Personal Issues
I spent about a year soul searching and researching bariatric surgery before I ever spoke to a doctor about having a gastric bypass. I recommend that anyone else do the same. This isn’t a decision to jump into lightly. If you aren’t ready to make a serious commitment to your continued health and fitness then going under the knife for a gastric bypass is just foolish.
Once you see a doctor, there is an extensive screening process. If your doctor believes this is a viable option for you, he’ll refer you to a bariatric surgeon. The surgeon will discuss with you those health issues that you may have that would be improved by surgery as well as any issues you may have that could increase the risks of surgery. If the benefits outweigh the risks, then the surgeon will likely recommend that you have the surgery.
If your doctor gives you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, you’ll need to follow them. These may include quitting smoking and/or drinking, or other restrictions on what you may eat or drink prior to surgery. You may also be asked to begin an exercise routine prior to the surgery. Since you’ll be expected to adopt a regular exercise routine after the surgery, this should not be considered such a bad thing.
Financial Issues
Once the medical community has given you the go-ahead for bariatric surgery, it is time to get the financial community’s approval. Namely, unless you’ve got about $15,000 just lying around in a cookie jar somewhere, you’ll need your insurance company to approve of and cover the procedure.
You’ll have to submit paperwork from your medical team recommending the surgery to your insurance company. The insurance company will then weight the costs and benefits to them and either approve or disapprove the surgery. This process could take anywhere from a week to a couple months. You will not be able to schedule the surgery until your insurance company has approved it and your doctors know they’ll be paid for it.
These two issues are just the first hurdles. There will be more.
Related Blogs:
Dispelling Weight Loss Surgery Myths
Is Gastric Bypass Surgery For You?