Gastric Bypass - Qualifying Criteria

There are certain criteria you must fit before being accepted for this major procedure.

Weight loss surgery is becoming more popular as people look for successful ways of losing excess pounds. Before you spend time and money finding a surgeon, you should know that not everyone qualifies for gastric bypass surgery.

The first thing you need to know is your Body Mass Index (BMI). You can figure this out manually by dividing your weight by your height in inches squared and multiply by 703 or you can use one of the many online BMI calculator programs available. Just do a search for "BMI calculator" and you will get over three million results. You can also ask your doctor.

Patients looking to undergo bariatric surgery must have a BMI between 40 and 50. That works out to 100 lbs or more overweight for men and 80lbs or more overweight for women. Surgery above this range is riskier than normal. If your BMI is more than 50, you won't be disqualified, you will just be asked to lose up to 8% of your weight before undergoing surgery.

Age plays a part in many surgeons decisions whether to perform a gastric bypass or other weight loss surgery. Most doctors won't do these procedures unless the patient is between 15 and 50 years old. Underage patients will need a parent's consent. Some doctors will set their age range at 18 to 55. One major thing to consider is studies have shown higher risks of complications and death in older patients undergoing the weight loss surgery.

So you are within the age, but not the BMI. You fall short a few points and you desperately want to lose the pounds to better your health. You may still qualify if you have a serious or life threatening illness that could improve with weight loss. Illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and high cholesterol plus a BMI of 35 or above will qualify you for gastric bypass or lap band surgery.

Certain illnesses, mainly psychological ones, will disqualify a person from bariatric surgery. Illnesses like schizophrenia, bi-polar, and depression are all exaggerated with weight loss. Every patient will, or should, undergo a thorough psychological evaluation before one of these surgeries are performed. Cheating or lying on these tests may bring harm to yourself. Take the time to deal with your psychological issues before considering bariatric surgery.

Weight loss intervention procedures can enhance a persons life greatly, but only if they are the right candidate. Bariatric surgery performed on someone who doesn't ft the criteria will be riskier and may cause unforeseen problems. A BMI between 40 and 50 qualifies and a BMI of 35 with serious health issues will also get you in. If you qualify, congratulations. Be prepared for a major lifestyle change.

Do You Qualify For Gastric Bypass or Lap Band® Surgery?

There are certain criteria you must fit before being accepted for this major procedure.

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