If you struggle with obesity and are considering undergoing bariatric surgery, you probably have a lot of questions. Your doctor will help determine if your body is healthy enough to undergo the surgery, but it’s important not to neglect your mental state, either.
Because weight loss surgery instigates such drastic changes – not just for your body, but for your lifestyle – it’s imperative that your mental and emotional state is functioning well. The most important part of the decision-making process happens before you walk through our doors for the first time.
Bariatric Surgery Prep
During the first consultation with one of our surgeons, your history, family history, and reasons for having a bariatric surgery like a gastric sleeve, duodenal switch, or gastric bypass will be discussed. We will then talk about what we expect from our bariatric procedure patients.
This means pre-surgery diets, post-op diets and exercise, and an overall lifestyle change. While WeightWise offers a patient advocate – your personal support group! – to help surgery patients stay motivated, that initial drive needs to come from the patient. This may be the most important factor in lowering weight through a weight-loss procedure.
Losing weight in large amounts is both healthy and scary. Curing type 2 diabetes, reducing the chance of some cancers, and an overall feeling of confidence are obviously positives. But we have to be honest, too: We’re talking about a complete lifestyle change. What you did in the past isn’t going to work after surgery.
That can be daunting for many patients. We recommend watching our free online seminar to find out why so many of our patients have found success with our program. Once your decision has been made, here are some ways you can mentally prepare for weight loss surgery.
Bariatric Advice
Bariatric surgery will help you see dramatic weight loss, but it’s important to know that it will not happen overnight. The surgical procedure is just the beginning of the journey. It can take months to see weight loss and even longer to achieve your ultimate weight loss goal.
It will take lots of time and plenty of effort. So, at the very get-go, determine what your expectations are and ensure that they’re realistic. This will help keep you motivated to keep going and not give up. Losing a lot of weight is just part of it – why do you want to lose that weight?
Surround yourself with support
Support from your medical team is key to your surgery’s success. But once you leave the hospital and you’re back into your daily routine, it’s critical to have friends and family that will advocate for you, encourage you, and help you stay on track with your weight loss milestones.
It will be hard at times, but the more support you have, the easier it will be to get through any challenges. You may need to distance yourself from those that aren’t supportive or try to draw you back into your old lifestyle – the lifestyle that brought you to us in the first place.
Ensure your mental health is adequately taken care of
If you struggle with depression or if you know that your obesity has been caused by food addiction, it’s important to address those things before you undergo surgery. If you are dealing with depression after surgery or if you think you can handle physical recovery and addiction recovery, think again.
This will make it even harder to stay on track. Work with your doctor or a counselor to get help for mental issues that may prevent you from experiencing total bariatric surgery success. Bariatric surgery has very high success rates. It is truly a life-changing thing that can put you back on the path of health and wellness. Our team is excited to talk to you about your potential bariatric surgery, so contact us today!