Weight Loss Surgeries: How to Find a Bariatric Surgery Clinic that will accept my BMI?

Let’s face it, we are so many to think of different weight loss procedures  in 2022 that once in the situation with an average BMI I cannot find so easily the right procedure or bariatric surgery clinic.

1. To know if I am the right candidate for bariatric surgery, I have to calculate my BMI

If it looks obvious this not always done and the first step you have to do is calculate your body mass index to see how “you rank” for bariatric surgery specialist. You must divide your height / weight x weight so that you can classify this way:

Body mass index (height / weight x weight) is less than 35

Body mass index (height / weight x weight) is between 35 and 40

Body mass index (height / weight x weight) is greater than 40

 

2. The second step is to provide your medical file history

As everyone is different, and everyone’s expectations is different this will be the second step: be able to provide to the Bariatric Surgery surgeon your medical history. Some will only have joint pain, others comorbidities but thanks to your medical file and explanations your low BMI doesn’t mean you necessarily need a sleeve but that you may need a gastric bypass.

3. How to Find the Right Bariatric Surgery Clinic with my IMC

You may feel pain or discomfort, have a lot of extra weight since several years with a BMI of 34 or even 38 though you can be rejected by most Bariatric Clinics in the world. So that is not so easy to find a clinic that will accept you.

Why many clinics reject maybe potential patients that are objectively good candidates? Some patient comments stress the fact that “we almost have to die to get a bariatric surgery procedure”. It is not far from truth, once in practice we have noticed that amongst 85% of hundreds of bariatric surgery clinics in the world, some with even JCI accreditation or ISO certification, some files with an average 38 or even 39 BMI some files are rejected. Then you have to contact a specialist to find a clinic that may accept your case.

The first explanations of bariatric surgery procedures rejected is probably of the strict requirements enacted by the World Health Organisation at inception though now it is less strict than five years ago.

The other explanations liaise with each State National Health System criteria. Most of national Health System may refund bariatric surgeries but this has not to be for comfort or aesthetic reasons. It is obvious has somehow some may say that the overweight is the responsibility of each individual and why a refund shall be justified as taking care of foot diet and do physical training shall overcome such issues. Others may say that it is not that easy as some may have natural cholesterol, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, DNA conditions or even hormone issues. Both are right and it is admitted that refund shall be granted if a high BMI is detected with sometimes comorbidities. So what is a high BMI? Some say it is over 40 others say it is between 35 and 40.

We can easily find out that many health system are strict when it comes to below 35 and sometimes below 40 BMI.

Some Health National System like in France would require high index with comorbidities, same for UK NHS. In Greece for instance, with very reputed bariatric surgeons, only 40 is an acceptable index to have a gastric bypass or sleeve though if you have comorbidities it might be accepted when over 37.

Some for private insurance with very different refund parameters.

It is then somehow absurd that most of high but non critical BMI cannot be refund.

We can confirm that most clinics around the world are very strict and not open minded and that many potential patients suffer of weight excess though they cannot have simply a sleeve or gastric bypass performed…even if they are self payers.

You can check what clinics accept your BMI without questions for a sleeve.

Therefore the only way is to contact specialist to know where to find the right bariatric surgery clinic that will accept your own BMI, because this is what it is about, taking care of your own weight and BMI whatever is your health status (provided your BMI is not below 25 or 30 of course).

Your first consultation is an important starting point for the surgical procedure for weight loss. During the consultation, you will get an overview of all the weight loss procedures and give details of what you are interested in. Most importantly, the way in which all the procedures will work will be explained and also those things that are required to achieve your weight loss goals. The first step to success is having knowledge of how the procedure works.

7 steps to follow with your Body Mass Index calculation

1. Before you see a surgeon, you will have accurate weights and heights. This will be done to check your current BMI.

2. Your surgeon will make a final decision if you are a suitable candidate for bariatric surgery.

3. All different surgical procedures involved in bariatric surgery will be explained to you by your surgeon and also the risks and benefits of each of them. This is a chance for you to ask questions from your surgeon and to understand what it is all about.

4. When selecting the surgical procedure you want, you will sign an agreement with Weight Loss Surgery Inc. and at this point, you will select the date for your operation.

