You’ve wanted to lose weight for years, but despite your best efforts,
those pounds just won’t budge. The LCMC Health weight loss specialists
in the greater New Orleans area understand that diet and exercise don’t
help everyone successfully lose weight. Sometimes, weight loss, or bariatric,
surgery is needed to help you reach—and maintain—a healthy weight.
Our weight loss teams are by your side the moment you walk through our
doors, ready to provide you with the tools you need to succeed. When you
come to LCMC Health, you have access to bariatric surgeons, behavioral
health specialists, dietitians and nurse practitioners who work together
to develop a weight loss plan that works for you.
When it comes to successful weight loss, we don’t believe one size
fits all. We develop customized plans for every person in Louisiana who
comes to us for help. We want to prepare you for success before and after
your surgery, and we know just how to do it.
Our programs include:
Counseling for nutrition, emotional challenges and exercise
Education
Psychoeducational therapies
Support groups
Bariatric procedures to help you reach your goal weight
The bariatric surgeons at LCMC Health offer two forms of bariatric surgery.
No matter which procedure your physician recommends for you, we’re
with you from beginning to end. Our goal is to give you the education
and tools you need to adapt to your new, healthier lifestyle and keep
those pounds off once and for all.
Often referred to simply as gastric bypass, this procedure is one of the
most common forms of weight loss surgery. Your weight loss surgeon creates
a small stomach pouch and connects it to your small intestine. People
who receive Roux-en-y gastric bypass generally lose 60% to 70% of their
excess weight. In addition to shrinking the size of your stomach, gastric
bypass causes hormone changes that help you feel less hungry.
During this procedure, your bariatric surgeon removes about 80% of your
stomach. People who have a sleeve gastrectomy lose around 50% to 60% of
their excess weight. As with gastric bypass, the procedure causes changes
in hunger hormones that help you eat less. Roux-en-y gastric bypass is
a more involved procedure than sleeve gastrectomy, and sleeve gastrectomy
may be better for people with certain medical conditions.
There’s no such thing as a dumb question. Really. Here are some general
questions we’re often asked that you may be wondering about, too:
Can weight loss surgery prolong my life?
According to a very important research study from 2007, the answer is YES,
bariatric surgery can definitely prolong your life.
Can bariatric surgery help resolve other medical conditions?
The science doesn’t lie. Research shows that weight loss surgery
can improve or resolve health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension
(high blood pressure), obstructive sleep apnea, joint pain, lipid disorders,
reflux, and many more co-morbid conditions. Data even shows a reduction
in rates of certain cancers.
How young can you be for bariatric surgery?
Generally accepted guidelines from the American Society for Bariatric Surgery
(ASBS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicate surgery only
for people 18 years of age and older.
How old is too old?
You’re only as old as you feel. We accept people into our program
by health age, not chronological age. It’s all about understanding
and managing risk-to-benefit ratios. The risk of surgery in older folks
is increased, but so are the benefits — especially in terms of improved
overall health and quality of life. Plus, we think our older patients
are rock stars!
Is bariatric surgery dangerous?
Every surgery comes with risks. Thankfully, bariatric surgery has relatively
low surgical risks. Many people fear weight loss surgery, but that’s
mostly a holdover from when the procedure was first performed many years
ago in an open fashion. With current laparoscopic techniques, bariatric
surgery is safer than having your gallbladder removed. (The mortality
rate for bariatric surgery is just 0.25 percent. For gallbladder surgery,
it’s 0.7 percent.)
How do I prepare for bariatric surgery?
Bariatric surgery is generally safe, in part because we take our time preparing
you for surgery. It’s like running a marathon. You wouldn’t
just go out and run 26.2 miles without training first. You’d prepare
for it. In the six months leading up to your surgery, you’ll meet
with various doctors — including your primary care doctor, a cardiologist,
a pulmonologist, and a psychiatrist — who will prepare you for your
procedure. You will also have multiple tests ordered, all to get you ready
for surgery.
After your surgery, our team will give you detailed instructions and information
about your recovery. To give you a sense of what to expect, we’ve
outlined some of the more common questions we’re asked.
How long do I have to stay in the hospital?
The average hospital stay for sleeve and bypass surgery is one to two days.
How soon will I be able to walk again?
We want you out of bed and moving almost immediately after surgery. This
decreases the rate of lung infections, and early walking also increases
the return of bowel function.
What happens if there’s a leak or complication from the surgery?
If leaks or complications happen, we’ve got you covered. We have
all the necessary equipment and personnel to take care of you. As a matter
of fact, we regularly care for patients from other states and even other
countries who are experiencing bariatric surgery complications. It’s
just another area where we thrive.
Will I have excess skin hanging off of me?
Everyone’s experience is different. Not all patients have excess
skin after surgery, but some do. Patients who have more muscle mass will
have less excess skin — that’s one of the reasons why we stress
the importance of exercise once the weight starts coming off. If you are
left with excess skin that makes you uncomfortable, we offer plastic surgery
skin procedures to resolve this issue.
Will I regain the weight?
Again, everyone’s different. Most patients don’t regain the
weight after surgery, but some do. To help set you up for success, we
arrange for you to meet with one of our registered dieticians and physical
therapists before surgery. If you can lose weight before surgery, you’ll
be more apt to keep the weight off. However, if you do regain the weight,
we offer various revision surgeries to get you back on track.
What are the known vitamin issues I’ll have after the procedure?
Not to sound like a broken record, but everyone’s different. Some
patients require vitamin supplements after bariatric surgery, and some
don’t. For example, sleeve gastrectomies have a lower requirement
for vitamin support, while gastric bypass surgeries have a higher need.
That said, we don’t just abandon you after surgery. We provide follow-up
care for life. Your bariatric team and primary care doctor will monitor
you closely for years following surgery to ensure no deficiencies develop.
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