Who is a Candidate for Weight Loss Surgery?
Weight loss surgery is only recommended for people with a BMI of 40 or greater, approximately 100 pounds over ideal body weight for men or 80 pounds for women.  People who have a BMI between 35 and 40 and at least one significant obesity-related health condition, such as sleep apnea, diabetes or heart disease, may also be candidates for surgery.

Surgery Benefits
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), surgery offers the only proven long-term weight loss solution in patients for whom all other therapies have failed, and after 10-14 years, many gastric bypass patients have maintained a loss of about 100 pounds.

Additional clinical research has shown that this weight loss leads to a significant improvement in the health status of many gastric bypass surgery patients.  Most people with Type 2 diabetes no longer need medication within a month of surgery; back and joint pain is relieved; sleep apnea symptoms disappear; leg swelling decreases; acid reflux is alleviated; blood pressure stabilizes; cholesterol levels drop; and often, hypertension goes into complete remission.  Many morbidly obese people are on permanent disability, and following weight loss surgery, most can return to work.

To learn more about weight loss surgery options, call Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s Bariatric Services at 678-343-4061.