Pictured: Accountant Patricia Ordiz lost 135 pounds after her weight-loss surgery.

When Diets Fail, Surgery May Help

When “overweight” becomes “obese.”
According to the American Obesity Association, nearly 9 million American men, women and children are severely obese. They are not just 20 or 30 pounds overweight, but are 100 pounds or more over their ideal body weight.

This excess weight puts them at increased risk for medical, emotional, economic and social problems.If you are severely obese, you may face one or more of the following health problems:

 Heart attack and angina.
 High cholesterol and high blood pressure.
 Diabetes.
 Sleep apnea or other breathing problems.
 Varicose veins.
 Infertility.
 Interrupted menstrual cycle or unusual uterine bleeding.
 Lower back pain.
 Degenerative arthritis.
 Stress urinary incontinence.
 Increased risk of cancer (colorectal, prostate, breast, uterine and ovarian).
 Depression or other mental health problems.

What is weight-loss surgery?
Obesity is on the rise in adults and children alike. For some, lifestyle change may help them control their weight. Those who are moderately overweight may have success with dieting. But diets are ineffective 99 percent of the time for those who are severely obese. For these individuals, surgery may be the solution.

Since 1991, the National Institutes of Health has supported weight-loss surgery — or bariatric surgery — as a viable treatment option for obesity. At South Miami Hospital, we offer three weight-loss surgery procedures — gastric bypass, Lap Band and gastric sleeve.

Gastric bypass, which is the gold standard for bariatric surgery, reduces the size of your stomach and reroutes the digestive system. The Lap Band and gastric sleeve procedures only reduce the volume of your stomach so food intake is restricted.

Is this right for me?
The first step in determining whether weightloss surgery is right for you is to consult a surgeon who specializes in bariatric surgery.

The doctor will explain the benefits and risks of the surgery and will discuss other, related issues to help you decide. Once you and your doctor agree that you may be a candidate for weight-loss surgery, there are other factors to consider before choosing surgery. Depending on your health, some tests may be necessary.

As with any surgery, these procedures involve risks, including blood clots, hernias, leaks from the reduction of the stomach, incisions that won’t heal and even death. So it is important that you thoroughly examine and evaluate all the information about the surgery before making a decision.

In addition to the surgery itself, South Miami Hospital offers pre- and postsurgery counseling and testing. This is designed to help you prepare for surgery by addressing the hurdles you will face before and after the procedure.

Here are evaluations to consider:

Psychosocial assessment: Because weight-loss surgery is a life-altering operation, you must be mentally prepared to deal with the significant changes that will occur after surgery. This mental preparation includes ensuring that you have a good support system of friends and family; that you understand how important it is to adhere to new routines after the surgery, such as diet; and that you have a realistic plan for physical recuperation after surgery. Before you undergo surgery, a social worker will explain these changes so that you will know exactly what to expect. You will also be given information on the support groups available.

Nutritional counseling: The diet you follow after your procedure will have a big impact on the success of your weight-loss surgery. Registered dietitians will meet with you to provide customized nutritional counseling. They will assess your nutritional needs and explain how to make healthy food choices after bariatric surgery. After you leave the hospital, you may contact our dietitians to discuss your questions or dietary concerns.

Other testing: South Miami Hospital also offers other presurgery testing, such as cardiac testing, sleep apnea, X-rays and blood work.

The state of your health will determine whether you will need additional testing prior to surgery. Once all tests have been completed and you and your doctor have decided that surgery is right for you, you can proceed with your surgery.

After your surgery
After surgery, you will be cared for by a professional staff specially trained in bariatric care. Most patients spend one or two days in the hospital after their surgery. A multidisciplinary team of nurses, physical therapists, social workers and dietitians will monitor you closely and work with you to speed your recovery.

Will my insurance cover this?
Whether an insurance company will cover a bariatric procedure or any of the presurgery testing, such as a sleep apnea test, varies from company to company. We recommend that you check with your insurance company or contact one of our bariatric surgeons before you begin preparing for surgery to be sure you know
what your health plan will pay.

Even if your insurance company covers the procedure, you will have additional co-payments. If you do not have insurance coverage for bariatric surgery, there are other financial options that you can discuss with your surgeon.

Support groups and information sessions
Talking to the surgeons and those who have had bariatric surgery will help you better understand how the procedure will affect your life. There are many support groups and information sessions for people who have had or are considering a bariatric procedure. Our groups meet once a month at South Miami Hospital’s Victor E. Clarke Education Center.

For more information on these groups or if you have questions about the  weight-loss surgery program at South Miami Hospital, call 786-662-8745.