Written By: Emma Squillace
Bariatric surgery is the safest and most effective way to lose a substantial amount of weight – and keep that weight off. If you’ve struggled to lose weight in the past, or are currently dieting, you know it is an incredibly difficult process. Your body works against your weight loss efforts, fighting to stay at the weight it’s used to. Most people with obesity have genetic, metabolic, environmental, and lifestyle factors working against them. But even though bariatric surgery is a successful option for many, it can be hard to know when to make the choice to talk to someone about these procedures. Today we’ll tell you about the reasons many of our patients have made the choice to call West Medical about weight loss.
Medical scare
A primary reason people call us is they’ve gotten some medical news that scares them. This could be that they’re pre-diabetic, have high blood pressure, or get diagnosed with sleep apnea. Sometimes hearing news from a doctor is the motivation people are looking for. It’s in that moment they say “I’m ready to confront my weight and figure out a solution.” So many of our patients tell us these medical scares are a good thing in some ways, because it was the reason they decided to really look into bariatric surgery. Since many of our patients who have bariatric surgery end up reducing or eliminating the need for diabetes treatment, lowering stroke risk, blood pressure, and cholesterol, health concerns are the #1 reason we’d tell you to give us a call right away. Losing weight can not only help with current medical problems, but can reduce the risk of battling other weight-related diseases in the future.
Life milestones
Some of our patients are motivated to come in because of a birthday. We see people who say “I just turned 50 and I want to live to see 60 and 70 and beyond”. Obesity is a major factor for illnesses and death, so this motivation makes sense. We also have people come in that tell us their youngest kid just turned 5, and they realize they’ve not lost the weight they gained through multiple pregnancies. This is very common, especially since not only are women working to lose the weight they gained, but are also dealing with hormonal changes that make losing weight harder as we get older. At West Medical we’ve also got quite a few patients who were motivated by the birth of their first grandchild or an upcoming wedding. With such busy lives, these milestones often remind us to think about our long-term health.
The small things
Sometimes patients tell us it’s one little thing that finally motivated them. Maybe they couldn’t run around with their grandkids like they wanted to, skipped a fun activity because they felt their weight was holding them back, or got tired of one more day of feeling self-conscious about shopping for clothes. The burden of carrying extra weight is not just physical, but can also take a toll on the quality of everyday life.
The majority of people we talk with who are obese, have been dealing with excess weight for years. Some bariatric procedures like the gastric sleeve and gastric bypass are excellent choices for the right candidates. For others, especially those looking to lose 30-50 pounds, one of our gastric balloons may be a good choice. If you’re starting to think about weight loss – either because of a medical scare, milestone, or any reason – we’d love to talk to you. Taking the first step with West Medical will give you the information you need to decide if these treatments are the right choice for you. Our team is happy to answer questions for you, to make sure you understand your options. Call us today at (855) 690-0565.