5. You will have 1 week to key into the date of your surgery by making a non-refundable deposit of $5,000. In the event that you failed to this within that time, the next qualified patient for the operation and who wants this date will be able to take it.

6. Appropriate appointments for your pre-admission testing and estimates will be made for you. This may include:

• Blood tests
• X-ray recording of the chest
• Electrocardiogram
• History and Physical Examination
• Consultation and preoperative teaching with your physician
• Preoperative education this will be done by bariatric nurse specialists
• Register and enroll in the remote patient monitoring program

7. Depending on your weight, you will be prescribed a 2-4 week diet high-protein diet, low-carb (VLCD) diet and instructions on how to take it.

Amid your consultation, you and your surgeon will thoroughly examine the suitability of the surgical procedure for your problem and determine which suitable surgical procedure is best for you. After reviewing your disease history and goals, you and your surgeon will develop the expected results in terms of weight loss and obesity-related disorders.

The cost of your sleeve ie in Europe will of course be a factor in your decision making though if you are a self payer your medical file can be rejected.

Even more, this initial consultation is the beginning of a long-term relationship between you and your surgeon. This relationship will not end when the transaction takes place. On the contrary, the relationship with you will continue many years after the operation in the form of regular meetings and support groups.

First, you can take advantage of your first consultation by preparing yourself for a sincere discussion of your life as it is now and where you want to be in the future. The more you share the physical and emotional struggles with obesity, the more you help to develop a plan that will help you achieve your goals. And do not be scared to share your feelings. The weight loss process is as emotional as it is physical.

The importance of your first consultation cannot be emphasized enough. And part of any successful weight loss program is an amazing support team.

There is a need to find the right clinic and right surgeon that remote will discuss with you and accept your medical history for a bypass, sleeve or even a gastric band, balloon or plication.

Medical history is the other necessary parameter to be communicate for your sleeve and “low” BMI. Your bariatric surgeon has to determined of you can have a bariatric surgeon and if so if you need a plication, sleeve or gastric bypass.

Your diet history matters as well as any condition you may have such as diabetes, heart complications, DNA issues etc. Your relatives medical history is another factor to be taken into account as most generally the one that envisages a sleeve is never far from the same need of his her own family.

So the firs step is to determine your BMI:

Between 25.0 and 29.9 kg / m², there is an overweight;

Between 30.0 and 34.9 kg / m², it is moderate obesity;

Between 35.0 and 39.9 kg / m², it is severe obesity;

More than 40 kg / m², we speak of massive obesity.

Then the second step is to complete your medical file with as much information as possible about your diet, conditions, family, dna etc.

 

With that you can enquire different bariatric surgery clinics to get the right bariatric procedure but also to get it accepted if your BMI, like 99% of the population, is below 40.

THE MEDICAL ASSESSMENT OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY

Complications of overweight and obesity

For any overweight person, the attending physician looks for any repercussions on:

 

joints (osteoarthritis of the knees, hips);

breathing, especially at night (sleep disorders);

the heart and arteries.

skin (irritation and yeast infection of the folds);

sleep and alertness during the day (are there any episodes of fatigue, daytime sleepiness?);

the mental state: drop-in activities, depressive episodes ...

Overweight associated with metabolic abnormalities

In addition, being overweight is often associated with metabolic abnormalities that go unnoticed at first. To diagnose them, the doctor prescribes a blood test with:

fasting blood sugar (blood sugar level away from meals);

determination of lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides ...);

hepatic check.

The doctor traces with the person concerned the change in their weight: age of overweight, variations in weight over the course of life ...

He is interested in the factors likely to explain the excess weight (unbalanced diet, sedentary lifestyle or insufficient physical activity, taking drugs, smoking cessation, heavy alcohol intake, binge eating, psychological factors ...)

This research is especially important, because it makes it possible to define the objectives of care.

Then the doctor programs an assessment taking stock of the impact of overweight or obesity on health.

So to summ up you need a full medical history to be ready and just ask for some open minded clinics that will accept your BMI for the bariatric surgery you are looking for.

05/05/2022