that foods you used to love won’t appeal to you anymore, and you may develop tastes for new and different foods. After surgery, you no longer will be able to depend on food for comfort. For some people, it can be difficult to fill the void that used to be filled by food.

Better health can improve your quality of life. It can help you become a better partner, sister, brother, mother or father. In addition to having a longer life, you can be more involved in the lives that mean the most to you. Being healthy and active allows you to participate in more family activities and keep up with loved ones.

If you have sleeve or gastric bypass surgery, expect to be in the hospital for two nights. If you have band surgery, you can be in the hospital for one night or leave the same day.

Most types of insurance cover bariatric surgery, but some policies have exclusions. Contact your insurance company for details.

Sleeve or bypass surgery usually takes two hours. Band surgery takes 45 to 60 minutes.

Yes, if you don’t have other fertility problems. Women should wait at least 18 months after the surgery to get pregnant, until their weight becomes stable.

If you have sleeve or gastric bypass surgery, you should be able to return to work in two to four weeks after surgery, depending on the physical demands of your job. If you have a band, you typically can return to work in one week.

This is different for everyone. For some people, the skin will tone up and look fine. In other cases, the skin has stretched too much to return to normal. You may be left with sagging skin around your middle or other parts of your body. Some people choose to live with the excess skin; others have it removed. The procedures usually are considered cosmetic and may not be covered by insurance. If excess skin is causing medical problems (such as rashes or sores), your insurance plan may cover the surgery.

You will begin losing weight immediately after surgery. But, don’t be surprised if you actually weigh a few pounds more when you go home than you did when you entered the hospital. This can be a result of all the fluids you were given in the hospital, and the weight will be lost quickly.