​Am I a Candidate for Bariatric Surgery?

To be a candidate for weight-loss surgery, you must:

• Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or greater or be 100 or more pounds overweight from your ideal body weight.
• If BMI is between 35 and 40, you must have at least one significant medical condition such as diabetes, hypertension or sleep apnea.
• Be at least 18 years old.
• Not be drug or alcohol dependent or have at least one year of sobriety.
• Have a personal ongoing commitment to improving health and lifestyle.

Getting Started

1. Attend a seminar. As part of getting ready for surgery, it’s required that you attend one of our free bariatric weight-loss surgery seminars. The seminar will provide valuable information about this exciting lifestyle change. Learn more about our free informational seminars.
2. Contact your insurance to get information on your bariatric surgery benefits.
3. After you attend our seminar you will be scheduled for a consultation with a surgeon. During this meeting you will review your health history and talk in depth about your surgical options. You will meet with a bariatric case manager and will get a list of pre-operative and insurance requirements to complete prior to surgery.
4. Start working on behavioral changes. Bariatric surgery requires a lifelong commitment to lifestyle and behavioral changes. These are often the most difficult things to change. Below is a list of the most common behaviors and lifestyle changes that must be made.
   • Smoking cessation
   • Alcohol cessation
   • No carbonated beverages
   • Limit caffeine use
   • Slow down when you eat
   • No drinking fluids with your meals
   • Eat on a schedule, five to six times per day
5. Attend our bariatric support group. We offer a safe, supportive, supervised support group on the third Thursday of every month. We welcome all patients before and after surgery. Learn more about bariatric support groups.