I was in clinic recently when I met with a lady who was considering her weight loss surgery options. There were lots of reasons to think a band would be a good option but she said she preferred a sleeve because her friend had had a band and it didn’t work.
We spoke about it and the truth is that there was nothing wrong with the friend’s band but she had been unable to work with it. From what I could gather it sounded as though she had not fully understood the dietary changes that were required and was not following the eating behaviours. We chatted it through and she came to the decision that she still preferred the sleeve. Nothing I could say about the band would have changed her opinion and she made the right call. You have to believe in the procedure you have chosen otherwise you set yourself up to fail from the very outset.
There is no weight loss surgery that guarantees success but there are several things you can do that will improve your chances of success. Here’s a little checklist that is useful if you are wondering whether or not you are ready for weight loss surgery:
- Am I satisfied that I have exhausted dieting and I’m ready for weight loss surgery?
- Do I know enough about the gastric band, sleeve and bypass to explain the main differences to a friend?
- Am I satisfied that my choice of weight loss surgery is absolutely right for me?
- Have I made a diet, eating and exercise plan that will help me get the best from my operation?
- Do I have complete confidence in the provider I have chosen?
If you can answer yes to all of these questions, you’ve got a great chance to be successful.
With weight loss surgery you generally have time to consider your options so if you are unsure about anything, take a step back, get the answers to your questions that you need and then move forward with confidence.