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Bariatric Surgery

Medical options for long-term weight loss success

Weight-loss surgery — also called bariatric or metabolic surgery — involves making changes to your digestive system to help you lose weight.

Bariatric surgery is done when diet and exercise haven’t worked or when you have serious health problems because of your weight. Some weight-loss procedures limit how much you can eat. Others work by reducing the body’s ability to absorb fat and calories. Some procedures do both.

While bariatric surgery can offer many benefits, all forms of weight-loss surgery are major procedures that can pose risks and side effects. You must make permanent healthy changes to your diet and get regular exercise to help ensure the long-term success of bariatric surgery.

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Bariatric surgery

This includes gastric bypass and other weight-loss surgeries that involve making changes to your digestive system to help you lose weight.

Nutritional counseling

An evaluation of your diet, how well your body is using nutrients and a look at your goals are a start in losing weight.

Weight loss counseling

A holistic approach helps patients understand their reasons and needs for losing weight.

Psychological counseling

An understanding of your emotions and behaviors will be evaluated to better understand weight loss goals.

Why it’s done

Bariatric surgery is done to help you lose extra weight and may improve or resolve life-threatening weight-related health problems, including:

Type 2 diabetes.
Heart disease and stroke.
High blood pressure.
High cholesterol levels.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Sleep apnea.
Some types of cancer

Bariatric surgery also can improve your ability to perform routine daily activities, which could help improve your quality of life.

Who it is for

In general, bariatric surgery could be an option for you if:

Your body mass index (BMI) is 40 or higher, called extreme obesity.
Your BMI is 35 to 39.9, called obesity, and you have a serious weight-related health problem, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or severe sleep apnea. In some cases, you may qualify for certain types of weight-loss surgery if your BMI is 30 to 34 and you have serious weight-related health problems.

You will have a screening process to see if you qualify. You also must be willing to make permanent changes to lead a healthier lifestyle.

You will need to participate in long-term follow-up plans that include keeping track of your nutrition, your lifestyle and behavior, and your medical conditions.

Check with your health insurance plan or your regional Medicare or Medicaid office to find out if your policy covers such surgery and what requirements they have.

Non-surgical weight loss options 

Our non-surgical weight management program offers an individualized, comprehensive approach.

Learn more

How you prepare

You will meet with the surgeon at your first appointment to determine if you are a good candidate for surgery.  Our team will provide you with our program requirements and your insurance requirements.  Preparation for surgery includes:

Appointments with our Registered Dietitians
Behavioral Health Assessment/Clearance
Support Group attendance
Education on the importance of exercise
Medical Clearances deemed necessary by your surgeon

What you can expect

Bariatric surgery is done in the hospital using general anesthesia. This means you’re unconscious during the procedure.

Bariatric surgery is performed laparoscopically and takes up to several hours.  Most patients go home the day after surgery.  Plan to be off work for 4-6 weeks to recover.

Types of bariatric surgery

We offer the following weight loss surgeries at Beacon Kalamazoo:

Gastric Sleeve: Watch this video to learn more
Gastric Bypass, Roux-en-Y: Watch this video to learn more
Duodenal Switch, DS: Watch this video to learn more

Which type of weight-loss surgery is best for you depends on your specific situation. Your surgeon will take many factors into account, including body mass index, eating habits, other health issues, previous surgeries and the risks involved with each procedure.

After bariatric surgery

After weight-loss surgery, you’ll follow a specific diet. The diet begins with liquids only, then to pureed and very soft foods, and eventually, to regular foods. You will have restrictions or limits on how much and what you can eat and drink.

You will have frequent checkups to monitor your recovery after weight-loss surgery.

Obesity is a disease with many contributing factors.  Our team is here for you—for a lifetime—to treat your disease, put it in remission, and provide support throughout your entire journey.

If you are in interested in surgery, please complete the New Patient Paperwork online.