Surgical Weight Loss

To qualify for surgery, you will need:

• A body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more
• BMI of 35 or greater with obesity related disease, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and others. Calculate your BMI

Check in with your insurance company about the specific criteria for weight loss surgery in your health plan.

Bariatric/metabolic surgery is covered by most insurance plans.

At CentraCare, we offer two weight loss procedures: gastric bypass surgery and sleeve gastrectomy.

Pre-Op Weight Loss - At your initial appointment, we will take your weight and height to determine your BMI. From this day forward, you will focus on weight loss, nutrition and lifestyle changes to prepare for a successful surgery.

Nutrition Evaluation - You will meet with one of our dietitians prior to surgery to assist you in understanding the diet and lifestyle changes recommended after surgery. Most insurance companies require three to six documented monthly dietitian visits prior to authorizing weight loss surgery.

Psychology Evaluation - You will meet with a psychologist who specializes in weight loss surgery evaluations. The evaluation will include an interview, psychological testing and a review of your test results.

The process usually takes about six months from your first visit. During this time, you will complete a psychological assessment, meet frequently with the registered dietitian and complete other insurance requirements.

Patients typically stay one night in the hospital after bariatric surgery.

After the incisions have healed, your scars will look like small scratches. These scars first appear pink. Over the next few months, they will become less and less noticeable.

Mild discomfort at the incision sites is common. We will prescribe pain medications to help.

Most patients return to work two to six weeks after surgery.

Most say no. During the first 3-6 months, most do not have an appetite. Appetite gradually returns.

It is possible to regain weight after all weight loss surgeries. The chance of weight regain is greatly reduced if a complete lifestyle change is embraced, including a healthy diet and regular exercise.

You will follow a full liquid diet for two weeks after surgery. Your diet texture will gradually progress from pureed to soft over the next month and finally to regular foods at about three months after surgery. Once you progress to the regular diet, we recommend protein and fiber foods at every meal. Other nutrition recommendations will be discussed during your dietitian visits. The most noted change is smaller portions.

Patients must take lifelong multivitamins/minerals, calcium and vitamin B12 supplements. The number of supplements daily depends on the surgery. Check with your dietitian for specific needs.

After undergoing weight loss surgery, you will find that even small amounts of alcohol will affect you quickly. Alcohol is a high-calorie beverage that should be consumed infrequently or not at all.

We recommend women wait at least 18-24 months after surgery before becoming pregnant. Your weight and nutrition status will likely be stable at this point. Fertility may increase with weight loss. Please talk with your primary care provider about birth control.

Many conditions improve or resolve after weight loss surgery. These conditions include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, etc. It is possible your medications will be decreased or discontinued.

You will have office visits at two weeks, four weeks, three months, six months, 12 months and yearly.

Many factors will affect how much excess skin you have after weight loss. These factors include genetics, age, skin elasticity and the amount of weight lost. Some people choose to have surgery to remove excess skin. Insurance companies typically do not pay for these types of surgeries, unless complications arise from the excess skin folds.