Do I Really Need Surgery For Weight Loss?

Each person who considers bariatric weight-loss surgery will have unique circumstances and concerns. We are, after all, a world of individuals. But with that being said, there are certain frequently asked questions about bariatric surgery that many patients ask, and it will help you to understand the answers to these common questions.

Is surgery the only option for you, in terms of increasing your health and losing weight? Of course not. There are other options to consider as well, such as the all-important lifestyle changes of eating better and being more active. But for some patients who are morbidly obese, surgery may be the only option to get them on the right track.

But there's the rub. While bariatric surgery used to be reserved for these types of patients -- patients who would otherwise die from their weight conditions -- it now seems to be "in style." You hear about weight loss surgery on the news a lot more these days, and the number of surgical procedures has skyrocketed in recent years.

Here's what you need to remember. Despite all the glossy bariatric brochures with happy, skinny models smiling back at you, this is still surgery we are talking about here. And it has very real risks associated with it. So you should consider other non-surgical options as a matter of course.

Lifestyle Changes Still Required

Here's another thing that many people don't realize about weight loss surgery. Even with the surgery, you still have to change the behavior that led to the overweight condition in the first place. In other words, you have to make lifestyle changes.

So if you have to make those changes anyway, even with surgical intervention, why not start by making those changes first. See what you can accomplish without surgery. Need some serious motivation? How about this. The cost of bariatric surgery runs anywhere from $10,000 to $40,000, and insurance doesn't always cover it. The risks associated with these procedures range from vitamin deficiency to death.

If those two facts don't motivate you to change your lifestyle for the better, then how can you expect surgery to be a magical cure?

Brandon Cornett is the publisher of Bariatric Learning Center, an educational website that covers all aspects of this topic, from bariatric vitamins to surgery criteria and beyond. Learn more by visiting http://www.bariatriclearningcenter.com