Preparing for Bariatric Surgery Cedar Park, Austin

How to Prepare for Weight Loss Surgery

The positive repercussions of weight loss surgery cannot be overstated. Surgical weight loss can be a literal lifesaver for morbidly obese individuals, vastly improving their quality of life and providing them with brand-new opportunities. Once the decision to undergo bariatric surgery has been made, candidates need to prepare themselves in several different aspects. They need to be physically ready to handle the invasiveness of the procedure, as well as mentally and emotionally equipped to deal with the lifelong commitment that bariatric surgery requires. If you would like more information about preparing for weight loss surgery, contact our Cedar Park bariatric surgeons, serving Austin and beyond. We would be happy to register you for a bariatric surgery seminar, where you can meet our surgeons and learn more about the surgical treatments we offer.

Physical Preparation

We require bariatric surgery candidates to follow a medically supervised weight loss program prior to undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass or laparoscopic gastric sleeve surgery. The program includes specially designed diet and exercise components. When patients lose weight prior to surgery, it helps our surgeons perform laparoscopic surgery more safely and effectively; it also helps our patients recover faster.

Mental and Emotional Preparation

Successful, sustainable weight loss through bariatric surgery depends as much on the mental state of the patient as his or her physical makeup. Our patients’ motivations and goals are crucial to developing a personalized weight loss plan that produces long-term results. We ask our bariatric surgery candidates to undergo a psychological evaluation with a licensed psychologist prior to their surgery in order to assess their mental readiness for the surgery and the lifestyle changes that it will require. We also recommend that our patients receive coaching and counseling from our psychologist when preparing for bariatric surgery; this helps them anticipate the emotional adjustments they will need to make after surgery.